Elite 7-Night Cruise in Eastern & Western Galapagos

Description

Embark on an unforgettable cruise through the Galápagos Islands, where you’ll encounter an array of unique wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. Your adventure includes hikes to volcanic craters and lava formations, snorkeling alongside colorful marine life, and observing endemic species like blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, and marine iguanas in their natural habitats. Explore diverse ecosystems from the highlands of San Cristobal to the young shores of Fernandina, and engage in activities ranging from dinghy rides to serene walks through mangroves and cacti forests. Each day promises new discoveries in one of the world’s most pristine and diverse archipelagos, enhancing your understanding of nature and conservation efforts in this magical corner of the earth.
For shorter, 3 or 4-night cruises, please contact us for more information.

Trip Name

Elite 7-Night Cruise in Eastern & Western Galapagos

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Luxury Catamaran Length: 35 m Passenger Capacity: 16 Built: 2019 The Galapagos Elite Luxury Catamaran began operating on June 15th, 2019. When the Elite reached the azure waters of the Galapagos Islands as the newest mega-catamaran in the storied archipelago, it reinvented luxury, class and the entire Galapagos travel experience. A sleek, twin-hulled vessel that provides its guests with a steady and safe cruise,  the design of the Elite allows for more space per guest on board, including integrated social areas that blend indoor and outdoor designs and experiences. All Suites on the Galapagos Elite luxury catamaran are spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed: the perfect place to relax and recharge after a day spent exploring the islands. Each suite has panoramic windows providing guests with sweeping ocean views, a private outdoor balcony, as well as a frosted glass wall in the restroom of each suite, bathing it in natural light.  All beds are convertible, allowing them to be configured with two twin beds or one king-size bed. Our professional cuisine specialists aboard the Galapagos Elite prepare three delicious, nutritious meals per day: breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, with a more elegant sit-down dinner served in the al fresco dining area on the partially covered sky deck. Special dietary needs are never a problem and kids’ meals are available, including kosher food (barters). Guests of all ages enjoy the spacious, semi-covered sky deck, the al fresco dining area, and the cozy bar-salon while aboard the Elite, and its interior passenger lounge features a 180-degree panoramic view from its main deck. The Elite, a private luxury catamaran in the Galapagos, offers enviable itineraries with visits to the best visitor sites the Galapagos islands and Galapagos waters have to offer. Within the archipelago, we have long and short itineraries covering the Western, Central and Eastern islands. Needless to say, the Galapagos Elite luxury catamaran features state-of-the-art navigation systems and safety equipment; safety and reliability are essential parts of any Galapagos luxury experience.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 Saturday

AM: Arrive at San Cristobal airport where you will be transferred to the vessel.PM: El Junco LagoonWalk up the rocky path surrounded by rich vegetation and wildlife to the rim of the El Junco Lagoon, an impressive crater lake located in the highlands of San Cristobal island. Here you will enjoy superb panoramic views of the island, and you can often catch frigate birds diving and bathing in the crystal clear water below.Activities and Excursions: WalkingDifficulty: Moderate( -, L, D)

Day 2 - Day 2 Sunday

AM: North SeymourNorth Seymour island is a small island named after Lord Hugh Seymour, a senior British Royal Navy officer. Walking amongst the low, bushy vegetation you will be able to observe a large variety of birds, including blue-footed boobies, swallow tailed gulls and a large population of frigate birds. Look out for the marvelous bright red chests of the male frigates used to attract a mate.Activities and Excursions: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy rideDifficulty: SoftPM: Santa Cruz Dragon HillThe name Dragon Hill refers to the large population of Galapagos land iguanas that have made their home here.As you walk along the rocky coastline and through the forests of cacti and Palo Santo trees, you will no doubt encounter a number of these incredible creatures that resemble miniature dragons. The high tide also makes this a fantastic place to snorkel as the coral attracts a plethora of colorful fish close to the shoreline.Activities and Excursions: Walking, SnorkelingDifficulty: Moderate(B, L, D)

Day 3 - Day 3 Monday

AM: Tintoreras / Sierra Negra VolcanoLas Tintoreras is a chain of islets off the coast of Isabela island that are characterised by dark lava formations and have created a unique habitat for a variety of wildlife. It is therefore a fantastic site for water activities such as a dinghy ride, snorkeling, kayaking or paddle boarding and visitors are often treated to close-up sightings of turtles, sharks, penguins and sea lions. The Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos and has the second largest caldera in the world. As you walk up to the top of the caldera you will encounter forests of guava trees and on a clear day you will be treated to spectacular views of the other five volcanoes on the island.Activities and Excursions: WalkingDifficulty: ModeratePM: Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center / Isabela WetlandsThe Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center, where two species of giant tortoise are bred to increase the population of these incredible animals, plays an essential role in protecting the future of the Galapagos. As you walk around the centre you will also be able to enjoy the beautiful gardens that boast of a wide variety of native plants. Just outside Puerto Villamil you can also take a walk around the Isabela wetlands, comprised of lagoons, swamps and mangroves, which have become a paradise for migratory birds such as stilts and flamingos.Activities and Excursions: WalkingDifficulty: Easy(B, L, D)

