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south america: galapagos

Seaman Journey - Southern Galapagos Islands 5 day/4 night

The Seaman Journey Southern Galapagos Islands Cruise is a small ship cruise around the Southern Galapagos Islands over 5 days. From the beautiful beaches of Espanola to the historic whaling tradition at Post Office Bay to an informative finish at the Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island, this shorter Galapagos trip has a bit of everything.

The Seaman Journey Southern Galapagos Islands Cruise comprises the final five days of the 8-day Eastern Islands itinerary. This Southern route can be combined with the Western Islands Seaman Journey itinerary to create a 12-day itinerary. View the Southern Islands day-by-day itinerary details below, or click the following links to view more Galapagos Seaman Journey options.

Seaman Journey Western Islands 8 Day/7 Night
Seaman Journey Eastern Islands 8 Day/7 Night
Seaman Journey Northern Islands 4 Day/3 Night
Seaman Journey Main Page

Day 1 - MON - San Cristobal to Kicker Rock & Lobos Island

Fly from mainland Ecuador to San Cristobal in the Galapagos Islands. The flight from Quito to the Galapagos is approximately 2 ½ hours on a Boeing 727. Upon arrival at Baltra travelers pass through an airport inspection point to insure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands and to pay the park entrance fee of $100 (unless prepaid), and $10 for the INGALA card, which is an identity card that you need.Guides will meet you, collect your luggage and escort you on the short bus ride to the harbor. Motorized rafts, called pangas will transport you to the Seaman Journey where you'll be welcomed onboard. After departure and lunch, the first island visit is made: to the famed Kicker Rock. Also known as the Sleeping Lion because of its resemblance, Kicker Rock is located of the coast of San Cristobal. The remains of a lava cone eroded by the sea, the two vertical rocks rising 500 feet from the ocean form a small channel that is navigable by small boats. This Galapagos Islands natural monument has become a favorite sight for cruises due to the many tropical birds, frigates and boobies that fill the surrounding air. Beneath the sea the nearly crystal waters offer a brilliant show of colorful tropical fish and invertebrates.

Continue on to Isla Lobos, about an hour by boat from Port Baquerizo Moreno. The length of the trail is 850 meters and the estimated hiking time is one hour. There is a small population of blue-footed boobies and common frigate birds nesting on this site, and you can observe the two species of sea lions present in the archipelago. You'll pass through a dry vegetation zone, substrate of volcanic rocks and a sandy area. During the panga tour, brown pelicans and several species of shorebirds can be observed. Dip down below the water snorkeling, and it’s common to see juvenile sea lions, manta rays and sea turtles.

Accommodations: Seaman Journey
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - TUE - Pitt Point & Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal)

A morning stop at Pitt Point on the east end of San Cristobal affords encounters with endemic species such as lava lizards and red-footed boobies. This is the only site in the Galapagos Islands, where you can watch the three species of boobies and two species of frigates nesting in the same area. The view is impressive when you walk up to the high part of the island. You may be lucky to see the red footed booby - the least seen of the bunch. It’s also the home of the Chatham mockingbird, only found here on San Cristobal Island. In the afternoon, enjoy a visit to Cerro Brujo, an erroding tuff cone on the north coast of San Cristobal, the highlight of which is the powder-like sandy beach. In the lagoon located at Cerro Brujo, the people of Port Baquerizo Moreno mined salt for preserving cod, beef and tortoise. Today it is a place for watching lake and coastal birds. Cerro Brujo offers an excellent landscape, where you can see Kicker Rock (geologic formation), the southern part of Upper San Cristobal and the coast adjacent to Cerro Brujo.

Accommodations: Seaman Journey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - WED - Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay (Espanola)

Punta Suarez is a rocky land spot that sustains 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 affording 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 northeastern coast of Island, Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and the opportunity to observe sea lions. Here you can also observe sharks in the crystal-clear ocean waters.

Accommodations: Seaman Journey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - THR - Cormorant Point & Post Office Bay, Floreana

Cormorant Point on Floreana Island 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.

Historically, Post Office Bay is the location of a wooden barrel that was placed in the 18th century by the crew of a whaling ship. It has been used since this time by mariners and tourists as a post office. The idea is to carry letters or postcards to their destination by hand. Apart from hosting the Post Office Barrel, this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists. Continue to the north of the island and ascend 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 watching the horizon. Within walking distance (30 m) are the ruins of what is known as 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: Seaman Journey
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - FRI - Charles Darwin Station (Santa Cruz)

The Charles Darwin Station is a hub of information on how the protection and conservation of the islands are carried out. One of the main attractions are the National Park information center, the Van Straelen Exhibition Hall, the Breeding and Rearing Center for young tortoises and adult Galapagos tortoises in captivity. After the morning excursion you will be taken to the Baltra airport for your flight to the 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 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: Galapagos cruise including all meals and activities while aboard, all transfers in Galapagos, water, coffee, tea, an experienced Galapagos Islands naturalist guide, snorkeling gear.

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 soft drink beverages; wet suit rental; other personal expenses; medical services or insurance of any kind.

Room Configurations: Cabins aboard the Seaman Journey can be booked as a single for a 75% supplement.

Families & Children: Children under 12 receive a discount (1 child per 2 adults). Contact us for more information.

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. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Guests who must cancel their trip for any reason must do so in writing. Cancellations are subject to the following fees, based on number of days prior to departure:
Up to 121 days - $200
120 to 61 days - 20% of total trip cost
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: 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) are available for the duration of the cruise. Sea kayaks are also available aboard Seaman Journey. Shortie wet suits are available for rent and are recommended from June to December.

Qualifications: The Seaman Journey Southern Galapagos Islands 5-day 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.

For additional information and reservations, please contact us:

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