Galápagos Islands – Iconic Wildlife & Sublime Scenery | Western Route

Transfer from airport to hotel in Quito(pre-cruise)

At Hotel

At Hotel

Transfer from hotel to airport in Quito(pre-cruise)

Flight from Quito to Baltra

Get ready to explore the spectacular Galápagos IslandsAs your South America land adventure draws to a close, it is time to embark on the next stage of your journey. After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island, a part of the spectacular Galápagos Archipelago. A transfer will take you straight to the port, where your comfortable expedition ship MS Santa Cruz II awaits you.We’ll begin our exploration of the Galápagos Islands in the afternoon by following the north shore of Santa Cruz to the fascinating landscapes of Cerro Dragón, or Dragon Hill, where we’ll land. On the first part of our walk, we’ll pass a brackish lagoon that is frequented by shorebirds and American flamingos. Further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western islands of the archipelago, as well as your first chance to encounter some land iguanas.

Get ready to explore the spectacular Galápagos IslandsAs your South America land adventure draws to a close, it is time to embark on the next stage of your journey. After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island, a part of the spectacular Galápagos Archipelago. A transfer will take you straight to the port, where your comfortable expedition ship MS Santa Cruz II awaits you.We’ll begin our exploration of the Galápagos Islands in the afternoon by following the north shore of Santa Cruz to the fascinating landscapes of Cerro Dragón, or Dragon Hill, where we’ll land. On the first part of our walk, we’ll pass a brackish lagoon that is frequented by shorebirds and American flamingos. Further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western islands of the archipelago, as well as your first chance to encounter some land iguanas.

Scan the coastline and seas for iconic speciesYou’ll start your day at Punta Vicente Roca on the northwestern tip of Isabela Island. After breakfast, we’ll explore the coast on a panga boat and your naturalist guides will teach you about the dramatic geology of the area.This site is a nesting place for several bird species, so look out for flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, and boobies. Weather permitting, you can snorkel beside the cliffs, where you might find green sea turtles, oceanic sunfish, and fur seals.In the afternoon, we’ll explore Fernandina, an island with a unique ecology and a large population of marine iguanas. Watch the coastline for sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hawks, and penguins.

Scan the coastline and seas for iconic speciesYou’ll start your day at Punta Vicente Roca on the northwestern tip of Isabela Island. After breakfast, we’ll explore the coast on a panga boat and your naturalist guides will teach you about the dramatic geology of the area.This site is a nesting place for several bird species, so look out for flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, and boobies. Weather permitting, you can snorkel beside the cliffs, where you might find green sea turtles, oceanic sunfish, and fur seals.In the afternoon, we’ll explore Fernandina, an island with a unique ecology and a large population of marine iguanas. Watch the coastline for sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hawks, and penguins.

Meet the famous giant tortoises of the GalápagosToday, you’ll explore Santa Cruz Island. In the morning, we’ll disembark at Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station.At this giant tortoise breeding center, you can see recently hatched tortoises and Darwin’s famous finches – the birds he used as a basis for his theory of evolution by natural selection. There’s also an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti that is home to many land birds.Enjoy a cooler climate over lunch in the lush highlands, where giant tortoises shuffle about munching on grass and wallowing in pools.You’ll also have time for another activity, including mountain biking or visiting a sugar plantation.

Discover Galápagos history and underwater wildlifeAfter breakfast, enjoy a panga boat ride through the channels on Floreana’s north shore before taking in the incredible views of the island from Baroness Cove. Later, we land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries.After lunch, explore the wonders around Champion Islet in a panga boat or aboard our glass-bottom boat. This is one of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago.From there, we head to Cormorant Point, where we’ll walk from an olivine-crystal beach to a brackish lagoon. Along the way, common sights include American flamingos, pintail ducks, and more.

Discover Galápagos history and underwater wildlifeAfter breakfast, enjoy a panga boat ride through the channels on Floreana’s north shore before taking in the incredible views of the island from Baroness Cove. Later, we land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries.After lunch, explore the wonders around Champion Islet in a panga boat or aboard our glass-bottom boat. This is one of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago.From there, we head to Cormorant Point, where we’ll walk from an olivine-crystal beach to a brackish lagoon. Along the way, common sights include American flamingos, pintail ducks, and more.

Discover Galápagos history and underwater wildlifeAfter breakfast, enjoy a panga boat ride through the channels on Floreana’s north shore before taking in the incredible views of the island from Baroness Cove. Later, we land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries.After lunch, explore the wonders around Champion Islet in a panga boat or aboard our glass-bottom boat. This is one of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago.From there, we head to Cormorant Point, where we’ll walk from an olivine-crystal beach to a brackish lagoon. Along the way, common sights include American flamingos, pintail ducks, and more.

Discover Galápagos history and underwater wildlifeAfter breakfast, enjoy a panga boat ride through the channels on Floreana’s north shore before taking in the incredible views of the island from Baroness Cove. Later, we land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries.After lunch, explore the wonders around Champion Islet in a panga boat or aboard our glass-bottom boat. This is one of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago.From there, we head to Cormorant Point, where we’ll walk from an olivine-crystal beach to a brackish lagoon. Along the way, common sights include American flamingos, pintail ducks, and more.

Your adventure comes to an end As your expedition cruise comes to a close, it’s time to bid farewell to the wildlife and scenery of one of the world’s most incredible nature destinations. We’ll also say farewell to our wonderful crew and naturalist guides as we disembark at Baltra Island.  A transfer will take you to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Quito to connect to your international flight, or if you prefer, continue to Guayaquil for another adventure.   To explore more of Ecuador, why not extend your stay and join one of our optional Post-Programmes. 

Flight from Baltra to Guayaquil

Flight from Baltra to Quito