Galapagos - Ecuador
Luxury
4-8 Days
Included
Easy
16 Passengers
The Elite Galapagos Cruise is a one-of-a-kind experience that offers guests an unparalleled level of comfort and luxury while exploring the unique and captivating landscapes of the Galapagos Islands. The cabins on board are designed to create a sense of exclusivity and privacy, with large windows that provide panoramic views of the ocean and the islands. The cabins are spacious and elegantly decorated, with modern amenities that cater to the needs of guests. Each cabin is equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a mini-fridge, and a private bathroom. The Elite Luxury Cruise offers a range of cabin categories to choose from, including suites with private balconies and Jacuzzis.
The Elite Luxury Cruise in Galapagos offers an exceptional culinary experience, with an onboard chef who creates a diverse and delicious menu that features locally sourced ingredients. The meals are prepared with the utmost care and attention to detail, and are served in a beautiful dining room that offers stunning views of the surrounding scenery.
The Elite Luxury Cruise in Galapagos offers a range of areas to lounge and relax, including a spacious sun deck, a lounge bar, and a Jacuzzi. The sun deck is the perfect place to relax and unwind, with comfortable loungers and panoramic views of the ocean and the islands.
Itineraries
Browse through the different cruise itineraries below by clicking on each one
SAT San Cristobal Airport, David Rodriguez Breeding Center
SUN EspaƱola Island: Suarez Point, Gardner Bay, Gardner and Osborn Islets
MON Floreana Island: Cormorant Point and Champion Islet, Post Office Bay and BaronessĀ“ Lookout
TUE Mosquera Islet and transfer out to Baltra Airport
(4 days)
Day 1: After your arrival at San Cristobal Airport, you will be relocated to the first visiting location, the David Rodriguez Breeding Center, which offers details about the history and transformation of the giant tortoise as well as the significance of this location in ensuring the future of these living beings. Baby tortoises are also brought up in semi-natural situations. Following this activity, you will be taken to the yacht for dinner and sleep.
Day 2: You will travel to Suarez Point on Espanola Island early in the day. This area is teeming with wildlife and is best discovered by following a circular path, where you will see large colonies of Nazca and blue/footed boobies and mocking birds laying eggs. There are also red and marine iguanas. It also has a geological highlight: multiple blowholes that can shoot water 25 feet into the air, making this a spectacular scenery. In the afternoon, you’ll go to Gardner Bay, a beautiful sand beach.. This is an excellent location for relaxing, kayaking, or paddle boarding. A short panga ride from here will take you to Gardner and Osborn Islets, which are excellent spots for snorkeling with young sea creatures.
Day 3: The day will start with a journey to Floreana Island’s Cormorant Point, in which you will find two distinct beaches, one with green tinted sand due to the high content of olivine crystals, and another with pure white sand.Ā You can indeed take a panga ride to Champion Islet, a prehistoric shield volcano where you can snorkel. In the afternoon, you’ll go to Post Office Bay, a post office founded by British whalers in the 18th century.
Day 4: You will travel early in the morning to Mosquera Islet where you will see a massive community of sea lions, shorebirds, and the remarkable sally light foot crabs that cling to the dark rocks. Following this visit, you will be driven to Baltra Airport to catch your flight back to the mainland.
TUE Baltra Airport & Santa Cruz Island: Charles Darwin Research Station
WED Genovesa Island: Prince PhillipĀ“s Steps and Darwin Bay
THU Santiago Island: Espumilla Beach, Buccaneer Cove and Egas Port
FRI Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach, Twin Craters and Highlands
SAT San Cristobal: Lobos Island & transfer to airport
(5 days)
Day 1: After arrival at Baltra Airport, you will be moved to the first tourist location, Charles Darwin Research Station, where you will learn about the important work being performed to safeguard the archipelago’s ecosystems. There is also an extensive breeding program for Galapagos tortoises in order to protect them. Return to the yacht for dinner and rest after this adventure.
Day 2: The day will begin with a visit to Genovesa Island, particularly Prince Philip’s Steps. Then you keep going through the Palo Santo Forest, where you may see storm scavenger birds. A panga ride or kayaking along the cliffs of this location allows you to see Galapagos fur seals snuggled on the rocks. In the afternoon, you’ll go to Darwin Bay, which has a small sand and coral beach that’s ideal for snorkeling, kayaking, or other watersports.
Day 3: You will depart early in the morning for Espumilla Beach on Santiago Island, a magnificent white sand beach. You can engage in combat with sally light foot crabs, hawks, herons, and pelicans. This location is also ideal for snorkeling, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Then you’ll go to Buccaneer Cove, which was used by sailors, buccaneers, and whalers to stabilize their ships while looking for food and water.Ā In the afternoon, you will tour Egas port, which used to be a salt mine and has become an outstanding black sand beach that is ideal for snorkeling and observing shorebirds.
Day 4: Right after breakfast, you will take a trip to Bachas Beach, a beautiful white sand beach that allows you to see the remains of a rusty old vessel thought to have been abandoned by the Americans during WWII. It’s also a widely known turtle nesting site, and you can snorkel here. In the afternoon, you will depart at Santa Cruz Island and visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz.
