Experience Overview
Few destinations rival the Galapagos for up-close encounters with wildlife and this eight-day adventure cruise focuses on all the stars of the show. This boat trip is free of detours, overnight stopovers and passengers joining or leaving throughout, so you can stay on the ship and focus on the wildlife, landscapes and experiences. Venture to remote parts of the archipelago – the west coast of Isla Isabela and Isla Fernandina – to see all the best these islands have to offer. Snorkel with sea lions and reef sharks off Isla Santa Cruz and Isla Bartolome, spy frigatebirds, boobies and pelicans soaring above North Seymour and stroll among land iguanas and flightless cormorants on volcanic Punta Espinosa.
Highlights
- Hop aboard your vessel, Le Grande Daphne, and sail through the naturally beautiful landscapes of the Galapagos, all with a handy naturalist guide by your side.
- Hike, snorkel, sleep, repeat – this isn’t your average adventure cruise! You’ll have daily walks and hikes followed by snorkelling excursions to spot marine life and corals – the best way to cool off.
- Explore the remote west coast of Isabela on a small panga boat and venture to the far-west Fernandina – home of the highest density of marine iguanas.
- Encounter the unique Galapagos wildlife in their natural habitat, from giant blue-footed and masked boobies, pelicans and frigate birds to iguanas, sea lions and turtles.
- Walk varied landscapes among towering cacti, rocky cliffs, red-sand beaches, volcanic grounds and immersive sea coves.
Trip Details
Product Code: 1990
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Comfortable
Transport: Boat,Bus,Zodiac (Panga)
Guide Language: English
Supplier Code: GMDP
Starts: Baltra Airport - Las Bachas (Isla Santa Cruz), Ecuador
Finishes: Puerto Ayora - Santa Cruz Highlands - Baltra Airport, Ecuador
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating: Average
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (7), Lunch (7), Dinner (7)Accommodation: Overnight boat (7 nights)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $8125 (CAD $1016 /day)
Itinerary
Bienvenidos! Welcome to the Galapagos. Your adventure begins in the Baltra Airport, where you’ll be meeting the other travellers arriving from Quito at 11 am. When you’ve met up with the rest of the group and your local naturalist guide, take a quick transfer to your home for the next week – Le Grande Daphne. Meet the crew, settle in and have some lunch with your fellow travellers. Try on the snorkelling gear before your first snorkelling session, then sail to Las Bachas, where the soft sand made of decomposed coral is a nesting site for the Pacific green turtle. Marine iguanas are also commonly spotted along the beach. The rocks make for excellent snorkelling and are populated by Sally Lightfoot crabs. A saltwater lagoon just near the beach is home to flamingo and whimbrel and you might also see a great blue heron. Remnants of a floating pier, a testimony to the US presence in the Galapagos during World War II, can also be seen.
Included Activities:
- Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Walk (1 hour) - Wet Landing
- Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Snorkel (1 hour) - Wet Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Today, you’ll sail from Las Bachas to Isla Rabida, known for its spectacular red sand beaches, caused by the high content of iron in the sand which rusts to form the unusual shade. From the shore, follow today’s hiking trail to a lagoon that’s one of the best spots in the Galapagos to see flamingos. Keep an eye out for nesting pelicans, pintail ducks, marine iguanas and sea lions, too. Check out a vast opuntia cactus forest, hinting at the previous habitation of land iguanas, Galapagos hawks, mockingbirds, doves, finches and lava lizards. After, you can opt to go snorkelling to seek out the resident sea stars, damsels, gobbies and surgeon fish. In the afternoon, head to Albemarle on the northeast side of Isabela Island. Covered in mangroves, the bay is home to sea turtles, sea lions, penguins and flightless cormorants who feed on the algae and fish here. Another fantastic location for snorkelling, you may like to have a look beneath the water’s surface in search of sea turtles and flightless cormorants.
