Española Island of the Galapagos - Travel Guide, Cruise & Tour Tips

10 Cruises Visiting Espanola Island, Galapagos for 2025-2026

A Marine iguana peaks over a volcanic rock, Galapagos Islands.

10 Luxury Cruises Visiting Espanola Island, Galapagos for 2025-2026

Trip Name	From	Days	Summary
Southeastern Islands Cruise	$4,990	4	This cruise may be short on days but it's big on amazing wildlife, such as the Galapagos giant tortoise, marine iguanas, and playful sea lions. Discover San Cristobal, Espanola, Floreana and more on this 4-Day Galapagos cruise. Snorkel in the crystalline waters and view colorful fish, rays, and sea turtles. 0
Private Charter - Southeastern Islands Cruise Aboard M/C Elite	$74,490	4	This private cruise may be short on days, but it's big on fantastic wildlife, such as the Galapagos giant tortoise, marine iguanas, and playful sea lions. Discover San Cristobal, Espanola, Floreana and Santa Cruz on this 4-day Southeastern Galapagos cruise. Snorkel in the crystalline waters and view colorful fish, rays, and sea turtles. 0
Private Charter - Southern Islands Aboard Galapagos Horizon	$58,450	4	Discover the Galapagos Islands' magnificent splendor aboard the new Galapagos Horizon on a four-day sailing expedition. It's easy to spot marine turtles, sea lions, stingrays, and even white-tipped sharks in the crystal clear seas. 0
Eastern Islands	$5,870	5	Introduce yourself to the Galapagos by taking a 5-day cruise to the Eastern Islands. This quick tour aboard the La Pinta features sea lions, red-footed boobies, and giant tortoises. 0
Southern Islands	$6,195	4	Set sail on a 4-day Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise to the Eastern Galapagos Islands. Explore San Cristóbal, and visit Tijeretas Hill. Enjoy Gardner Bay and Punta Suárez on Española, then discover unique beaches, flamingos, and marine life at Punta Cormorant on Floreana. Conclude your journey at the Charles Darwin Research Station and fly back home. 0
Southern Islands	$6,190	5	Sail through the Southern Galapagos Islands, exploring their biodiverse and magical landscapes. Starting in Baltra making your way through Española, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, South Plaza and back to Balta. 0
Private Charter - Eastern Islands Aboard La Pinta	$287,358	5	Familiarize yourself with the Galapagos Eastern Islands on a private cruise aboard La Pinta. This 5-day voyage takes you to the islands of San Cristobal, Espanola, and Santa Cruz Island. Swim with playful sea lions, take coastal and inland hikes, and admire the famous giant tortoises and red-footed boobies. 0
Private Charter - Southern Islands Aboard M/C Galapagos Endemic	$92,390	5	Sail through the Southeastern Galapagos Islands on a 5-day private cruise. Embark the M/C Endemic in Baltra making your way through Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Española, Santa Fe, and South Plaza. Overflowing with wildlife, volcanic wonders, and breathtaking landscapes, this is the perfect vacation choice. 0
Luxurious Southern Galapagos Cruise	$6,190	6	On this 6-day luxury Galapagos cruise aboard one of the best yachts in Galapagos, the Ocean Spray catamaran, you'll see giant Galapagos tortoises, playful sea lion colonies, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and if traveling the right time of year, waved albatrosses on Espanola Island. 0
Private Charter - Beyond Darwin's Footsteps Aboard Grace	$95,150	8	Close encounters with nature highlight this 8-day private Galapagos cruise onboard the Grace. The islands are teeming with animals that are eager to meet visitors. Explore Espanola, Floreana, Santa Cruz, and other nearby cities! Scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking are all popular pastimes in this area. 0

Top 3 Best Espanola Island National Park Visitor Sites

Gardner Bay – For most of the year, the sea lions and sea lion pups are the main attraction at Gardner Bay. But from April until December, this white sandy beach is the nesting site for nearly all of the 12,000 remaining pairs of waved albatrosses. Other than a small colony on Isla de la Plata by Ecuador’s mainland, the world’s entire waved albatross population can be seen here. There are also three species of finches here and occasionally a giant tortoise.

Suarez Point – Here, explorers will be astounded as they watch the endemic albatrosses launch themselves off of the cliff and take flight. But the site is known for more than just the birds – a blowhole on the cliff’s edge blasts water into the air as the waves crash into the bottom of it. This blowhole has become a popular attraction at Suarez Point.

Osborn Islet – The tranquil white sands of this site make it an ideal home for sea lions and their pups. You can swim, kayak, and snorkel right in their company as they glide through the water.

Espanola Island Facts and Highlights

Espanola Island, one of the most remote islands of the Galapagos, is home to the large colony of waved albatrosses in the archipelago, as well as sea lions, marine iguanas and other unique species. Take a guided walk along its rocky coastline and observe these fascinating creatures in their natural habitat.

Espanola Island is home to a variety of endemic wildlife species, including the Espanola mockingbird, lava lizards, and the impressive waved albatross.
Espanola is known for being the only breeding site for the entire population of the waved albatrosses of the planet. This limitation is the reason why the species was listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
The waved albatross is the largest bird in the archipelago. It can measure up to 3 feet in length and 8 feet of wingspan. It's also known for having a peculiar and entertaining courtship ritual where males partake in a mating dance that involves sword fighting with their bills.
Espanola boasts some of the most dramatic landscapes in the Galapagos Islands, including dramatic cliffs, beautiful beaches, and hidden coves. Visitors will be met with breathtaking views of the ocean.
Espanola Island is one of the most isolated islands in the Galapagos and is part of the Galapagos Islands National Park.
Some of Espanolas favorite visitor sites include Suarez Point or Punta Suarez in Spanish, and Gardner Bay.