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The 4-day Corals South-East Galapagos Cruise sails round-trip from Baltra, focusing on the remote, southern islands of Floreana and Espanola. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island. Suarez Point on Espanola is considered one of the richest places in the Galapagos in terms of species diversity. Floreana Island was the first to be inhabited by people and offers a rich human history of the Galapagos and a green olivine beach at Cormorant Point, a great spot to find flamingos, migratory birds and possibly nesting sea turtles.

The Corals South-East Islands Cruise can be combined with the Western or North-Central Islands Cruise to create an 8-day/7-night itinerary. View the South-East Islands Cruise details below or click on the links to view details of other Corals Galapagos cruises.

Central Galapagos Islands 4 days/3 nights

Western Galapagos Islands 5 days/4 nights

North-Central Galapagos Islands 5 days/4 nights

Coral I & Coral II Galapagos Cruise Main Page

Day 1 - SUN - Baltra to Breeding Center & Darwin Station

Arrive to Baltra Island, transfer by bus to Puerto Ayora and board the Coral I or II. Receive a warm welcome and introductory briefing from the crew and enjoy a delicious lunch. Spend the afternoon observing the giant tortoises that are part of the reproduction program at the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center. This is the former home of the world’s most famous tortoise, Lonesome George, who was the last of his species. Admire a pickly-pear cactus forest and a variety of Darwin's finches and other land birds and you tour around the famed Charles Darwin Research Station, which provides environmental education to local schools as well as tourists. You will also have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs. Return to the vessel for dinner and a naturalists briefing on the next day’s activities.

Accommodations: Coral I or Coral II
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - MON - Cormorant Point & Post Office Bay

Floreana Island's Cormorant Point offers two highly contrasting beaches. The strand where the yacht anchors is composed of volcanic olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tint that glitters in the sun. From here a trail crosses the neck of the isthmus that rises to form a cinder cone to a beach of very fine white sand, formed by the erosion of coral skeletons. This is one of the most important nesting sites of green Pacific sea turtles. It is important to avoid walking in the water due to the sting rays that may be hiding in the sand, which can be dangerous if accidentally stepped on. From the beach one can spot sea turtles, blue-footed boobies plunging into the water and small reef sharks floating along the shoreline in search of food. Between the two beaches is a salt lagoon frequented by flamingos, pintails, stilts and other wading birds. Pass back by this lagoon on your way back to the olivine beach for swimming and snorkeling among sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions and, on a good day, white-tipped reef sharks. A small colony of penguins resides on Floreana and can sometimes be observed as well.

After lunch, continue the old whaling tradition at Post Office Bay by placing unstamped postcards inside the barrel; they will reach their destinations for free in the hands of other travelers. It can take weeks, months, even years, not arrive at all, or even arrive before you! Here look for Darwin’s finches, yellow warbler and lava lizards. There are great snorkeling opportunities with green Pacific sea turtles here as well. This island is best known for its endemic vegetation: Scalesia villosa, Lecocarpus pinnatifidus and Galapagos milkwort. Snorkelers can practice on the main beach among playful sea lions.

Accommodations: Coral I or Coral II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - TUE - Gardner Bay & Suarez Point

Today's visit is to Espanola Island. Spend the morning at Gardner Bay, which offers a magnificent long white sandy beach where colonies of sea lions laze in the sun, sea turtles swim offshore and inquisitive mockingbirds boldly investigate new arrivals. Spot Galapagos hawks, American oyster catchers, Galapagos doves, hood mockingbirds, 3 species of Darwin finches, yellow warblers, lava lizards and marine iguanas. Swimming and snorkeling offers a great variety of Galapagos marine animals: king angelfish, Creole fish, Damsel fish, parrot fish, manta rays and white-tipped reef sharks.

The quantity and variety of wildlife at Suarez Point is remarkable, and here you'll explore volcanic formations that make Espanola an island of such geologic interest. Besides the large sea lion colonies it is a very important site for bird watching. A major highlight is their mating season, from May through December. A somewhat lengthy 2.5-hour walk brings you to the western edge of the island where masked boobies nest along the cliff's edge, and then descends to a rocky beach before rising to an open area and a large gathering of nesting blue-foot boobies. Admire the island’s dramatic backdrop, featuring the famous Soplador, a seaward blowhole that shoots water at some 23 m. (75 ft.) in the air.

