Grand Queen Beatriz Galapagos Cruise

Explore Las Tintoreras, a group of small islets off Isabela Island known for their volcanic formations and abundant wildlife. Follow the viewing trail beside a narrow channel where white-tipped reef sharks often rest, and watch for sea lions, marine iguanas, penguins, and crabs along the coast.

Later, visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center to learn about conservation efforts protecting the Galápagos giant tortoise. Continue to the Wall of Tears, built by prisoners of Isabela’s penal colony between 1946 and 1959, a stark reminder of the island’s difficult history.

• Activity:Hiking. Birdwatching. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit Cormorant Point, where a beach of fine olivine crystals gives the shoreline its distinctive green hue. Walk to a lagoon frequented by flamingos and other waterbirds, including stilts and ducks, and explore the island’s striking coastal landscapes.

Offshore, Devil’s Crown rises from the water as an eroded volcanic cone, providing habitat for seabirds and a popular site for snorkeling when conditions permit. Later, visit Post Office Bay, where 18th-century whalers established a barrel-based mail exchange that travelers continue today by leaving and hand-delivering postcards.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora to learn about conservation initiatives protecting the Galápagos’ unique ecosystems. Discover the work being done to safeguard giant tortoises and other native species, and see tortoises at different stages of development.

Later, travel into the Santa Cruz Highlands, where agricultural land gives way to misty forests, endemic vegetation, and volcanic landscapes. Look for giant tortoises roaming in the wild, and keep an eye out for birds such as the vermilion flycatcher.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

At Santa Fe, explore scenic trails through dry vegetation and prickly pear cactus forests, where endemic land iguanas can often be seen. Along the coast, sea lions gather on the beach, and the surrounding waters offer opportunities for swimming or snorkeling.

Continue to South Plaza, a small island with a striking mix of colorful vegetation, rugged cliffs, and abundant wildlife. Look for land iguanas among the cacti, sea lions along the shore, and seabirds such as swallow-tailed gulls and tropicbirds soaring above the cliffs.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Discover Española, one of the southernmost islands in the Galápagos and a stronghold for wildlife found nowhere else. Gardner Bay offers a beautiful stretch of white sand where sea lions rest on the beach and sea turtles and tropical fish can be spotted in the surrounding waters.

Later, explore Punta Suárez, one of the archipelago’s most rewarding sites for birding. Look for waved albatrosses during their breeding season, along with blue-footed and Nazca boobies, Española mockingbirds, and marine iguanas with distinctive reddish markings. Coastal trails reveal dramatic cliffs and nesting seabirds.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit Pitt Point on San Cristóbal’s eastern coast, where a trail climbs through dry volcanic terrain to scenic viewpoints. The area is known for its seabird colonies, including blue-footed and red-footed boobies and frigatebirds. Depending on conditions, a panga excursion and snorkeling offer further opportunities to explore the coast.

Continue to Kicker Rock (León Dormido), an imposing volcanic formation rising from the sea. Look for seabirds on the cliffs and marine life in the surrounding waters. Later, visit Lobos Island, where sea lions gather in the shallows and blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and marine iguanas may be seen along the shore.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, where exhibits trace the Galápagos’ volcanic origins, natural history, and human settlement. Learn about the conservation challenges facing the islands and the efforts underway to protect their remarkable ecosystems.

Depending on your flight schedule, time at the center may be limited. After the visit, transfer to San Cristóbal Airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador, bringing your Galápagos cruise to a close.

• Activity:Hiking. Departure.
• Meal:Breakfast.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Explore Santa Fe’s scenic trails, which wind through dry vegetation and prickly pear cactus forests. Look for endemic land iguanas along the paths and sea lions resting on the beach, with opportunities to swim or snorkel in the surrounding waters.

Later, visit South Plaza, a small island known for its colorful ground cover, cactus forests, and abundant wildlife. Watch for land iguanas among the vegetation, sea lions along the shore, and swallow-tailed gulls and tropicbirds soaring above the rugged cliffs.

• Activity:Hiking. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Spend the morning at Gardner Bay, where white-sand beaches attract sea lions and the surrounding waters offer excellent opportunities for snorkeling. Look for sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and tropical fish, while marine iguanas, Galápagos doves, and mockingbirds may be seen along the coast.

In the afternoon, explore Punta Suárez, one of the Galápagos’ most remarkable sites for birding. Follow the trail to dramatic clifftop viewpoints and look for nesting boobies, frigatebirds, and waved albatrosses during their breeding season. The rugged coastline also provides opportunities to observe sea lions and other native wildlife.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit Pitt Point on the eastern coast of San Cristóbal, where a trail climbs through dry volcanic terrain to expansive views across the island. Look for nesting seabirds, including blue-footed and red-footed boobies and frigatebirds.

Later, cruise past Kicker Rock (León Dormido), a striking volcanic formation rising from the sea. Seabirds gather on its cliffs, while the surrounding waters are home to diverse marine life. Continue to Lobos Island, where sea lions play in the shallows and blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and marine iguanas may be spotted along the shore.

• Activity:Hiking. Exploring. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center to learn about the archipelago’s volcanic origins, natural history, and human settlement. Exhibits also explore the conservation challenges facing the Galápagos and efforts to protect its unique ecosystems.

Depending on your flight schedule, time at the center may be limited. After the visit, transfer to San Cristóbal Airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador, bringing your Galápagos cruise to a close.

• Activity:Hiking. Departure.
• Meal:Breakfast.

Explore Las Tintoreras, a group of volcanic islets off Isabela Island known for their distinctive landscapes and wildlife. Follow a viewing trail beside a narrow channel where white-tipped reef sharks often rest, and look for sea lions, marine iguanas, Galápagos penguins, and crabs along the coast.

Later, visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center to learn about efforts to protect the Galápagos giant tortoise. Continue to the Wall of Tears, built by prisoners of Isabela’s penal colony between 1946 and 1959. The imposing lava-stone wall remains a reminder of the island’s difficult history. A USD 20 fee applies to entry to Isabela Island; confirm the current amount before travel.

• Activity:Hiking. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit Cormorant Point, where fine olivine crystals give the beach its distinctive green hue. Follow a trail to a lagoon frequented by flamingos and other waterbirds, including stilts and ducks, while taking in the island’s volcanic scenery.

Offshore, Devil’s Crown rises from the water as an eroded volcanic cone and offers rewarding snorkeling when conditions permit. Look for tropical fish and seabirds around the rocky formations. Later, visit Post Office Bay, where 18th-century whalers established a barrel-based mail exchange that travelers continue today by leaving and hand-delivering postcards.

• Activity:Hiking. Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or double cabins.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora to learn about conservation efforts across the Galápagos. Explore exhibits on the archipelago’s natural and human history, and learn how breeding programs help protect giant tortoises and support their reintroduction to the wild.

After your visit, transfer to Baltra Airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador, bringing your Galápagos cruise to a close.

• Activity:Hiking. Departure.
• Meal:Breakfast.