East & West Galapagos

Once you arrive at Baltra Airport, meet the team and be escorted on a short cross-island transfer to the jetty. Receive a warm welcome aboard Aqua Mare, the Galapagos Islands’ first 50m luxury superyacht, and be treated with the utmost attention courtesy of a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio. After a delicious lunch, pick out your snorkeling kit complete with a mask, fins, snorkel, and an optional wetsuit for your personal use during the week. Receive a special waterproof bag and a water bottle as a welcome gift.

The afternoon sees you head out for your first excursion to the beautiful white beach of Bahia Borrero on the northern part of Santa Cruz. You might be able to spot Darwin’s finches, Cactus finches, and Small Ground finches nestled in the coastal vegetation. For those who prefer to snorkel, encounter sea turtles at the beach — one of their primary nesting sites. Afterward, head back to the yacht and indulge in a sumptuous Nikkei-inspired dinner curated by Aqua Expeditions’ world-renowned consultant chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Share stories of your excursion with other guests, marking the perfect start to your Galapagos Islands adventure.

This morning, you’ll wake up on the other side of the equator and head over to Bahia Darwin’s coralline beach for hiking and snorkeling. Following a sumptuous lunch, explore Genovesa Island with a tender ride along the volcanic rocks of El Barranco. You’ll be able to view fur seals resting inside rock crevices. A 1.5 km hike inland takes you to the lava fields to view red-footed boobies as well as great frigatebirds and Galapagos storm petrels.
Activities: Snorkeling, Paddle Boarding

Make it a family affair after dinner at the Lower Deck Beach Club by enjoying a private movie screening. It is recommended to watch the Planet Earth documentary on the Galapagos Islands, the swashbuckling box office Master and Commander, or simply enjoy the starlit skies from the sun deck.

Start the morning early with a workout or a guided meditation on the sun deck followed by a refreshing breakfast. The first excursion of the day takes you to Santiago Island with a dry landing at Bahía Sullivan to discover recent Pahoehoe lava flows.
Activities: Hiking

After a sumptuous lunch and lecture from one of the expert naturalist guide onboard Aqua Mare, leave for Sombrero Chino Island, so named after the small crater that forms the islet. In the surrounding crystal-clear waters, you might have the opportunity to observe sea lions and penguins from above. There is a time for snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, and kayaking. After working up an appetite, return to the yacht for evening sundowners and a signature dining experience serving macambo rice and fish maito.
Activities: Snorkeling

With an early morning anchor at Bartolomé Island, embark upon a mild climb up to the summit of a spatter cone for a spectacular view of the island’s iconic Pinnacle Rock. Cool down afterward with a snorkel where you may encounter sea turtles and Galapagos penguins, before heading back to the yacht for lunch as you sail towards Santa Cruz Island.
Activities: Hiking

The afternoon excursion takes you to Cerro Dragón or Dragon Hill, so named because in 1975 it was one of the only places in Santa Cruz Island where scientists could still find a healthy population of land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus). Back onboard, swap tales of your magnificent excursion while enjoying the best of the region’s flavors through seafood specialties like pan-seared scallops and grilled squid.

This morning, explore a Giant Tortoise Reserve to see these wild Galapagos Islands creatures up close in their natural habitat. The area is also a great place to observe Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, flycatchers, cattle egrets, and if lucky Galapagos Rails.

After a delicious lunch, visit Darwin Station and National Park headquarters to observe tortoises in captivity at the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, as well as the different age hatchlings categorized by islands. There is free time to enjoy the town of Puerto Ayora before returning to the ship. Refreshing superfruit juices await at Beach Club, which is located at water level aft of the ship, or enjoy the scenic sunset views from the upper deck. For divers, there is the option of a full day of diving instead of joining the day excursions.

Rise and shine to a guided meditation on the upper deck before disembarking in Punta Suárez for this morning’s excursion. This visitor site is one of the most interesting landing sites in the Galapagos Islands, due to the high percentage of unique endemism in its fauna such as Española mockingbirds, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and the unique waved albatross.

In the afternoon, take a tender ride to the beautiful array of islets where you can snorkel alongside playful sea lions and many different species of reef fish. The last visit of the day is Bahía Gardner, an outstanding coralline sand beach that boasts one of the biggest colonies of sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. Back at the yacht, head over to the bar to socialize over Happy Hour with a glass of special Aqua Bloody Mare as the crew prepares for departure to your next anchorage.

After a night of sailing, visit Santa Fe Island for your penultimate day. It is one of the oldest in the Galapagos Islands (around 3.6 million years old), with the island being characterized to some degree by its vegetation of palo santo trees, a pear cactus that is called Opuntia echios barringtonensis, and many other native bushes. Here, spot land iguanas, lava lizards, mockingbirds, and Darwin’s finches. After the visit, enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, or stand-up paddle boarding.

After lunch onboard, the boat sails to Plaza Sur Island, located off the eastern shore of Santa Cruz. In the afternoon you disembark at a small but diverse little islet to head out on a two-hour hiking excursion led by your guide to discover its unique landforms. Swap notes on everything you’ve seen today and end the day gazing at the archipelago’s amazing starlit skies while sipping on a glass of wine.

Build your own adventure today from a selection of activities, whether you’re interested in snorkeling, hiking, cycling, or even scuba diving. Please reach out to your Cruise Director onboard for more information.

Meet new companions joining you onward for the next seven nights and spend the evening exploring the main town of Puerto Ayora. It is recommended to stroll along the main waterfront where you can stop by the many boutiques and jewelry shops before heading back to the ship for a fascinating lecture from the guides. Finally, end the day with fresh seafood dining in the Galapagos Islands.

