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Take your time to discover the remarkable Northern and Western islands of the Galapagos archipelago, where what used to be silent pirate hideaways are today refuge for fledgling wildlife preparing itself to encounter the harsh realities of Galapagos existence. Open seas bring in everything from Blue and Sperm Whales to octopus, rays, dolphins and swordfish and the equatorial sun-baked lava rocks are home to hugging marine iguanas and sluggish alpha male sea lions rolling in the sand. Sea turtle pools and Flightless Cormorants feeding their young on volcanic Fernandina, the youngest of the Galapagos islands, erupting regularly to give the entire island the aspect of what life on Earth must have seemed several million years ago.

Let us guide you north to spectacular Genovesa, a barren island that is home to abundant birdlife, including otherwise rare sea birds, prime nesting sites of Red-footed Boobies, frigatebirds, and the dapper Red-billed Tropicbird, as well as the curious Short-Eared Owl, and compare this to the luscious misty highlands of Santa Cruz and the beautiful of curvy geology of Santiago’s shores.

The Beagle North Western Islands cruise can be combined with the South Central Islands cruise to create a 15 day/14 night comprehensive itinerary. View the North Western Islands cruise details below or click on the link to view details of the South Central Islands cruise itinerary.

South Central Galapagos Islands 8 day/7 night

Beagle Main Page

Day 1 - TUE - Baltra Airport and Bachas Beach

Arrive at Baltra airport and transfer to the M/S Beagel on Santa Cruz. Head to Bachas Beach, disembark on a white sand nesting site of Green Sea Turtles. Enjoy the first sights of the Galapagos Islands and an introductory dip in waters teeming with tropical fish.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 2 - WED - Prince Philip's Steps & Darwin Bay Genovesa

Begin today with a dry landing on Prince Philip's Steps, taking you up a cliff onto a lava rock trail, through Palo Santo woodland, among nesting birds with a chance to encounter Short-eared Owl. After, enjoy snorkeling along steep dramatic Galapagos cliffs, followed by a visit to Darwin Bay - a collapsed caldera home to Frigatebirds and Red-footed Boobies.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - THR - James Bay, Santiago & Isabela Island

Start with a wet landing at James Bay onto a wonderful black beach. Follow a coastal trail to observe tidal pools, marine birds, iguanas and sea lions. Meet Galapagos fur seals sleeping in and around lava bridges and grottos. After lunch the Beagle will navigate to western Isabela Island.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - FRI - Punta Vicente Roca & Punta Espinoza, Fernandina

Enjoy a panga ride at Punta Vicente Roca to snorkel where the underwater wildlife is particularly abundant, as it takes advantage of the nutrient-rich Cromwell Current upwelling. After lunch, head out for a dry landing at Punta Espinoza on the youngest island of the archipelago. Home to sea lions, Flightless Cormorants, penguins, herons, Sally Lightfoot Crabs and much more.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - SAT - Tangas Cove & Urbina Bay, Isabela

A 30-minute hike at Tagus Cove takes you up a cliff to a magnificent viewpoint of beautiful landscapes of Darwin Volcano and Darwin Lake. To the south, at the foot of the western side of Alcedo Volcano is Urbina Bay, uplifted from the seabed in 1954 leaving coral heads out of the water for everyone to admire. An important colony of land iguanas resides at this site. Search for Alcedo's giant tortoises in their natural habitat.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - SUN - Elizabeth Bay & Punta Moreno, Isabela

At Elizabeth Bay take a panga ride in search of Galapagos penguins at Mariela Rock and head over to the quiet lagoons where green sea turtles and spotted eagle rays glide along. Later, explore the desolate landscapes of impressive black lava at Punta Moreno.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - MON - Sierra Negra & Puerto Villamil, Santa Cruz

Take the trail up to the crater of Sierra Negra Volcano, the 2nd largest in the world. On the way back down, drop in on the famous giant tortoises at the Centro de Crianza Arnaldo Tupiza breeding center. Lunch will be served on the yacht and afterwards you can enjoy a swim in one of the coves at Puerto Villamil before setting sail to Puerto Ayora.

Accommodations: Beagle
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - TUE - Charles Darwin Research Station, Baltra

Ride by bus to the Gemelos, twin pit craters in the Santa Cruz highlands and a visit a local farm -Primicias- where giant tortoises can be seen in their natural misty woodland habitat. Spend the afternoon in Charles Darwin Research Station and strolling about Puerto Ayora, exploring the shops and getting to know island town life before heading back Baltra to board your flight back to the Ecuador mainland.

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 Coral 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 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 Coral 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.

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.

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. Not valid during holiday periods. Minimum child age is 10 years old.

Land Cost Includes: All accommodations aboard, Galapagos cruise including all meals while aboard and an experienced Galapagos Islands naturalist guide, land and sea transportation, use of snorkeling equipment and kayaks.

Not Included: 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.

Arrival and 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 and Cancellation Policy: 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. Final payment is due 90 days prior to 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 Beagle is a first class vessel and can accommodate 14 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 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. 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 available for a fee. 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: This trip combines well with our Peru, Machu Picchu 6 Day Explorer Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining trips to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos.

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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