Galapagos by Sea and Land

Duration: 7 nights

Combine our unrivalled 5 night cruise onboard the M.V. Eclipse with a 2 night anchorage on Santa Cruz Island at our partner hotel, an eco-luxury tented camp nestled in the highlands overlooking the national park.

Day 01 - SATURDAY - ARRIVAL IN GALAPAGOS & FIRST VISIT TO BACHAS BEACH

Saturday Morning: Start  your Galapagos voyage.
The flight from Quito (via Guayaquil) to the Galapagos Islands takes approximately 2.5 hours. Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you will be met by your guides, who will escort you on a short bus ride to the harbour. Motorized dinghies, known locally as “pangas” will transport you to the Eclipse, where the captain and crew will welcome you aboard. After departure there will be a briefing, lunch and a safety drill.

Saturday Afternoon: First visit to Las Bachas Beach – Santa Cruz Island
Las Bachas Beach is located in the north of Santa Cruz. Its soft, white sand is derived from decomposed coral, making it a favourite nesting site for sea turtles. Behind the beach there is a small brackish water lagoon, where it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels.

Overnight: M.V. Eclipse

Day 02 - SUNDAY - SANTIAGO & BARTOLOME ISLAND

Sunday Morning: Santiago Island
Puerto Egas (James Bay) is located on the northwest side of Santiago. The landing is on a black beach with eroded rock formations in the background. The trail crosses the dry interior, where the remains of a salt mining enterprise can still be seen, and then continues along the coast. Tidal pools are home to a variety of invertebrate organisms, including sea urchins, octopus and starfish. The trail leads to the Fur Seals Grottos, one of the only places in the islands where they can be seen. After the walk, you will have time to swim or snorkel off the beach, where you will see sea lions, fish and maybe some turtles and reef sharks.

Sunday Afternoon: Bartolome Island
Bartolome is a small island that has two visitor sites. At the first site, you can swim and snorkel around Pinnacle Rock, where penguins are usually seen. Back on board for a quick change of clothes and then it is a short dinghy ride to a dry landing for a climb to the highest point on the island. On the way up, you will encounter different volcanic formations, including spatter and tuff cones, lava flow and lava tubes. From the summit you will have a wonderful view of Sullivan Bay.

Overnight: M.V. Eclipse

Day 03 - MONDAY - SANTA CRUZ & RABIDA ISLAND

Monday Morning: Santa Cruz Island
The name Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) stems from the fact that it was one of the few sites on Santa Cruz Island where a healthy population of land iguanas were found in 1975. After landing at a pier, a hike takes to you to a salt water lagoon behind the beach, frequented by common stilts, pintail ducks and occasionally flamingos. A short walk up the hill leads you to a land iguana nesting site, with breathtaking views of the bay. You will have the chance to go swimming after the walk.

Monday Afternoon: Rabida Island
Rabida is a small island with red volcanic rocks surrounding a beautiful red sand beach, where there is a colony of sea lions and a pelican nesting site. The trail leads to a salt water lagoon where shore birds can be seen. Rabida is considered to be one of the best snorkelling sites in the Galapagos Islands, and you will also have the opportunity to go kayaking.

Overnight: M.V. Eclipse

Day 04 - TUESDAY - ISABELA ISLAND

Tuesday Morning: Isabela Island
Tagus Cove was historically used as an anchoring place for pirates, buccaneers and whalers. Here you will see the names of hundreds of ships painted on the high ridges (a practice now forbidden). Depending on the season, you will go hiking, snorkelling or kayaking. On the hike, the trail goes through an area of vegetation and the volcanic landscape of Darwin Volcano. At the top of the trail, you will enjoy an incredible view of the whole cove and Darwin Lake.                        
The morning activity is followed by a panga ride, where you will have the opportunity to see a large number of blue-footed boobies perched on the ledges of the cliffs, as well as marine iguanas, penguins, brown pelicans, brown noddy terns and swallow-tailed gulls. While exploring the channel between Fernandina and Isabela Islands, we sometimes encounter dolphins and whales.

