Quito and 5 Day Santa Cruz II Cruise – Northern Galapagos Islands

Sea Lions, Galapagos

8 Days/7 Nights

From $5,089 per person

(Dbl. Occupancy, Not Incl. Airfare)

Alternating Saturday Departures Throughout the Year

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Overview

Venture to Quito and the northern Galapagos Islands on this fascinating Ecuador tour.  In Quito, you will enjoy a city tour and visit to the Middle of the World complex.  Highlights include observing giant tortoises at the Cerro Colorado breeding center on San Cristobal Island and sea lions on Santiago and Rabida Islands, viewing Pinnacle Rock from the summit of Bartolome Island, and red-footed and Nazca boobies on Genovesa Island.  Opportunities for snorkeling, sea kayaking, and glass bottom boating are also available.

Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 7 nights (3 nights in Quito and 4 nights aboard the Santa Cruz II), and 15 meals (7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 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, Bartolomé Island, Genovesa Island, Rábida Island, Santa Cruz Island, and Santiago 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-Equatorial Monument.

This morning, you will visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture. Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior. Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.

Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 16 miles north of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs. You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator. Overnight in Quito. (B)

Day 3 (Mon): Quito-Baltra Airport-Las Bachas (Santa Cruz).

Morning transfer to the airport in Quito for the flight to Galapagos.  You land at Baltra Island by plane in the morning and transfer to the dock to board the Santa Cruz II, where you receive a welcome introductory briefing, and lunch.

Las Bachas.  This beautiful visitor site is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, a glorious white beach with a couple of brackish lagoons only a few steps away from the sea.  These lagoons are the feeding grounds of various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos.  Welcome cocktail, expedition plan for Tuesday and dinner.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Day 4 (Tue): Buccaneer Cove-Puerto Egas (Santiago).

After breakfast, you explore the coastline along the impressive cliffs of Buccaneer Cove, learning about the area’s distant and recent history.  The cove is home to a large number of marine birds, sea lions, and inter-tidal organisms.  Enjoy fantastic natural formations such as the “Elephant Rock”, “The Bishop” and an impressive natural cave.

Puerto Egas.  Once you disembark at the beach, you can enjoy a swim or snorkel amid a rocky shoreline, usually in the company of marine turtles.  From here, you head off for a walk, a great opportunity to see land and marine birds amid landscape of tuff-stone layers and lava flows.  At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds and you can also observe a colony of fur-sea lions.  Non-snorkelers can enjoy a longer walk.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Day 5 (Wed): Rabida-Bartolome.

Rábida.  Some groups will go for a fascinating panga ride along the shores while others will disembark on Rábida Island’s red-colored beach, caused by the unusually high content of iron in the volcanic material.  Your walk brings you close to a colony of sea lions, marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and several species of Darwin’s finches.  Very close to the beach, a salt pond hosts migrating greater flamingos at certain times of year.  This is a great place to snorkel from the beach, both for beginners as well as for experienced snorkelers, due to the unique combination of underwater species and submarine landscapes.  During navigation to the next island, dolphins are sometimes spotted!

Bartolome.  Today’s activities begin with a wet landing on the golden beach of this famous island, dominated by the imposing Pinnacle Rock.  There’s great snorkeling and swimming from the beach plus the chance to ride the glass bottom boat.  After returning to the ship, you then split into two groups, the first lands for a hike to the summit of this diminutive island that boasts fantastic views of the archipelago.  This is a moderately steep climb aided by a wooden staircase, resting platforms and handrails – the view from the top is worth the effort!  The second takes to the pangas to explore the rugged and volcanic shoreline.  The groups then swap activities.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Day 6 (Thu): Prince Philip Steps-Darwin Bay (Genovesa).

Prince Philip Steps.  The morning starts with a steep climb (90 feet) up some stairs to reach a flat rocky plateau.  Along the walk, you can observe large colonies of Nazca boobies, red footed boobies, great frigate birds and storm petrels.  Those not wishing to disembark can enjoy a longer panga ride along the cliffs (depending on weather conditions).

Darwin Bay.  In the afternoon, you land at this beautiful beach to enjoy some swimming and/or snorkeling.  Following the dip, you take an easy stroll to observe hundreds of birds, mainly frigate birds, red footed and Nazca boobies, gulls, herons, finches and mockingbirds.  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Day 7 (Fri): Highlands (Santa Cruz)-Baltra Airport-Quito.

You start the last morning at the north shore of Santa Cruz Island.  After breakfast, your luggage will be taken to the airport, while you visit the Tortoise Reserve in the Highlands of Santa Cruz.  A dry landing at a passenger’s wharf and a bus ride to the loftier region of the island will provide the last highlight of the cruise: giant tortoises in the wild.  The windward slopes of the island are home to two species of giant tortoises.  These lush highlands include dense forests of Galapagos daisies, orchids and bromeliads, and several endemic land birds.

After this visit you will be transferred directly to Baltra Airport for your return flight to Quito.  Overnight in Quito.  (B)

Day 8 (Sat): Quito.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to your final destination. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Itinerary Map

Santa Cruz II Northern Galapagos Islands Itinerary Map

Prices & Dates

Price per Person

Category Single Double Triple
Horizon Deck Explorer Cabin $6,229 $5,089 n/a
Horizon Deck Explorer Family Cabin n/a $6,959 $4,569
Horizon Deck Voyager Cabin $6,249 n/a n/a
Expedition Deck Explorer Cabin $6,439 $5,279 n/a
Panorama Deck Explorer Cabin $6,599 $5,409 n/a
Panorama Deck Darwin Suite $7,339 $6,059 n/a
** The prices shown above are in U.S. Dollars. See the cost of this tour in your currency at xe.com.

Notes:

  1. The above prices are valid until December 22, 2022.
  2. Triple rates are based on one child under 12 sharing a cabin with two adults paying full fare.
  3. There is a high season (Dec 23, 2022-Jan 02, 2023) surcharge of $228 per adult and $136 per child.

Departure Dates

Every other Saturday departures throughout the year.

What's Included

Price Includes

  • South American Vacations’ expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
  • Private airport/hotel transfers on the first and last day of the tour, and shared transfers out/in from select hotels in Quito and in/out in the Galapagos islands on the date of the cruise.
  • Accommodations on board the M/V Santa Cruz II.
  • All meals scheduled on board and others as indicated on the itinerary.
  • Daily excursions to the islands conducted by English-speaking naturalist guides.
  • Evening briefings and lectures.
  • Use of snorkeling equipment.

Price Does Not Include

  • International airfare.
  • Domestic airfare ($529).
  • Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee ($100).
  • Transit control card ($20).
  • Meals not indicated on the itinerary.
  • Gratuities to ship crew and guides.
  • Bar, gifts, and personal items.
  • Travel insurance.

We will be happy to quote the cost of airfare and travel insurance, and to make these arrangements for you.

Accommodations

Quito & Galapagos

Additional Details

Group Private: All services included in this tour are operated on a group basis except for the airport transfers in and out of Quito on the first and last day of the tour.

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: Call or email us to confirm the availability of a cabin on this ship for your desired dates of travel.  The non-refundable deposits for single, double, and triple passengers are $1,300, $1,200, and $1,200 per person, plus the cost of the airfare (if we arrange it for you).

Have Questions? Call 1-888-268-9753 to Speak to An Expert.