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The M/Y Galapagos Odyssey is a modern luxury yacht, and one of the most comfortable vessels cruising the Galapagos Islands. The M/Y Galapagos Odyssey embarked on her maiden voyage in the summer of 2008.

A cruise on board the M/V Galapagos Odyssey allows visitors to explore and experience up-close encounters with the both land animals and marine fauna of the Galapagos Island archipelago in comfort and in style. On twice daily shore excursions led by experienced naturalist guides, Galapagos Odyssey guests will hike to volcanoes, walk on island trails, explore mangrove forests, visit turtle breeding farms and research centers.

After full days of active exploration, guests will enjoy returning to the comfort and luxury of the M/Y Galapagos Odyssey with its ample open spaces, al fresco dining area, spacious sun/shade decks, Jacuzzi, and well appointed staterooms.

The Galapagos Odyssey cruise packages begin and end in colonial Quito, Ecuador and include Quito hotel accommodations, airport/hotel transfers, round trip flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands and a half day tour of the Quito's old town, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. Join us and see why, quite simply, our small ship and yacht Galapagos Island cruises are the vacation of a lifetime!

Day 1 - FRI - Arrive Quito Ecuador

Begin your Galapagos Odyssey Cruise Package in Quito, Ecuador. Upon arrival at the Quito international airport you are met by our local representative. A transfer to your Quito hotel is included.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: none

Day 2 - SAT - Colonial Quito

South America's oldest capitol city, Quito sits at 9,184-feet elevation. It has been amazingly preserved and is protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Enjoy a three hour guided walking tour of Quito's colonial center including Independence Plaza, La Compania Church and San Francisco Cathedral. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy this lively city, rest or prepare for your Galapagos Cruise.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: breakfast

Day 3 - SUN - Quito to Baltra & Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

Morning transfer to Quito International Airport for a three-hour flight to the island of Baltra, Galapagos. Upon arrival at the Baltra air strip expedition leaders from the Odyssey will meet you, collect your luggage and then assist you with your transfer to the M/S Odyssey. The transfer entails crossing the Itabaca Channel by Pangas (motorized rafts) and then a bus ride to Puerto Ayora, your point of embarkation for the Galapagos Odyssey cruise. The friendly crew will welcome you on board and show you to your cabin before a delicious lunch is served. After a brief safety drill the Galapagos Odyssey will set sail for its first destination: Bachas Beach.

The sand at Las Bachas Beach is made of decomposed coral, resulting in a white, soft composition, making it a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. In fact, the name "Las Bachas" in Spanish means "notches", referring to the indentations left in the sand by both laying turtles and their departing hatchlings. Behind one of the beaches there is a small brackish water lagoon, where occasionally it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels. In the vicinity is another longer beach that has resting on its shores two old barges that were abandoned during the Second World War, when the USA used Baltra Island as a strategic point to protect the Panama Canal.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - MON - Bartolome Island & Santiago Island: Sullivan Bay

Disembark the Galapagos Odyssey at Bartolome Island. On a short hike to an altitude of 114mts (375ft) observe one of the most beautiful landscapes of all the Galapagos Islands. Volcanic cones, lunar-like craters, lava fields and the famous "Pinnacle Rock" all contribute to this incredible view. Pinnacle Rock is the distinctive characteristic of this island, and one of the most representative landmarks of the Galapagos Island Archipelago. On its two beautiful beaches Galapagos Penguins and sea turtles are frequently seen. After ample exploration, return to the Galapagos Odyssey for a delicious lunch.

