This 15-day private voyage offers your group an opportunity to really become immersed in the unique splendor of these islands. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound as you traverse the islands, snorkel in the crystal clear waters, or take a relaxing swim off the pristine shores. Get to know this fascinating and unique world inside and out with the abundant opportunities to snorkel, swim, and wander through the islands of this archipelago.
Highlights
Take a boat ride along the mangrove-lined shore in Dragon Hill
Visit the blowhole, a lava tube that sprays water in the air like a geyser
Hike up the wooden steps on Bartolome Island during your private charter
Learn about the conservation and research programs for Galapagos tortoises
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
Arrive at Baltra airport. Galapagos giant tortoises can be seen in the wild in the Highlands of Santa Cruz.
Visit the Charles Darwin Station a research facility and National Park Information Center. The Charles Darwin Station has a giant tortoise and land iguana breeding program and interpretation center.
Activities: Walking
Chinese Hat or Sombrero Chino is a small volcanic island just off the southeast tip of Santiago. The name of the island describes the shape of the island. Fauna includes Sea lions, marine iguanas, and the Galapagos penguin.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Rábida Island is a small island with a dark red coral sand beach. Highlights include the lagoon with flamingoes, a pelican nesting site, a sea lion bachelor colony, and a snorkeling site at the end of the beach.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Isabela Island (Albemarle) is the largest of the Galapagos Islands formed by five active volcanoes fused together. Wolf Volcano is the highest point in the entire Galapagos at 1707m.
Volcan Sierra Negra has a caldera with a diameter of 10km. View recent lava flows, moist highland vegetation, and parasitic cones.
Activities: Walking
Puerto Villamil is a charming small town on a white sand beach. Highlights include the Tortoise Breeding Station and the flamingo lagoon. Other visits (depending on conditions) are the Tintoreras or Los Humedales.
Activities: Walking
Punta Moreno is located on the central southwestern coast of Isabela Island. The site has spectacular views of volcanoes Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul. Some highlights include impressive lava flows, desolate and pristine landscapes, and varied and unusual arid zone vegetation.
Activities: Walking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Elizabeth Bay is only accessible by dinghy. It is possible to see penguins on the small islets in the bay. The end of the bay is long and narrow surrounded by three species of mangroves. Galapagos Sea Turtles and rays can usually be seen in the water.
Activities: Panga ride
Urbina Bay is located on the central-west coast of Isabela Island at the foothills of the Alcedo and Darwin volcanoes. Highlights include the colorful land iguanas, Galapagos Giant tortoises, and the coral uplifting from 1954.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling
Tagus Cove is a natural harbor where centuries ago whalers and pirates left their ship’s names painted or carved on the rocks. A walk uphill to Darwin’s Crater salt-water lake will provide an excellent view.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Fernandina is the youngest volcanic island and is still active.
Punta Espinoza is a place famous for its large colonies of marine iguanas and as the habitat of unique species like the flightless cormorant, Galapagos penguin, Galapagos hawk, and Galapagos snake, among others.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling
Punta Vicente Roca is visited by dinghy rides along the cliffs or the partially sunken cave at the water’s edge. Nasca boobies, blue-footed boobies and flightless cormorants inhabit the shoreline.
Activities: Panga ride, Snorkeling
James (Santiago) Island is located between Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. This Island offers a wide variety of seabirds, marine iguanas, and fur seals.
Puerto Egas is a walk along the rocky coastline that will you show you a view of some of the Galapagos’ best tide pools. Some highlights include: Sugar loaf volcano, fur seals, oystercatchers, a marine iguana colony, and an old salt mine
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling
On Bartolome Island, a hike will take you to the highest point on Bartolome for a spectacular view. Sea lions and penguins can be seen around Pinnacle Rock. There is a sandy beach with great swimming and snorkeling.
Activities: Walking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
North Seymour Island is a flat piece of land that originated after an uplifting event thousands of years ago. The island is home to endemic Palo Santo trees, colonies of blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and magnificent frigate birds.
Activities: Walking, Panga ride
Galapagos giant tortoises can be seen in the wild in the highlands of Santa Cruz.
Activities: Walking
South Plaza Island or Plazas consists of two very small islands that were uplifted from the sea, separated by a channel. Only South Plazas has a visitor site. The highlights include tall Opuntia cactus, land and marine iguanas, a rocky cliff that looks out towards the open ocean which is also a nesting site for red-billed tropic birds and gulls, and a seal lion bachelor colony.
Activities: Walking
Santa Fe Island is a smaller island of 24 km2. The visitor site Santa Fe is located on the northeast end of the island. Highlights include Santa Fe land iguanas, pelican nesting site, sea lion colony, mockingbird, and Palo Santo trees.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
San Cristóbal Island (Chatham) is the easternmost island of the Galapagos and also one of the oldest.
Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) is a volcanic cone that looks over a beautiful white sandy beach that has plenty of sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, waders, and marine iguanas.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
El Junco Lagoon is the only freshwater reservoir in Galapagos and has great views from its altitude of 700m in the highlands of San Cristóbal. Rainwater has been collected in the caldera for hundreds of years and formed this lagoon.
