Your journey begins on the Equator in the lush Andean foothills. At 9,350 feet, Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world, and its main draw is the exquisite Old Town which was founded on an ancient Inca settlement. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s packed with well-preserved colonial architecture as evidenced in colourful plazas, magnificent churches and handsome monuments. Settle into your hotel, then head out to explore.

Settle into your hotel and enjoy an overnight stay..

If you have time, why not come a few days earlier and join our optional pre-voyage programme.

Today you’ll enjoy a guided tour of Quito’s remarkable Old Town. It’s one of the largest and best-preserved colonial-era quarters in South America. Wander through cobblestone streets as you admire the architecture and sample some delicious chocolate made from finest Ecuadorian cacao along the way.

Next, you’ll head to the iconic ‘Middle of the World City’, located around 16 miles north of Quito. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous monument that delineates the imaginary line of the Equator. Have your camera ready to capture the moment you stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island in the spectacular Galápagos archipelago. A transfer brings you straight to the port where your comfortable expedition ship MS Santa Cruz II awaits.

In the afternoon we’ll begin our exploration of the Galápagos Islands following the north shore of Santa Cruz towards the fascinating landscapes of Cerro Dragón, meaning ‘Dragon Hill’, where we’ll land. The first part of the walk here passes by a brackish lagoon that’s frequented by shorebirds and American flamingos. Further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western islands of the archipelago, as well as a chance to get a first look at some land iguanas.

You’ll start your day at Punta Vicente Roca, on the northwestern tip of Isabela Island. After breakfast, we’ll explore the coast by small boat, learning about the dramatic geology of the area from your naturalist guides.

This site is a nesting place for several bird species, so look out for flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, and boobies. Weather permitting, you’ll get to snorkel alongside the cliffs, where you might find green sea turtles, oceanic sun fish, and fur seals.

In the afternoon, we’ll explore Fernandina, an island with a unique ecology and a big population of marine iguanas. Scan the coast for sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hawks, and penguins.

Today, you’ll explore Santa Cruz Island. In the morning, we’ll disembark at Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station.

A giant tortoise breeding centre, here you can see recently hatched tortoises and Darwin’s famous finches: the birds he used as a basis for his theory of evolution by natural selection. There’s also an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti that’s home to many land birds.

Enjoy a cooler climate over lunch in the lush highlands, where giant tortoises shuffle about munching on grass and wallowing in pools.

You’ll have time for another activity, including mountain biking or visiting a sugar plantation.

After breakfast, you’ll enjoy a small boat ride among the channels on Floreana’s north shore, before taking in the incredible views of the island from Baroness Cove. Later on, we’ll land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries.

After lunch, you’ll explore the wonders around Champion Islet in a small boat or aboard our glass-bottom boat. Here, you can snorkel in one of the best spots in the archipelago.

From there, it’s onwards to Cormorant Point, where we’ll take a walk from an olivine-crystal beach to a brackish lagoon, where you can commonly see American flamingos, pintail ducks, and more.

Relax on board while we anchor off Baltra Island. After four days of exploring the unique nature and environments of the Galápagos, it is the moment to pause for a while and recharge your batteries for the days ahead. Make use of the many onboard facilities, flick through the books in the library, or exercise in the gym; it’s up to you.

In the afternoon, we’ll land at Las Bachas beach, located on the northern shore of Santa Cruz Island. This glorious white beach with turquoise waters is a great place to spot iconic Galápagos wildlife like flamingos and sea turtles. Enjoy swimming or snorkelling before heading back to the ship for an expedition briefing about the following day.

Today you’ll explore Santiago Island’s pristine beaches and picturesque landscapes. Take in the impressive cliffs of Buccaneer Cove on the northwest coast, home to a large number of marine birds and sea lions. Immerse yourself in the scenery through a range of water activities and marvel at fantastic rock formations such as ‘Elephant Rock’ and ‘The Bishop.’

In the afternoon, we’ll head to Puerto Egas, one of the best visitor sites on the island. You’ll have the opportunity to see a colony of Galápagos fur seals and exotic birdlife on an excursion. Or you could just swim or snorkel along the rocky shorelines, typically, in the company of marine turtles.

Your day starts on tiny Rábida Island, located off the southern shore of Santiago. You can go for a thrilling small boat ride along the coast explore the island’s mesmerising, red-coloured beach. Soak up the sights and sounds made by a colony of sea lions, and watch for marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers, and several species of Darwin’s finches.

In the afternoon, we’ll sail to the golden sands of Bartolomé Island, dominated by the imposing Pinnacle Rock. You can swim or snorkel off the beach here, discover colourful marine life from our glass-bottom boat, or watch for Galápagos penguins on the shore. Hike up to the summit of the island for fantastic views.

Today you’ll explore Genovesa Island. The morning starts with a steep but short climb – only 90 feet – up Prince Philip’s Steps, known as El Barranco, to reach flat and rocky plateau. Once there, you can walk along comfortably and look out for large colonies of Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, and storm petrels. Afterwards or instead, hop into a kayak for some aquatic adventuring.