Afternoon visit to Santiago, also called James, or San Salvador Island, located in the west central part of the Galapagos archipelago. Santiago is the fourth largest island in the archipelago (following Isabela, Fernandina and Santa Cruz). With the exception of some of the large western volcanoes of Isabela and Fernandina, it is the also most volcanically active, with many young lava flows and cones.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - TUE - Isabela Island: Sierra Negra Volcano, Tintoteras

Disembark the Galapagos Odyssey in Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island. Isabela Island is the largest and one of the youngest in the Galapagos Islands and is home to the massive Sierra Negra Volcano - the second widest volcano in the world! Guests will be transported to the vicinity of the volcano, by car or by horseback, and will finish the journey with a hike to the rim for incredible scenery. Fantastic views of the 6 x 5 -mile-wide crater along with several other volcanoes and surrounding waters can be seen from here. A short hike to Chico Volcano leads to other striking lava formations, more examples of the geological processes that are responsible for the creation the Galapagos Islands.

Later this afternoon, board zodiacs for a trip to "Tintoreras", small islands located off the Puerto Villamil coast. Opportunities exist to view Herons in the nearby mangroves, Galapagos Penguins and Sea Lion pups lazing on shore. Tintorera, the namesake of the islands, is Spanish for White-tipped reef sharks. As the name would suggest, these harmless sharks can often be seen here resting in the shallow waters and are often viewed by snorkelers.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - WED - Santa Cruz Island: Highlands,Darwin Research Station

Morning walk in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island. The trail to the highlands leaves from the small town of Bellavista. Because 300 feet of altitude difference in the Galapagos has the same effect on the vegetation as a 2000 feet variance on the mainland, your surroundings change quickly as you climb into the highlands of Santa Cruz. Passing through the agricultural zone, near the Galapagos National Park boundary, the Ionia Zone, and then the Fern and Sedge zones, the scenery shifts dramatically before your eyes. High above the sea below, this area affords beautiful views of rolling hills, extinct volcanic cones covered with grass, and lush greenery all year round.

Return from the Santa Cruz Highlands and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Founded in the 1959, the main aim of the Charles Darwin Research Station was to function as a breeding center for endangered native species. Ecuadorian and foreign scientists work constantly on research and projects for the conservation of Galapagos reptiles, birds and plants. Their goal is to conserve this natural habitat and allow tourists to appreciate all these unique species.

Of great interest to many visitors is the captive rearing program for Giant Galapagos Tortoises. Giant tortoises were originally found on 10 of the Galapagos Islands and have become adapted to the conditions of each. On arid, sparsely vegetated islands such as Pinta and Espanola only those with flared up shells and longer necks could reach the high-growing plants. In wetter regions such as Santa Cruz Island and southern Isabela they retained their domed shells and grew much bigger. The Charles Darwin Research Center is home to the well known - and last remaining- Pinta Island tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus abingdoni) known by his keepers as Lonesome George. After a full day of activity, return to the Galapagos Odyssey for dinner.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - THU - San Cristobal: Leon Dormido, Interpretive Center, Loberia

Morning visit to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), located on the West Coast of San Cristobal, also known as the Sleeping Lion. Marvel at the vertical tuff cone formation that abruptly juts up almost 500 feet out of the ocean and forms a narrow channel navigable only by small boats. This Galapagos Islands natural monument has become a favorite sight for travelers due to the many Tropicbirds, Frigates and boobies that inhabit the area. Beneath the sea the nearly crystal waters offer a brilliant display of colorful tropical fish and invertebrates.

Another must see on the island of San Cristobal is the Galapagos Interpretation Center, located in the outskirts of the small city of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, capital of the Galapagos Province. It was built with the cooperation of the Spanish Science Center and gives a very good introduction to the Galapagos Islands, its marine and land life, fauna and flora.

A short 10 minute bus ride or a nice 30 minute walk south from Puerto Baquerizo lays the beach of La Lobería. La Lobería is home to a large sea lion colony and nursery. There are frequently dozens of sea lions visible at any time. Low tide is one of the best times to visit however, since it is when the mother's bring the pups into the tide pools for swimming lessons. Here you'll enjoy the sea lions, marine iguanas, bird watching, and even Galapagos giant tortoises.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - FRI - Espanola Island: Gardner Bay, Punta Suarez

One of the oldest of the islands, Espanola (Hood) is small and flat with no visible volcanic crater or vent. Located on the western tip of Espanola Island, one of the world's densest and most diversified concentrations of wildlife is found at Punta Suarez. The area is famous for its marine iguanas with unique copper-red patches, swallow-tailed gulls, lava lizards, finches, long-billed mockingbirds, blue-footed and masked boobies and oystercatchers. Punta Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting thirty yards into the air.