Included Activities:
- Isla Rabida - Walk and Snorkel from the beach (2 hours) - Wet Landing
- Isla Isabela - Punta Albermarle - Snorkelling (1 hour)- Dry Landing
- Isla isabela - Punta Albermarle - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Sail overnight from Punta Albermarle around to the western shores of Isla Isabela. Wake up near Tagus Cove, where pirates and whalers used to collect tortoises for their travels. Maybe go snorkelling here or check out the graffiti on the walls (the oldest of which is from 1836!). Look out for flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, a variety of waterfowl and the most northerly penguins in the world. You’ll then walk to a lookout point for a stunning view of the north of Isabela Island and Volcan Wolf (Wolf Volcano). Later, visit Bahia Urbina on the west of Isabela Island to see the bay’s diverse and colourful plant life, which attracts many different insects. The site also features a short hike inland, where giant tortoises can be spotted among the bushes. You may also see land iguanas, which often nest in the middle of the trail. Flycatchers, Darwin’s finches and mockingbirds are common on the ground and in the trees.
Included Activities:
- Isla Isabela - Tagus Cove - Walk (1.45 hours) - Dry Landing
- Isla Isabela - Tagus Cove - Snorkel (1 hour)
- Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay - Snorkel (1 hour)
- Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Today, visit Punta Espinosa – a narrow ledge of lava and sand extending from the base of La Cumbre volcano. Walk around the peninsula to see the lava cacti, marine iguanas, barking sea lions, tiny penguins and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Keep an eye out for the Galapagos hawk, too, hunting in the treetops. Then, dive into the clear waters for snorkelling, looking out for the resident turtles and sea lions. In the afternoon, head to Punta Vicente Roca and take a Zodiac ride to see the abundant wildlife here. This spot is also one of the best snorkelling spots in the archipelago! The route takes you along the cliffs and allows you to explore two shallow underwater caves. The primitive and unaggressive bullhead shark, known locally as the Port Jackson shark, is often seen here sharing its space with red-lipped batfish, frogfish, Pacific seahorses, the endemic Camotillo, schools of barracuda and brown-stripped snappers.
Included Activities:
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca Snorkelling (1 hour) Dry Landing
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca - Panga Ray boat tour (30 mins)
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa - Snorkel (1 hour)
- Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Sail to Puerto Egas – a black-sand beach on the west side of James Bay, northwest of Isla Santiago. Home to incredible volcanic tuff formations, you’ll stroll along the beach with the native marine iguanas, pelicans, finches, mockingbirds, oystercatchers, Galapagos sea lions and Galapagos fur seals. You can see the tidal pools, formed from ancient lava flow, providing a home for sponges, snails, hermit crabs, barnacles and fish. You might also end up snorkelling with a Galapagos fur seal – they’re always looking for a friend! In the afternoon, travel to the northwest side of Santiago Island where you’ll find Caleta Bucanero – named after the pirates and buccaneers who once found shelter in the bay. Here, you can go snorkelling and take a dinghy ride to look for blue-footed boobies, pelicans and nocturnal seagulls nesting in the cliffs.
Included Activities:
- Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Snorkelling (1 hour)
- Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Walk (1.45 hours) - Wet Landing
- Isla Santiago - Caleta Buccanero - Panga boat tour (1 hour)
- Isla Santiago - Caleta Buccanero - Snorkelling (1 hour)
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Wake up in Bartolome Island – a volcanic landscape full of spatter cones and lava flows, home to Galapagos penguins and lava lizards. Put on your walking shoes and climb up 360 wooden steps to the summit, where an amazing view of Pinnacle Rock awaits. This is one of the most photographed sights in the Galapagos! Hike to the top of a once-active volcano and enjoy the views across to Bahia Sullivan on nearby Isla Santiago. If you’re in luck, you might see the Galapagos hawk. There’s also the chance to go snorkelling among the colourful marine life. In the afternoon, travel to the small island of Sombrero Chino, found on the southeast side of Santiago Island. With sandy beaches and a volcanic landscape, this is a great spot to hike and look out for the sea lions and penguins that rest here. Or, you can snorkel in search of reef sharks and sea turtles.
