Galaxy Orion Galapagos Cruise

Explore Punta Suárez, one of the Galápagos’ richest wildlife sites. Follow the rocky trail past colonies of sea lions and marine iguanas, then look for blue-footed and Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, and red-billed tropicbirds. From April through January, Española is also home to breeding waved albatrosses, whose elaborate courtship displays are a highlight of the island.

Later, visit Gardner Bay, where white coral sand meets clear turquoise water. Watch sea lions resting along the beach and look for Española mockingbirds, marine iguanas, and Galápagos hawks. The bay also offers opportunities to swim and snorkel.

• Activity:Snorkeling, Hiking
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins.

Visit Post Office Bay, where sailors established a barrel-based postal system in the 18th century that remains in use today. The bay was also an important stop for whalers seeking freshwater and giant tortoises. Explore the beach and look for sea lions, green sea turtles, reef sharks, and, occasionally, Galápagos penguins.

In the afternoon, head to Cormorant Point, where a coastal lagoon attracts flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, and black-necked stilts. Follow the trail to the island’s distinctive white-sand beach, an important nesting site for green sea turtles. You may also spot blue-footed boobies along the trail, while the surrounding waters near Devil’s Crown offer excellent snorkeling, with opportunities to encounter reef sharks, rays, sea turtles, and schools of tropical fish.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, a center dedicated to conservation and scientific research in the Galápagos. Learn about breeding programs working to restore giant tortoise populations, efforts to control invasive species, and ongoing projects to protect the archipelago’s fragile ecosystems.

After your visit, transfer to Baltra Airport, where your naturalist guide will assist with departure arrangements before your flight back to mainland Ecuador.

• Activity:Diving.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins.n

Explore Tintoreras, a cluster of small islets off Isabela Island known for their abundant marine life. Cruise through clear waters where white-tipped reef sharks, tropical fish, and starfish can often be spotted. The surrounding channels and rocky shores also offer opportunities to observe the island’s wildlife.

In the afternoon, visit Isabela’s wetlands, a network of mangroves and saline lagoons that support flamingos, ducks, and other aquatic birds. Continue to the tortoise breeding center to observe giant tortoises at different stages of development and learn about conservation programs working to protect and restore their populations.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single accommodations.

Visit Moreno Point, where extensive lava fields conceal brackish lagoons that attract flamingos, gallinules, ducks, and herons. Along the coastline, look for Galápagos penguins, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and a variety of shorebirds.

Later, explore Elizabeth Bay by dinghy, navigating its sheltered channels and coves among towering mangroves and rugged lava formations. The bay is an important habitat for Galápagos penguins and flightless cormorants, while blue-footed boobies and pelicans dive for fish. Watch the clear water for rays and sea turtles.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single accommodations.

Explore Mangle Point off Fernandina Island, where mangrove forests provide shelter for marine life. Cruise through the clear coastal waters and look for sea turtles moving among the mangrove roots and rays resting on the sandy bottom.

Later, visit Urbina Bay on Isabela Island, an area dramatically uplifted above sea level during the 1950s. Follow the trail across the exposed seabed, where shells and coral fragments offer evidence of the landscape’s geological transformation. Look for land iguanas and, seasonally, giant tortoises, as well as Galápagos hawks in the surrounding vegetation.

• Activity:Hike, Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single accommodations.

Visit Tagus Cove, a historic site explored by Charles Darwin during his voyage through the Galápagos. Follow a trail through dry Palo Santo forest, where Darwin’s finches and mockingbirds can be seen. At the top, enjoy views of Darwin Lake and Isabela’s volcanic peaks. A boat excursion along the coast offers opportunities to spot Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and the elusive Galápagos martin.

Later, land at Punta Espinoza, at the base of Fernandina’s active volcano. The rocky shoreline is home to large colonies of marine iguanas, while sea lions gather along the beach and flightless cormorants patrol the water’s edge. Look for Galápagos hawks in the mangroves, along with herons, oystercatchers, pelicans, and sea turtles in the surrounding waters.

• Activity:Hiking, Walking.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single accommodations.

Visit Tagus Cove, a historic site explored by Charles Darwin during his voyage through the Galápagos. Follow a trail through dry Palo Santo forest, where Darwin’s finches and mockingbirds can be seen. At the top, enjoy views of Darwin Lake and Isabela’s volcanic peaks. A boat excursion along the coast offers opportunities to spot Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and the elusive Galápagos martin.