Gardner Bay, located on the eastern shore of the island, hosts a magnificent beach frequented by a transient colony of sea lions and is a major nesting site for marine sea turtles. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find many fish and possibly turtles and sharks. On a trail leading to the western tip of the island, you will pass the only nesting sites in the Galapagos of the Waved Albatross. These huge birds nest here from April to December and represent the majority of the world's population.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 - SAT - Floreana Island: Punta Cormorant, Post Office Bay

Punta Cormorant offers one of the largest and the most impressive flamingo lagoons in the Galapagos. The point is situated between two volcanic tuff cones that give the area a special atmosphere. In addition to the flamingos, there are various other species of shorebirds to be seen, the most frequent being common stilts, white-checked pintail ducks and other migratories. This is a unique zone due to the high percentage of endemism in the plant life. The two distinct and highly contrasting beaches are also very interesting. The "green beach" gets its name from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand and the "Flour sand beach" is a white sand beach formed by the erosion of coral skeletons.

Nearby Post Office Bay is named for an old wooden barrel that was placed there by the crew of a whaling ship in the 18 century. The barrel was intended to be used as a post office box, enabling whalers and others to keep in touch with their loved ones at home. Leaving the letters behind in the wooden barrel, other sailors returning home would take them with them and deliver them to the intended recipient. Apart from serving as a "post office", this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists arriving to the Galapagos Islands.

Accommodations: Galapagos Odyssey
Included Meals: breakfast,lunch and dinner

Day 10 - SUN - North Seymour Island, Return to Quito

North Seymour is the only uplifted island (as opposed to volcanic) and consequently is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are several active nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate birds. The trees are dotted with male frigate birds trying to attract the attention of the ladies by inflating their bright red skin flaps. They sometimes fly in the air to call more attention to themselves, which is, in itself, a humorous display, as the puffy flap throws off their sense of balance! There's a circular path that takes you through the island to a beautiful rocky shore where the waves crash and Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea lions make their way to the beach and can be seen bodysurfing.

Following North Seymour Island sail into Baltra and transfer by bus to the airport for the return flight back to mainland Ecuador, arriving in the afternoon. Upon arrival in Quito you are greeted by our local representative. A transfer to your Quito hotel is included.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch

Day 11 - MON - Depart Quito

Transportation will be provided to the Quito International Airport. Consider extending your Galapagos Cruise with an excursion into the Amazon Basin rainforest or Machu Picchu, Peru.


Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast


7 Day Galapagos Cruise Itinerary aboard the Galapagos Odyssey:
Day 1 – TUE - Arrive Quito
Day 2 – WED - Colonial Quito
Day 3 – THU – Quito to San Cristobal Island, Loberia
Day 4 – FRI - Espanola: Gardiner Bay, Punta Suarez
Day 5 – SAT - Floreana: Punta Cormorant, Post Office
Day 6 – SUN - North Seymour & Return to Quito
Day 7 – MON - Depart


8 Day Galapagos Cruise Itinerary aboard the Galapagos Odyssey:
Day 1 – FRI - Arrive Quito
Day 2 – SAT - Colonial Quito
Day 3 – SUN - Quito to Baltra & Santa Cruz: Bachas Beach
Day 4 – MON - Bartolome & Santiago: Sullivan Bay
Day 5 – TUE - Isabela: Sierra Negra Volcano, Tintoreras
Day 6 – WED - Santa Cruz: Highlands, Darwin Research Station
Day 7 – THU - San Cristobal: Leon Dormido & return to Quito
Day 8 – FRI – Depart


