8 DAYS GALAPAGOS LUXURY CRUISE SAFARI

Welcome to San Cristobal, an island sculpted by dormant volcanoes with ancient whispers of biological wisdom. In Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the island’s capital, stands a statue honouring Charles Darwin, a testament to the island’s profound role in shaping his evolutionary theories during his historic visit in the 1830s. 

From San Cristobal, you will embark on your luxury cruise. As you approach the Kicker Rock, the air begins to feel alive with the graceful flight of Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, and frigatebirds, while sea lions bask along the shoreline. Below the surface, snorkelers and divers are greeted by the enchanting presence of manta rays, hammerhead sharks, and turtles. 

[For Aqua Mare and &Beyond Galapagos Explorer, you will embark from Baltra Island.]

Explore the northernmost islands of the Galapagos archipelago, famed for its extraordinary diversity of land and seabirds. Visit the Prince Philip’s Steps, home to captivating avian species such as Red-billed Tropicbirds, Red-footed Boobies, Nazca, Magnificent Frigatebirds and even the elusive short-eared owls! 

In Darwin Bay, where the sea meets the remnants of a submerged craters, you may opt to hop onto our zodiac to land onto its picturesque sandy beach. Get up close to Galapagos sea lions, marine iguanas, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Red-footed Boobies, and Great Frigatebirds. 

Rising from the ocean depths is the North Seymour Island, with its rugged black lava rock contours sculpted by primordial volcanic forces. You may chance into large male Magnificent Frigatebirds inflating their vivid red gular sacs in hopes of impressing the females flying overhead, or pairs of Blue-footed Boobies in their ritualized mating dance, proud sea lions nursing their young, or Galapagos land iguanas roaming across the volcanic boulders. Snorkelers can uncover a vibrant underwater life of colourful creole wrasses and parrotfishes. 

Traversing the lunar-like terrain of Santiago Island’s Sullivan Bay, one can uncover surprising encounters of vibrant red Sally Lightfoot crabs dancing in a symphony of life amidst the desolate landscape. Here, amidst geological mysteries that bear witness to the Earth’s fiery embrace, one can gain newfound appreciation for the raw beauty of nature’s handiwork.

Concealed within Fernandina Island’s Punta Mangle is a secluded cove ensconced by verdant mangroves. A haven for avian enthusiasts, this bay serves as a convergence point where terrestrial and marine ecosystems intertwine. Beneath the intricate root systems lies a sanctuary where juvenile sharks, green sea turtles, marine iguanas forage amidst swaying algae, while flightless cormorants, seabirds, shorebirds and their land-dwelling counterparts plunge into the depths in pursuit of prey. 

Flanked by the towering peaks of two active volcanoes, Isabela Island’s Punta Moreno presents opportunity to trek across the undulating waves of hardened lava bear. Along the shores of the Cromwell Current, one can find the archipelago’s largest marine iguanas, as well as flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, Great Blue Herons and White-tipped Reef Sharks. 

Thanks to the ever-shifting weather of the 864-meter-high Santa Cruz Island, one can find mesmerizing diversity of micro-climates as you transition from the lush shorelines into the rugged highlands, including an opportunity to come face-to-face with majestic giant tortoises in their verdant ancestral land. 

We continue into Puerto Ayora, home to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, the latter of which is dedicated to the breeding and reintroduction of the iconic giant tortoises and land iguanas. Along Puerto Ayora’s charming streets, one can also discover vibrant art galleries and quaint cafes. 

Arriving into the turquoise waters of Española Island’s Gardner Bay, one can unravel a vibrant tapestry of wildlife where subspecies of colorful Marine Iguanas coexist harmoniously with Hood Mockingbirds and Galapagos Hawks. 

Further westward of the island, the rugged cliffs of Punta Suárez emerge as a bastion of untamed beauty where one can witness the melodious calls of Swallow-tailed Gulls, Nazca Boobies, and Blue-footed Boobies as they dance gracefully on the wind. Yet, it is the Waved Albatross, the largest seabird to grace the Galapagos shores, that commands the spotlight, as pairs engage in a mesmerizing display of courtship from April through December, weaving an enchanting tapestry of love to birth a new chapter into the island’s timeless saga. 

We approach San Cristobal’s Cerro Brujo where the graceful Blue-footed Boobies and the majestic Brown Pelicans echo their melodious calls along the pristine shores and a hidden coastal lagoon. A kaleidoscope of marine life awaits beneath the waves. See if you can spot the agile Sally Lightfoot Crabs and the sea lions. 

Finally, we bid the sun-kissed Galapagos archipelago farewell as we transfer you into the San Cristobal airport for your onwards journey. We can tailor a wide variety of extension programs in Ecuador and the Latin America. 

[For Aqua Mare, you will disembark at Santa Cruz Island. For &Beyond Galapagos Explorer, you will disembark at Baltra Island.]