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Take a walk along unspoiled white sand beaches where Galapagos Sea Lions bask in the sun and marine iguanas crawl out of the sea to dry off on the sun-baked lava rocks. As you sail through the charismatic Southern Islands you will encounter dramatic cliff edge landscapes teeming with seabirds, booby nesting sites that showcase in real life the everyday trials of the ‘survival of the fittest’, and the subtle differences in wildlife and geology that make each of the islands in the Galapagos archipelago unique, from those with green sand to islands fringed in powdery white, from colonies of sooty-toned iguanas to those fire-red, from finches that in one site crush their food with heavy beaks to those that, only a brief sail’s distance away, delicately tap their narrow bill on wood to grab a bite.

Plus, venture to the Galapagos’ far west, where astute dolphins, enormous whales and deep sea creatures of all shape and form head to the wild seaward shores of these special islands, some of the youngest, most fascinating and best kept destinations in the world that evoke in their geology the beginning of time. Head to backwater lagoons to enjoy the flamingo’s courtship performances, watch Flightless Cormorants feeding their young at their nests, and swim with sea turtles, penguins, sea lions and hundreds of tropical fish.

There are 7 Mary Anne itineraries and itinerary combinations to choose from. Depending on your interests, you can choose from 8 and 9 day itineraries which consist of 4 night/5 day and 5 night/6 day cruises or combine a mixture to create trips of 13, 14 or 18 days in length. The Southern Islands + The West and Beyond 14 Day itinerary is listed in detail below. Click on the links below to view each of the different itineraries available. Call our Galapagos Cruise experts if you have any questions.

Itinerary A - Southern Islands 9 Days

Itinerary B - West and Beyond 9 Days

Itinerary C - Central and Northern Islands 8 Days

Itinerary B+C - West and Beyond / Central and Northern Islands 13 Days

Itinerary C+A - Central and Northern Islands / Southern Islands 13 Days

Itinerary A+B+C - Mary Anne Galapagos 18 Days

Itinerary A+B - Southern Islands / West and Beyond 14 days is listed below:

Day 1 - Arrive Quito Ecuador

Arrive in Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and transfer to the Hotel Hilton Colón Quito where you will overnight.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: n/a

Day 2 - Colonial Quito

Enjoy a walking tour of historic downtown Quito, with the best-preserved colonial historic center in Latin America. Drive up El Ventanal for a bird’s-eye-view of the city. You may purchase an optional excursion to the volcano Antisana offering spectacular views of glaciers, wildflowers and the occasional condor. Your included welcome dinner is at the Theatrum Restaurant. Overnight at the Hotel Hilton.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: breakfast

Day 3 - Quito to Baltra, Mosquera Islet

Arrival at Baltra airport and transfer to the S/S Mary Anne; set sail for Mosquera Islet. After a leisure lunch, step ashore (wet landing) onto a beautiful white coralline beach, home to the largest Galapagos sea lion colony in the archipelago. End the day at Punta Carrión for introductory snorkeling in shallow waters.


Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 – Plaza Sur & Santa Fe

Begin with a dry landing on one of the oldest docks of the Archipelago, colorful Plaza Sur is home to vibrant green prickly pears, deep red Sesuvium and coppery-orange land iguanas; impressive seaward cliffs are excellent for a variety of coastal birds. Later, arrive at Santa Fe (wet landing) to look for the endemic species of land iguana, larger and yellower than land iguanas on other islands. The largest prickly pear cacti in the Galapagos are also found here.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Isla San Cristóbal

Make a wet landing onto Cerro Brujo, one of the most scenic white sand beaches of the Galapagos. Black-necked Stilt and White-cheeked Pintail, the only native duck of the Islands, can be found on a picturesque brackish lagoon. Follow this excursion with another wet landing onto Punta Pitt; hike up to a spectacular viewpoint and watch seabirds riding the thermals: Red-footed Booby, Nazca Booby, Great Frigatebird, among others.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - Española, Punta Suárez

Spend the day in fantastic Española, starting with Gardner Bay (wet landing), an outstanding beach with sea lions, marine iguanas, and the intrepid Española Mockingbird. Make a dry landing at Punta Suárez for a spectacular walk into the intimacies of life at sea, with nesting sites of Blue-footed and Nazca Boobies, as well as the fascinating breeding rituals (April to December) of Waved Albatross. Lined with neon-colored marine iguanas (January), and lazy Galapagos sea lions, head up to an amazing viewpoint of the famous blowhole.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - The Baroness’ domain

Spend the day on Floreana, legendary homestead of infamous Baroness Boise Bosquet de Wagner Whereborn. Wet landing onto the olivine beaches of Punta Cormorant; seek the Greater Flamingos on the way to another special beach with the finest sand you’ll set your foot on, a sea turtle nesting ground where sharks and rays also visit regularly. End the outing on a short panga ride to Devil’s Crown, an key snorkeling site. After lunch visit Post Office Bay (wet landing), where you can drop your postcards in the barrel as the whalers did centuries ago.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Puerto Ayora & Charles Darwin Research Station

