Galapagos Islands 5-Day Northern Cruise aboard Yacht Isabela II

Our journey begins in Santa Cruz Island, where we’ll get to meet one of the most fascinating inhabitants of the Galapagos archipelago: Giant Tortoises. After landing at Baltra airport, we will soon be face to face with these creatures in their natural habitat. The next day takes us to Santiago Island, where we’ll get the chance to snorkel alongside marine iguanas. During the afternoon, we’ll visit the sandy beach of Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat Islet). The next day, we head off to Genovesa Island, a fascinating bird hub! Here, we’ll spend the entire day enjoying its colonies of nesting birds and explore its cliffs, shoreline, and beaches. Returning to the central islands, Santa Fe offers you the chance to meet its endemic Land Iguana. During the afternoon, we can hope to observe sea lions, rays, and sharks in South Plaza’s turquoise waters.

Itinerary

Day 1: Santa Cruz Island

Stop At: Baltra, Baltra, Galapagos Islands
After landing at Baltra Airport, we drive to the Itabaca Channel to take a ferry across to Santa Cruz Island. A 30-minute bus ride takes us up to the fascinating, more humid Highlands of the island where we’ll learn about its unique ecosystems and biodiversity. Lunch is served at a local restaurant.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Highland View Galapagos, Via The Garrapatero Beach Recinto El Cascajo, 200350 Ecuador
After lunch, we drive to a nearby reserve that is one of the best places in the archipelago to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The tortoises are easy to spot, lumbering around, munching on grass and leaves and wallowing in small pools. There are several lava tunnels to explore in the reserve, too. A short bus ride takes us down to Puerto Ayora to board Yacht Isabela II.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Santiago Island & Chinese Hat Islet

Stop At: Puerto Egas, Ecuador
Following a wet landing on a black, sandy beach, our trail takes us to enjoy close-up encounters with recently-reintroduced land iguanas, plus land and marine birds amid a landscape of tuff-stone layers, craggy rocks, and lava flows. At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds. We can also observe a colony of fur seals, usually dozing in the shade of some rocks.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Galapagos Islands, Galapagos Islands
Chinese Hat Islet:

This islet, formed only fairly recently, makes a beautiful afternoon visit as we explore the wildlife along its 1, 312 ft long (400 m long) trail, which begins at a crescent-shaped, white sandy beach. The cove offers excellent swimming and snorkeling opportunities amid white-tipped reef sharks and Galapagos penguins
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.

Day 3: Genovesa Island

Stop At: Prince Phillip's Steps, Southern part of Darwin Bay Ecuador
The day kicks off with a panga ride along the cliffs of “Bird Island”, as Genovesa is affectionately nicknamed, followed by a landing at a steep staircase which connects us with a flat plateau. From here the trail winds its way through large colonies of Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, and storm petrels. With luck, we’ll be able to spot the short-eared owl. Those who do not wish to disembark can enjoy a longer panga (inflatable dinghy) ride along the cliffs, weather conditions permitting. Snorkeling and kayaking activities are available.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Darwin Bay, Ecuador
We land after lunch at the beautiful white beach of Darwin Bay. Here we walk amid literally hundreds of birds, most of which are frigatebirds, red-footed and Nazca boobies, as well as gulls, herons, finches, and mockingbirds.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.

Day 4: Santa Fe & South Plaza Islands

Stop At: Santa Fe Island, Santa Fe Island, Galapagos Islands
We take the dinghy over to this idyllic sandy-white beach populated by colonies of sea lions. Galapagos hawks are often easily observed, perched atop salt bushes. The Santa Fe land iguana may be spotted during our exploration. Following the walk, we can snorkel and swim along a natural wave barrier or ride the glass-bottom boat.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: South Plaza Island, Ecuador
Following lunch and a rest, we disembark (dry landing) in this channel, whose turquoise waters contrast brilliantly with the white sand and black lava of the shoreline. Beyond, a carpet of scarlet sesuvium succulents serves as groundcover for a grove of luminescent green prickly-pear cactus. Yellow-grey land iguanas sit beneath these, waiting patiently for pears to drop. Along the coastline we find sea lion colonies, while frigates, swallow-tailed gulls and shearwaters glide, playing with the thermals.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.

Day 5: Baltra Island

Stop At: Baltra, Baltra, Galapagos Islands
Our journey ends at Baltra Island where we transfer to the airport to take the flight back to the mainland.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.