In the afternoon, we’ll land and swim at the beautiful beach that fringes Darwin Bay for a swim. Following this refreshing dip, take a stroll and observe hundreds of island birds, or alternatively just take it easy on the beach, swimming, snorkelling, or kayaking.

We start our last morning on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island. A dry landing at a passenger wharf and a bus ride to the loftier region of the island will provide a final highlight of your expedition cruise: giant tortoises in the wild.

The windward slopes of the island are set aside as a reserve that’s home to two species of giant tortoise. These lush highlands also feature dense forests of Galápagos daisies, orchids and bromeliads.

After this visit we’ll transfer directly to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Guayaquil or if you prefer, to Quito, to connect to your international airport.

To explore more of Ecuador, why not extend your stay and join one of our optional post-voyage programme.

Your journey begins on the Equator in the lush Andean foothills. At 9,350 feet, Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world, and its main draw is the exquisite Old Town which was founded on an ancient Inca settlement. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s packed with well-preserved colonial architecture as evidenced in colourful plazas, magnificent churches, and handsome monuments.

Settle into your hotel and enjoy an overnight stay.

If you have time, why not come a few days earlier and join one of our pre-voyage option.

Today you’ll enjoy a guided tour of Quito’s remarkable Old Town; it’s one of the largest and best-preserved colonial-era quarters in South America. Wander through cobblestone streets as you admire the architecture and sample some delicious chocolate made from finest Ecuadorian cacao along the way.

Next, you’ll head to the iconic ‘Middle of the World City’, located around 16 miles north of Quito. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous monument that delineates the imaginary line of the Equator. Have your camera ready to capture the moment you stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island in the spectacular Galápagos archipelago. A transfer brings you straight to the port where your comfortable expedition ship MS Santa Cruz II awaits.

You'll get your first glimpse of the islands' incredible wildlife on Mosquera Islet, home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in the archipelago. We'll take our small expedition boats ashore to get a closer look.

As you stroll across flat and sandy dunes, look out for blue-footed boobies and Sally Lightfoot crabs, and learn about the marine and terrestrial ecosystems from your naturalist guides.

First our small boats will take you to Punta Pitt, the only site in the Galápagos Islands where you might see three species of boobies. Enjoy a nature walk, explore the coastline by boat, or snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear water.

Then we’ll head to the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve, a breeding centre for the endangered giant tortoise. It's also home to other endemic species, including the San Cristobal mockingbird and lava lizard.

The giant tortoise is probably the most iconic of all Galápagos wildlife, with a lifespan of over 100 years. Here, they thrive, ambling around forests similar to their natural habitat.

We start the day with a scenic nature walk on the blissful beaches of Santa Fe, home to the endemic Barrington land iguana and a colony of sea lions.

You can swim from our small boats, take a kayak for a paddle around the island, or join a trip in our glass-bottomed boat to observe the marine life below. After a delicious lunch, prepared by our onboard chefs, we head to South Plaza Island.

Keep an eye out for frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, and Galápagos shearwaters gliding on the breeze. Here, among a dazzling array of flora, land iguanas laze by the shore while marine iguanas slip in and out of the water.

Today we pay a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora.

A giant tortoise breeding centre, here you can see recently hatched tortoises and Darwin’s famous finches: the birds he used as a basis for his theory of evolution by natural selection. There’s also an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti that’s home to many land birds.

Enjoy a cooler climate over lunch in the lush highlands, where giant tortoises shuffle about munching on grass and wallowing in pools.

You'll have time for another activity, such as mountain biking or visiting a sugar plantation.

Your Galápagos Islands cruise reaches Española, the archipelago's most southerly island. Birdlife here is truly extraordinary. Look out for Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls, and the mighty waved albatross on cruises April through December.

It’s also a chance to spot red Española lava lizards and marine iguanas, as well as see the famous blowhole, El Soplador, blasting water 75 feet into the air.

After lunch on board the ship, we'll head to the picturesque coral beach of Gardner Bay and nearby Osborn Islet, to seek out sea lions, mockingbirds, and finches. If you're feeling active, you can go snorkelling or kayaking.

The wealth of wildlife watching opportunities continues at Eden Islet, where we hope to see Galápagos green turtles, rays, and friendly reef sharks. On the shore, look out for distinctive frigatebirds with their rubbery, red throats.

You can swim or snorkel to explore the reefs. Alternatively, see the reefs from our glass-bottomed boat or by kayak. After lunch, we'll sail to North Seymour.

The island is a great site for spotting colonies of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Sea lions and marine iguanas also congregate here, attracted by the bountiful sea life in its waters.

Your expedition cruise draws to a close as you disembark at Baltra Island. A transfer will take you to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Guayaquil (or if you prefer, to Quito) to connect to your international flight.

To explore more of Ecuador, why not extend your stay and join one of our post-voyage options.

As you leave this fascinating region, you'll take with you incredible memories of amazing wildlife and wonderful experiences few have the privilege of seeing.