Swim with sea turtles and manta rays, explore tidal pools and lush mangroves and observe giant tortoises. Be one of the few to experience why Darwin was so inspired by these spectacular islands. Visit one of the most unusual islands in the Galápagos on the North Central Route: Genovesa with its collapsed caldera. The island is a birder’s paradise. Immerse yourself in nature’s most spectacular wonders and enjoy the opportunity to admire sea lion families and famed giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Become king of the world as you climb Prince Philip’s Steps arriving at a thriving seabird colony!
Highlights
Admire the unique Red-footed and Blue-footed Boobies
Swim and snorkel in tranquil, clear waters full of stunning natural beauty
Take spectacular photographs of the exclusive wildlife of North Seymour
Climb Prince Philip’s Steps to see a thriving seabird colony
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.
Upon arrival, reception and assistance at the airport, transfer from Baltra Airport to the M/C Endemic.
After lunch, you will discover Bartholomew Island. Once here, you will ascend to admire the spectacular panorama of Sullivan Bay and the famous Pinnacle Rock. The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock are excellent for snorkeling from which you can discover the marvelous underwater world, and with a little luck, you’ll get to snorkel with penguins.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy ride
Day 2: Devil's Crown | Cormorant Point | The Baroness’ Overlook | Post Office Bay, Floreana Island
In the morning, after breakfast, the first spot to be visited is Devil´s Crown which is an underwater volcanic crater, almost covered completely by Galapagos waters. Just a small portion of the rock formation can be seen from above and it looks like a crown. The underwater world is very rich in coral reefs, and abundant marine species. Birds are also part of this visitor point due to their location in open waters. Or visit Cormorant Point where you will land on a green olivine sand beach. Following a 100 meters long path, you will soon reach a lagoon with flamingos.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Kayaking off the beach, Dinghy ride
In the afternoon, you will visit the Baroness’ Lookout (Mirador de la Baronesa). This viewpoint is located on the north of Floreana Island. The way up and the trail is very easy, steps are placed in this area for security. Your naturalist guide will tell the murder and mystery legend of the Baroness. Or you will go to the Post Office Bay, which keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers historically used to post their mail in.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Kayaking off the beach, Dinghy ride
In the morning, after breakfast, you will visit Chinese Hat, which is a small islet off the south coast of Santiago, with a maximum elevation of 160 feet (52 meters). Though within easy reach of Santa Cruz, Chinese Hat is typically only visited by those aboard a Galapagos Cruise.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Kayaking off the beach, Dinghy ride
In the afternoon, North Seymour island will be discovered. It is located slightly to the north of Baltra. It is a low, flat island, formed by submarine lava formation uplift. Covered with low, bushy vegetation, it contains the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds in the Galapagos. There is also a large population of blue-footed boobies that perform an amusing courtship dance when nesting conditions are right.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy ride
Day 4: Black Turtle Cove | Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz
After breakfast, enjoy the visit to Black Turtle Cove, which is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz. It is a living illustration of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat. Three mangrove species crowd the area from the shore out into the lagoon, which reaches almost a mile inland. As you drift through quiet waters in the zodiac, you are likely to see spotted eagle rays and diamond-shaped mustard rays, which swim in a diamond formation. White-tipped reef sharks slip beneath the boat and Pacific green sea turtles come to the surface for air and to mate. Waterfowl, including pelicans, herons, and egrets, all feed in the cove. This is a peaceful place that will make you feel calm.
