Galápagos Cruise and Island Hopping: 13 Days by Sea and Land

• DAY 1: Baltra arrival and Santa Cruz

  

  Your Galápagos cruise and island hopping adventure begins with your flight from Quito to Baltra Airport, where an English-speaking guide will meet you. Cross the Itabaca Channel by ferry before continuing by vehicle to Puerto Ayora, a journey of around 45 minutes.

  The afternoon is free to explore Puerto Ayora at your own pace. Visit Tortuga Bay, discover the Charles Darwin Research Station, or take a walk to Laguna de las Ninfas.

  • Activity:Relaxing. Sightseeing.
  • Transport:Boat. Bus. Car.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Ikala or similar.

• DAY 2: Santa Fe or Pinzón snorkeling day

  

  Today’s excursion takes you to either Santa Fe or Pinzón, with the destination determined by Galápagos National Park regulations on the day of the tour.

  At Santa Fe, snorkel in a pristine, crystal-clear bay before making a wet landing at Playa Escondida or Garrapatero Beach on Santa Cruz. Alternatively, the Pinzón excursion takes you to La Fe, where mangroves and rocky shores provide a habitat for marine iguanas, sea lions, sea turtles, small sharks, and colorful fish. The Pinzón excursion also includes “Pezca Vivencial,” or experiential fishing, an activity focused on enjoying the experience and connecting with the local environment rather than simply making a catch.

  • Activity:Exploring. Relaxing. Snorkeling. Wildlife Watching
  • Transport:Boat.
  • Meal:Breakfast. Box Lunc.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Ikala or similar.

• DAY 3: Embarkation, Mosquera Islet

  

  Head to the Itabaca Channel to board the Legend and begin the cruise portion of your Galápagos adventure. Settle into your Standard Plus double cabin and enjoy lunch onboard as the ship gets underway.

  In the afternoon, explore Mosquera Islet, a small, low-lying island surrounded by clear waters and home to Galápagos wildlife. Return to the Legend afterward to enjoy dinner and your first evening at sea.

  • Activity:Cruising. Relaxing. Sightseeing.
  • Transport:Car. Cruise.
  • Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
  • Accommodation:Double cabin in Legend cruise.

• DAY 4: Egas Port and Rábida Island

  

  Begin the day at Egas Port on Santiago Island, where black volcanic beaches and rocky landscapes provide habitat for fur seals, sea lions, herons, hawks, oystercatchers, finches, doves, white-tip reef sharks, and sea turtles. The landscape also reveals a range of vegetation zones, from arid to humid.

  Later, visit Rábida, a small, arid island distinguished by its striking red volcanic landscape. Several volcanic craters and the high iron content of the lava give the island its characteristic color, while a small beach offers a chance to explore its coastline.

  • Activity:Cruising. Relaxing. Sightseeing. Wildlife Watching.
  • Transport:Cruise.
  • Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
  • Accommodation:Double cabin in Legend cruise.

• DAY 5: Urbina Bay and Tagus Cove

  

  Explore Urbina Bay on the western coast of Isabela, where a dramatic geological uplift in 1954 raised part of the shallow seabed above sea level, exposing a large coral reef. The area is now home to varied plant life and wildlife that changes with the seasons.

  Continue to historic Tagus Cove on Isabela’s northwestern coast, a site visited by Charles Darwin in 1835. Explore the cove and its volcanic surroundings while learning about its history and the visitors who left inscriptions on its rock walls long before the Galápagos National Park was established.

  • Activity:Cruising. Relaxing. Sightseeing. Wildlife Watching.
  • Transport:Cruise.
  • Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
  • Accommodation:Double cabin in Legend cruise.

• DAY 6: Espinosa Point and Vicente Roca Point

  

  On today’s Galápagos cruise and island hopping adventure, visit Espinosa Point on Fernandina, where stark black lava flows create a dramatic landscape and support one of the Galápagos’ largest colonies of endemic marine iguanas. Look for lava cacti, mangroves, Sally Lightfoot crabs, Galápagos hawks, and sea turtles as you explore this pristine visitor site.

  At Vicente Roca Point, landing is not permitted, but a panga ride allows you to explore the coastline and observe its abundant wildlife from the water. The site also offers one of the archipelago’s premier snorkeling spots, with clear waters and rich marine life.

  • Activity:Cruising, Relaxing, Sightseeing, Wildlife Watching.
  • Transport:Cruise.
  • Meal:Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
  • Accommodation:Double cabin in Legend cruise.

