Discover, Plan & Go!

The comfortable small ship Santa Cruz carries 90 passengers and was built exclusively for Galapagos cruising. Enjoy naturalist led hikes among the islands, snorkeling from pristine beaches and a glass bottom boat. Photograph all the bird life and marine life of the Galapagos Islands. On board, relax at the bar, lounge, Jacuzzi, Natural History Library or Aromatherapy Center. Multimedia natural history lectures, a stargazing program, reading room and library insure that your cruise will be an educational delight as well. This Galapagos cruise visits Bartelome, James, Tower, Santa Fe, Hood, Darwin Station and more.

Our Galapagos cruises combine the finest small ships with the most talented naturalist guides and offer a range of activities designed to bring you into intimate contact with the unique creatures and ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands. Spend more time ashore hiking among nesting birds, more time snorkeling with sea lions, or perhaps just relaxing on a crescent beach. Our cruises begin and end in colonial Quito, Ecuador and include Quito hotel accommodations, airport/hotel transfers, round trip flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands and a half day tour of the Quito's old town, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. Join us and see why, quite simply, our small ship and yacht cruises to the Galapagos Islands are the vacation of a lifetime!

Day 1 - Arrive Quito Ecuador

Upon arrival at the Quito, Ecuador international airport you are met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar

Included Meals: none

Day 2 - Colonial Quito

South America's oldest capitol city, Quito sits at 9,184-feet elevation. It has been amazingly preserved and is protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Enjoy a three hour guided walking tour of Quito's colonial center including Independence Plaza, La Compania Church and San Francisco Cathedral. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy this lively city, rest or prepare for your Galapagos Cruise.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar

Included Meals: breakfast

Day 3 - Quito to Baltra, Galapagos Islands

This morning, we will depart on a three-hour flight to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos. Upon arrival, we will be met by our Expedition Leader, transfer to the ship and continue on to Santa Cruz. The second largest island in the Galapagos, Santa Cruz offers the Charles Darwin Research Station, the lush greenery of the Santa Cruz Highlands, the famed lava tunnels and the Twin Craters.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - James (Santiago): Puerto Egas & James Bay / Bartolome

A highlight of our journey comes at Puerto Egas on the island of James. Puerto Egas, with its black sand beaches, was the site of a small salt mining industry in the 1960s, and a hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to sight land birds such as finches, doves and hawks. A trail leads to the Fur Seal Grottos, one of the only places in the islands where Fur Seals can be seen. We may see sea lions basking on the rocks beneath a natural rock bridge, diving blue-footed boobies, Sally Lightfoot crabs and colorful lava lizards scurrying at our feet. Just north of James Bay is Buccaneer Cove, a particularly scenic area of steep cliffs and dark beaches. This afternoon will be spent on Bartolome. Most likely the first of the islands to rise from the sea, Bartolome is a small island that has beautiful white sand beaches and luxuriant green mangroves. Here, penguins may join us at the white sand swimming beach, and a hike to the summit of a once-active volcano rewards us with beautiful panoramic views of the often-photographed Pinnacle Rock.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Tower (Genovesa): Prince Philip's Steps & Darwin Bay

On our way to Tower Island, the most northeastern part of the archipelago, we may encounter dolphins and whales. The island of Tower is a collapsed volcano, and ships are able to sail directly into its large breached caldera to anchor at the foot of the steep crater walls. Tower attracts vast numbers of pelagic seabirds that come here to nest and breed. Explore a trail known as Prince Philip's Steps, which leads us to an open area popular with Great frigate birds, red-footed and Nazca (masked) boobies, finches and mockingbirds. At the end of this trail are thousands of band-rumped storm petrels at the cliff's edge, where they nest in crevices. Short-eared owls can also sometimes be seen here, hunting the storm petrels during daylight hours. This afternoon, we will follow along another trail, which leads from a coral beach past tidal lagoons where lava gulls and yellow-crowned night herons are seen, then along the low shrubs populated by frigates and boobies, and eventually to a cliff where seabirds soar.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - Santa Fe (Barrington) / Santa Cruz: Darwin Research Station

There will be an early morning (pre-breakfast) visit to Santa Fe (Barrington) Island. This island, according to the latest geological studies, shows the islands' oldest rocks. The small bay on Santa Fe's northern coast provides one of the most picturesque harbors within the archipelago. A large sea lion colony inhabits most of the surrounding landing site. Finally back to the ship for breakfast, as you sail to Santa Cruz Island.

