From $10,490£7,939 per person
Cabin
Golden Suite $10,490£7,939 pp
Add-ons
Pre-cruise: Quito Express + $677£512
Post-cruise: Machu Picchu Highlights + $1,272£963
Total from
$10,490£7,939 per person (estimated)
From $10,490£7,939 per person
Show the trip's detailsCabin
Golden Suite $10,490£7,939 pp
Add-ons
Pre-cruise: Quito Express + $677£512
Post-cruise: Machu Picchu Highlights + $1,272£963
Total from
$10,490£7,939 per person (estimated)
An eight-day luxury trip for snorkellers.
You swim at Kicker Rock, Gardner Bay, Devil's Crown and Pinnacle Rock, and hike among giant cacti on Santa Fe and up Bartolomé. Dragon Hill has land iguanas, and North Seymour and Cormorant Point have frigatebirds, boobies and flamingos. You finish in Black Turtle Cove. Eight days on Endemic, a luxury catamaran with private balconies.
Mainland Ecuador
Arrive at Baltra Airport where you will be transferred to the vessel. In the afternoon, visit Dragon Hill which is located in the north-western part of Santa Cruz island. Here you will have the opportunity to walk into the island and view the land iguana. You will also see a flamingos’ lagoon, pintail ducks, and other endemic birds.
Santa Cruz, Baltra
In the morning, the first spot you will visit is Kicker Rock, an impressive geological formation due to erosion. the rock. The next attraction you will see is Witch Hill, a tuff cone hill located southwest from San Cristóbal. In the afternoon, you will be taken to Lobos Island, where a small population of blue-footed boobies, frigates, marine iguanas, and great frigate birds nesting can be observed. Snorkeling with sea lions in this calm bay is also part of the excursion.
San Cristóbal, Lobos, Kicker Rock
In the morning, the first attractions to be seen are Gardner Bay that provides an excellent beach for swimming. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. You can also visit the Osborn and Gardner islets that are amazing for underwater discovery. After lunch, you will visit Suarez Point, which represents one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beach.
Española
In the morning, you will visit Santa Fe island, which is one of the most entertaining destinations for shore excursions in the Galápagos Islands. It has two trail choices for visitors, one of which takes you to the tallest Opuntia cactus in the Galápagos. While the other trail takes you into the highlands where land iguanas can be seen. In the afternoon, you will visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center which is also known as Charles Darwin Research Station. This place has an information center, a museum, a library, and a tortoise breeding station.
Santa Fe
In the morning, South Plaza Island is the next island to be discovered. It has unique Sesuvium plants and Opuntia cactuses scattered across the landscape which provide some of the most interesting wildlife observations available in the Galápagos. In the afternoon, you will visit Bartholomew Island. Once here, you will ascend to admire the spectacular panorama of Sullivan Bay and the famous Pinnacle Rock.
South Plaza, Bartolomé
In the morning the first spot to be visited is Devil's Crown that is an underwater volcanic crater, almost covered completely by Galápagos waters. Or you can visit Cormorant Point where you will land on a green olivine sand beach. In the afternoon you will visit the Baroness’ Lookout. The way up and the trail is very easy, steps are placed in this area for security. Or you can go to the Post Office Bay, which keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers historically used to post their mail-in.
Floreana
In the morning, you will visit Chinese Hat, which is a small islet off the south coast of Santiago, with a maximum elevation of 160 feet (52 meters). While here, you can enjoy hiking, snorkeling, kayaking and a dinghy ride. In the afternoon, you will discover North Seymour island. It is a low, flat island, formed by submarine lava formation uplift. Covered with low, bushy vegetation, it contains the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds in the Galápagos.
Santiago, North Seymour, Chinese Hat
In the morning, enjoy the visit to Black Turtle Cove, which is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz. It is a living illustration of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat. This is a peaceful place that will make you feel calm. After the last visit, you will be transferred to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador.
Santa Cruz, Baltra
A New Generation of Galapagos Luxury
On board:
Golden Panoramic Suite offering a private balcony, panoramic island views, air conditioning, a social area and a private restroom with amenities.
