Fly to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on SAN CRISTOBAL Island (SCY), transfer by bus to the main dock and then by zodiac to the ERIC or LETTY anchored in the bay. After the welcome briefing and safety drill, a delicious buffet lunch is served on board. In the afternoon, travel by bus to Cerro Tijeretas or “Frigatebird Hill” one of two sites where you can see nesting colonies of both species of frigate birds (Great and Magnificent), as well as lava lizards, the medium ground finch and Chatham mockingbird. Walk along the trail to Punta Carola for scenic views, then return to the yacht for a briefing followed by our Captain’s welcome cocktail party and dinner prepared by our culinary school-trained chefs.

We spend the morning at Cerro Brujo, a breathtaking white coral beach, with expansive views and good bird-watching. Take a peaceful walk along the beach, or swim with sea lions from the beach. Take out the kayaks or stand up paddle boards for a different perspective of the marine life. Enjoy a scenic Zodiac ride that takes us through a cave called The Cathedral. Return to the yacht for lunch. Go ashore this afternoon at Punta Pitt, a tuff formation that serves as a nesting site for many sea birds including all three types of boobies – blue-footed, Nazca and red-footed boobies, both frigatebird species, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, shearwaters, and brown pelicans. Punta Pitt is considered one of the best sites for birds in the archipelago, and is also home to a colony of sea lions. At Pitt Rock, we snorkel with sea lions and colorful fish such as the King Angel and Surgeon fish. Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Disembark at Punta Suarez on ESPANOLA (Hood) Island, home to the greatest number of endemic species found in Galapagos. Sea lions bark noisily as we land on their beach. Curious Hood mockingbirds peck at our shoelaces. From April to December, the waved albatross, found only on Espanola, perform its wild mating ritual. Colonies of blue-footed boobies engage in “sky-pointing” to show off for potential mates. Easily spotted wildlife are the Nazca boobies busily caring for their young, stunning swallow-tailed gulls, the only nocturnal gulls in the world and red-billed tropicbirds take shelter under the cliffs. We also find Darwin’s Finches, Galapagos Doves and Galapagos Hawks, as well as a unique species of marine iguana identified with traces of red and green colourings. Follow the trail to the dramatic ocean blow hole, and watch for colorful sally light-foot crabs crawling along the shoreline. Return to the yacht for lunch on board. Disembark at Gardner Bay, where large colonies of sea lions dot the seemingly endless white sand beach. Take a leisurely stroll or relax on the beach, watching for the Galapagos Hawk, Darwin’s Finches or Espanola Mockingbird. Swim with playful sea lions right from the beach, explore the bay and islets by kayak or stand up paddle board. Take a Zodiac ride to explore the caves covered with invertebrates. Admire the colorful array of underwater life at this excellent snorkeling site near Tortuga Rock. Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Step ashore at Punta Cormorant on FLOREANA (Charles) Island, where the olive-sand beach is alive with the sounds of sea lions, lava herons, yellow-crowned night herons, blue-footed boobies, and penguins. Follow a trail to a brackish lagoon, home to Bahama ducks, common stilts, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers and the greater flamingos. Wind your way past a rich variety of plants including the morning glory, cut leaf daisies, mangroves (black, red and white), paldo verde and scalesia. The trail leads to a beach where sea turtles lay their eggs in the powdery sand dunes and sting rays swim in the shallow water. After the walk, there is an opportunity to snorkel at Champion Islet, a shallow sunken crater colonized by a brilliant array of colorful fish and corral, white-tipped sharks, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays and sea stars. Lunch is served back on board on the sundeck, weather permitting. Floreana is one of the few populated islands in the Galapagos with a rich and intriguing human history. After lunch, visit on of the most famous sites in Galapagos, Post office Bay, where a post office barrel was erected in the late 18^th Century to use by English whaling vessels. Visitors are invited invited to leave a post card and to pick up any mail destined for their home town. There is a chance to swim from the beach with sea lions. Late afternoon, take a Zodiac ride near Baroness Point to look for sea turtles and rays. Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Disembark at Puerto Ayora, SANTA CRUZ Island, the social heart of the Galapagos, with a population of 24,000. Travel by bus to the highlands, passing through all seven vegetation zones found in Galapagos. Visit Rancho El Manzanillo, a privately-owned hacienda where giant tortoises roam in their natural habitat. Stop at the lava tunnels, that are large enough to walk through, and visit Los Gemelos (The Twins), a pair of large craters. Return to the yacht for lunch on board and a briefing. This afternoon, visit Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena (formerly Charles Darwin Research Station) and see the tortoise and land iguana corals and the breeding center with new hatchlings and miniature tortoises that will be repatriated when grown. A new exhibit recently opened honoring Lonesome George, a worldwide icon of conservation as the last surviving tortoise from Pinta Island that tragically died of natural causes. We stop at a chocolate shop to learn how high quality “Arriba cacao” is produced in Ecuador. Stroll through town to shop for souvenirs or stop in at a museum or internet café – or if you prefer an active afternoon, we can arrange for kayaking at Punta Estrada or to go on a bicycle ride (additional charges apply). Return to the yacht for dinner or as you wish, remain ashore for dinner on your own. Zodiac shuttles from the Eric and Letty to the main dock will be offered throughout the evening.