Mid morning disembark (dry landing) to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the rearing in captivity program for the giant tortoises. Lunch will be at the beautiful Finch Bay Hotel. In the afternoon drive up to the lush highlands, including the Scalesia (an endemic giant daisy tree) forest and the twin pit craters Los Gemelos. The trip to the highlands includes the islands' most-famous reptile: the giant tortoises in their wild habitat. Return aboard the MV SANTA CRUZ for tonight's ECO Moment, briefing and dinner.

Please note that aside from our regular program, the day spent at Santa Cruz Island offers some multisport activities like sea kayaking, hiking to Tortuga Bay, beach combing at Finch Bay Hotel, scuba diving, as well as other options that can be taken at your own pace. Of course, some of these options are at an additional cost, and must be paid on site.

Passengers on 3 or 4 night cruises (7 or 8 day packages) disembark or embark at this time.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - Stephen's Bay / Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal

As the ship navigates the irregular coastline adjacent to Stephen's Bay, an odd-shaped rock called Leon Dormido (Sleeping Lion or Kicker Rock) will delight your first contact with this island. Later, your Expedition Staff will carefully select this afternoon's site for some rewarding wildlife observation.

Disembark at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This small attractive port is the provincial capital of the Galapagos Islands. This morning you visit the breeding center for tortoises (La Galapaguera) at Cerro Colorado. If time allows, a quick visit to El Junco Lagoon could bring many surprises. Return to the MV SANTA CRUZ for lunch. Today, new guests will join your voyage.

Alternative morning program: Visit the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, located in a natural setting, where visitors can obtain information that will help them understand more the natural history of the Galapagos, with a great emphasis on human history and conservation. Afterwards, you can stroll through Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Hood (Espanola): Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay

One of the oldest of the islands, Hood is small and flat with no visible volcanic crater or vent. Located on the western tip of the island, one of the world's densest and most diversified concentrations of wildlife is found at Punta Suarez. The area is famous for its marine iguanas with unique copper-red patches, swallow-tailed gulls, lava lizards, finches, long-billed mockingbirds, blue-footed and masked boobies and oystercatchers. When heavy swells are running, Punta Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting thirty yards into the air. Gardner Bay, located on the eastern shore, hosts a magnificent beach frequented by a transient colony of sea lions and is a major nesting site for marine turtles. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find many fish and possibly turtles and sharks. On a trail leading to the western tip of the island, you will pass the only nesting sites in the Galapagos of the waved albatross. These huge birds nest here from April to December and represent the majority of the world's population.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 - Isabela: Urbina Bay / Fernandina: Punta Espinosa

Breakfast and disembark (wet landing) for a walk at Urbina Bay. This area went through a volcanic uplifting event back in 1954 leaving gaunt marine skeletons, which make the walk remarkably interesting, especially for understanding island colonization. This area is also home to large and very colorful Galapagos land iguanas, and the famous giant tortoises from the population of Alcedo Volcano. Swimming and snorkeling will depend on local sea conditions. Back on board for lunch. As you sail along the Bolivar Channel, astonishing views of the Galapagos youngest volcanoes can be seen. The nutrient-rich waters of the west can also bring surprises like encountering sea birds feeding, dolphins, and possibly whales. In the afternoon we will visit Punta Espinosa on Isla Fernandina. Fernandina is the youngest and most active volcano in the Galapagos, with eruptions taking place every few years. The flat lava of Punta Espinosa offers a stark and barren landscape, but here flightless cormorants build their nests on the point, sea lions sprawl on the beach or play in the tide pools and large numbers of marine iguanas dot the sand. We also will have the opportunity to compare the aa and pahoehoe lava types before departing for Isabela.

