Luxurious Southern Galapagos Cruise

After landing at Baltra Airport, meet the staff for assistance and transfer directly to the M/C Ocean Spray.

Head to Santa Fe, known for its unique Santa Fe iguana found nowhere else. The island, formed by an ancient volcanic uplift, features groves of Opuntia cacti and Palo Santo trees. Follow two marked trails—one climbs to a lookout point with sweeping views, while the other leads down to a quiet beach. Giant tortoises once roamed this island, but they disappeared after early sailors captured them for food.
Activities: Walking, snorkeling, kayaking, dinghy ride
Difficulty: Moderate
Landing: Dry
Possible Wildlife: Santa Fe land iguanas, frigatebirds, sally lightfoot crabs, sea lions, finches, and various shorebirds.

Explore Española Island, home to several species found only in the Galapagos. Walk along a trail that leads to the sole breeding site of the Waved Albatross. During nesting season, watch pairs reunite and younger birds attempt their first flight after years at sea. Marine iguanas with bright coloring, Galapagos doves, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropicbirds, and Darwin’s finches are also commonly seen here.\

Activities: Walking
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Landing: Dry
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, marine iguanas, Galapagos hawk, waved albatross, red-billed tropic birds, various shorebirds, Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, finches, and Sally lightfoot crabs.

Visit a white sand beach on Española Island, where a large sea lion colony rests along clear turquoise waters. Look for three types of finches and the Española mockingbird, a species that often approaches people without hesitation due to past human interaction. Avoid feeding or touching wildlife, as it disrupts natural behavior and puts the animals at risk.
Activities: Walking, snorkeling, kayaking, dinghy ride
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, various shorebirds, mockingbirds, stingrays, sea turtles

The Interpretation Center has been open to the public since 1998, offering extensive knowledge about the history of the Galapagos. San Cristobal is also the island where Charles Darwin first landed. It is now home to the capital of the Galapagos and houses many government offices, as well as part of the Ecuadorian Navy. Giant tortoises are bred at the Galapaguera and roam in a semi-natural habitat created by the center.
Activities: Walking
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Dry Landing
Possible Wildlife: Giant tortoises in various stages of their life.

Lobos Island is aptly named after the many sea lions that reside here, resting and playing along the rocky shores. It is also home to many different birds like pelicans, frigate birds and their nests, yellow warblers, and more. Within the small channel, the waters are very clear, making it easy to find sea turtles, sea lions, stingrays, and perhaps even white-tipped sharks.
Activities: Short walking, snorkeling, dinghy ride
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, various shorebirds, sally lightfoot crabs, frigate birds, Galapagos sharks, schools of tropical fish, and stingrays.

Kicker Rock is one of the most extraordinary sites in the Galapagos Islands, made of two eroded volcanic cones that tower over the sea at about 104 meters in the middle of the open water. It is a nesting place for sea birds and a nice spot to take pictures while the vessels circumnavigate around the rock.
Activities: Circumnavigation
Type of landing: No landing

When arriving at Pitt Point, it will feel as if you’ve landed on an extraterrestrial planet. You can see the many different developments over time of how volcanic activity formed this island. A hike up to the top offers amazing views of the surrounding waters. Watch out for blue-footed boobie nests on the ground and keep an eye out for the red-footed boobies nesting in the trees once you reach the top of the island.
Activities: Walking, snorkeling, kayaking, dinghy ride
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, various shorebirds, sally lightfoot crabs, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, red-footed boobies.

Witch Hill has awesome crevices and eroding rocks along the shoreline where you will first pass in a panga. Afterward, be prepared to visit a powdery white sand beach with teal and turquoise waters.
Activities: Walking, snorkeling, kayaking, dinghy ride
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: sea lions, various shore birds, finches, mockingbirds, tropical fish, and different crabs from the Sally lightfoot.

Ask the Cruise Manager for one of your complimentary postcards to write a message and address it at home. Leave it in the barrel used before by pirates and sailors. While you are there, see if there are any other postcards you can take home with you to send to fellow travelers who have already left their messages!
Activities: Walking, snorkeling
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: frigatebirds, sea lions, sea turtles, various shorebirds and seabirds, and marine life.

Crown Cormorant is an interesting visitor site. Two beaches can be visited here; just beyond the first beach is a saltwater lagoon with flamingos. One of the beaches looks green because of the olivine crystals, and the other is appropriately called Flour Beach because of the powdery white sand, made from fine, pulverized coral. Watch your feet if wading in the water; stingrays love to hang out here as well.

Devil’s Crown boasts one of the finest snorkeling opportunities. Below the surface are amazing volcanic structures that have submerged over time. Hundreds of colorful fish species can be seen along the reef, along with sharks, rays, sea turtles, and sea lions. It’s a beautiful underwater spectacle that cannot be missed.
Activities: Walking, snorkeling, dinghy ride
Difficulty: Snorkeling - Moderate to difficult / Hike - easy Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: frigatebirds, sea lions, sea turtles, Galapagos sharks, white-tipped sharks, tropical fish, various shorebirds and seabirds, and varied marine life.

Black Turtle Cove is located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, and spotted eagle rays. Pelicans and blue-footed boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water.
Activities: Dinghy ride
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: No Landing
Possible Wildlife: White-tipped sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea lions, and various shorebirds.

After this last visit, transfer to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador. Assistance and farewell at the airport.