The Archipel II takes guests on a 4-day private central islands tour, which includes visits to North Seymour and Santiago Island, where Charles Darwin spent most of his time in the archipelago. The largest colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds can be visited through an easy circular trail. Get inspired by nature's creative energies and fascinating pioneer species from the stunning volcano islet of Bartolome. The fur seal grottos of Puerto Egas, a peculiar black sand beach formed by volcanic tuff deposits, are another unique feature. The trip comes to an end in Santa Cruz, where you can observe the world-famous Galapagos giant turtle breeding program.
Highlights
Walk over lava that flowed less than 100 years ago with your private group of up to 16 guests
Explore Rabida's red sand beaches and meet a colony of flamingos
Observe blue-footed boobies performing an amusing courtship dance
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Today your guide awaits you at Baltra Airport, then be transferred to the Archipel Catamaran which is anchored in Baltra harbor. After arrival on board, check-in, receive general information and enjoy your first lunch on board.
Afterward, join an excursion to North Seymour, this islet is one of the most visited sites, and it is overloaded with birdlife. An easy circular path takes you through the archipelago’s most extensive colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds. At the beginning of the breeding season, adult frigatebird males blow up their vivid red pouches to impressive football-sized balloons. This is one of the few spots where you can compare the magnificent and the great frigatebird breeding next to each other.
Day 2: Bartolome | Espumilla Beach | Buccaneer Cove, Santiago
The beautiful volcano islet of Bartolome is among the youngest of the islands, and on a geological scale was just recently born out of the fire. Although at first sight lifeless, Bartolome offers some of the wildest landscapes and best panoramas in the entire archipelago. To enjoy the postcard view of the idyllic ‘Pinnacle Bay’ you have to climb the stairs to the viewpoint on top of the island (114m/375ft). Enter a dramatic world of threatening (though extinguished) nearby spatter cones, craters, and lightweight lava droplets that have been spewed out by fiery fountains. The Summit Trail is also ideal to witness how scanty pioneer vegetation such as lava cactus is struggling to take root in the bare virgin lava fields.
In the afternoon visit Espumilla Beach, an important breeding site for turtles, as it is no longer suffering from digging wild pigs. The turtles return year after year to bury their eggs into the cinnamon-colored sand dunes. About two months later (roughly from February to August) the eggs hatch. The beach ridge hides a mangle with two lagoons on the backside. A colony of American flamingos and aquatic birds used to be its main attraction, but after the climate phenomenon of El Niño, strong sedimentation altered the water environment, and now no longer contains their food. Vegetation zones are very close by, providing great scenic contrasts. During the climb up a hill, be rewarded with a beautiful overview of the transitions from sea to the beach and from mangrove to a dry palo santo forest. At the nearby Buccaneers Cove, have a great snorkeling opportunity.
This morning stop at Puerto Egas, a black beach located on the west side of Santiago Island. Volcanic tuff deposits formed this special black sand beach and made it the main attraction of the Island. This site is called Puerto Egas because Hector Egas attempted to exploit the salt, which failed because the price of salt on the continent was very cheap.
After lunch head to Rábida, a unique island because of the red color of the rocks and sand. The volcanic material in this island is very porous and external factors as rain, saltwater, and sea breeze have acted as an oxidizing agent. A short walk along a trail leads us to a coastal lagoon behind the beach that allows the observation of land birds as finches, doves, yellow warblers, and mocking birds. Meanwhile, at the lagoon, there is a colony of flamingos.
Day 4: Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz | Disembark | Baltra Airport
1 Breakfast
Although the great majority of Galapagos visitors come here to observe and appreciate natural wonders, it is also interesting to learn how the protection and conservation of the islands are done. The main attractions are the National Park information center, the Van Staelens Exhibition Hall, the Breeding and Rearing Center for young tortoises, and adult Galapagos tortoises in captivity.
In the afternoon be transferred to Baltra’s airport to take the flight back to the continent.
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.
$37,600
or $2,350 per person based on 16 max passengers
Select a Date
Twin Cabin
Cabins feature lower berths and private en-suite bath facilities with hot & cold water, A/C.
Select a Date
Standard Cabin
8 cabins with twin or double beds. Feature private facilities with hot & cold water, A/C.
Notes
Please reserve your kayak in advance prior to trip
Child Discount
20% 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 35% ($500 minimum), and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (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
4 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
3 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.
Excluded
Gratuities
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Flight costs (please request a quote)
Additional excursions during free time
Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
Galapagos Park Entrance Fee: $200 per adult, $100 per child under 12 (fees of $100 per adult and $50 per child valid on arrivals throughAug 1, 2024). Payable upon arrival to the Galapagos, only in cash dollars. Subject to increase by Galapagos Park Service.
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 | 122 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 122 reviews on
55 minutes ago
Franny helped us put together a great itinerary, was very responsive and so helpful. We ended up not being able to use Adventure Life for our trip, but would definitely use them in the future.
Sara Grosch
5 hours ago
Jess H helped plan an incredible holiday to Costa Rica for us. She was great from the start, she really listened to what we wanted from the trip and took into account mobility issues by arranging different excursions. The whole planning process was easy and stress free even with us being in the UK and them being in the US. I would highly recommend using Adventure Life to anyone thinking of planning a trip. They are also priced very competitively which made it even better.
Samantha Broadhurst
7 hours ago
Clara bent over backwards to accommodate all my needs and concerns, and is still helping me with more scheduling of different parts of my trip
customer. Martin Cohen
1 day ago
COSTA RICA a trip of a life time travelling round this beautiful country. All went like clockwork even when the weather was against us and all transfers seemed to be part of the holiday not a chore. Would definitely use Adventure Life again having previously used them 20 years ago!!
Cynthia Calton
1 day ago
Adventure Life helped me plan my trip to Antarctica. They always responded fast to my emails and were a pleasure to deal with.