This cruise requires guests to overnight in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, at least for the night prior to Day One,  as the departure to Galapagos when guests fly out to the islands to join the cruise, is not timed for any International arrivals from other destinations.

8 days -7 nights

Day One. Quito to Galapagos & the MV Santa Cruz

An early breakfast & check-out is required as you are being picked up to transfer to Quito airport.

After checking in from here you fly via the city of Guayaquil out to San Cristobal island in the Galapagos (air tickets are included). Flight EQ 195 is scheduled to depart Quito at 09:00hrs, operating via Guayaquil to arrive to San Cristobal at 11:00hrs Galapagos time.

Upon arrival to San Cristobal & after collecting your checked luggage, you will be met by representatives of the M.V.SANTA CRUZ & transferred to quayside to embark on your 8 day / 7 night Galapagos cruise. All meals & off vessel exploration excursions are included throughout the cruise itinerary.

Please Note: There is a Galapagos National Park fee of USD100 per person which is mandatory & required to be paid locally in US cash on arrival to the relevant authority on the Galapagos Islands.

Important cruise facts

The M/V SANTA CRUZ is built to luxurious standards & encourages an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere. This 46-stateroom ocean going vessel was completely renovated in 1998, having been redesigned & refurbished inside & out. The ship features a guest Jacuzzi & an observation platform for dolphin & whale watching on the top deck.

Each ship's dining room, lounge & bar are elegantly appointed, as is the well-stocked library / reading room.

The guest staterooms as in the Junior Suite shown here below have exterior windows & feature air-conditioning, private bathrooms, hairdryers & safety deposit boxes.

The M/V SANTA CRUZ has gained worldwide recognition for its excellent standards, including superb service, expert crew, the most knowledgeable multilingual naturalist guides & menus that feature the very best international cuisine & celebrated Ecuadorian dishes.

It is also well worthy of knowing in advance that there are two succinctly different types of ´landing´ during your various ´Island excursions & off-vessel activities´ on the Galapagos cruise:

Dry landing: where cruise vessel guests step from the dinghy directly onto rocks or a dock.

Wet landing: as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, cruise vessel guests step into knee-deep water & wade ashore.
Naturally, appropriate footwear is essential, as the rocks are usually slippery & when getting out into knee deep water no guarantee can be given as to the bottom being a sandy base.

The cruise route taken & the program vary according to National Park policies & regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety reasons & wildlife encounters.

M.V.SANTA CRUZ´s crew is trained to deal with all the elements of the nature of this expedition. Safety will be always be a paramount part of the program of activities & cruise guests are required follow all of the crew instructions & suggestions.

It is compulsory to wear a life vest during the rides in the dinghies between the ship & the shore.

Flexibility is absolutely essential in order to cope with nature's outstanding features.

Given the islands' volcanic origin & the fact that most walking is done over pristine & irregular volcanic terrain, guests must be in suitable physical conditions for these kinds of outings. The ship also organizes activities like shorter walks, boat rides, glass-bottom boat trips, & snorkeling, swimming, on-board lectures, all complimenting everyone's experience.

The Expedition Staff will provide cruise guests with snorkeling gear (mask & snorkel, fins, floating vest & net bag). Please note that the operation does not carry prescription masks.

A short wet suit is highly recommended from June to December. Cooperation of guests is a key point when complying with the rules of the National Park. This alone can guarantee a major success in the expedition.

When you step aboard M.V.SANTA CRUZ you will be shown to your assigned & pre-confirmed cabin & shortly thereafter, lunch will be served. After lunch there is an introductory welcome briefing & vessel safety drill exercise.

Thereafter an off-vessel dinghy ride along the shoreline will bring you to Cerro Brujo's white sandy beach where a wet landing is necessary. Most likely you will encounter a plethora of seabirds such as blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigate birds & some species of common shore birds.

Here too keep a look out for Galapagos sea lions. The beach is a great open walking area, with rewarding bird-watching, so take your binoculars with you.

Highlights ashore include the Chatham (San Cristobal) Mockingbird & Chatham Lava Iguana lizard; both species are endemic to this island & seen nowhere else in Galapagos. You may also spot Yellow warblers, Galapagos flycatchers & with luck a Vermillion flycatcher (another endemic subspecies to San Cristobal).

These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos.

You will return back on board for a briefing on the next day's activities, followed by a cocktail offered by the Captain & a sumptuous dinner.

Day Two. Punta Suarez - Española (Hood) Island

After breakfast the morning off vessel outing is on Punta Suarez (a dry landing) for an exciting walk on lava / boulder terrain to visit its unique sea bird colonies, including the waved albatrosses which are in residence from April to December, the Nazca (masked boobies), blue-footed boobies, swallow-tail gulls & finally a the famous blowhole.