Accommodations: Coral I or Coral II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - WED - Daphne to Baltra

On your final day, circumnavigate the islet of Daphne, an eroded tuff cone formation that was created by successive volcanic activity, for an opportunity to see Darwin’s finches, blue-footed boobies, Nazca Boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls and brown noddies. Afterwards, you will go straight to the Baltra airport for return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

GALAPAGOS CRUISE INCLUSIVE PACKAGE: For your convenience we offer an Inclusive Package with three nights hotel accommodations in Quito or Guayaquil, all airport/hotel transfers, Galapagos flights, Galapagos National Park entrance fees and taxes, Galapagos migration card and your Galapagos cruise. View details of our Galapagos Cruise Inclusive Package.

Travelers not interested in our inclusive package must purchase Galapagos flights in conjunction with their Galapagos cruise.

GALAPAGOS CRUISE CUSTOM PACKAGE: If you are booking a cruise-only program our experts can assist with hotels, transfers, flights and tours. Contact AdventureSmith Explorations about customizing your tour or the possibilities of combining this trip with our Mainland Ecuador and Peru: Machu Picchu extensions. We are Galapagos cruise and Ecuador travel experts and our staff can help you customize the perfect Galapagos cruise or Ecuador tour package.

Itinerary Notes: Use the itinerary as a guide only. Itinerary may be altered due to weather, wildlife, National Park regulation or at the captain's discretion. The ability to be flexible makes this type of Galapagos cruising unique.

Included: Double accommodation in cabins with air conditioning, private facilities, meals scheduled on board, welcome and farewell cocktails, water, 24-hour tea/coffee station, two daily visits to Galapagos Islands with multilingual (English/Spanish) naturalist guide, snorkeling (gear included) and kayaking opportunities, briefings/lectures and activities on board, baggage handling, transfers and dinghy rides to/from ports, shuttle service in Quito and Guayaquil to/from designated hotels to select Galapagos flights, and airport check-in assistance.

Exclusions: International airfare; airfare from mainland Ecuador; Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee (US $100 per adult, $50 for children under 12 years old. This can be paid directly by passengers [cash only] or it is included in our INCLUSIVE PACKAGE TOURS); Galapagos National Institute Migration Control Card (US $10 per person); departure tax ($40.80); gratuities for guides, crew, drivers or local staff; alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages; other personal expenses; medical services or insurance of any kind. 2013 cruise fuel surcharge is an additional $90 (4-5 Day), $180 (8-12 Day) or $360 (15 Day) per person.

Wet suit rental available for US $25 per person per each 4-5 day cruise, $50 for longer cruises. Kayak rental $30 per person. Internet available at extra cost.

Room Configurations: The Corals offer limited single occupancy cabins at a 50% supplement (75% during 2013 holidays). 50% discount for the third guest sharing the cabin with 2 full-fare paying guests, Junior and higher cabin categories only. Double shared accommodation under request. For entended cruises (10+ nights) aboard the Coral yachts, passengers may be required to change yachts in the middle of the cruise.

Families & Children: Children under 12 years old at the time of sailing receive 25% off when sharing the cabin with an adult, or a 50% discount if sharing a cabin with two full-fare paying guests. Junior and higher cabin categories only. Minimum child age is 7 years old. Kids will enjoy different activities offered on board like stargazing, a special kids menu, a visit to the bridge to meet the Captain, T-shirt dye, Wii, handcrafts and much more. There are special family departure dates when more children will be on board.

Arrival & Departure: Most flights to the Galapagos will depart Quito or Guayaquil between 7:00am-9:00am on day 1 and return between 2:00pm-5:00pm on the final day. We highly recommend travelers arrive Ecuador 2 days prior to their Galapagos cruise.

Payment & Cancellation: A cruise deposit of $700 per person is required at the time of booking. For land packages a deposit of $300 per person is required at the time of booking. A Reservation Form, which includes a release of liability, must be completed and signed by all travelers. The balance of the trip price is due 90 days before the departure date. Guests who must cancel their trip for any reason must do so in writing. Cancellations are subject to the following per-person fees, based on number of days prior to departure:
Up to 121 days - no penalty
120 to 61 days - $300 fee
60 to 0 days - 100% of total trip cost

Terms & Conditions: 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 and extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation.

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. Click the link below for a selection of policies from our partners at Travelex.


Activities: Daily hikes/walks range from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, over sometimes rocky or muddy terrain (depeding on season). Snorkeling is available most days. The underwater snorkeling 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) is available for the duration of the cruise. Shortie wet suits are also available for rent and are recommended from June to December. Kayaks are available to rent.

Qualifications: The 4-day South-East Corals Galapagos Cruise 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 round trip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Some landings are dry but many are "wet," requiring cautious footing on slippery rocks. The boat staff will be on hand to assist.


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