Quito and 4 Day Galapagos Legend Cruise – Northern Islands

7 Days/6 Nights
From $3,069 per person
(Dbl. Occupancy, Not Incl. Airfare)
Alternating Saturday Departures Throughout the Year
Overview
Experience Quito and the Northern Galapagos Islands on this wondrous tour of Ecuador. In Quito, the country’s capital and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, you will have a city tour and then visit the Middle of the World monument outside of the city. The tour continues with a four day cruise aboard the 100 passenger Galapagos Legend. Highlights include observing giant tortoises at the Highlands Tortoise Reserve on Santa Cruz Island, boobies at Prince Philip’s Steps on Genovesa Island, and land iguanas on Santa Fe Island.
Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 6 nights (3 nights in Quito and 3 nights aboard the Galapagos Legend) and 12 meals (6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners).
Best Time to Go: Year-Round.
Destinations: South America, Ecuador, and Galapagos.
Interests: Adventure, Culture & History, Expedition Cruising, Sea Kayaking, Snorkeling, and Wildlife Viewing.
Places Visited: Quito, the Galapagos Islands, Baltra Island, Genovesa Island, Mosquera Islet, Santa Cruz Island, and Santa Fe Island.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Note: The route and program may vary according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety reasons and wildlife encounters.
Dry Landing: Guests step from the dinghy directly onto rocks or a dock.
Wet Landing: As the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, guests step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.
Day 1 (Sat): Quito.
Depart to Quito. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Quito.
Day 2 (Sun): City Tour of Quito-Middle of the World.
In the morning, you will have a city tour of Quito. You will explore the bustling streets and squares of the largest historical centre in the Americas, and visit some of its most important churches such as the majestic La Compania and iconic San Francisco, guardians of a stunning multi-ethnic artistic and cultural heritage. You will drive through the traditional neighborhood of San Juan and finish the morning at the Panecillo hillside, with its breathtaking views of the old and modern parts of the city.
Following the city tour, you will be driven to the “Middle of the World City” complex, which is located 11 miles north of Quito. Here, you will see the monument of the equatorial line, a 98 ft high stone trapezoidal monument with a brass globe on top. The monument forms the focal point of a park and leisure area with gift shops and restaurants. Overnight in Quito. (B)
Day 3 (Mon): Quito-Baltra Airport-Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island).
Transfer to the airport in Quito for the flight to Baltra Island (2.50-hour flight). Upon arrival in the Galapagos, you will be picked up by our Naturalist Guides and taken on a 10-minute bus ride to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
Highlands Tortoise Reserve. In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, you will have your 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. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 4 (Tue): El Barranco-Prince Philip’s Steps-Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island).
Riding the dinghy to the far side of the caldera, red-billed tropicbirds display vociferously overhead while Galapagos fur seals can be seen on the shoreline. Once at the top of the rocky stairway you are immediately met by Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, mockingbirds and finches that line the way through a palo santo forest until you arrive at an expansive open lava field. Wedge-rumped storm petrels swarm above the lava where you keep your eyes peeled for short-eared owls.
Darwin Bay. From within the flooded caldera of Tower Island you set foot onto a sandy beach to be greeted by swallow-tailed gulls often said to be the most beautiful gull in the world. The short, flat, trail leads you past stands of mangroves and saltbush on which you have your best possible looks at nesting red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds. At the tidal lagoon you may also see the rarest gull in the world, the endemic lava gull. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 5 (Wed): South Plaza Island-Santa Fe Island.
Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and land iguanas are all present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, you spend time watching birds fly past at eye level in the up draught. These include, frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds. Back at sea level, you once again encounter land iguanas, some of which have hybridized with their resident marine cousins.
Santa Fe Island. After a fabulous snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay you may have enjoyed time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. Landing onto a sandy beach you are immediately distracted by the abundant sea lions there. You begin a walk past a forest of island-endemic giant Opuntia cacti. Here, you search for another island-endemic the Santa Fe land iguana, paler than its cousins on other islands. Galapagos hawks and even endemic rice rats are also things to look out for. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 6 (Thu): Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island)-Baltra Airport.
Bachas Beach. Named for some wrecked World War II barges whose ribs are still visible in the sand this visitor site offers a lovely walk along the shore and a visit to a lagoon behind the high tide line with wading birds, marine iguanas and sometimes even flamingoes. The two beaches are also favorite nesting sites for green turtles which often leave tractor-like tracks in the sand.
Baltra Airport. After the visit, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.
Day 7 (Fri): Quito.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to your final destination. (B)
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Itinerary Map
Prices & Dates
Price per Person
Category | Single | Double | Triple |
---|---|---|---|
Standard Plus | $4,849 | $3,069 | n/a |
Junior Suite | $5,379 | $3,419 | $3,059 |
Balcony Suite | $6,199 | $3,969 | $3,559 |
Legend Balcony Suite | $7,029 | $4,519 | $4,059 |
Notes:
- The above prices are valid until December 20, 2025.
Departure Dates
Every other Saturday departures throughout the year.
What's Included
Price Includes
- South American Vacations’ expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
- Airport/hotel transfers including baggage handling.
- Hotel accommodations including service fees and taxes.
- Accommodations on board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
- All meals scheduled on board and others as indicated on the itinerary.
- Excursions to the islands conducted by English-speaking naturalist guides.
- Evening briefings.
- Use of snorkeling equipment.
Price Does Not Include
- International airfare.
- Domestic airfare.
- Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee ($200).
- Transit control card ($20).
- Fuel surcharge for the ship ($50).
- Meals not indicated on the itinerary.
- Gratuities to ship crew and guides ($20/day for the crew, $10/day for the naturalist guide).
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Gifts and personal items.
- Travel insurance.
We will be happy to quote the cost of international airfare and travel insurance, and to make these arrangements for you.
Additional Details
Group Private: All services included in this tour are operated on a group basis.
Elevations: Quito is 9,350 feet above sea level.
IGTOA’S Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund: South American Vacations is an active member of IGTOA (International Galapagos Tour Operators Association). In support of IGTOA’s Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund, we contribute $20 for each passenger that we send to the Galapagos Islands. You’ll travel knowing that you support the lasting protection of Galapagos Islands.
Sixty percent of the funding of this program goes directly to the Charles Darwin Foundation for science, conservation, and education. Their work, carried out through the Charles Darwin Research Station and Galapagos National Park, is vital to the preservation of the islands. You can visit their web site to learn more www.darwinfoundation.org. The remainder goes toward IGTOA’s mission of creating a model of responsible and sustainable tourism.
Passport/Visa: U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens require a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Ecuadorian embassy in their country before traveling.
Travel Insurance: In order to protect your travel investment from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. We offer Allianz Global Assistance’s Classic Comprehensive and other plans. The Benefits and Coverage Limits are summarized on our Travel Insurance page. Call your travel counselor if you have any questions or to purchase a plan.
To Book This Trip: We require a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person plus the cost of the international airfare (if we make the arrangements for you). The balance of the trip cost is due 60 days prior to departure.
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