Accommodations: Santa Cruz

Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10 - Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove / Baltra / Return to Quito

The ship anchors in the morning at the entrance to Black Turtle Cove. This is a great place to see large schools of Golden Rays, Green Sea Turtles (they are on the rare and endangered species list), White-tipped Sharks, Galapagos Sharks, Lava Herons, Yellow Warblers and a variety of other bird species. Sail into Baltra and transfer by bus to the airport for the flight back to the mainland, arriving around 5:30pm. Transfer to your hotel.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar

Included Meals: breakfast

Day 11 - Depart Quito

Transportation will be provided to the airport for return flights home or for excursions into the Amazon Basin rainforest or Machu Picchu.

Accommodations: n/a

Included Meals: breakfast

7 Day Galapagos Cruise Itinerary aboard the Santa Cruz:

Day 1 - Arrive Quito

Day 2 - Colonial Quito

Day 3 - Quito to Baltra, Galapagos Islands

Day 4 - James (Santiago): Puerto Egas & James Bay / Bartolome

Day 5 - Tower (Genovesa): Prince Philip's Steps & Darwin Bay

Day 6 - Santa Fe/Santa Cruz: Darwin Research Station return to Quito

Day 7 - Depart

8 Day Galapagos Cruise Itinerary aboard the Santa Cruz:

Day 1 - Arrive Quito

Day 2 - Colonial Quito

Day 3 - Quito to Baltra, Galapagos Islands/Charles Darwin Research Center

Day 4 - Stephen's Bay / Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal)

Day 5 - Hood (Espanola): Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay

Day 6 - Isabella: Urbina Bay / Fernandina: Punta Espinosa

Day 8 - Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove / Baltra / Return to Quito

Day 8 - Tuesday - Depart

Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be flexible makes our style of cruising unique.

Single Travelers: The Santa Cruz offers a few 'single' cabins, advance reservation is recommended. There is no 'Share Accommodations' or roommate match available.

Family Travelers: Children under 12 receive 25% off. Triple and quadruple rooms available for families traveling with children under 12. Minimum child age is 6 years old.

Land Cost Includes: Three nights Quito hotel accommodations with breakfast included, all airport/ hotel transfers, Galapagos flight, Galapagos National Park entrance fees & taxes, Galapagos cruise including all meals while aboard and an experienced Galapagos Islands naturalist guide.

Not Included: Airfare from US to Quito; excess baggage charges; airport departure tax from Quito; tips to local staff and items of a personal nature such as soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, laundry fees and insurance of any kind.

Arrival and Departure: This trip begins and ends in Quito, Ecuador. Plan flights to arrive at any time on Day 1 and depart anytime on the last day. Airport transfers are included for travelers arriving and departing on scheduled arrival/departure days. This trip can also be arranged to begin and end in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: A special cancellation policy applies to all Galapagos trips, which is stricter than the AdventureSmith Explorations policy. When a trip cancellation is received inside of 70 days from departure, all trip costs are 100% non-refundable. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with

Accommodations Aboard: The Santa Cruz can accommodate 90 guests. Life aboard a small boat requires some physical agility and a flexible and social nature. Accommodations are in double cabins, each with toilet and shower. The crew includes: the captain, multilingual naturalist guides, cook, barman/waiter, mechanic and two to four sailors. All meals are prepared and served by the crew on board. Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase on board.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Daily excursions from the boat to the islands will be made in pangas (dinghies). Trip members will hike from the landing point to specific areas for wildlife observation. Hiking time for most landings will be a few hours roundtrip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Some landings are dry but many are "wet", requiring cautious footing on slippery rocks. The boat staff will be on hand to assist. There are numerous opportunities to swim and snorkel.

Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining this trip with our Mainland Ecuador and Peru: Machu Picchu extensions.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today