• DAY 7: Disembarkation at Baltra and transfer to Isabela

  

  After breakfast, disembark the Legend and travel through the lush highlands of Santa Cruz. Reached by road from Puerto Ayora, the highlands provide a striking contrast to the dry landscapes found across much of the lower islands, with dense Scalesia forests creating their characteristic green appearance.

  Continue to Baltra Airport for your flight to Isabela, which takes around 45 minutes. Upon arrival, a private vehicle will transfer you to your hotel, leaving the afternoon free to explore Puerto Villamil at your own pace.

  • Activity:Cruising. Relaxing.
  • Transport:Cruise. Airplane. Car.
  • Meal:Breakfast.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Iguana Crossing or similar.

• DAY 8: Los Túneles snorkeling

  

  Set out early for Los Túneles, one of Isabela’s premier snorkeling sites. Its calm, clear waters and distinctive lava formations create an ideal setting for exploring the marine life around the tunnels and arches.

  The approximately six-hour excursion offers opportunities to spot sea turtles, penguins, sea lions, and a variety of seabirds and other marine wildlife before returning to Puerto Villamil.

  • Activity:Exploring. Snorkeling. Wildlife Watching.
  • Transport:Boat. Car.
  • Meal:Breakfast. Snack.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Iguana Crossing or similar.

• DAY 9: Free day on Isabela

  

  Enjoy a full day to experience Isabela without a set itinerary. Swim from the white-sand beaches, explore the island by bicycle, or simply relax and enjoy the slower pace of island life.

  • Activity:Relaxing.
  • Meal:Breakfast.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Iguana Crossing or similar.

• DAY 10: Flight to San Cristóbal

  

  In the afternoon, take a small aircraft to San Cristóbal, with the flight taking around 45 minutes. After transferring to your hotel, the remainder of the day is free.

  Explore Playa Mann, walk to Las Tijeretas, or visit the Interpretation Center to learn more about the natural and human history of the Galápagos.

  • Activity:Sightseeing.
  • Transport:Airplane. Car.
  • Meal:Breakfast.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Golden Bay or similar.

• DAY 11: Kicker Rock snorkeling

  

  Take a full-day boat excursion to Kicker Rock, one of the most iconic marine sites around San Cristóbal. Snorkel through the channel between the dramatic volcanic rock formations, where you may encounter sharks, sea turtles, rays, and other marine life.

  • Activity:Exploring. Snorkeling. Wildlife Watching.
  • Transport:Boat. Car.
  • Meal:Breakfast. Lunch.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Golden Bay or similar.

• DAY 12: Optional Española day or the 360 tour

  

  Choose between two optional excursions to discover more of San Cristóbal and its surrounding waters. Visit Española Island for a full-day wildlife experience, or explore the island’s coastline and marine habitats on the 360° San Cristóbal tour.

  Alternatively, enjoy a free day in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and make the most of your final full day in the Galápagos at your own pace.

  • Activity:Exploring.
  • Meal:Breakfast.
  • Accommodation:Hotel Golden Bay or similar.

• DAY 13: Departure

  

  After breakfast, transfer to San Cristóbal Airport, around 10 minutes from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, for your flight back to mainland Ecuador. This concludes your grand Galápagos cruise and island hopping adventure!

  • Transport:Car.
  • Meal:Breakfast.

13 Days of Galápagos Cruise and Land: FAQs

• Should I choose a Galápagos cruise or island hopping?

  Cruises reach uninhabited western islands that day boats cannot. Island hopping costs less and gives you evenings in port. This itinerary includes both, rather than forcing you to choose one or the other.

• Which Galápagos islands can only be seen by cruise?

  Fernandina, the western coast of Isabela, Genovesa and Española’s remote sites. Day boats from the inhabited islands cannot legally or practically reach them.

• How long is the cruise segment on this tour?

  Five days aboard the Legend, covering Mosquera, Rábida, Urbina Bay, Tagus Cove, Espinosa Point and Vicente Roca, with full board and onboard naturalist guides.

• Is 13 days too long for a Galápagos cruise and island hopping?

  Not with a cruise segment. Five days at sea and eight on land keeps the variety high, and the free day on Isabela plus the optional Española day absorb any weather disruption.

• When should I book a combined Galápagos cruise and island hopping tour?

  Six to nine months ahead. The cruise has fixed embarkation days, so the land segment is built around it, and late bookings force awkward gaps.