Have questions? We're here.
Giant Land Tortoise

Highlands Cruises & Tours

Travel made your way
Talk with an expert
Build your ideal Galapagos trip. Call 1.406.541.2677
Start Planning My Trip
Just a short drive from the golden sands of the Santa Cruz beaches, find yourself in a completely different habitat as you explore the many attractions of the highlands on the Galapagos Islands. Visit a local hacienda, where giant tortoises roam freely, grazing tranquilly on the highland vegetation. Then it's off to the lava tunnels, where you can walk through naturally formed caves left when lava flows hardened. You next stop is a trek through a dense scalesia forest to twin sinkholes that formed when the massive calderas of extinct calderas collapsed. Though it takes just under an hour to cross the entire island of Santa Cruz from the northern Itabaca Channel through the highlands to Puerto Ayora on the southern shore, the highlands are a world of their own, just waiting to be explored. Contact us to start planning!
Best Galapagos Cruises & Tours

Top 10 Highland Tours of Santa Cruz for 2025-2026

Best Galapagos Cruises & Tours

10 Best Highland Luxury Tours of Santa Cruz for 2025-2026

Trip Name From Days Summary
Northern Islands $5,870 5 Board the La Pinta and sail through the Northern Islands of the Galapagos. This 5-day adventure takes you to Santa Cruz, Bartolome, and Genovesa. Enjoy sea lions, sea birds, and giant Galapagos tortoises which first made this island archipelago famous!
0
Southern & Northern Islands $11,695 7 Join the 7-Day Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise in the Eastern & Central Galapagos, beginning on San Cristóbal Island. Explore Tijeretas, Gardner Bay, Punta Suárez, and Floreana. Snorkel at Champion Islet, then visit Genovesa Island. Conclude at Black Turtle Cove, disembarking in Baltra, marking the end of your unforgettable journey.
0
Private Charter - Island Circumnavigation Aboard Galapagos Horizon $126,450 8 This 8-day private cruise offers incredible snorkeling, hiking, and kayaking adventures all around the Galapagos archipelago in style. Gourmet cuisine, the best guides, and spacious & stylish cabins guarantee a top-notch luxury cruising experience second to none.
0
Central East & Southern Islands $12,995 8 Explore Central East & Southern Islands on this 8-day cruise aboard Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise. Visit Baltra and meet giant tortoises. Enjoy geological wonders and encounter diverse wildlife on Rábida, Bartolomé, South Plaza, and Santa Fe. End at Fausto Llerena Breeding Center to see Galápagos tortoises and support conservation efforts.
0
Northwestern Islands $12,995 8 Embark on an 8-day Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise in the Northwestern Galapagos Islands. Explore unique wildlife, including giant tortoises and lava tunnels. Visit Cerro Dragón, Chinese Hat, Genovesa, and more. Enjoy birdwatching, snorkeling, and diverse wildlife encounters. Finally, visit North Seymour before heading to Baltra for your flight home.
0
Northern Islands $6,195 4 Embark on a 4-day North & Central Islands cruise aboard the Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise. Observe Santa Cruz Highlands' giant tortoises and lava tunnels. Journey to Dragon Hill, home to land iguanas and flamingos then visit Chinese Hat. Explore El Barranco cliffs and Darwin Bay's bird paradise. Conclude with a marine life excursion in Black Turtle Cove.
0
East & Central Islands $9,445 8 Board the Galapagos Horizon for a Galapagos circumnavigation tour. This 8-day adventure visits the islands of San Cristobal, Espanola, Rabida, Genovesa, and North Seymour, and offers stunning encounters with wildlife. Immerse yourself in the clear blue water, and witness ever-curious sea lions, and famed blue-footed boobies.
0
Island Circumnavigation $9,445 8 This 8-day cruise offers incredible snorkeling, hiking, and kayaking adventures all around the Galapagos archipelago in style. Gourmet cuisine, the best guides, and spacious & stylish cabins guarantee a top-notch luxury cruising experience second to none.
0
Private Charter - East & Central Islands Aboard Galapagos Horizon $129,450 8 This 8-day adventure visits the islands of San Cristobal, Espanola, Rabida, Genovesa, and North Seymour, and offers stunning encounters with wildlife. Board the Galapagos Horizon on this private charter cruise for an unforgettable voyage exploring the Galapagos' landscapes and wildlife.
0
Northern Galapagos Catamaran Cruise $5,190 5 The Ocean Spray luxury catamaran takes you on a 5-day Galapagos Northern Islands cruise, exploring Genovesa, South Plaza, Mosquero, and Santiago. Light hiking, pristine snorkeling, and swimming with sea lions and penguins make this trip the perfect luxury Galapagos vacation package.
0

