Guayaquil

Arrival day in Guayaquil. Transfer to the Luxurious Host Hotel del Parque. Enjoy dinner and Cocktails with fellow travelers.

Overnight: Hotel del Parque

San Cristobal Island

After breakfast, we’ll be transferred to the airport for our flight to San Cristobal. Upon arrival at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, our guides will be waiting to escort us to our luxury expedition yacht. We’ll have time to settle in after lunch before the yacht leaves the harbor. Within a few hours, we reach Leon Dormido, (Spanish for sleeping lion), a remnant of a vertical tuff cone formation, rising 500 feet from the ocean. Erosion has split the rock providing a spectacular backdrop for photographs at sunset. As we circumnavigate the formation, we’ll easily spot blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigatebirds on the cliffs. After a briefing on activities for the following day, join our Captain and crew for a cocktail reception followed by a multi-course dinner.

San Cristobal Island

Our first day of exploration starts with a Zodiac ride to look for wildlife at Cerro Brujo, known as Wizard Hill. Our guide will point out the wide variety of birds soaring overhead, from brown pelicans and brown noddy terns to blue-footed boobies dive-bombing the water as they fish. Sally lightfoot crabs, black when they’re young but extremely colorful once fully grown, scurry all over the rocks. Our guides will also point out unusual geological formations, including the Cathedral, jokingly called Darwin’s Pants. After the Zodiac tour, we’ll step ashore at a gorgeous coral sand beach where we can explore at our own pace. Take a peaceful walk along the beach, swim with sea lions, or get on a paddleboard or kayak.

Later, we go ashore at Punta Pitt, which is considered one of the best sites for birdwatching, primarily because it is the only place where we’ll see all three species of boobies: blue-footed, red-footed, and the Nazca. Our guides will also point out frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, and brown pelicans. We can snorkel at Pitt Rock with sea lions and colorful fish; King Angels and Surgeon fish. After dinner, join our guide on deck for an exploration of the Southern skies full of stars.

Española

This morning we’ll land at Punta Suarez where our guides will point out the large number of endemic species living here, such as the magnificent, waved albatross, which spends the first several years of its lives in the open ocean and returns to land to mate. As we walk, take care not to step on the marine iguanas sunbathing on the dark lava rocks. Follow the trail to the dramatic ocean blow hole, and watch for colorful sally light-foot crabs crawling along the shoreline. We also find Darwin’s Finches, Hood mockingbird, Galapagos Doves, red-billed tropic birds, Galapagos Hawks, Nazca boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls, the only nocturnal gull in the world. Return to the yacht for a BBQ lunch served on deck and a cooking demonstration on how to make Ecuadorian ceviche. After lunch, we’ll have the option to snorkel at Tortuga Rock and explore the caves covered with invertebrates. Disembark at Gardner Bay, the site of an expansive white-powder sand beach where colonies of sea lions dot the shoreline. Here we’ll have the option to snorkel from the beach, kayak, or paddleboard, or take a leisurely stroll, sunbathe, or look for wildlife, Darwin Finches, Espanola mockingbird, and Galapagos hawks.

Floreana

Step ashore at Punta Cormorant’s olive-sand beach with the sounds of sea lions, lava herons, yellow-crowned night herons, and blue-footed boobies. We will walk to a brackish lagoon, home to Bahama ducks, Galapagos flycatchers, and bright pink flamingos. The trail leads to a beach where sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand dunes and stingrays swim in the shallow water. We won’t miss the opportunity to snorkel at Devil’s Crown or Champion Islet, a shallow sunken crater colonized by a brilliant array of colorful fish and coral, white-tipped sharks, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and sea stars. Return to the yacht for lunch and a lecture on the human history of the Galapagos. Learn fascinating facts about why this island is sometimes called the Island of Mysteries. In the afternoon, we’ll be able to participate in a thrilling Galapagos tradition at Post Office Bay. Take a Zodiac excursion or explore by paddleboard at Baroness Point to find sea turtles and rays in the shallow lagoon.

Santa Cruz

When we awake this morning, the view will be completely different from the last few days. A harbor full of boats is bustling with activity at Puerto Ayora, a town with a population of 24,000. We’ll travel by bus to a higher altitude with beautiful geological formations including the lava tunnels at El Mirador and Los Gemelos (the twins), a pair of massive craters. Our guides will explain how they were formed. The highlight of the morning is a visit to Rancho Primicias, a privately-owned ranch where tortoises roam free. These slow-moving giants can grow to over 500 pounds! Lunch is served back on board the yacht, and later in the afternoon, we’ll learn about the most famous visitor to the Galapagos – Charles Darwin – as well as current conservation efforts, when we visit the Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena or Charles Darwin Research Station.

Bartolome Island

When we wake up this morning, we’ll be in solitude once again, with no other boats in sight. We’ll have two options for a morning activity. Today’s hike is a challenge, with about 400 wooden steps winding around Bartolome Island, ending in a gorgeous panoramic view of Pinnacle Rock. Our guide will stop along the way to describe the geology of the landscape; mini lava cones and lava bombs formed by flowing magma from past volcanic eruptions. If you’d rather skip the hike, enjoy a Zodiac ride around the island to look for penguins. You’ll see these adorable animals, the second smallest type of penguin, swimming and diving playfully or grooming themselves on rocks. Crystal clear water beckons us to wade in from the beach. Snorkel with schools of tropical fish, white-tipped reef sharks, and Galapagos penguins.

In the afternoon, enjoy lovely views and some of the Galapagos’ renowned wildlife. Go ashore on Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat), a small island off the southern tip of Santiago that owes its name to its shape. Sea lions await on the beach, and as we explore, we’ll see marine iguanas and oystercatchers. Along the trail, we’ll see remnants of the island’s geological history, with volcanic rubble and cracked lava formations. Snorkeling here, often with penguins, is not to be missed. Navigate slowly along the shoreline, listening for the tell-tale deep inhale of a sea turtle and watching for the wings of a school of golden rays. In the evening, we will enjoy an enrichment lecture after dinner on Charles Darwin and evolution.

South Plaza

Arrive at this small islet with tall cliffs and a trail with a variety of plants and animals. This island’s species of “Opuntia” or prickly pear cactus has been decimated by invasive species, so we’ll see young plants surrounded by nets to protect them. Look for nests for a variety of birds, such as swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters, small ground finches, and red-billed tropic birds. This geological uplift is home to a colony of bachelor sea lions, with dominant bulls in various stages of recovery from battles over prime beach territory. We’ll also have an opportunity to see land iguanas up close, and our guide will describe what differentiates them from marine iguanas. During lunch, we’ll sail to North Seymour Island, where a spectacular sight awaits frigate birds with red sacs on their chests inflated, seeking mates. We’ll have a final opportunity to snorkel in deeper water. Look for sharks, sea lions, and starfish, along with a variety of tropical fish.

San Cristobal

This morning we’ll disembark from the yacht after breakfast.

There’s also a paved trail where we can enjoy a brief walk before a bus ride into town. We’ll have some free time for last-minute photos before our transfer to the airport. It’s a quick flight back to the mainland, but you’ll bring lifelong memories!

Please note that our arrival time in Guayaquil from San Cristobal is around 2:20 pm. To ensure a smooth travel experience, it is highly recommended that you book your international departure flight for after 5:30 pm on the same day or a flight the following day.