11 Day Alternative Cruise Itinerary aboard the Galapagos Odyssey
Day 1 – TUE - Arrive Quito
Day 2 – WED - Colonial Quito
Day 3 – THU – Quito to San Cristobal Island: Loberia
Day 4 – FRI - Espanola: Gardner Bay, Punta Suarez
Day 5 – SAT - Floreana: Punta Cormorant, Post Office Bay
Day 6 – SUN – North Seymour & Santa Cruz: Bachas Beach
Day 7 – MON - Bartolome & Santiago: Sullivan Bay
Day 8 – TUE - Isabela: Tintoreras, Sierra Negra Volcano
Day 9 – WED - Santa Cruz: Highlands and Darwin Station
Day 10– Thu - San Cristobal & return to Quito
Day 11- FRI - Depart


Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be flexible makes our style of Galapagos cruising unique.

Single Travelers: The Galapagos Odyssey offers two designated 'single' cabins. Advance reservations are highly recommended. A roommate match program is also available for single travelers. Based upon availability, this program will attempt to match same sex single travelers together and place them in a double occupancy room at a double occupancy rate.

Family Travelers: Children under 12 receive a discount. Families traveling with children under 12 can be accommodated in cabins on the upper and main decks. These cabins have a sofa that can be converted into a comfortable bed. Minimum child age is 4 years old.

Land Cost Includes: Quito hotel accommodations with breakfast included, all airport/hotel transfers, round trip flight from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, Galapagos National Park entrance fees & taxes, Galapagos transit card, Galapagos cruise including all meals and activities while aboard, an experienced Galapagos Islands naturalist guide and snorkeling gear. Hairdryers are available on board by request.

Not Included: Airfare from US to Quito; excess baggage charges; airport departure tax from Quito; tips to local staff and items of a personal nature such as soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, laundry fees and insurance of any kind.

Arrival and Departure: This trip begins and ends in Quito, Ecuador. Plan flights to arrive at any time on Day 1 and depart anytime on the last day. Airport transfers are included for travelers arriving and departing on scheduled arrival/departure days. This trip can also be arranged to begin and end in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: We charge a deposit of $1000 at the time of booking with the final payment due 90 days from departure. A special cancellation policy applies to all Galapagos trips, which is stricter than the AdventureSmith Explorations policy. When a trip cancellation is received inside of 70 days from departure, all trip costs are 100% non-refundable. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions.

Accommodations Aboard: The Galapagos Odyssey can accommodate 16 guests. Life aboard a small boat requires some physical agility and a flexible and social nature. All cabins feature individually controlled air-conditioning, a small desk, sofa, mini-bar & closet, as well as a spacious bathroom with shower cabin. All main deck & upper deck cabins average a size of 20 square meters, including the bathroom. These cabins have large windows, which can be individually opened. The crew includes: the captain, multilingual naturalist guides, cook, barman/waiter, mechanic and two to four sailors. All meals are prepared and served by the crew on board. Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase on board.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Daily excursions from the boat to the islands will be made in pangas (dinghies). It is compulsory to wear a life vest during all dinghy rides between the ship and shore. Trip members will hike from the landing point to specific areas for wildlife observation. Hiking time for most landings will be a couple of hours round trip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Given the islands volcanic origin, and the fact that most walking is done over pristine and irregular volcanic terrain, guests must be in suitable physical condition. Two types of shore landings are planned in the Galapagos Islands. On Dry Landings guests will step from the dinghy directly onto rocks or a dock. On wet Landings, as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, guests step into knee deep water and wade ashore. There are numerous opportunities to swim and snorkel.

Snorkeling: The underwater experience is an integral part of any Galapagos cruise. We encourage all travelers to try snorkeling. Snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, fins, floating vest and net bag) are provided for the duration of the cruise. Shortie wet suits may be available for rent and are recommended from June to December. If interested, please advise your adventure coordinator upon booking.

Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining this trip with our Mainland Ecuador and Peru: Machu Picchu extensions.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations 'Terms & Conditions'. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

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