Top 6 Highlands Cruises and Tours Deals for 2025-2026

Trip Name From Days Summary
Islands Circumnavigation $12,163 15 This 15-day Galapagos cruise on the Tip Top II offers a fully immersive experience in the unique landscapes and rich wildlife shores and beaches of the archipelago. Explore the islands daily by foot, snorkel, kayak, and Zodiac cruise expeditions, and experience the most incredible close encounters with the diverse wildlife.
0
Islands Circumnavigation $10,588 15 Adventure in the magic Galapagos Islands aboard Tip Top IV! Enjoy 15 days of travel in unique destinations. Observe the endemic wildlife in North Seymour, Darwin Bay (Genovesa), Vicente Roca Point (Isabela), Urbina Bay and others.
0
Eastern Islands II $3,195 5 Embark on a 5-day exciting cruise through the eastern islands of the Galapagos. Meet Galapagos giant turtles, climb to the Baroness Lookout Point, snorkel with sea turtles and sharks, and visit one of the first sites visited by Charles Darwin. These volcanic and wildlife-rich islands are an ideal place to spend your vacations!
0
Western Islands $4,000 6 Enjoy a 6-day cruise in the Western Galapagos Islands aboard the Galaxy, where you can explore enchanting landscapes teeming with unique wildlife, including giant tortoises, flamingos, iguanas, and sharks. The islands of Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, and Santiago offer an extensive array of activities for you to experience.
0
Dive Cruise $5,195 8 Discover the underwater marvels of the remote northern Galapagos Islands of Wolf and Darwin on a Liveaboard diving cruise on the Aqua. See some of the following Marine Life: sea lions, Galapagos sharks, white tip reef sharks, turtles, seahorses, barracudas, stingrays, eagle rays, manta rays, and reef fish.
0
Eastern Islands $7,145 8 Journey to the Eastern Galapagos Islands on board the Natural Paradise for an 8-day full exploration of the most recognized locations in the archipelago. Enjoy daily adventure activities such as snorkeling, dinghy rides, hiking, and swimming in the most pristine and wildlife-rich waters.
0
All Galapagos Articles

Santa Cruz Highlands Travel Guide

Getting to the Highlands
All of our cruises and tours of the Galapagos Islands are all-inclusive, so you will never have to worry about transportation. If you are touring the highlands as your first stop after arriving, then you may meet a taxi after crossing the Itabaca Channel from the Baltra Island airport. The taxi will take you right to your Highlands visitor site. Traveling from Puerto Ayora, you will likely arrive with your travel group on a motor coach or open air bus.

Activities in the Santa Cruz Highlands
  • Los Gemelos- Meaning "Twins," in Spanish, these two massive sinkholes are a sight to behold, where you can hike through a scalesia forest to see the extinct remains of two volcanoes that collapsed.
  • Lava Tunnels - Another impressive volcanic feature of the highlands are the lava tunnels, naturally hollowed out geologic features that created tunnels when the flowing surface lava hardened over hot magma that continued to flow underneath.
  • El Chato Ranch- Walk through the green pastures of this highland hacienda where giant tortoises roam in their natural habitat.
Galapagos Travel Videos

Highlands Videos

Galapagos Travel Stories & Tips

Galapagos Highlands Travel Stories

Galapagos Travel Guide

Top Galapagos Travel Destinations

Galapagos Trips by Departure Date

Top Experiences in Galapagos

Galapagos Trips by Duration

Galapagos Trips by Activity

More Reasons

Why Travel With Adventure Life

All News

Recognized By