Among its bird species the Hood island mockingbird & three species of Darwin’s finches are common highlights.

Also, keep a look out for red-green-black marine iguanas & of course a rookery of sea lions right at the landing site. Then it is back on board for lunch & cruising onto the next point of fascination.

Punta Cormorant (Floreana) Island

You will disembark at Punta Cormorant (wet landing) at an olivine-crystal beach for an easy walk that includes a brackish water lagoon where bird species like Greater flamingos, Pintail ducks, Common stilts, herons & sandpipers may be observed. This outing also includes a white-sand beach where from December to May, female sea turtles come out at night to lay their eggs.

Weather permitting there is the possibility of snorkeling from the beach, or to take a glass bottom boat excursion.

Return back on board for a briefing on the next day's activities, followed by a sumptuous dinner.

Day Three. Punta Espinoza (Fernandina) Island

This morning brings M.V.SANTA CRUZ alongside the youngest island in the Galapagos group, Fernandina. Guests are invited to disembark (dry landing) for a one-mile shore walk.

Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with lots of wildlife. Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their island habitat with sea lions, Sally-light foot crabs & hawks. The lava terrain calls for good walking shoes. Then it’s back on board for lunch.

As you sail along the Bolívar Channel super views of the Galapagos’ youngest volcanoes can be seen. The nutrient-rich waters of the west can also deliver a host of surprises like encountering sea birds feeding, dolphins & the possibly whales.
Punta Vicente Roca (Isla Isabel).

In the afternoon, depending on the ocean conditions there will be a scheduled snorkeling outing along the cliffs of partly-sunken Ecuador Volcano, in the northern tip of Isabela Island.

Since there is no landing site at this location, the coastal exploration will be in the motorized dinghy accompanied by the expedition’s naturalist guides who explain the dramatic geology of the area with its remains of lava flows & stone layers.

This is the nesting place for flightless cormorants, the only existing marine birds in the world other than penguins that have changed their condition of flying birds to diving birds. Wildlife here also includes Sea lions, Galápagos Fur seals, Galápagos penguins, Blue-footed & Nazca Boobies & Noddy terns & is seasonally visited by green sea turtles.

Returning to M.V.SANTA CRUZ guests are given details on our next day’s activities before dinner is served.

Day Four. Baltran (South Seymour) Island

Breakfast comes first after which this morning will be spent mainly at Baltra Island. MV Santa Cruz will briefly stop at this location, for voyage logistics-related purposes. The aircraft from the mainland that brings new cruise guests also provides fresh supplies.

Ideally then, this morning can be a unique opportunity to grab your favorite book for an extended amount of time, write postcards, enjoy the Jacuzzi, rest, or worship the equatorial sun provided the weather conditions comply. If you prefer to get out & enjoy the island spirit there is a beautiful coral lined beach called Aeolian (wet landing).

This is a great place for swimming & snorkeling & from time to time flocks of plunging Blue-footed Boobies will delight beachcombers. Other options at Baltra Island may be planned by the Expedition staff & will be announced accordingly. Lunch is served on board & after lunch as a part of on-vessel protocol a briefing for newly arrived guests on the Galápagos’ & an official boat drill is mandated.

The landscapes of the central islands are worth photographing, as this afternoon M.V.SANTA CRUZ heads towards the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island.

Cerro Dragon (Santa Cruz Island)

The north shore of Santa Cruz is heralded by Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill) & a dry landing followed by a guided walk that includes a brackish water lagoon frequented by lagoon birds, including stilts, pintail ducks & sandpipers is able to be undertaken by those who wish to indulge.

Further inland the trail offers a glorious view of the bay & the western area of the archipelago. This area is a natural nesting site for land iguanas & one that is constantly monitored & assisted by the Charles Darwin Research Station. The arid-zone vegetation can be a rewarding location for spotting Darwin’s finches, Galápagos mockingbirds, the endemic Galápagos Flycatcher & Yellow Warblers.

Tonight the expedition staff will give details of the interesting sites of the day ahead tomorrow.

Day Five. Bartolomé Island

After breakfast the ships complement can disembark at Bartolomé Island (dry landing) for a hike to the summit. It’s a great way to start the day. This is a steep climb aided by wooden stairs, but the view from the top is worth the effort. The motorized dinghy ride around colossal Pinnacle Rock provides time to enjoy the beach (wet landing) & for those who may wish, a snorkel next to Galápagos Penguins. There is also the possibility to ride the glass bottom boat for great views of the underwater world.

