Enjoy the Galapagos to the fullest aboard the Nemo I, a 14-passenger sailing catamaran that offers a unique cruise experience. This 5-day private cruise through the southern islands visits the Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz and combines the incredible shark canal off the coast of Isabela with the best flamingo lagoons of the Galapagos and spectacular snorkeling around Devil's Crown on Floreana Island. The albatrosses, booby colonies, and marine iguanas on Española promise to be a highlight!
Highlights
Enjoy a relaxing walk on Cormorant Point's green and 'flour sand' beach with your private group of up to 14 guests
Take a meditative break on the basaltic cliffs of Suarez Point
Land in the Tintoreras islets and observe resting white-tip reef sharks
Land at Bachas Beach and look for sea lions, marine iguanas, and sharks
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Upon arrival in Baltra, a naturalist guide from the Nemo I greets you and transfers you to the harbor. Then, take a dinghy to the yacht and head to your first stop, Las Bachas in Santa Cruz. These two small beaches are composed of sand made from decomposed coral, making it soft and a favorite nesting place for sea turtles. Walk to a brackish water lagoon, where you may find flamingos, black-necked stilts, and whimbrels.
Start your day with a dinghy ride to Las Tintoreras, a small bay on an islet, to observe a colony of white-tipped sharks along with many other marine animals, including sea turtles, sea lions, rays, and marine iguanas. Las Tintoreras is one of Isabela's most beautiful spots for sightseeing and relaxing. The rocky shoreline with its intertidal life attracts Sally Lightfoot crabs, lava herons, and occasional Galapagos penguins. Galapagos sea lions occupy the sand beach and complete this stereotypical Galapagos image.
In the afternoon, tour the Arnoldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center, where you can visit about 300 tortoises of all ages and sizes. Isabela is the only island in the world that has 5 different species of giant tortoises. Visit the native botanic garden of this breeding center. It also attracts colorful songbirds such as yellow warblers, Darwin’s finches, and Galapagos and vermillion flycatchers. Finally there is no greater counterpart to the cumbersome tortoises as the graceful American flamingos that frequently filter the saline waters of the adjacent lagoon for shrimp and algae.
Spend the morning exploring Cormorant Point and Devil´s Crown on the gorgeous island of Floreana. Cormorant Point is home to the best and one of the largest flamingo lagoons in the Galapagos, as well as to many other shorebirds. After observing the wildlife and walking along the very distinct "Green Beach" and "Flour Sand Beach", head towards Devil´s Crown for some great snorkeling surrounded by colored tropical fish, such as yellowtail surgeon fishes, king angelfishes, and many other species. On the seabed you can distinguish resting white-tip reef sharks, different species of ray, and starfishes. A Pacific green turtle or Galapagos sea lion might swim by, and don’t scare when you encounter scalloped hammerhead sharks!
In the afternoon, sail past Post Office Bay and bring your unstamped postcards and post them in the peculiar barrel on this historic site. Together with James Bay (Santiago) this used to be a popular base to complement stocks. Its present barrel commemorates the improvised mail service between British 16th-century whalers and poachers.
After breakfast, walk along the shores of Suarez Point and observe one of the most impressive colonies of sea birds in the Galapagos. Suarez Point is also a massive breeding site for Nazca and blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and red-billed tropicbirds. Blue-footed boobies don’t bother to breed in the middle of the trail. Especially during the food-abundant garúa-season, you can admire amusing courtship dances, mating, breeding, emerging from the eggs, nurturing, or first flight-attempts.
Spent the afternoon relaxing, snorkeling, and swimming in the crystal clear waters of Gardner Bay. Admire colorful reef fish, snorkel side-by-side with a Pacific green turtle, or find yourself in the middle of playful Galapagos sea lions. The striking white coral sand beach is an important breeding site for Pacific green turtles. But without doubt its main attraction is the Galapagos sea lion colony.
Because wild Galapagos giant tortoises don’t stop at official National Park boundaries, dozens of them also roam – and even mate – on the adjacent woodlands in the populated agricultural zone of Santa Cruz. Thanks to their concentrations around their favorite muddy pools, these semi-open pastures, and moist scalesia-woodlands are the best place for a quick visit. Armed with a rain poncho and (provided) rubber boots, get good chances to approach wild Galapagos giant tortoises within just a few meters! Their dome-shaped shells characterize the Santa Cruz subspecies. Most of their long lives are spent slowly and silently, except for a warning hiss, or loud screams during mating, which can be heard from afar in the first half of the year. Subsequently, females leave the highlands and descend all the way down to the beaches to dig holes and lay their eggs. It is estimated that in 2015 about 32,000 tortoises lived in the wild on all the islands, mostly in restricted locations of Isabela.
Transfer to Baltra airport for your flight back to Guayaquil or Quito.
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.
$28,350
or $2,025 per person based on 14 max passengers
Child Discount
20% discount for children under 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 25% ($400 minimum), and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 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
For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.
Included
4 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 4 Dinners
4 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.
Beyond expectations! Then again we weren't sure what to expect. Lovely stay at the lodge, met other like-minded travelers (many had their trips planned by Adventure Life) and the owner was a gracious hostess. It felt like you were one happy family, visiting with a favorite aunt.
Nancy Sin
TrustScore 4.7 | 116 reviews
TrustScore 4.7 of 5
Based on 116 reviews on
6 hours ago
The travel specialists we've worked with for 2 vacations have made the trip planning process easy! They ask good questions to ensure they understand our goals and likes and have done an excellent job matching adventures with our preferences - even suggesting things we would not have thought about on our own!
Amy
1 day ago
Erin is great to work with on our adventure to Antartica. She gave us great choices and is very knowledgeable about the options. Her recommendations saved us from making some big mistakes.
Carla
2 days ago
A Mind Blowing Adventure!
Adventure Life kept me well informed and up to date in the lead up to my trip and Albatros delivered a once in a lifetime adventure in full. A totally awesome experience from start to finish.
Jan Price
2 days ago
Jane Packer helped us through the cancellation of our trip due to American Queen Voyages bankruptcy and then finding another cruise with American Cruise Lines.
Jane is very prompt in response, answers any questions, and makes good suggestions thereby making the process much easier!
Deb Donaldson
3 days ago
Adventure Life did an excellent job of planning, organizing and executing a great trip to Argentina. It was nice to have the trip with just the two of us which allowed for a more personable tour with excellent tour guides in all four locations visited. We learned lots of details of the beautiful sites in BA, Mendoza,Baliloche and Iguazu Falls. We want to do another trip with Adventure Life some day.