Western Islands

Arrive at Baltra Airport, where your naturalist guide warmly welcomes you and transfers you to a tortoise reserve in the lush highlands of Santa Cruz. Observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, then continue to your floating home for the next eight days, M/Y Passion.

Board the yacht, settle into your cabin, and enjoy a delicious lunch before heading out for your afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Encounter Galápagos giant tortoises at various stages of life and learn about the vital conservation efforts protecting the archipelago.

Return to the yacht for a beautifully prepared dinner, then wrap up your day with a recap of highlights and a preview of the adventures ahead.

Sights: Highlands, Charles Darwin Research Station, Puerto Ayora
Activity level: Easy
Activities: Walking
Wildlife you may see: Galapagos Giant Tortoises, endemic birds, sea lions, marine iguanas, tropical fish

Start your day on Floreana Island, known for its colorful history of pirates, whalers, convicts, and early settlers, and home to a small community of fewer than 200 residents. Take a dinghy ride to Punta Cormorant, where you follow a scenic trail connecting two contrasting beaches. Along the way, visit a lagoon often frequented by flamingos.

Return to the yacht and prepare for your first snorkel at nearby Champion Island, known for its vibrant marine life. Afterward, enjoy a nourishing lunch as the yacht sails to its next destination, Post Office Bay, a site steeped in maritime history.

Go ashore and take a short walk to the iconic wooden mail barrel, where you continue the centuries-old tradition of leaving letters and postcards for hand delivery by passing travelers. Then snorkel or kayak before returning to the yacht for a beautifully prepared dinner and debrief.

Sights: Lagoon with possible flamingo sightings, champion island snorkeling, Post Office Bay
Activity level: Easy - moderate
Activities: Walking, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking
Wildlife you may see: Sea lions, endemic birds, flamingos, rays and tropical fish, sea turtles

Awaken to the striking landscapes of Punta Moreno. After breakfast, take a dinghy ashore for a dry landing on lava rock, then set out on a 1.5-hour guided walk across dramatic black lava fields. Along the way, take in sweeping views of surrounding volcanoes and the island’s remarkable geological formations. Return to M/Y Passion to prepare for your first snorkel of the day, where you may encounter sea turtles, seahorses, rays, reef sharks, and vibrant tropical fish.

After lunch, continue to Elizabeth Bay and explore a serene estuary by dinghy, where life thrives, penguins dart through the water while rays, sea turtles, and reef sharks glide below the surface. Enjoy another snorkel before returning to the yacht for a beautifully prepared dinner and your evening briefing as your journey continues.

Sights: Ancient lava rocks, calm estuary of Elizabeth Bay
Activity level: Easy - moderate
Activities: Walking, hiking, snorkeling
Wildlife you may see: Endemic birds, sea lions, land and marine iguanas, rays, seahorses, sea turtles, Glp. Hawk, sharks, tropical fish

After breakfast, begin your day with a visit to Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island, known for its vast colonies of marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and dramatic volcanic landscapes. After your visit, return to the yacht to prepare for your first snorkel, where you may encounter sea turtles, rays, and a variety of tropical fish along the island’s rugged coastline.

After lunch, continue to Urbina Bay, a remarkable site uplifted from the ocean floor in 1954, where remnants of the seabed remain visible today. Set out on a guided walk along the coastal trail, with opportunities to observe giant tortoises and colorful land iguanas in their natural habitat. Enjoy a snorkel directly from the beach before returning to the yacht for a beautifully prepared dinner and your evening debrief as the journey continues.

Sights: Ancient lava rocks, amazing snorkeling, remnants of sea life on Urbina Bay, land iguanas
Activity level: Easy - moderate
Activities: Walking, hiking, snorkeling
Wildlife you may see: Endemic birds, sea lions, Glp. Hawk, land and marine iguanas, rays, seahorses, sea turtles, sharks, tropical fish

Arrive at Tagus Cove, a historic harbor once frequented by whalers and pirates, who left their mark by carving names into the surrounding cliffs. From here, set out on a scenic hike to Darwin’s Crater, a striking saltwater lagoon, offering sweeping views of the island’s dramatic volcanic landscapes (~1 hour). Afterward, enjoy a dinghy ride, snorkel, or kayak in the calm waters of the cove.