Dry landing at Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz Islands to visit the wet forests of the highlands in hopes of finding giant tortoises (seasonal). After lunch, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, home to legendary Lonesome George, the last remaining individual of his species; an inspiring introduction to the ecological relevance of the Galapagos Islands. Breeding and reintroduction programs of giant tortoises and land iguanas have proven increasingly successful. We spend the late afternoon strolling along the main thoroughfare of Puerto Ayora.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 – An initiation to the western islands

Travel to Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos. After breakfast, step ashore at Punta Moreno (dry landing) onto a superb pahoehoe lava flow surrounded by giant shield volcanoes, some still active! Later, enjoy a Panga ride in and around Elizabeth Bay, a salt-water lagoon surrounded by the largest red mangroves of the Galapagos.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10 - Isabela: Urbina Bay & Fernandina: Punta Espinosa

After an early breakfast, disembark at Urbina Bay (wet landing) onto a black sand beach, nesting site for Green Sea Turtle. Take a brief hike inland in search of land iguanas and giant tortoises (seasonal) that migrate to and from the highlands. At the beach, admire the remains of a geological uplift exposing coral heads and marine fossils; a wonderful snorkeling site. Afterward, cross Bolivar Channel to Fernandina Island, one of the world’s most unspoiled sites, and disembark (dry landing) at Punta Espinosa. Strolling along the shoreline, keep a look out for Flightless Cormorants, Galapagos sea lions, sooty-colored marine iguanas and bright red-orange Sally Lightfoot Crabs.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11 - Pirate’s abode

Start with dry landing near Tagus Cove, historic pirate hideaway where names of countless ships are recorded for posterity on the cliff face. Hike through beautiful Galapagos landscapes to Darwin Lake, a salt-water crater lagoon surrounded by tuff stone. Make a dry landing at Punta Albemarle where Flightless Cormorant and the largest marine iguanas of the Islands await to greet you at a site virtually untouched by Man.

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12 - Santiago, Espumilla

After three days exploring the fabulous western islands, head to central Santiago to disembark at Espumilla (wet landing), onto a golden-colored sand Green Sea Turtle nesting site. A forest trail winds through some of the largest specimens of Palo Santo on the islands to observe Yellow Warblers, the unbelievably tame Galapagos Flycatcher and the ever-intriguing Darwin’s finches. Follow this with a wet landing at Puerto Egas, to disembark on a dark sand volcanic beach with an interesting history of human settlement. Sleepy Galapagos fur seals lounge under arches of lava carved by the ocean and occasionally dip into the crystalline pools, also known as "grottos".

Accommodations: Mary Anne
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 13 - North Seymour - Baltra, Return to Quito

Prior to leaving for the airport at Baltra, make a dry landing at the small uplifted island of North Seymour, which hosts the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds: one of the two species that nest in Galápagos. Male frigate birds display their large red throat pouch to attract a female, while on ground; blue-footed boobies step out in their courtship dance. Itinerary B comes to an end as we bus ride back to Baltra airport for flights back to Quito.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: breakfast

Day 14 - Depart Quito

Transportation will be provided to the airport for return flights home or for excursions into Ecuador's Highlands or Jungle or Peru's Machu Picchu.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast


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 cruising unique. Please note: on this trip the Galapagos National Park entrance fee must be paid directly by visitors upon their arrival.

Single Travelers: Single rooms are available at the listed rate. If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, our Roommate Share Program will guarantee double occupancy rates for boat cabins even if we are unable to match you with a roommate.

Family Travelers: Child discounts are available for children under 12 years old, sharing a cabin with an adult. Cabins 9 & 10 can accommodate a small family and consist of a double bed for an adult couple and a single bed for a small child. Not valid during holiday periods. Minimum child age is 5 years old.

Land Cost Includes: Three nights Quito hotel accommodations with breakfast included, all airport/ hotel transfers, Galapagos flight, transit cards, Galapagos cruise including all meals while aboard and an experienced Galapagos Islands naturalist guide.

Not Included: Airfare from US to Quito; excess baggage charges; airport departure tax from Quito; Galapagos national park entrance fee; tips to local staff and items of a personal nature such as soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, laundry fees and insurance of any kind. On board purchases must be paid in cash. No credit cards accepted.

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 higher deposit of $1000 for our Galapagos trips 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.

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with Travel Insurance. Please note that you must purchase your Travel Insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions.


Accommodations Aboard: The Mary Anne accommodate 16 guests in 10 double cabins, all with private bathrooms and air-conditioning. There is also a bar, interior dining room, and an open-air dining area. Life aboard a small boat requires some physical agility and a flexible and social nature. Accommodations are in double cabins, each with toilet and shower. The crew is comprised of 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 beverages 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). 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 roundtrip 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. Sit on top kayaks are also available. The boat staff will be on hand to assist.

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 trips to Mainland Ecuador and Peru: Machu Picchu

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and 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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