Return to MV Santa Cruz where lunch is served on board.

Puerto Egas Island (Santiago James)

There will be an afternoon outing at Puerto Egas (wet landing). This is a great location to see particularly shore birds, whilst a myriad of other species of birds can be observed a little more inland. The pitch black shores are great places for watching sea birds & their foraging duties.

The trail on the island wends it way to a colony of hundreds of the endemic & often comical Galápagos fur seals.

Here at low tide, marine iguanas graze & laze upon emerald green algae beds.

There is outstanding snorkeling & swimming from the beach if you like, before the walk.

Returning to M.V.SANTA CRUZ guests are given details on our next day’s activities before dinner is served. Weather permitting, after dinner the expedition staff will stage an interactive commentary & stargazing on deck.

Day Six. Rabida Island (Jervis)

This morning after breakfast guests are encouraged to disembark at Rabida Island (wet landing) on a red-colored beach; the coloration is due to the unusually high content of iron in the volcanic material.

A gratifying stroll along the beach of this small island (1.9 sq miles.) brings the opportunity for close-up observation of a large colony of sea lions, marine iguanas, mockingbirds, Yellow Warblers & several species of Darwin’s Finches.

Very close to the beach, hidden behind a strip of green saltbush, is a salt pond where at times Greater Flamingos migrate to.

This is a great place to snorkel from the beach, both for beginners as well as for experienced snorkel exponents, due to the unique combination of underwater species & submarine landscapes. During navigation to our next island keep your eyes open for pods of dolphins.

North Seymour Island

This afternoon starts with a dry landing for a view of the coast & the interior of North Seymour Island, one of the few uplifted islands in Galápagos Archipelago.

The trail leads guests to explore colonies of blue footed boobies, magnificent frigate birds, & Swallow-tail gulls.

The sandy shoreline teems with Galápagos sea lions & marine iguanas. Vegetation on the island is made up of cacti, Palo Santo trees & Salt Bushes.

Following the shore excursion, you will be returned to M.V.SANTA CRUZ where the expedition plan for tomorrow’s outings will be revealed & afterwards, dinner will be served.

Day Seven. Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

A morning bus ride will take guests to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a special opportunity to view the islands’ most famous reptile: the giant tortoises in their wild habitat. What a privilege to see an endangered species roving in this lush environment!

The vegetation of the area includes the Scalesia Forest (an endemic giant daisy tree) & birds such as the Vermilion Flycatcher will if spotted no doubt delight everyone with its scarlet feathers against an emerald green forest. Look for Darwin’s Finches (most of them from the tree-finch group), particularly the famous Woodpecker Finch. Lunch will be served today at the Finch Bay Eco Hotel in Puerto Ayora.

Charles Darwin Research Station

Following lunch you have the opportunity to spend time at the Charles Darwin Research Station; the site of the rearing in captivity program for the giant tortoises. Here witness the efforts & results of all the field work done in the name of science.

Impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest & many land birds can be also seen. Then, a stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora will allow you to see how Galapagueños live in this magical paradise. Browse in the many artisan handcraft shops & more than likely you’ll find something that will be a keep-sake of this very special place.

Latter this afternoon you will return aboard the M.V.SANTA CRUZ for an outline of the expedition plan for next day’s adventure, to be followed as is customary, by a sumptuous dinner.

Day Eight. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal – Chatham) Island

First thing this morning after breakfast you will be invited to disembark at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This small attractive port is the provincial capital of the Galápagos Islands (population 4,000), along a crescent-shaped bay.

Ideally visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, located in a natural setting, where it allows visitors to obtain information that will help them understand more the natural history of the Galápagos, with a great emphasis on human history & conservation. Afterwards, you can stroll through Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where souvenir shops & for those who have an overwhelming desire to reconnect to the outside world can indulge at the Internet cafés.

Likewise, it gives the opportunity to folks who have laptops to download digital images & share the many wonders they have witnessed, before heading back to the mainland.

A transfer is provided to take all guests to the airport to check-in for your flight back to the mainland. Your destination will once again be Quito, noting the aircraft operates via Guayaquil.

Departing San Cristobal (Galapagos) at 12:00 noon (Galapagos time) on flight EQ 194 scheduled to arrive to Guayaquil at 14:30hrs. A short stop then departing Guayaquil at 15:15hrs scheduled arrival to Quito is at 16:00hrs.

Your Galapagos experiences conclude on arrival to Quito & guests may either opt to stay over in this fascinating city, to further explore Ecuador, or, transit onto an international onward flight.