This morning guests onboard the ERIC visit Las Bachas, Spanish for “barges” on the northern side of Santa Cruz. Explore the long stretch of a soft white sand beach and interior lagoons populated by greater flamingos. There is also a chance to snorkel here from the beach. Guests on board the Letty will have a Zodiac ride at Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) through a series of coves and inlets surrounded by mangroves. See pairs of mating sea turtles (Sep to Feb), white-tipped reed sharks and golden cow-nosed rays. Return to the yacht for lunch. Disembark at BARTOLOME, a young Island that is inhospitable to most plants and animals. Climb the long wooden staircase to the summit of a dormant volcano, pausing along the way to marvel at lava bombs, spatter and cinder cones. It seems as if we are walking on the moon! The panoramic view from the top encompasses the entire island, including the distinctive eroded tuff cone known as Pinnacle Rock. The crystal clear water below beckons of snorkeling with schools of tropical fish, white-tipped reef sharks and Galapagos Penguins. Take a Zodiac ride along the rocky shoreline. Return to the yacht for the evening briefing followed by dinner.

Today’s visit is at SOUTH PLAZA, a small geological uplift with tall cliffs where swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters and red-billed tropicbirds build their nests. The trail leads us through Opuntia (Prickly Pear) and Sesuvium, and land iguanas are seen here feeding on the cactus leaves. The island is home to a colony of bachelor sea lions, with dominant bulls in various stages of recovery from battles over prime beach territory. Return to the yacht for lunch. Later, snorkel between North and South Seymour in deeper water. Go ashore at North Seymour, a small geological uplift to observe swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies and endemic land iguanas. Visit the largest colony of Magnificent frigate birds in Galapagos, and watch for marine iguanas and sea lions body surfing the northern swells. Return to the ERIC or LETTY for the Captain’s farewell cocktail party and dinner, followed by a slide show presentation by your guides.

After breakfast, travel by bus to the Interpretation Center to gain a more complete understanding of the natural and human history of the Islands. Afterwards, spend time in port before heading to the airport for your flight back to the mainland.

Fly to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on SAN CRISTOBAL Island (SCY), and transfer by bus to the main dock and then by Zodiac to the ERIC or LETTY anchored in the bay. After a welcome briefing and safety drill, a delicious buffet lunch is served on board. In the afternoon, travel by bus to Cerro Colorado to visit Centro de Crianza Jacinto Gordillo (La Galapaguera) where the National Park has established a breeding program for giant tortoises in their natural habitat. At the visitor center, Learn about the origin and evolution of tortoises, as well as threats by introduced animals. Along the trail, watch for the San Cristobal mockingbird and Calandrinia plant, both endemic to this island. Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by the Captain’s welcome cocktail party and dinner prepared by our chefs.

Spend the entire day on GENOVESA (Tower) Island, one of the most spectacular places in Galapagos for bird species. Land at Prince Philip’s Steps, where red-footed boobies nest in palo santo trees, while Nazca boobies nest near the trail, and storm petrels gather in large numbers in an open lava field. With luck, you may spot the elusive short-eared owl. Return to the yacht for lunch on the sundeck. Choose to paddle from a kayak or stand up paddle board and explore the cliffs. Look for the red-billed tropic bird hiding in the crevices, or snorkel in deeper water from the Zodiac. Land at Darwin Bay, a coral sand beach where swallow-tailed and lava gulls gather near the tide pools. Enter a forest of Optuntia cactus and mangroves where colonies of great frigate birds nest, the males inflating their red-throated pouches to attract females as they fly overhead. Chose to relax on the beach or swim with sea lions in these northern warmer waters. Return to the yacht for a briefing and dinner followed by a sky full of stars.

Today guests on board the Letty visit Las Bachas beach, which is the Spanish translation for “barges”. There is a long stretch of a soft white sand beach and interior lagoons where we find the Greater Flamingo, pelicans, white-cheeked pintail ducks, stilts and iguanas. There is also a wonderful chance to take a stroll along the beach or swim from the shore. Guests on board the Eric have a Zodiac ride at Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) through a series of coves and inlets surrounded by mangroves. View pairs of mating sea turtles (Sept to Feb), white-tipped reef sharks and golden cow-nosed rays. Return to the yacht for lunch. This afternoon, step ashore on Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill), for a majestic view of the bay and the island landscape covered in Opuntia cactus, palo santo and muyuyo. The trail offers excellent opportunities to see Darwin finches, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers, shearwaters and the endemic land iguanas, that were once part of the park’s breeding program. In the salt-water lagoon, pink flamingos feed alongside other birds such as stilts, pintail ducks and sandpipers. After the briefing and dinner, we sail toward the western islands and cross the equator line for the third time.

