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- 5-Day Galapagos Island Cruise: Western Itinerary Aboard ‘Santa Cruz II’
5-Day Galapagos Island Cruise: Western Itinerary Aboard ‘Santa Cruz II’
Santa Cruz, Ecuador
Overview
Our Western Galapagos cruise itinerary begins in Baltra, where we will board the ship and sail towards Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island for an interesting hike through palo santo forests that are full of the Galapagos’ famed land iguanas. Overnight, we sail around the seahorse-shaped Isabela Island to two great visitor sites: Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island and then wild and pure Punta Espinoza on Fernandina. From there, we sail back around to Santa Cruz Island to visit the world-famous Charles Darwin Research Station, where scientists are involved in research and conservation efforts, the most well-known of which involves a captive breeding program for Galapagos giant tortoises. After that, we’ll spend the afternoon enjoying a range of activities. The following day finds us on Floreana Island, exploring its human history and stunning wildlife at both Post Office Bay and Cormorant Point. The next day we say goodbye to the Galapagos Islands after an amazing journey!
What's Included
4 nights accommodation
All meals
Island sightseeing
Naturalist guides and lecture services in English/Spanish
Snorkeling gear
Luggage handling
Transfers in Galapagos Islands
Doctor on board 24/7
Taxes and transfers in the islands
In Quito or Guayaquil, shared transfers from main hotels to airport for flights to/from Galápagos
Fuel surcharge
Landing and facility fees
Snacks
Coffee and/or Tea
Dinner (4)
Lunch (4)
Breakfast (4)
Wet Suits available for rent ($17 USD)
Air transportation to/from Galapagos and airport taxes
Galapagos National Park entrance fee (about $100 USD)
Migration Control Card (about $20 USD)
Internet/Wifi (Due to the Galápagos’ remote location, internet connections are intermittent and low-bandwidth)
Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages
Gratuities (optional), tips, gifts,and additional items.
Departure & Return
What To Expect
Itinerary
Day 1
Dragon Hill: walk by a brackish-water lagoon that’s frequented by shorebirds, ducks and American flamingos.
1 Stop
Walk by a brackish-water lagoon that’s frequented by shorebirds, ducks and American flamingos.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Accommodation:
Horizon deck Explorer Double CabinMeals:
Lunch Dinner Day 2
Isabela Island
2 Stops
Explore the coast of Punta Vicente Roca while your naturalist guides explain the dramatic geology of the surrounding area. This site is also a nesting place for numerous Galapagos iconic species, such as: flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, fur seals, and boobies.
Duration: 4 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Disembark in Punta Espinoza- Fernandina, this young Island boasts a very unique environment with a very high density of marine iguanas. Other Galapagos iconic species found here include sea lions, Sally lightfoot crabs, hawks, penguins and flightless cormorants.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Horizon deck Explorer double cabinMeals:
Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3
Santa Cruz Island
2 Stops
The Station consists of a giant tortoise Breeding Center and an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest that is home to many land birds. The Station also serves as the headquarters for scientific investigation and conservation efforts, as well as the Galapagos National Park administration.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Included
You will have several options to choose from in the afternoon, these of which will be discussed in advance with your Expedition Leader. At the end of the afternoon’s activities, guests will return to Puerto Ayora and hop back aboard the Santa Cruz II Galapagos cruise.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Horizon deck double Explorer cabinMeals:
Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4
Floreana Island
2 Stops
Visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the Galapagos Islands for over two centuries. It is here that you will be invited to leave your very own postcard and/or take postcards that have been left by other visitors (for you to hand-deliver to their addressee)! Snorkeling activities are offered right off the beach.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Included
You will be invited to hop aboard the dinghies (for snorkeling) or the glass-bottom boat to explore the underwater wonders around Champion Islet – an extinct shield volcano that’s regarded as one of the best snorkeling spots in the Galapagos Islands. From there, it’s onwards to Cormorant Point, beginning with a wet landing on an olivine-crystal beach for a leisurely walk that includes a brackish-water lagoon where bird species – such as American flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts, herons, sandpipers, and other birds – tend to gather.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Accommodation:
Horizon deck Explorer double cabinMeals:
Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5
Baltra Island
1 Stop
You will disembark at Baltra Island in order to transfer to the airport to take your flight back to the mainland.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Not IncludedMeals:
Breakfast Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Itinerary subject to change due to weather, logistical, Galápagos Park regulations or operational reasons
- Baggage important notes: Guests can bring aboard the ship a reasonable amount of clothing and personal effects without charge. Baggage is handled in accordance with the airlines’ regulations and tariffs. Baggage exceeding these limitations is subject to the charges as set forth by the individual operators. Airlines are strict with baggage limitations. The current limits are 23 kg (50.6 pounds) for checked items, 8 kg (17 pounds) for hand luggage and 1 personal item (handbag, camera bag, laptop, etc.)
- All baggage must be securely packed, and properly and clearly labeled. Liquid, fragile, perishable and other articles not suitably packed are transported at guests’ own risk.
- Restricted Baggage in the Galapagos: Local authorities manage the quarantine system of the Galápagos National Park in order to reduce the possibility of foreign species invading the archipelago. All cargo and luggage that arrives to Galapagos National Park or that is transferred from one island to another must be inspected. To preserve the human health and the native species of the Galapagos Islands, the following products may not be transferred to Galapagos: fresh vegetables and fruits, animal products and or their derivatives, dairy products. Other live animals, pathological samples, dry coffee beans, genetically modified organisms, forest species or their disseminative parts, grass and its disseminative parts, fresh flowers, medicinal plants and their disseminative parts, banana tree leaves, micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, etc.) soil and sand, and animal vaccines
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Cancellation policy
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties. Learn more about cancellations.
