trip specifics

price

This 5-day Galapagos Voyager Southern Islands itinerary begins and ends in Santa Cruz Island and visits the smaller islands below of Floreana, Espanola, and San Cristobal. Pass on whaling tradition at Post Office Bay, explore some of the best flamingo nesting sites on Punta Cormorant, spend time swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing at Darwin Bay, and finish the excitement at North Seymour where a large population of magnificent frigate birds can be found and photographed.

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

Central Galapagos Islands 4 Days/3 nights

Western Galapagos Islands 4 Days/3 nights

Northern Galapagos Islands 5 Days/4 nights

Voyager Main Page

Day 1 - SAT - Baltra to Charles Darwin Station

Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, travelers pass through an airport inspection point to make sure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands, as well as to pay the park entrance fee of $100 (unless it has been prepaid). A guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage and escort you on a short bus ride to the canal to take a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island and then to our yacht the Galapagos Voyager (locally also known as Gran Poseidon). After a crew and captain welcome, your cabins will be assigned and lunch will be served.

Next head to the Charles Darwin Station to learn how the protection and conservation of the islands are carried out. Some of the main attractions are the National Park information center, the Van Staelen Exhibition Hall, the Breeding and Rearing Center for young tortoises and adult Galapagos tortoises in captivity.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - SUN - Punta Cormorant & Post Office Bay

Punta Cormorant offers probably the best flamingo lagoon in the Galapagos; it is also one of the largest in the islands. It’s situated between two tuff lava cones that give the area a special atmosphere. There are various species of shorebirds to observe besides flamingos; the most frequent are common stilts, white-checked pintail ducks and other migratory birds. It is very interesting to see the two distinct beaches: “The Green Beach” (due to its high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the “Flour Sand Beach” which is made up of coral. After our visit, sail to the nearby islet Champion to enjoy time for snorkeling.

Historically, Post Office Bay is the location of a wooden barrel that was placed by the crew of a whaling ship in the 18th century. It has since been used by sailors and tourists as a post office. The idea is to carry letters or postcards to their destination by hand. Apart from being the Post Office Barrel, this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists. Continue to the north of the island and go up to an elevated slope to enjoy a beautiful vista at the Baroness Lookout. It is said that Baroness Eloisa von Wagner loved this place and spent several hours there watching the horizon. Within walking distance (30 m) one can find the ruins of what is known to be her house. From this lookout, the landscape covers the coastline from the Enderby islet to Post Office Bay as well as Cerro Pajas, the pool of flamingos and wide forest of Palo Santo.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - MON - Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay

Punta Suarez is a rocky land spot home to one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in the Galapagos. Along its southern shore, high cliffs rise up from the sea allowing the visitor spectacular views of soaring birds and of the blow hole where water spouts up to 50-75 feet into the air according to the intensity of the surf. Located on the north-eastern coast of Hood Island, Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming, snorkeling and the opportunity to observe sea lions. Here look for sharks in the crystal-clear ocean waters.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - TUE - Isla Lobos & Cerro Colorado

The little island of Isla Lobos is in reach of approximately one hour by panga from Port Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Island. The trail will lead across a dry vegetation zone, substrate of volcanic rocks and sandy areas. There is a small population of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds, which nest in this site. At the beach you will see a large colony of sea lions. It is common to see shorebirds. Sometimes wildlife can be spotted better from the dinghy. Depending on local conditions the guide may decide to do a dinghy ride instead of the land visit. In the afternoon, visit the Cerro Colorado Tortoises Protection and Growing Center, located at approximately 40 minutes to the south east of the island. This center was built to improve the status of the population of the island tortoises. The center includes a large corral, a visitor center, breeding center and an interpretative trail. Along this trail it is possible to see different species of native and endemic plants as well as birds such as the San Cristobal mockingbird, yellow warblers, many species of finches and the Galapagos flycatcher. Continue to Puerto Chino beach and enjoy the view at El Mirador.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - WED - North Seymour & Disembark Baltra

Before heading back to Baltra for flights home, make a last island visit at North Seymour. Seymour is an uplifted (as opposed to volcanic) island and so it is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are good nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate birds. Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in the more open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea lions haul out onto the beach and can be seen bodysurfing. Watch your step, as the boobies don't worry much about where they nest, and you might just step on one. 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. There's a circular path that takes you through the island to a beautiful, rocky shore where the waves crash a silvery-blue.

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, 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. Call 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. Itineraries 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 small ship cruising unique.

Included: All transfers in Galapagos; matrimonial/twin cabin accommodation with private facilities; all meals; water; coffee and tea; all excursions as mentioned in the itinerary, English-speaking naturalist guide, snorkeling equipment.

Exclusions: Airfare from US to Quito; excess baggage charges; airport departure tax from Quito; National Park entrance fee ($100); transit control card ($10); wet suit rental; soft and alcoholic drinks; tips to local staff; and items of a personal nature such as laundry fees and insurance of any kind.

Room Configurations: The Galapagos Voyager does not have "single" cabins. There are no "share accommodations" or roommate match available. Single travelers will be required to pay a 75% surcharge of net rate.

Families & Children: We offer a 20% discount (on net rate) for children under the age of 12 years at time of travel. Children of all ages are accepted onboard but parents are held fully responsible for any accident or damage caused.

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 30% per person of the total amount is required at the time of booking. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Cancellation policy is as follows:
121+ days prior to departure - $250 fee per person
120 to 61 days prior - 30% penalty fee
60 days or less proir - 100% penalty fee

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: There are numerous opportunities to swim and snorkel. 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) is available free of charge; wet suits available at additional cost. 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 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.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life.


return to top of page

AdventureSmith Explorations

Travel Specialists  |  Contact Us