Day 5: On this day, you will visit Lobos Island. Lobos Island is the perfect place to relax, sunbathe and swim with joy. There is a protected lagoon that is the ideal area to go snorkeling with sea lions and turtles during low tide. Sea lions come out onto the beach during high tide to take naps.Blue-footed and Nazca boobies, as well as a sizable sea lion colony, may be seen in La Lobera, which is close to the town of Baquerizo Moreno. A lovely beach, a short 1-kilometer walking track, and a wonderful snorkeling opportunity are all nearby. After this visit, you will head to the airport.
SAT San Cristobal Airport, El Junco Lagoon
SUN North Seymour, Dragon Hill
MON Isabela Island: Tintoreras, Sierra Negra Volcano, Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center, Isabela Wetlands
TUE Isabela Island Moreno Point and Urbina Bay
WED Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point and Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point
THU Rabida Island and Bartholomew Island
FRI San Cristobal: Kicker Rock, Witch Hill, Breeding Center
SAT San Cristobal Interpretation Center and transfer to airport
(8 days A)
Day 1: After arrival at San Cristobal Airport, you will start visiting the first site. A 9 million gallon freshwater lagoon from an extinct volcano, Lake El Junco is a tiny but deep crater lake in the highlands. Here, visitors can ascend through numerous distinct plant zones before you can see this breathtaking vantage point. It’s also a great spot to take in the stunning scenery. Following this activity, you will be transferred to the yacht for check-in and dinner.
Day 2: The day will start off with a trip to North Seymour, a small island known for its large number of blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and frigate birds. If you’re lucky, you might see the wonderful brilliant chests of male bird frigates courting the females. In the afternoon, you’ll go to Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island, which is designated after the vast population of land iguanas that live there and look like miniature dragons, hence the name. This species can be seen here, as well as the Palo Santo forest. This is also a good spot for snorkeling.
Day 3: You will take a panga ride early in the day to Tintoreras, a chain of islets just next to Isabela Island which have established a distinctive environment for a variety of wildlife. At this location, you can snorkel, kayak, or paddle board. Then you’ll go to Isabela Island to see Sierra Negra Volcano, one of the Galapagos’ most active volcanoes. After lunch, you will visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center to learn about the protected areas undertaken to safeguard the two species of Galapagos giant tortoises that live here. Then you’ll be taken to the Isabela wetlands, a collection of lagoons.
Day 4: Right after breakfast, you will take a panga ride to Moreno Point, which is located on Isabela’s west coast. Here you might see penguins, blue herons, and flamingos. In the afternoon, you might very well visit Urbina Bay, which is situated at the foot of Alcedo Volcano and is the consequence of a major volcanic uplift that lifted a coral reef from the ocean. There are also giant land iguanas, giant tortoises, Galapagos hawks, and flightless cormorants in this area. You can also go snorkeling at this location.
Day 5: The day will start off with a zodiac ride to Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island. You will be able to see marine iguanas and sally light foot crabs. At the time you arrive, you will start exploring the mangrove plants, lava cacti, and lava formations around the area.Ā In the afternoon, you will take a panga ride to Vicente Roca Point. This is a lovely large bay with two coves where blue-footed and Nazca boobies, gulls and other species nest.Ā You can indeed snorkel here and see a lot of marine life, such as sea lions and dolphins.
Day 6: After breakfast, you will take a panga ride to Rabida Island, which is best known for its dark red sand beach bounded by cliffs and uphill volcanic hills. Blue-footed and Nazca boobies can also be seen. This is also the only location where you can see all nine Darwin’s finches. At this location, you can snorkel, kayak, or paddle board. Head to Bartolome Island after, an islet in Sullivan Bay, in the afternoon. A walking trail leads to the island’s top of the mountain, from which you can appreciate magnificent scenery of Pinnacle Rock and the entire island.
Day 7: On this day, you can visit multiple places. Visit Kicker Rock in San Cristobal. One of the top diving and snorkeling spots in the Galapagos Islands is Kicker Rock. There are two enormous volcanic rocks rising from the lake, separated by a narrow waterway. Sharks, rays, sea lions, and a variety of vibrant reef species may all be spotted in abundance throughout the canal. You can also visit Witch Hill. Witch Hill has a stunning white coral beach in which Sea Lions and Sally Lightfoot Crabs are easily to be found. Its name makes reference to the small cliff overlooking the sea at the beach. The day includes: breakfast, lunch and dinner onboard.Ā
Day 8: After breakfast, you will depart at San Cristobal Island to tour the Interpretation Center, which offers a tour of the islands’ wonderful history, and gain knowledge about natural history, human history, and prospective conservation. Following this activity, you will be driven to the airport to catch your flight back to the mainland.
