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south america: galapagos

Voyager - Western Galapagos Islands 4 day/5 night

The Voyager Western Galapagos Cruise begins and ends on Santa Cruz Island, makes a few small stops at Rabida and Chinese Hat before focusing on Isabela Island, the largest in the Galapagos. The western exposure means opportunities for whale watching.

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

Central Galapagos Islands 4 days/5 nights

Northern Galapagos Islands 5 days/4 nights

Southern Galapagos Islands 5 days/4 nights

Voyager Main Page

Day 1 - WED - Baltra to Dragon Hill

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 the Galapagos Voyager yacht (locally also known as Gran Poseidon). After a crew and captain welcome, your cabins will be assigned and lunch will be served.

The visitor site at Dragon Hill has been open for visits on 1993. This site is located in northwestern Santa Cruz Island and consists of a trail that leads to a hyper-saline lagoon behind the beach, frequented by flamingos, pintail ducks and other species of birds. This site has been repopulated with land iguanas from Seymour, Isabela and Santa Cruz islands. There is a short walk to the Hill, which offers a beautiful view of the bay.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - THR - Chinese Hat & Rábida

This is a small islet (1 square km) located just off the southeastern tip of Santiago Island. It is a recent volcanic cone, shaped like a Chinese hat when seen from the north side. On the west there can be seen lava formations formed under the sea and raised upwards. This is why coral heads are found on the lava. It is an excellent visit for interpretation of geological features such as lava tubes and lava flows. The landscape is covered by sea lion colonies, marine iguanas and Galapagos penguins. Enjoy time for some fantastic snorkeling.

Rábida Island is unique because of the red color of its rocks and sand. The volcanic material of this island is very porous and external factors as rain, salt water and sea breeze have acted as an oxidizing agent. A short walk along a trail leads us to a coastal lagoon behind the beach to observe land birds as finches, doves, yellow warblers and mocking birds. At the lagoon there is a colony of flamingos. There are normally sea lions around at the beach and there is a good snorkeling opportunity.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - FRI - Port Villamil & Sierra Negra Volcano

Isabela Island is the largest and one of the youngest islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Land in Puerto Villamil, which has the second smallest population in Galapagos with approximately 3,000 inhabitants. First visit the Flamingos Lagoon; this place is the largest coastal lagoon found in Galapagos and is one of the main reproductive sites for the greater flamingos. Afterwards continue to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, observing the Isabela subspecies as well as “The Wall of Tears”; from 1946 to 1959 Isabela was designated a penal colony by the Ecuadorian government. Prisoners were obligated to build a wall with enormous blocks of lava. Due to the arduous labor and harsh conditions in which the prisoners lived, this site is known as “El Muro de las Lagrimas.”

Next head up to the highlands from Puerto Villamil to Sierra Negra slope and will later do some hiking on uneven terrain until arrival at the Sierra Negra volcano rim. Sierra Negra is the second widest crater in the world. From this viewpoint, you have fantastic sights to the 6- x 5-mile-wide crater, the rest of the volcanoes, and Perry Isthmus, a 12-km-wide lava field.

Accommodations: Voyager
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - SAT - Twin Craters & Disembark Baltra

Back at Santa Cruz Island in the harbor of Puerto Ayora, passengers that leave the yacht today will be transferred back to the airport at Baltra, making a short stop in the highlands. The trail to the highlands leaves from Bellavista and passes through the agricultural zone near the National Park boundary, the Miconia Zone, and then leads to the Fern and Sedge zone. With clear weather (unpredictable) this area reveals beautiful scenes of rolling hills and extinct volcanic cones covered with grass and lush greenery all year round. The twin craters will be visited before the continuation to the northern end of Santa Cruz, from where the ferry crossing to Baltra will be made and the last couple of minutes by bus to the airport.

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.

For additional information and reservations, please contact us:

800-728-2875 | 530-583-1775 | fax 530-583-1711 | travel@AdventureSmithExplorations.com