Activities: Walking
Galapaguera is a good area to see tortoises in their natural environment.
Activities: Walking
Hood Island (Española) is the oldest of the Southern Islands and is the southernmost in the archipelago. Because of its remote location, a unique range of endemic species evolved here.
Gardner Bay is located on the northeast of the island, the site has a long and beautiful white sand beach inhabited by sea lion colonies.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Islote Garnder and Islote Osborn islets are snorkeling sites where visitors will see an abundance of tropical fish, reef sharks, and turtles.
The wildlife at Punta Suarez is plentiful and varied. Along the cliff, visitors can enjoy the blowhole where seawater is forced about 20m into the air. The highlights are the Waved albatross (April-Dec) that are only found on Hood, Galapagos Hawks, blue-footed boobies, Ñasca boobies, and Española lava lizards.
Activities: Walking
Floreana Island is best known for its colorful history of buccaneers, whalers, convicts, and early colonists.
Punta Cormorant has two contrasting beaches and a large inland lagoon where pink flamingoes can be seen.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Devil’s Crown is a snorkeling site located just off Punta Cormorant. The site is a completely submerged volcano that has eroded to create the appearance of a jagged crown.
Activities: Snorkeling
Post Office Bay is one of the few sites visited in its human history. Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up as remains of the Norwegian fishing village.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling
Dragon Hill or Cerro Dragon has hypersalinic small lagoon behind the beach, often frequented by flamingoes
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling
James Island (Santiago) is located between Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. This Island offers a wide variety of seabirds, marine iguanas, and fur seals.
Sullivan Bay is of great geological interest. Highlights: 100-hundred-year-old lava flow field, pahoehoe formations, and lava bubbles.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling
Tower Island (Genovesa) is an eroded flat volcanic island, with a natural harbor, which is actually the submerged caldera of this volcanic island.
Darwin Bay's steep cliffs of this area dominate the island. This area is home to thousands of frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Noddy terns, lava gulls, tropicbirds, doves, storm petrels, and Darwin’s finches.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
In El Barranco, a good possibility of seeing the unique “Short-eared owl” at this site. During the dinghy rides along the cliffs fur seals and several species of seabirds can be spotted.
Activities: Walking, Kayaking, Panga ride, Snorkeling
Day 15: Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz | Disembark | Baltra
1 Breakfast
Caleta Tortuga (Turtle Cove) is a red mangrove lagoon on Santa Cruz and a perfect example of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat.
Activities: Panga ride
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$147,000
or $9,188 per person based on 16 max passengers
Cabin 1-2
Comfortable rooms featuring a matrimonial bed with individual climate controls and private bathrooms with hot and cold water.
Cabin 3-7
Comfortable rooms featuring a matrimonial bed with individual climate controls and private bathrooms with hot and cold water.
Cabin 8
Comfortable room featuring a matrimonial bed with individual climate controls and private bathrooms with hot and cold water.
Child Discount
50% discount for children under age 12 at time of Galapagos cruise. Child discounts are conditional and may not apply on certain departures. Please contact us for more information.
Children under 12 may receive discounts on Galapagos flight fares and entrance fees. Contact us for details.
Initial deposit is 20% + Internal Flight Cost, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.
Included
14 Breakfasts, 14 Lunches, 14 Dinners
14 Nights Accommodations
Accommodations as listed
Ground transportation as listed
Activities as listed
Meals as listed
Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Bilingual Naturalist Guide
Adventure Life Pre-departure Services and In-Country Assistance (Quito Representative)
Shore Excursions, Swimming and Snorkeling
Transfers and Baggage Handling in the Galapagos
Snorkeling and kayaking equipment is included in the cruise cost and available for your use on board.
Short wetsuits
Excluded
Gratuities
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Flight costs (please request a quote)
Additional excursions during free time
Galapagos Park Entrance Fee: $200 per adult, $100 per child under 12. Payable upon arrival to the Galapagos, only in cash dollars. Subject to increase by Galapagos Park Service.
Kate was great to work with in the planning stage. She was prompt, helpful, and efficient. Our tour guide, Edwin, was knowledgeable and passionate. We were very happy to have traveled with Adventure Life, it made the trip easy and a true pleasure. We could concentrate on enjoying the experience rather than the details of travel.
Kassandra is knowledgeable, efficient and very pleasant to work with.
Fred Weeman
1 month ago
Info was accurate and delivered quickly so that a decision could be made. This is my second trip with Adventure Life.
Bill BASLER
1 month ago
Claudia does an excellent job of communicating. HOWEVER…you paperwork requirements are constipated — a real impediment to doing business. Fire the lawyers or accountants over that.
STODDARD/MARK JAMES
1 month ago
Plans were described and booked with efficiency and speed. Adventure LIfe is outstanding in travel planning.
Laurel Hansen
2 months ago
The travel planner was very knowledgeable about the countries I will be visiting and was very helpful in booking my trip. It was a great experience in dealing with them - very personable and promptly address any of my concerns.