Deluxe Southern Islands Cruise Large Ship Voyage.

M: San Cristobal Island

Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island (2 ½-hour flight). Arriving in the Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our natural guides and taken to a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.

PM: Interpretation Center

Dry landing at the Pier. The Interpretation Center is full of interesting information and offers the perfect overview to the formation of Galapagos, its significance in the world, threats and conservation efforts. Afterwards, hike to Frigate-bird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) were we will enjoy great views at both species of frigate-birds, with bonus of a beautiful sceneries of the bay below us.

AM: Gardner Bay & Osborn Islet

Morning wet landing at one of the most stunning beaches in all of Galapagos: Gardner Bay; the long, white, sandy beach, lapped by turquoise waters is home to a colony of Galapagos sea lions, indifferent to the humans that walk amongst them. The Hood mockingbirds, endemic to this particular island, will be keen to inspect the visitors and satisfy their innate curiosity. Darwin’s finches may also join the throng including the isolated warbler finch. We can also snorkel here from the beach, in the shallow waters of the bay and swim with playful Sea-Lions to complement our morning’s great adventure.

PM: Suarez Point

After Lunch on board, dry landing at one of the top-highlights of the trip, Punta Suarez, which seems to have everything: A slew of marine iguanas and sea lions greet us at the landing site from where our walk continues with close encounters of boobies, endemic lizards, gulls and even the Blow-hole. The oldest extant island in the archipelago is our only opportunity to commune with the endemic Waved-Albatross during their breeding season between April and December. With luck, we can watch their complex courtship display.

AM: Post Office Bay

Wet landing at Floreana Island; a very short walk from the beach leads us to the famous Post Office Barrel. Claimed to have been first setup in 1793 by Captain James Colnett it remains the oldest functioning “post office” in the Pacific side. The system was that whalers and fur sealers would leave addressed letters in the barrel to be picked up by homeward bound colleagues. In the spirit of maintaining tradition, visitors today are encouraged to send a letter or a post card to their loved ones back home on the middle of their cruise.
 

PM: Cormorant’s Point & Devil’s Crown

Wet landing. On arriving, the observant visitor will notice that olivine, a volcanic crystal, has proffered a subtle green hue on the dark beach. Our walk takes us past island-endemic Scalesia plants to a large, shallow, lagoon often inhabited by a variable number of shockingly pink greater flamingoes. Continue through a forest of “palo santo” trees to arrive at a powdery white-beach, a nesting area of green turtles. As we paddle barefoot in the shallow water we will spot diamond stingrays and white-tipped reef sharks. This coral-sand beach marks the end of our trail, and we head back to the olivine beach we landed on, to swim or snorkel amongst Sea turtles, Reef fish, Sea-lions and with luck, see white-tipped reef sharks. A small colony of penguins can sometimes be observed as well.

Continue towards one of the favorite snorkeling sites in the islands: Devil’s Crown, an eroded volcanic cone, home to an abundance of fish and marine animals. Here we’ll swim with large schools of yellow-tailed surgeonfish and creole fish; with some luck, we may spot Sea turtles, spotted eagle-rays, parrotfish, and even hammerhead sharks! The jagged “ecrowni” is a roosting area for boobies, noddies, tropicbirds, and frigates.

Then we will head to Champion Islet also happens to be the last remaining home of the island-endemic Floreana mockingbird which we may be lucky enough to see from our pangas.

AM: Charles Darwin Station

Dry landing in Puerto Ayora at Santa Cruz Island to visit the World-Known Charles Darwin Station, once home to the famous Lonesome George, the last Tortoise of the Pinta race, the breeding and relocation center is named in honor of his long-time guardian. The center is set in the Galapagos National Park Service where various interpretative buildings are available to visit. The grounds, with large stands of native vegetation, are one of the better places to spot some of the seldom seen Darwin’s finches such as the woodpecker, cactus and vegetarian finches.

PM: Highlands
In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

AM: Ballena Bay & Eden Islet

Wet landing. The perfect spot to enjoy our water activities of snorkeling, kayaking or the glass-bottom boat. Expect to see lots of fish species including king angelfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish, damsels, rays and sharks. From the land portion of the visit there will be sea lions and basking marine iguanas with herons and turtles in the mangrove areas. We might even discover some antique ceramic relics left behind by previous settlements.

After our morning visit, transfer to the airport for flight back to Mainland.