This Beluga Galapagos trip itinerary focuses on the Central, Southern and Northern Islands, including visits to Tower and Hood Island, two highlights of the Galapagos Islands.
See Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat.
Snorkel alongside some of the rare, local wildlife.
Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up and remains of the Norwegian fishing village.
Itinerary in Brief
Day 1: Arrive at Baltra Airport / Santa Cruz Island: Highlands of Santa Cruz and Charles Darwin Station
Day 2: South Plaza Island /Santa Fe Island
Day 3: San Cristóbal Island: Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) and Galapaguera and El Junco
Day 4: Española (Hood) Island: Gardner Bay, Islote Gardner and Islote Osborn and Punta Suarez
Day 5: Floreana Island: Punta Cormorant, Devil’s Crown and Post Office Bay
Day 6: Santa Cruz Island: Dragon Hill / James Island: Sullivan Bay
Day 7: Tower (Genovesa) Island: Darwin Bay and El Barranco
Day 8: Daphne Mayor Island / Baltra for return flight to Quito
Day 1: Baltra / Santa Cruz: Highlands & Charles Darwin Station
Santa Cruz Island
Highlands of Santa Cruz: Galapagos giant tortoises can be seen in the wild in the highlands of Santa Cruz.
Charles Darwin Station: Visit the Charles Darwin Station is a research facility and National Park Information center. The Charles Darwin Station has a giant tortoise and land iguana breeding program and interpretation center.
Day 2: Plazas / Santa Fe
South Plaza Island: Plazas consists of two very small islands that were uplifted from the sea, separated by a channel. Only South Plazas has a visitor site. The highlights include tall Opuntia cactus, land and marine iguanas, rocky cliff that looks out towards open ocean which is also a nesting site for red-billed tropic birds and gulls, and a seal lion bachelor colony.
Santa Fe Island: Santa Fe is a smaller island of 24 km2. The visitor site Santa Fe is located on the northeast end of the island. Highlights include Santa Fe land iguanas, pelican nesting site, sea lion colony, mockingbird, and Palo Santo trees.
Day 3: San Cristobal: Cerro Brujo & El Junco
San Cristóbal Island (Chatham): San Cristóbal is the easternmost island of Galapagos and also one of the oldest.
Witch Hill: Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) is a volcanic cone that looks over a beautiful white sandy beach which has plenty of sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, waders and marine iguanas.
Galapaguera and El Junco: The lagoon is the only fresh water reservoir in Galapagos and has great views from its altitude of 700m in the highlands of San Cristóbal. Rainwater has collected in the caldera for hundreds of years and formed this lagoon. Galapaguera is a good area to see tortoises in their natural environment.
Day 4: Hood: Gardner Bay & Pta. Suarez
Hood Island (Española): Hood is the oldest of the Southern Islands and is the southernmost in the archipelago. Because of its remote location a unique range of endemic species evolved here
Gardner Bay: Located on the northeast of the island, the site has a long and beautiful white sand beach inhabited by sea lion colonies.
Islote Gardner and Islote Osborn: These islets are snorkeling sites where visitors will see an abundance of tropical fish, reef sharks, and turtles.
Punta Suarez: The wildlife at Punta Suarez is plentiful and varied. Along the cliff visitors can enjoy the blowhole where seawater is forced about 20m into the air. The highlights are the Waved albatross (April-Dec) that are only found on Hood, Galapagos Hawks, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and Española lava lizards.
Day 5: Floreana: Pta. Cormorant & Post Office Bay
Floreana Island: Floreana is best known for its colorful history of buccaneers, whalers, convicts, and early colonists.
Punta Cormorant: Punta Cormorant has two contrasting beaches and a large inland lagoon where pink flamingos can be seen.
Devil’s Crown: This is a snorkeling site located just off Punta Cormorant. The site is a completely submerged volcano that has eroded to create the appearance of a jagged crown.
Post Office Bay: This is one of the few sites visited for its human history. Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up and remains of the Norwegian fishing village.
Day 6: Dragon Hill & James: Sullivan Bay
Santa Cruz Island
Dragon Hill: Cerro Dragon has hyper-salinic small lagoon behind the beach, often frequented by flamingos
James Island (Santiago)
James Island is located between Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. This Island offers a wide variety of seabirds, marine iguanas and fur seals.
Sullivan Bay: This site is of great geological interest. Highlights: 100 hundred year old lava flow field, pahoehoe formations, and lava bubbles.
Day 7: Tower: Darwin Bay & Prince Philips Steps
Tower Island (Genovesa): Tower is an eroded flat volcanic island, with a natural harbor, which is actually the submerged caldera of this volcanic island.
Darwin Bay: The steep cliffs of this area dominate the island. This area is home to thousands of frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Noddy terns, lava gulls, tropicbirds, doves, storm petrels and Darwin’s finches.
El Barranco: There is a good possibility of seeing the unique “Short eared owl” at this site. During the dinghy rides along the cliffs fur seals and several species of seabirds can be spotted.
Day 8: Daphine Mayor / Baltra
Daphne Mayor Island
Daphne Mayor: This small tuff cone island is where many species of birds nest. Famous for a 20 year study of Darwin’s Finches conducted by Peter and Rosemary Grant. During the circumnavigation you will see blue-footed boobies, nasca boobies, red-billed tropicbirds and other sealife.
One single bed & one bunk bed, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 1
Cabin 2
Two beds, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 2
Cabin 3
One bed, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 3
Cabin 4
Two beds, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 4
Cabin 5
One bed, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 5
Cabin 6
Two beds, large windows providing a 180-degree panoramic view, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 6
Cabin 7
One bed, large windows providing a 180-degree panoramic view, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 7
Cabin 8
Two beds, a wide panoramic window, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 8
Beluga Deckplan
Specifications
Category: Superior First Class
Capacity: 16 passengers
Length: 110 ft.
Beam: 23 ft.
Cruise Range: 12 knots cruising.
Type: Motor Vessel, Steel hull
Mechanical Equipment: Twin Scania Diesel Electronic 450 HP each, 3 Perkins generators for 110v and 220v, 2 reverse osmosis watermakers, autopilot system, sewage treatment plant
Safety Equipment: VHF (DSC) & HF (DSC) radios. EPIRB, SART, satellite tracking device, 2 GPS’s, 2 radars, depth sounder, flares, basic first aid kits, 2 tenders with outboards, fin keels for extra stability, flotation rings, life rafts with surplus capacity for all passengers and crew, fire alarm system.
Guest Accommodation: 8 Double cabins each with a private bath. Hot/cold water showers. Security safe in each cabin.
Crew: All crew are fully trained and certified. Captain, multilingual naturalist guide, cook, 2 engineers, barman, and 4 sailors.
Whats included?
On-board accommodation
All meals during voyage
Scheduled excursions
Services of experienced guide(s)
Use of snorkel and kayaking equipment
Welcome cocktail
What’s not included?
International and internal airfares
Arrival/departure taxes or reciprocity fees, visa fees where applicable
Galapagos National Park entrance fee US$100 per person
Transit control card US$20 per person
Christmas & new-year surcharges
Travel insurance
Wet-suit rental
Gratuities
Any items not mentioned as included
Looking for something different? Search our wide range of tours.