Day 4 - Day 4 Tuesday

AM: Isabela - Moreno pointMoreno point is located on the west coast of Isabela island and although it appears a barren lava flow at first, a walk along one of the trails soon reveals a multitude of beautiful green lagoons and mangroves and is a fantastic place to see penguins, blue herons and flamingos. Meanwhile, a dinghy ride or snorkel along the rocky shoreline is a wonderful way to spot green sea turtles and white-tip sharks.Activities and Excursions: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy rideDifficulty: ModeratePM: Isabela - Urbina BayUrbina Bay is located at the foot of the Alcedo Volcano and is the result of a major volcanic uplift that took place in 1954 and resulted in 6km of coral reef being lifted out of the ocean. Walking along this new shore, you can observe the corals and remains of marine life that were stranded due to this event. However, it is now home to giant land iguanas and giant tortoises and it often a good spot to see Galapagos hawks and flightless cormorants. It is also ideal for snorkeling as turtles, rays and tropical fish frequent the coastline.Activities and Excursions: Walking, SnorkelingDifficulty: Moderate(B, L, D)

Day 5 - Day 5 Wednesday

AM: Fernandina - Espinosa PointFernandina is the youngest island in the Galapagos and Espinosa point is a wonderful area of natural beauty. Snorkeling and swimming from the dinghy allows you see the marine iguanas feeding underwater. On the rocks you will often see large numbers of colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs. On land, the walking trails enable you to explore the fascinating mangrove plants, lava cacti and striking black lava formations where marine iguanas enjoy basking themselves in the sun.Activities and Excursions: Walking, SnorkelingDifficulty: ModeratePM: Isabela - Vicente Roca PointAccessible by dinghy, Vicente Roca Point on the north west coast of Isabela island is a beautiful large bay with two coves that provide nesting sites for blue-footed and Nazca boobies, gulls, storm petrels and Brown Noddy Terns. Snorkeling is also a great activity here as the cooler waters result in an abundance of food for marine life, and it is common to see groups of whales, dolphins, sea lions and marine birds gorging themselves.Activities and Excursions: Snorkeling, Dinghy rideDifficulty: Moderate(B, L, D)

Day 6 - Day 6 Thursday

AM: RabidaRabida island is most known for its dark red sand beach surrounded by a backdrop of cliffs and steep volcanic hills full of Palo Santo trees and endemic cacti. A dinghy ride around the shoreline gives the chance to spot blue-footed and nazca boobies and water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking or paddle boarding are ideal for seeing white tipped sharks and rays. On the beach you will find a large noisy colony of sea lions and the surrounding salt brush is home to a nesting colony of pelicans. Inland, bird watchers will delight in seeing mockingbirds, yellow warblers and Darwin finches - Rabida is the only site where all nine Darwin’s finches are found.Activities and Excursions: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy ride, KayakDifficulty: ModeratePM: Bartholomew IslandBartholomew island is an islet located in Sullivan Bay and its most famous landmark is a huge volcanic cone named Pinnacle Rock. A walking trail leads up to a viewpoint at the summit of the island where you can enjoy spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock and the surrounding lava flows. The northern beach, a nesting site for green sea turtles, is perfect for snorkeling where sightings of spotted eagle rays, penguins and reef sharks are possible.Activities and Excursions: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy rideDifficulty: Easy(B, L, D)

Day 7 - Day 7 Friday

AM: San Cristobal - Kicker RockKicker Rock, is an iconic feature of the Galapagos that has been formed over time by the erosion of the cone of an extinct volcano. In addition, on the rock formation itself, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and sea lions can often be seen perched on the ledges above which makes an excellent site to take great pictures while the vessel circumnavigate the rock formation.Activities and Excursions: CircumnavigationDifficulty: ----AM: San Cristobal - Witch HillWitch Hill features an idyllic white sand beach which can be accessed by dinghy and is a superb vantage point for seeing Kicker Rock in the south of the island. The hill itself is an eroded tuff cone and the calm waters at the base of it offer a magnificent spot for snorkeling. Meanwhile, a walk along the beach or on one of the inland paths, provides opportunities to see a variety of shore birds, finches and mockingbirds.Activities and Excursions: Walking, Snorkeling, Dinghy rideDifficulty: ModeratePM: Giant Tortoises’ Reserve, off San CristobalThe visit to the Giant Tortoise’s Reserve is the longest hike on San Cristobal; the walk is about 5 km one way and may be quite hot. This is an excellent site for observing giant tortoises in their natural habitat. San Cristobal has a population of six thousand giant tortoises; in a good day, hundreds of them can be seen along with other endemic species, such as lava lizards, and mockingbirds. Snorkel is a great activity as you have opportunities to see sea turtles and tintoreras (white tipped reef sharks). The beach of this visitor site is a nesting area for sea turtles.Activities and Excursions: Walking, SnorkelingDifficulty: Moderate to High Intensity(B, L, D)

Day 8 - Day 8 Saturday

AM: San Cristobal Interpretation CenterA short distance from the center of San Cristobal is the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, which provides an overview of the fascinating history of the islands. The main areas of focus, which are addressed through a number of expositions are: natural history, human history and conservation for the future. You can also take one of the trails behind the center that lead to some great viewpoints of the ocean and volcanic rocks below.Activities and Excursions: WalkingDifficulty: EasySan Cristobal AirportDepart from San Cristobal airport.(B, -, - )

Day 9 - Please note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Wildlife Encounters: Spot unique species like blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, and marine iguanas up close in their natural habitats.
Volcanic Landscapes: Trek to the rim of El Junco Lagoon and explore the massive caldera of Sierra Negra Volcano, experiencing some of the most dramatic geological features on Earth.
Marine Adventures: Dive into the clear waters of the Galápagos to snorkel with sea turtles, rays, and colorful fish, and embark on dinghy rides around striking rock formations like Kicker Rock.