Tuesday Afternoon: Elizabeth Bay – Isabela Island
Elizabeth Bay is one of the furthest points of the Galapagos that we will visit on our cruise. A panga ride offers a wide variety of bird life, such as flightless cormorants, herons, and blue-footed boobies. Then we will enter a sheltered cove – a wonderful mangrove ecosystem that is a refuge for sea turtles and rays.

Overnight: M.V. Eclipse

Day 05 - WEDNESDAY - FERNANDINA ISLAND

Wednesday Morning: Fernandina Island
Fernandina last erupted in 2009. La Cumbre Volcano dominates the landscape, with lava fields stretching towards the ocean from its base. Punta Espinosa is a narrow piece of land where some of the most unique Galapagos species can be seen, including the flightless cormorant, Galapagos snakes, marine iguanas, penguins and the Galapagos hawk.         

Wednesday Afternoon: Punta Vicente Roca – Isabela Island
Punta Vicente Roca is a wonderful snorkelling site, where you can usually see turtles as well as all kinds of fish. After the snorkelling you will go on a panga ride, which will give you the opportunity to study some of the Galapagos’ spectacular geological rock formations. Nazca boobies, pelicans, swallow-tailed gulls, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and penguins are often seen in the area.

Overnight: M.V. Eclipse

Day 06 - THURSDAY - SANTA CRUZ ISLAND & SAFARI CAMP

Thursday: Santa Cruz Island
On your visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station you will gain insight into the huge efforts being made by scientists, guides, rangers and park managers to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see the  famous Galapagos tortoises that are the islands’ namesake. 

After the visit we will transfer you to our partner hotel, the Galapagos Safari Camp, set on a ridge in the highlands offering magnificent views over the Pacific Ocean. This combination offers visitors the unusual opportunity to cruise the best of the archipelago the traditional way together with a more independent land-based anchorage in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island.

The farm is situated in the "transition zone" at the altitude of 480 meters above sea level and close to the park's tortoise reserve. The stylish central lodge offers a spacious veranda, a lounge for relaxation with a cosy fireplace, an honour bar and a dinning area where a creative chef makes a selection of both local and international dishes.
The intimate nature of the Safari Camp is enhanced by its nine tents located closely below the central lodge. They are comfortable, spacious and elegantly furbished, their en-suite bathrooms offer hot showers and flush toilets. All tents have a large balcony. Guests can enjoy the tranquility of the infinity pool to cool down on hot days and observe nature from the poolside.

The farm is rich in bird life with finches, warblers, mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, egrets and owls. Tortoises make frequent visits to the farm and are often seen in the area.

Upon arrival at the lodge you will enjoy lunch with a magnificent view of the surrounding highlands. In the afternoon you will be able to explore with your guide diverse vegetation zones and microclimates. This first day of discovery can include a visit to the pit craters, lava tunnels, a walk in the Scalesia and Guayabillo forests and/or a visit to the Tortoise Reserve.

Dinner and overnight at the our partner lodge.

Overnight: Galapagos Safari Camp (partner hotel)

Day 07 - FRIDAY - BEACH TIME

Today you have the opportunity to visit one of the various beautiful beaches on Santa Cruz Island.

Garrapatero beach: The pristine beach of Garrapatero is in the Eastern part of the island. The contrast of mangroves, black lava, white sand, Pioneer cacti and turquoise water are a spectacle to the eye, particularly with the buzzing coastal bird life and the small lagoon near the beach, which often houses pink flamingos and Bahama ducks. The circuit of the area can be done by foot or mountain bike, stopping at a coffee farm, where you can savour and learn about the home-grown coffee.

Tortuga Bay: This must be one of the most extraordinary beaches to enjoy swimming along the two kilometres of white sand and deep blue water buzzing with wildlife.

Both beach options offer a choice of activities such as walking, mountain biking or kayaking. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant or as pic-nic lunch. 

In the late afternoon enjoy a relaxing massage at a selected local Spa. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Galapagos Safari Camp (partner hotel)

Day 08 - SATURDAY - DEPARTURE

Transfer to the airport in Baltra for your flight back home.

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