This morning’s stop is at Punta Espinoza on FERNANDINA, the youngest and most pristine Island in Galapagos with no introduced animals. Recent lava flows formed by an active volcano stretch their way around the coast. Observe sea lion harems with resident bulls carefully guarding their territory, and hundreds of marine iguanas, the largest colony in Galapagos, basking in the sun along the rugged shoreline. Out on the point, Flightless Cormorants build their nest close to shore since loosing their ability to fly. There is a chance to snorkel with sea turtles and marine iguanas that frequent this area before returning to the yacht for lunch. While cruising through the Bolivar Chanel, whales and dolphins riding the bow wave are often seen here. Disembark at Urbina Bay on ISABELA Island, where four miles of coastal seabed were exposed due to a dramatic uplift during a volcanic eruption in 1954. See the remnants of coral skeletons, some of them waist-high, and keep an eye out for the very large and colorful Galapagos land iguanas, as well as marine iguanas, Darwin finches, brown pelicans, flightless cormorants and giant tortoises. Return to the yacht for briefing and dinner.

Visit Elizabeth Bay on ISABELA Island by zodiac to explore a secluded cove, lined with large red mangrove trees, where sea turtles, turtles, rays, and shore birds are often spotted. Motor along the rocky islets “Las Marielas”, to find a colony of nesting Penguins, Flightless Cormorants and giant marine iguanas. Isabela was created when six volcanoes flowed together and formed the largest Island in Galapagos. Return to the yacht for lunch served on the sun deck. Go ashore on Tagus Cove, a favorite anchorage for pirates and whalers over the centuries. Sections of the rocky cliffs are covered with graffiti dating back to the 1800s. An uphill hike brings us to a salt-water lagoon, a scenic overlook with a spectacular view of the ocean, lava fields and volcanic formations. Take advantage of the secluded cove and explore the shoreline by kayak or stand up paddle board in search of Galapagos Penguins, Flightless Cormorants, blue-footed and Nazca boobies and pelicans. An excellent snorkeling site is offered from the zodiac. After dinner, a sky full of stars beckons to go on deck and observe the galaxy while crossing the equator for the last time.

Stroll along the shoreline at Puerto Egas on SANTIAGO (James) Island looking for octopus, starfish and other sea life caught in the tide pools. At low tide, catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they feed on exposed green algae. Watch for great blue herons, lava herons, American oystercatchers and yellow-crowned night herons. The walk ends at the grottos, deep pools of clear water where we encounter fur sea lions once on the verge of extinction. Before returning to the yacht, there is a chance to snorkel from the beach. After lunch, take a seat on deck to view the dramatic landscape and dolphins that are often spotted here. Disembark on RABIDA (Jervis), a small island considered the geographic center of Galapagos because its volcanic rocks are the most diversified in the archipelago. The dark red color of the beach comes from the high iron content in the volcanic stones. Follow the trail to a salt water lagoon where greater flamingos migrate, keeping an eye out for marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and Darwin finches. Afterwards, do not miss the chance to snorkel with sea lions and rays as well as tropical fish and white-tipped sharks. Return to the yacht for dinner and a briefing.

Disembark at Puerto Ayora, SANTA CRUZ Island, the social heart of the Galapagos, with a population of 24,000 humans. Travel by bus to the highlands, passing through all seven vegetation zones found in Galapagos. Visit Rancho El Manzanillo, a privately-owned hacienda where giant tortoises roam in their natural habitat. Stop at the lava tunnels, that are large enough to walk through, and visit Los Gemelos (The twins), a pair of large craters. Return to the yacht for lunch on board and a briefing. This afternoon, visit the Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena (formerly Charles Darwin Research Station). Visit the tortoise corals and the breeding center with hatchlings and miniature tortoises that will be repatriated when grown. A new exhibit recently opened honoring Lonesome George, a worldwide icon of conservation as the last surviving tortoise from Pinta Island that tragically died of natural causes. We stop at a local chocolate shop to learn how high-quality Arriba cacao is produced in Ecuador. Stroll through town to shop for souvenirs or stop at a museum or internet café – or for a more active afternoon, we can arrange for kayaking at Punta Estrada or a bicycle ride (additional charges apply). Return to the yacht for dinner or, if you wish, remain in town for dinner on your own and stimulate the local economy. Zodiac shuttles from the yachts to the main dock will be offered throughout the evening.

After breakfast, travel by bus to the Interpretation Center on San Cristobal Island to gain a more complete understanding of the natural and human history of the Islands. Afterwards, spend time in port before heading to the airport for our flight back to the mainland.