Later, land at Punta Espinoza, at the base of Fernandina’s active volcano. The rocky shoreline is home to large colonies of marine iguanas, while sea lions gather along the beach and flightless cormorants patrol the water’s edge. Look for Galápagos hawks in the mangroves, along with herons, oystercatchers, pelicans, and sea turtles in the surrounding waters.

• Activity:Snorkeling, Hiking.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single accommodations.

Visit El Barranco, on the southern side of Darwin Bay, where fragile lava cliffs provide nesting habitat for storm petrels and short-eared owls. Follow the trail past colonies of red-footed and Nazca boobies nesting among the volcanic rocks. Galápagos fur seals can often be seen resting in shaded areas beneath the cliffs.

Later, explore Darwin Bay, where large colonies of seabirds nest in the coastal vegetation and gather along the beach. Look for boobies, frigatebirds, and swallow-tailed gulls, as well as sea lions and marine iguanas along the shore. Inland, watch for night herons, Darwin’s finches, Galápagos doves, and mockingbirds.

• Activity:Hiking, Walking.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Double or Single accommodations.

Explore North Seymour, known for its large colonies of magnificent and great frigatebirds. During the breeding season, males inflate their distinctive red throat pouches to attract females. Blue-footed boobies nest on the ground and perform their characteristic courtship dances in open areas, while swallow-tailed gulls perch along the cliffs.

Further inland, look for Galápagos land iguanas, while marine iguanas bask on the rocky shoreline near colonies of sea lions. After this final excursion, transfer to Baltra Airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador.

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

Explore Bartolomé Island, known for its dramatic volcanic scenery and the distinctive Pinnacle Rock. Follow the staircase to the summit for panoramic views across the island’s volcanic cones, Sullivan Bay, and the surrounding archipelago. The nearby beach is also one of the places where you may spot Galápagos penguins.

In the afternoon, visit Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island, where a trail crosses an extensive pahoehoe lava field formed by relatively recent volcanic activity. Examine the unusual textures and formations created as the lava cooled, and look for pioneer plants, lava lizards, and small birds adapted to this stark landscape. Along the coast, watch for penguins, pelicans, and oystercatchers.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or Double Cabins.

Visit South Plaza, the smaller of the two Plaza Islands and the only one open to visitors. Despite its size, the island supports abundant wildlife. Land iguanas gather beneath the opuntia cacti, while a large sea lion colony occupies the shoreline. Follow the trail toward the cliffs for views of the surrounding ocean and opportunities to spot frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, and swallow-tailed gulls. The island’s reddish carpet of succulents adds a striking contrast to the volcanic landscape.

Later, explore Santa Fe Island, where towering prickly-pear cacti and ancient lava formations frame a beautiful white-sand bay. Sea lions gather along the beach, while the island’s endemic land iguanas can often be seen along the walking trail. Look for Galápagos hawks, Darwin’s finches, Galápagos doves, mockingbirds, and lava lizards as you explore the island’s distinctive vegetation.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or Double Cabin.

Begin at Witch Hill on the northern coast of San Cristóbal, where a stretch of white sand meets clear turquoise water. Sea lions often rest along the beach, while the nearby lagoon attracts pelicans and blue-footed boobies. Enjoy a walk along the shore or snorkel in the surrounding waters, where you may encounter tropical fish, rays, and sea turtles.

In the afternoon, visit Punta Pitt at the northeastern tip of San Cristóbal. Follow the rugged trail to scenic viewpoints overlooking the coastline, keeping an eye out for frigatebirds and all three species of Galápagos booby: blue-footed, red-footed, and Nazca. The area’s volcanic formations and vegetation provide habitat for a remarkable variety of wildlife.

• Activity:Snorkeling, Hiking.
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation:Single or Double Cabin.

Explore the highlands of San Cristóbal, where lush vegetation and cooler conditions create a striking contrast with the island’s arid coastal landscapes. Walk through areas of native trees and ferns, looking for giant tortoises in their natural habitat and a variety of highland bird species. The elevated terrain also offers panoramic views across the island.

After the excursion, transfer to the airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador, bringing your Galápagos journey to a close.

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