Included Activities:
- Isla Bartolome - Snorkelling (1.5 hours)
- Isla Bartolome - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
- Isla Sombrero Chino - Snorkelling (1.5 hours) Wet Landing
- Isla Sombrero chino - Walk (1.5 hours) Wet Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Wake up in North Seymour – one of the most visited islands of the Galapagos. Take a morning walk around the island to see blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Boobies and frigates have an interesting relationship, sharing the same nesting area on North Seymour. Blue-footed boobies nest on the ground while the frigate birds nest just above them in the saltbushes. As you walk, look out for land iguanas, marine iguanas, Galapagos sea lions and the endemic incense tree. After, cool off and go snorkelling to see the variety of fish and white-tipped reef sharks, rays and sea lions here. Later, travel to Isla Santa Cruz – the second largest island in the Galapagos. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station – undertaking vital conservation work, the station also makes for interesting exploration and offers the best opportunities for close encounters with giant tortoises. You may also see baby tortoises!
Included Activities:
- Isla North Seymour - Snorkelling (1 hours)
- Isla North Seymour - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
- Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Station (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Daphne (Number of Nights: 1)
Flights to the mainland depart mid-morning, so it’s an early start for your last morning on the islands today. You’ll visit the Santa Cruz Highlands first, travelling through the agricultural region and into the misty forests, where you can see the dome-shaped giant tortoises in the wild. Look out for different species of Darwin finches and the world-famous woodpecker and warbler finches. Then, it’s time to bid farewell to the archipelago and head to the airport. If you plan to extend your stay after your cruise in Puerto Ayora, you can ask your guide to assist you with making your own way back to town. If you need help booking extra accommodation, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.
Included Activities:
- Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1 hour) - Dry Landing
Similar Experiences
Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Kimberly - Traveled, June 2024
Outstanding trip in every way. Jacinto the naturalist guide was excellent. The Galapagos are unlike any other place on earth. We were blown away - everything was perfection.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/16/2024
Kia - Traveled, May 2023
There are no words to describe how wonderful this trip was. From our fantastic guide and crew to the accommodations and the number of activities we had, everything was top notch. I am officially an intrepid fan.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2023
Lin - Traveled, May 2023
Wonderful trip! Well planned itinerary, safe, excellent crew, great guide.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2023
Nolen - Traveled, September 2022
Pure Galapagos was one of the best trips ever! Both the Grand Daphne and our local naturalist tour leader were exceptional.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2022
Jenny - Traveled, October 2022
This was a fabulous trip on a superb boat. The variety of food was loved by the vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters of the group. Plenty of opportunities to see the flora and fauna up close both on land and in the water, excellent daily briefings plus amazing sunsets!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2022
Lucy - Traveled, October 2022
This is a spectacular tour in a wonderful location. Jacinto was an excellent guide who was thoughtful, knowledgable, informed and open to our questions. All my expectations were realised, and more. When snorkelling, a sea-lion choose to come and swim with us, it was like some kind of aquatic dance, and will remain one of the travel highlights of my life? On another occasion an Orca breached three times across the front of the pangas. And then there were the dive-bombing birds! So much wildlife, so much beauty. What a privilege!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/14/2022
Julia - Traveled, March 2022
This was a trip of a lifetime. Everyone on board the Grand Daphne was cheerful, kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. The people of the Galapagos know they have a wonderful home and do everything to protect it. Jacinto combined his expertise with a great sense of humor and pride in the islands. He cared about each of our well being. Gaby won my heart with her enthusiasm to learn English and to make our experience the best. Arturo made the best cocktails around, and was always there to help when needed. All the other crew were nothing but kind and cheerful. I can’t say enough great things about the experience. Swimming with sea lions, penguins, and sea turtles….it was all a dream.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/10/2022
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