7 nights cruise on luxurious ship through the Galapagos Islands
8 days / 7 nights
From $3,663 per person, double occupancy for 2013

Day 1 (Wednesday/Saturday): San Cristobal
Arrival in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Galapagos Province, on the island of San Cristobal. After passing through entry formalities customs, you will be transferred to the M/V Galapagos Explorer II, your home for the next seven nights. Several shore excursions during the afternoon. As you cruise through the waters of the Galapagos, look from the deck for dolphins, whales and perhaps a hammerhead shark. (L,D)

Day 2: Bartholome - Puerto Egas
Different parts of this island have various origins: some with fresh lava and others with tuff and scoria formations ... not unlike a lunar landscape. There is sparse vegetation of pioneer plants concentrated in an area behind the beach, and you'll have a perfect view of the surrounding islands from the top of the island. Isla Salvador is a great place to see colonies of marine iguanas basking in the sun. These fascinating reptiles dive for extended periods feeding on seaweed and are the only lizard known to eat algae. These inlets are favorite haunts of the Galapagos fur seal, and you'll have the opportunity to snorkel with them along with many species of tropical fish. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Isabela (Albermarle) - Fernandina (Narborough)
Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos and consists of a chain of five fairly young active volcanoes. The Wolf Volcano is the highest point in the Galapagos at 1707 mts. The ship swings close to Cape Berkeley where a large volcano half has dropped away into the sea, giving you the opportunity to walk through coral reefs on an up-lifted ocean bed. Tagus Cove is where early sailors frequently anchored. Some of the names of the vessels are scratched onto the cliffs around the cove. A panga (small vessel) ride along the cliffs will enable you to see various sea birds including the Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants and pelicans as well as marine iguanas. FERNANDINA (Narborough) This 642 square km. island is the third largest and the most westerly of the Galapagos. Punta Espinoza is known for one of the greatest concentrations of endemic marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins and sea lions. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Floreana - Santa Cruz (Indefatigable)
You'll land on an olive-colored beach inhabited by sea lions. A short trail leads to a brackish lagoon surrounded by palo santo trees, where you may see a colony of flamingos. You'll weigh anchor and walk to the Charles Darwin Research Station. The station contains a National Park Information Center, a baby tortoise house where you can see hatchlings and young tortoises, and a walk-in tortoise enclosure where you can meet these Galapagos giants face to face. Eleven different races are being separately bred here for eventual reintroduction to the wild. fDarwin's finches can also be seen. (B,L,D)

Day 5: San Cristobal - Ochoa Beach
This morning you will dock on San Cristobal Island. During the time at the pier, three night cruise passengers will disembark and four night passengers will embark. While in harbor you may visit the island's Interpretation Center. Sail north to Ochoa Beach or Junco Beach. Here you will find a white sand beach for swimming and Pelicans and other seabirds flying overhead. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Espanola (Hood) - Santa Cruz
Gardner Bay - beautiful, white sand beach at the east end of the island is great for swimming and snorkeling, usually amongst the sea lions. Walking the 2 km. path of Punta Suarez on the western end of Hood you will find masked and blue footed booby colonies, marine iguanas; but the main attraction is the waved albatross colony. This afternoon you will return to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Puerto Ayora is the main town on the south coast, and from here, it is just a 20 minute walk by road northeast to the Charles Darwin Research Station, one of your visit sites. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Genovesa (Tower)
Genovesa contains an abundance of frigates and other seabirds. A trail inland offers excellent views of the island's cliff formations. The island is also home to noddy terns, tropicbirds, lava gulls, doves and thousands of storm petrels. Darwin Bay, formed by a collapsed volcano, dominates the island. (B, L, D)

Day 8: San Cristobal
This morning you will sail for San Cristobal Island. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the mainland. (B) Please note: Galapagos itinerary is subject to change due to Galapagos National Park restrictions.

3, 4 & 7-night cruises available