After lunch, continue to Punta Vicente Roca, located along the northwestern coast of Isabela Island. This spectacular site is known for its towering cliffs, secluded coves, and rich marine ecosystem nourished by the nutrient-filled Cromwell Current. Explore the coastline by dinghy, keeping an eye out for sea turtles, penguins, and flightless cormorants. Return to the yacht to prepare for an exciting snorkel in the bay, where you may encounter an abundance of marine life. Conclude the day with a thoughtfully prepared dinner and an evening debrief on the day’s discoveries.

Sights: Carvings on cliffs from pirates and whalers, Darwin’s crater, wildlife on Pta. Vicente Roca
Activity level: Easy - moderate
Activities: Walking, opt. snorkel or kayak
Wildlife you may see: Endemic birds, sea lions, sea turtles, marine iguanas, tropical fish

Wake up to the stunning landscapes of Santiago Island. After breakfast, take a dinghy ashore to Puerto Egas for a scenic coastal walk along rugged lava formations and vibrant tide pools. Spot Galápagos fur seals lounging in grottos, marine iguanas basking on volcanic rock, and oystercatchers along the shoreline, with views of Sugarloaf Volcano and the remnants of an old salt mine. Enjoy a refreshing snorkel from the beach before returning to the yacht for lunch.

In the afternoon, continue to Buccaneer’s Cove, once a pirate hideout and later visited by Charles Darwin. This sheltered bay is rich in wildlife, and you may choose to snorkel, kayak, or explore by dinghy. Later, visit Espumilla Beach, a pristine stretch of coastline where marine iguanas and rays are often seen, and sea turtles nest in season. Return to the yacht for dinner, followed by a recap of the day’s adventures.

Sights: Beautiful landscape of Santiago, tide pools, fur seals, old salt mine, Buccaneer’s Cove.
Activity level: Easy - moderate
Activities: Walking, hiking, snorkeling or kayaking
Wildlife you may see: Sea lions, endemic birds, marine iguanas, fur seals, sea turtles, rays, tropical fish
 

This morning, after breakfast, board a dinghy for your first land visit at Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island. Here, set out on an awe-inspiring walk across rugged, 100-year-old pahoehoe lava flows, dotted with distinctive lava cacti. Afterward, enjoy a refreshing snorkel in the bay, where marine life thrives. If you’re lucky, you may spot a Galápagos penguin.

Return to the yacht for lunch as you cruise toward North Seymour, a flat island uplifted thousands of years ago. Upon arrival, take a dinghy ashore for a dry landing and embark on a 1.5-hour guided walk among abundant wildlife, including colonies of blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, magnificent and great frigatebirds, and playful sea lions. Keep an eye out for Galápagos sharks cruising along the shoreline. Return to the yacht for a delicious dinner, followed by a recap of the day’s highlights and a preview of tomorrow’s adventures.

Sights: Ancient pahoehoe lavaflows, unique flora, flourishing marine life, with the opportunity to possibly see penguins.
Activity level: Easy - moderate
Activities: Walking, hiking, snorkeling
Wildlife you may see: Sea lions, endemic birds, penguins, lava lizards, sharks, rays, sea turtles, tropical fish

Wake up to the small islet of Mosquera, known for its expansive sandy beach and large colony of sea lions. Before breakfast, take a dinghy ashore for a wet landing and enjoy a leisurely walk along the shoreline, observing sea lions resting and playing along the coast.

Return to the yacht for breakfast and time to pack as you cruise toward Baltra. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the airport for your departing flight or continue on to your next adventure.