SAT San Cristobal Airport, David Rodriguez Breeding Center
SUN EspaƱola Island: Suarez Point, Gardner Bay, Gardner and Osborn Islets
MON Floreana Island: Cormorant Point and Champion Islet, Post Office Bay and BaronessĀ“ Lookout
TUE Mosquera Islet & Charles Darwin Research Station
WED Genovesa Island: Prince PhillipĀ“s Steps and Darwin Bay
THU Santiago Island: Espumilla Beach, Buccaneer Cove and Egas Port
FRI Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach, Twin Craters and Highlands
SAT San Cristobal: Lobos Island and transfer to airport
(8 days B)
Day 1: As soon as you land at San Cristobal Airport, a transfer will take you to the David Rodriguez Breeding Center, where you can learn about the giant tortoise’s history and evolution as well as the significance of this location in preserving the species’ future. Additionally, you can observe young tortoises being raised in somewhat natural settings. You will be taken to the yacht for dinner.
Day 2: You will travel to Suarez Point on EspaƱola Island in the early morning. The best way to explore this area, which is teeming with wildlife, is to take the circular trail. Here, you can see the nesting grounds of numerous Nazca, blue-footed, and mockingbird colonies. You will go to Gardner Bay in the afternoon, a location with a fine sand beach and sea lions all around. The ideal place to unwind, kayak, or paddle board is here. Gardner and Osborn Islets are only a short panga ride away from this location.
Day 3: The first activity of the day will be traveling to Cormorant Point on Floreana Island, where there are two distinct beaches, one with pure white sand and the other with green-tinted sand due to the high concentration of olivine crystals. You can travel to Champion Islet by panga. You will go to Post Office Bay in the afternoon, a location created by British whalers in the 18th century where they would post their letters. You can see the entire coastline from this location.
Day 4: You will travel to Mosquera Islet in the morning, a small, flat islet situated between Baltra and North Seymour Islands, where you will come across a significant sea lion population. You will disembark at Santa Cruz Island in the afternoon to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, where you can learn about the important work being done to protect the ecosystems of the archipelago.
Day 5: The first activity of the day will involve traveling to Genovesa Island and visiting Prince Philip’s Steps, also known as El Barranco, a rocky staircase that ascends to a plateau of dried lava after passing a colony of red-footed and Nazca boobies. The small sand and coral beach at Darwin Bay, where you’ll spend the afternoon, is the ideal place for snorkeling, kayaking, and paddle boarding.
Day 6: You will travel to Espumilla Beach on Santiago Island in the morning. This beautiful white sand beach gets its name from the foamy trails that resemble meringue. Hawks, herons, pelicans, and sally light foot crabs are all things you can fight. Kayaking, paddle boarding, and snorkeling are other activities that are ideal here. You will go to Egas port in the afternoon. This impressive black sand beach, which was once a salt mine, is a great place to snorkel and see shorebirds.
Day 7: You will visit Bachas beach, a lovely white sand beach, after breakfast. There, you will see the rusted remains of a barge that is thought to have been abandoned by the Americans during World War II. In addition to being a well-liked turtle nesting location, this area is also a good place to snorkel. You will disembark at Santa Cruz Island in the afternoon to explore the Highlands of Santa Cruz, which are home to numerous scalesia trees. Next, you’ll see twin craters, which are actually two nearly identical crater-like holes created when empty lava chambers collapsed.
Day 8: After our visit to Lobos Island in the early morning, passengers will get ready before being driven to San Cristobal Airport. The check-in process will be assisted by our airport staff. Bid adieu and board the flight back to Ecuador’s main island.
2023 PRICES | |||
---|---|---|---|
4 Days | 5 Days | 8 Days | |
Golden Suite | US$4,490 | US$5,650 | US$8,990 |
Single Cabin | US$4,490 | US$5,650 | US$8,990 |
Charter | US$66,990 | US$84,290 | US$134,190 |
2024 PRICES | |||
---|---|---|---|
4 Days | 5 Days | 8 Days | |
Golden Suite | US$4,690 | US$5,890 | US$9,490 |
Single Cabin | US$4,690 | US$5,890 | US$9,490 |
Charter | US$69,990 | US$87,890 | US$141,690 |
Vessel type
Catamaran
Year built
2019
Length
123.03 ft (37.5 m)
Beam
44.29 ft (13.5 m)
Draft
6.23 ft (1.90 m)
Max speed
12 knots
Crew
10 Crew members + 1 Cruise Director + 1 Bilingual Guide
Capacity
16 passengers
Decks
3
Cabins
9
Bathrooms
11
Engines
2 x Marine Generator Drive Engines Ć¢ā¬ā 500 HP each
Freshwater maker
Yes
Golden Suites (Main Deck)
All Suites onboard the Galapagos Elite are spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed: the perfect place to relax and recharge after a day spent exploring the islands. Each suite has grand windows for panoramic ocean views, a private outdoor balcony, as well as a natural light frosted glass wall restroom in each suite. All beds are convertible in two twin beds or one king-size bed.
Golden Suites (Upper Deck)
All Suites onboard the Galapagos Elite are spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed: the perfect place to relax and recharge after a day spent exploring the islands. Each suite has grand windows for panoramic ocean views, a private outdoor balcony, as well as a natural light frosted glass wall restroom in each suite. All beds are convertible in two twin beds or one king-size bed.
Private bathroom
Air conditioning
Toiletries
Room towels
110v Electricity point in cabin
Lounge Area
Bar
Sundeck