Sail the central and north islands on a Galapagos voyage. This 8-day cruise aboard the Deep Blue explores the islands of Santa Cruz, Santiago, South Plaza, Daphne, and more! See the giant tortoises which made this island archipelago famous and swim with its playful sea lions.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive at the Baltra airport and transfer to the Deep Blue.
Journey to the highlands of Santa Cruz to experience all seven different vegetation zones. View Galápagos flycatchers, small tree-finches, and woodpecker finches as you hike around.
Travel to Puerto Egas, the site of a small salt mining industry from the 1960s. Relax on the black sand beaches or take an inland hike towards a salt crater to sight various land birds. There is also a trail which leads to a series of grottoes where fur seals and night herons are often found.
In the afternoon, travel to Espumilla Beach, a large, coffee-coloured beach which is located north of the prized fresh water supply that once attracted pirates and whalers to the area. See nesting sea turtles on a hike along the mangroves. Make your way towards Buccaneer Cove, aptly named for the pirates who used to drop anchor in order to to make repairs and stock up on tortoise meat. Snorkel in the bay and see the underwater marine life.
In the morning, arrive at Pinnacle Rock, a large and eroded lava formation which was created when magma expelled from the volcano and reached the sea. Decide to climb up a wooden stairway and be greeted by vast panoramic views of the island.
After lunch, sail for Sullivan Bay. This area features an extensive lava field with a variety of interesting patterns made by the shapes and textures of trees that once existed on the island. Walk around the lava cactus and watch oystercatchers fishing in the shallows of the bay.
Visit Los Gemelos (The Twins), two volcanic depressions found on the highest part of Santa Cruz. Locate vermillion flycatchers, woodpecker finches, and short eared owls as you walk around the area.
In the afternoon, take the time to explore the Charles Darwin Research Station. Learn about natural history, issues concerning the islands, and interact with the giant tortoises which reside in captivity.
Travel to South Plaza Island to view the largest populations of land iguanas in the Galápagos archipelago. Explore the cliffs and rocky trails which circumnavigate the island. Watch lava lizards and snorkel with sea lions along the shoreline.
In the afternoon, journey to Santa Fe, where weathered cliffs provide sanctuary for swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds, and sehar-waters petrels. Snorkel in a picturesque lagoon with ever present sea lions and marine life or take a hike through the forest of Opuntia cactus.
Adventure to restricted Daphne Island and venture up a steep trail to its crater rim. View finches, masked boobies, short-eared owls and Galapagos martins as you hike the trail.
Return to Santa Cruz Island and visit Bachas Beach, a swimming beach. Explore the floating pier, which was left by the United States during World War II and watch for flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and whimbrels.
Set out for Darwin Bay and arrive on its coral beach. Take a trail through seabird colonies and view an overwhelming number of birds. Nazca boobies soar overhead, great frigatebirds display their red pouches, and mockingbirds and oystercatchers skim the sand in search for food.
Travel to Prince Phillip’s Steps (El Barranco) and climb up a steep path to reach the cliffs. View the seabird colonies which reside on the cliffs and cross through a thin Palo Santo forest.
Day 8: Mosquera - Baltra
1 Breakfast
Journey to Mosquera Island, which consists of a narrow stretch of white sand, rocks, and tidal pools. Ideal for snorkeling, you can also walk along the beach or observe the abundant wildlife on the island's shores.
In the afternoon, transfer to Baltra for your flights to the mainland.
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.
Child Discount
25% discount for children under age 12 at time of Galapagos cruise. Valid in February and September only.
Children under 12 may receive discounts on Galapagos flight fares and entrance fees. Contact us for details.
Galapagos Flights
Quito - Galapagos Roundtrip
$530 - $675
Guayaquil - Galapagos Roundtrip
$475 - $620
Optional Hospitality Packages
$230-$310 Two hotel nights in Quito and two domestic transfers
$200-$290 Two hotel nights in Guayaquil and two domestic transfers
Initial deposit is 35% ($400 minimum), 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
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 133 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 133 reviews on
21 hours ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
23 hours ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
1 day ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.
Jennifer Howard Schroeder
2 days ago
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week
Linda Cummings
3 days ago
The info on the website was laid out very well. I did some comparisons with other tours and found Adventure Life met a lot of what I wanted in an Antarctica trip at the cheapest price. Requested a quote on Claudia contacted me right away. She answered a lot of questions the I had via email even though she offered to discuss via phone call. I’m more of an email person so appreciated how she accommodated that and answered all my questions. And when I was ready to book, she quickly got the ball rolling with getting our spots reserved on the trip my friend and I wanted. Thanks again, Claudia!