Adding extra nights on land gives you more time to relax, explore and enjoy your destination at your own pace. Arrive before your cruise to settle in, recover from your journey and start your holiday feeling refreshed. Or extend your trip after disembarkation to discover more of the local sights, culture and cuisine before heading home.
The Galápagos is a year-round destination. December to May is the warm season, with sunny days, occasional tropical showers and calmer seas. June to November is cooler and drier, with cloudier skies, livelier seas and richer marine life. Christmas, New Year, Easter and July–August are the busiest times and sell out first, so we recommend booking 9–12 months ahead for those dates.
Cruises run from 4 to 15 days. Four or five days covers one region of the islands well. Seven or eight days lets you reach more remote islands and see a wider range of wildlife. For the ultimate Galápagos experience, cruises of up to 15 days complete a full loop of the archipelago, visiting its central, southern, western and northern islands. We recommend at least five days if you can!
Fly into Quito or Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador, then take a short domestic flight to Baltra or San Cristóbal, where your cruise begins. We recommend arriving in Ecuador at least a day before your cruise. We can book your domestic flights and time them to your ship’s departure.
Yes. Every visitor pays a Galápagos National Park fee of US$200 per adult (US$100 for children under 12, free for under-2s), plus a US$20 Transit Control Card. Normally the park fee is paid in cash on arrival and the card is bought at Quito or Guayaquil airport before your flight. To save you the hassle, we can pre-book both for you, so they’re ready when you travel.
Cruise prices usually include your cabin, all meals and snacks on board, soft drinks and juices, and all listed excursions and activities. You’ll be accompanied by dedicated bilingual naturalist guides, certified by the Galápagos National Park. Snorkelling equipment is also provided.
A cruise lets you reach remote islands and visitor sites that can’t be visited on day trips, and you travel between islands while you sleep. A land-based trip suits travellers who prefer staying on dry land, want more flexibility or are travelling on a tighter budget. We can also combine the two.
Each itinerary visits different islands, and some species only live in certain areas. For example, waved albatrosses nest on Española, penguins and flightless cormorants are found in the west, and Genovesa is famous for red-footed boobies. Tell us what you most want to see and we’ll match you to the right route.
Yes, all our ships welcome families. Most ships have a minimum age of 7, but a few especially family-friendly ships have no minimum age at all. We can recommend the best options and cabins for your family.
Yes. Most ships can cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary needs, as well as allergies. Just let us know when you book and we’ll pass the details to the ship in advance.
Some luxury ships offer free Wi-Fi, while others charge extra for it. Connection is usually via satellite and can be limited, so expect to be largely offline while at sea. Most guests find it part of the magic.
Absolutely. Many guests add a few nights in the Andes, the Amazon rainforest or Quito’s historic centre, or extend to Machu Picchu in Peru. We’ll build your whole trip around your cruise dates.
Absolutely. Many travellers cruise the Galápagos on their own. Some ships offer shared cabins with another guest of the same gender, some have single cabins with no supplement, and others charge a single supplement for a private cabin. We’ll find the best option for you.
Most cruises focus on snorkelling rather than diving. Some ships offer diving as an optional extra, and there are also dedicated liveaboard dive cruises for certified divers. Let us know if diving is a priority and we’ll recommend the right ship.
Domestic flights to the Galápagos usually allow one checked bag of up to 23 kg and one carry-on. Soft-sided bags are easier to store on board. All luggage is checked at the airport to stop non-native plants, seeds and animals reaching the islands.
Some crossings can be choppy, especially from June to November. Catamarans and larger ships tend to be the most stable. Bring seasickness tablets or patches just in case, and let us know if you’re worried. We can suggest itineraries with shorter crossings.
Pack light, breathable clothing, plus a warm layer and a waterproof jacket. You’ll also want a hat, sunglasses, reef-safe sun cream, swimwear, comfortable walking shoes and sandals for wet landings. Don’t forget binoculars and a camera.
Ecuador uses the US dollar. Bring cash for park fees, tips and small purchases, as ATMs are limited on the islands and some places don’t accept cards.
Travel insurance isn’t mandatory, but we highly recommend it. Choose a policy that covers medical treatment, emergency evacuation and cancellation for your whole trip.