Today, anchor in the southern part of the Archipelago at Floreana Island. After breakfast, the morning wet landing excursion takes you to a big brackish water lagoon to observe greater flamingos, ducks, black-necked stilts, and other shore birds at Punta Cormorant. Observe where sea turtles nest at night, and possibly spot stingrays and sharks swimming very close to the shore.

Enjoy a splendid lunch consisting of fresh Ecuadorian recipes with an Andean twist before heading back out to Floreana to pay tribute to an old island tradition at the Bahia Post Office. The visit follows another quick tour of what once was a fishing enterprise in the 1920s before continuing onboard the tenders to visit Mirador de la Baronesa. Upon returning onboard Aqua Mare, enjoy another feast showcasing a blend of Japanese technique and Peruvian seasoning through delicacies such as tuna tartare and quinoa yakimeshi. Stay out on the upper deck with a cocktail if you would like to admire the northern and southern hemispheres’ starlit skies tonight.

After a night of sailing, the morning sees a beautiful superyacht anchored on the western side of Isabela Island. As the biggest and youngest island in the Archipelago, Isabela was formed by five relatively young volcanoes and is characterized by giant tortoises and marine iguanas. For the morning excursion, a hike at Punta Moreno takes you to the mangroves and gas-rich basaltic lava rocks resulting from a large basaltic lava flow that came from the Cerro Azul volcano on Isabela hundreds of years ago. There are mangrove lagoons along the shore, embark on a dinghy ride to observe marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and penguins among other species.
Activities: Panga ride

In the afternoon, the Aqua Mare sails north to Bahía Urbina, a 6km² point, once underwater and uplifted in 1954 up to 3m above sea level. Here you can see land iguanas, some of the biggest marine iguanas roaming free in the Archipelago, and on occasion, tortoises as well. End the day with an unforgettable view of Isabela’s five volcanoes while dining on macambo rice, fish maito, and candied pear beneath the stars.

Start the morning early with a workout on the sun deck at the next anchorage point of Punta Espinoza, part of a huge lava flow formed from one of the many eruptions of the La Cumbre volcano, known to be one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The region is famous for its large colonies of marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and lizards. You might come across Galapagos penguins, Galapagos hawks, and snakes as well. Spend the morning on shore with the option to snorkel before returning to the yacht for a sumptuous lunch.
Activities: Snorkeling

As Aqua Mare crosses the Bolivar Channel back towards Isabela Island, prepare to channel your inner pirate for the afternoon excursion visiting Caleta Tagus, once a favorite anchorage spot for pirates and whalers. Here, hike to see Darwin Lake, a saltwater lake trapped inside a tuff cone. If you would rather not hike, you can take your pick from four double kayaks, snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, or a ride on elegant black tenders to explore the cove and its surroundings. Return to the yacht for evening sundowners and head to the bridge after dinner for a chat with the captain as you cross the equatorial line twice.
Activities: Kayaking, Paddle Boarding

This morning, take a tender ride to Caleta Bucanero, a 17th-century pirate rest stop where pirates used to stock up on fresh tortoise meat and fresh water. In case ocean conditions are unfavorable, visit Playa Espumilla instead, a golden sandy beach that is a well-known breeding ground for sea turtles.
Activities: Panga ride, Kayaking, Paddle Boarding

Head back to the yacht for lunch encompassing flavors of the South American Pacific coast through specially prepared dishes like the linguine ai frutti di mare. Next, disembark on the black sand beaches of Puerto Egas, northwest of Santiago Island. Walk the intertidal zone to the fur seal grottos or snorkel to watch sea turtles, sea lions, and white-tipped sharks. Wind down back onboard with Happy Hour over a glass of special Aqua Bloody Mare as the crew prepares for departure to your next adventure.
Activities: Hiking

Awake to the sounds of nature and a fresh breakfast before departing by tender to Rabida Island, also known as the Red Island. The color is the result of oxidation of very old porous lava. Hike, take out one of the double kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, or snorkel, as well as observe sea lions that have made their home on the beach.
Activities: Hiking

After a delicious lunch, you can listen to an afternoon lecture presented by expert guides in the panoramic lounge. The Aqua Mare sails towards the north of Santa Cruz Island, to Caleta Tortuga Negra, a mangrove estuary that is home to sea turtles. This is a tender ride excursion as there is no landing site, but you may spot green sea turtles, as well as blacktip and Galapagos sharks. End this glorious day by discovering more signature cuisine courtesy of Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino.
Activities: Panga ride

Your penultimate day in the Archipelago begins with a refreshing breakfast before heading out to Seymour Norte Island, formed by uprisings of underwater volcanic lavas some 3.1 million years ago. The island is mostly known for its healthy population of land iguanas, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and great frigate birds. After a morning full of fun activities, head back to the yacht for a delicious lunch aboard Aqua Mare.

For the afternoon excursion, hop on to one of the tenders for a wet landing on Mosquera Island. Although it’s one of the smallest in the archipelago, Mosquera Island is one of the hotspots for spotting sea lions. Around sunset, return to the sleek comfort of Aqua Mare for your last evening aboard. Swap notes on everything you’ve experienced during this most incredible adventure with your friends onboard and toast farewell with something special from a curated wine list.

The last day begins with a luxurious breakfast set against the morning sunrise. Enjoy the views from Aqua Mare as you circumnavigate Daphne Island before making your way to Baltra Island for disembarkation. Bid farewell to the crew and your beautiful home for the past week.

Be escorted to the airport for your flight back to the mainland and onward journey home, with all the wonderful memories you hope to cherish forever.