Activities: Landscape and wildlife observation, Dinghy ride
In the afternoon, visit Las Bachas, which is a beautiful white-sand beach, located on the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island. There you can go for a stroll or do some easy snorkeling in the gentle surf. Sea turtles lay their eggs at the edge of the vegetation. You can also look for a rusted pontoon, a relic of the Second World War. In fact, “bachas” is a poor pronunciation of “barges,” two of which were wrecked offshore at that time: the locals mispronounced the name and it stuck.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Landscape and wildlife observation
In the morning, visit Darwin Bay, which is the only sandy beach found in the caldera on Genovesa. Colonies of the Great Frigates are found along the beach. Males exhibit their red balloon pouch to females in hope of a match. Red-footed boobies nest in the trees in contrast to the other two booby species which do so on the ground.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Kayaking off the beach, Dinghy ride
In the afternoon, you will go to El Barranco (Prince Philip’s Steps), carved out of stone stairs. This will lead you to a wide plateau, where you can observe large colonies of masked boobies, frigate birds, storm petrels, and ducks. During this easy stroll, you will cross a small Scalesia forest, the habitat of the short-eared owl. The same path will lead you back to your boat.
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Landscape and wildlife observation, Kayaking off the beach, Dinghy ride
Day 6: The Twins, Santa Cruz Island | Disembark | Baltra Island Airport
1 Breakfast
Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will visit the Twin Craters. Located in the highlands of Santa Cruz, these scenic craters are approximately 30 meters deep. These two huge land depressions are surrounded by a Scalesia forest with abundant birds such as the yellow warbler and the Vermilion Flycatcher. Gorgeous views of the leafy green highlands forest are also part of the excursion.
Activities: Walking
After this last visit, transfer to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador. Assistance and farewell at the airport.
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.
$7,4902-3 travelers
Golden Suite
Each cabin has personalized air conditioning control, a balcony, spacious private bathroom and either a king-size bed or two twin-size beds.
Single Cabin
A suite as above, dedicated for solo occupancy. Each cabin has personalized air conditioning control, a balcony, spacious private bathroom and one twin-size bed.
Child Discount
25% Discount applies when traveling with two adults. Children must be under 12 years old by the time they 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 25% (35% for holiday departures) + Internal Flight Cost, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 71 days 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 my first experience with Adventure Life - and I couldn't have been more pleased with the trip. The guides and local staff in both Buenos Aires and Uruguay were terrific - extremely helpful and accommodating. I really enjoyed meeting the friendly staff in Buenos Aires in person (I left my bags with them for the afternoon).
I just returned from a 10 day trip to Ecuador and The Galapagos Island. From the very first conversation with Adventure Life until my return, everything went smoothly. It was a great trip! Adventure Life excels at communication and organization. Every detail was considered, which made the preparation for my trip really easy. In country, my guides were outstanding...friendly, knowledgeable, on time, professional. I really can't say enough good things about how well I was taken care of during my trip. When flying to a new country it's comforting to be met by a friendly face at the airport who knows where you're going! All of my hotels were well-located and thoughtfully selected for comfort and historic interest. The yacht I sailed on through the islands exceeded my expectations in every way. My cabin was very comfortable, the food we were served was excellent and the crew was first-class. Our Park Guide found the perfect balance between fun and education. His passion for the Galápagos Islands was evident in every activity on every island. I look forward to planning my next trip with Adventure Life, and thank their entire team for making this adventure wonderful!
Tracy Heuermann
1 month ago
Kevin had first hand experience of Ecuador and The Galapagos which helped us plan time before and after our visit to the Galapagos by water. We always plan our travel independently, but since we needed a guide in the galapagos, this was a perfect blend of self plan and assistance.
Lori
1 month ago
Adventure Life helped guide us toward just the right trip for us and then made all the planning super easy. We absolutely loved our time at Hacienda Jimenita in Quito and on the Anahi in the Galapagos and would recommend both to anyone. Everything went so smoothly from start to finish because Adventure Life took care of all the arrangements.
Marla Zucker
1 month ago
Jane went out of her way to help accommodate my what's and needs.
Walt LIGHTFOOT
2 months ago
Adventure Life (with partner Adventure Journey) got us the real experience that we were hoping for. The food was definitely above what we expected, as were the accomodations. Gabriel S. (our Galapagos guide) was so very personable and tuned in that we felt we had the premium of experiences (food, activities, people to meet and interact with). Our experience in the Cloud Forest was an impressive "birding" experience with great accomodations and wonderful food.
