CRUISE THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS ABOARD THE Seaman

4-day itinerary

This morning we will arrive on San Cristobal Island, where we will visit the National Park centre to have a quick briefing session. Then we will climb up to Tijeretas hill, from where we have a superb view over the island. Then, in the afternoon, we visit Lobos island, which is appropriately-named as the sea-lions leap, frolic, and generally have a great time here!

Today we will sail south to the island of Española and the headland known as Punta Suarez. This rocky point of land is home to one of the most impressive colonies of sea-birds in the Galapagos. Along the southern shore, huge cliffs rise up from the sea, giving you spectacular views of soaring birds and an enormous blowhole, where water spouts up to 15m in the air! Then, in the afternoon, we will sail around to Gardner Bay to visit a friendly sea-lion colony.

This morning we will head on to Floreana Island and Punta Cormorant, with its olivine-crystal beach, for an easy walk that includes a brackish water lagoon where bird species like Greater flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts, herons, sandpipers, and others may be observed. Then we will head to Post Office Bay, where pirates and whalers used to leave messages for each other in a floating barrel.

This morning we will dock in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz, from where we will take you to Baltra to catch your flight back to the mainland, where we'll meet you and take you back to your hotel.

Please note that all Galapagos cruise itineraries are subject to change by the Galapagos National Park Authorities.

5-day itinerary

You’ll arrive by plane on the island of Baltra and here we will meet you and take you to your yacht! From here we will head up into the highlands of Santa Cruz island on an extraordinary hike into the lava tunnels that were created as the streams of molten rock from the island's volcano cooled down. After lunch, our trail leads us to Santa Cruz's beautiful white sand beaches and equatorial lagoons.

Today we will visit Urbina Bay, on the west of the island of Isabela. A section of marine reef was lifted up above water by this beach and today we will walk through some of the dried reef that previosuly sat on the ocean floor. A highlight of this excursion is the giant land iguanas, whose vivid and gaudy yellow skin suggests that dinosaurs may have been very colorful indeed. Giant tortoises inhabit this coastal plain during the wet season, before migrating to the highlands when it turns dry. After lunch, we will head on to Punta Vicente Roca, which lies on the northern part of the Isabela. Here the remnants of an ancient volcano form two turquoise coves with a bay well protected from the ocean swells. The spot is a popular anchorage from which to take panga rides along the cliff where a partially sunken cave lies... For those of an even more curious nature, one cove is only accessible from the sea by way of a short underwater passage which opens to the calm waters of the hidden cove where sea lions like to laze on the beach having traveled along the underwater route.

This morning, we visit Tagus Cove, located on the western Island of Isabela, the largest Island in the Galapagos. We will disembark here and go for a walk, where we will discover a salt-water lagoon, and large lava fields and volcanic formations. Graffiti dating back to the 1800's is written on the rocky cliffs. Heading back to the Cove we will see Galapagos penguins, boobies, pelicans and other seabirds. After lunch, we cross the Bolivar Canal to Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, the youngest and most pristine Island found in Galapagos. Hundreds of marine iguanas, the largest colony in the Galapagos, bask in the sun along the rugged shoreline, along with resident sea-lion bulls carefully guarding their territory.

This morning we will visit the Plazas Islands which, despite their small size, are home to some of the most interesting species to be found anywhere in the Galapagos. You will be able to see iguanas, sea-lions, and large colonies of sea-birds such as frigate birds, pelicans, mullets and shearwaters. In the afternoon, we will head on to Bartolomé, famous for Pinnacle Rock - a towering, pointing obelisk that rises from the water by a double beach that has become the best-known landmark in the Galapagos. We will climb to the summit of the island for some superb views before heading back down to the beach to swim with penguins and sea-lions!

This morning we will visit the "Leon Dormido", also known as Kicker Rock. This spectacular rock formation rises 152m out of the ocean and looks for all the world like a sleeping lion! From here we will head back to Puerto Baquerizo to catch your flight back to the mainland.

Please note that all Galapagos cruise itineraries are subject to change by the Galapagos National Park Authorities.

8-day itinerary

You’ll arrive by plane on the island of Baltra and here we will meet you and take you to your yacht! From here we will head up into the highlands of Santa Cruz island on an extraordinary hike into the lava tunnels that were created as the streams of molten rock from the island's volcano cooled down. After lunch, our trail leads us to Santa Cruz's beautiful white sand beaches and equatorial lagoons.

Today we will visit Urbina Bay, on the west of the island of Isabela. A section of marine reef was lifted up above water by this beach and today we will walk through some of the dried reef that previosuly sat on the ocean floor. A highlight of this excursion is the giant land iguanas, whose vivid and gaudy yellow skin suggests that dinosaurs may have been very colorful indeed. Giant tortoises inhabit this coastal plain during the wet season, before migrating to the highlands when it turns dry. After lunch, we will head on to Punta Vicente Roca, which lies on the northern part of the Isabela. Here the remnants of an ancient volcano form two turquoise coves with a bay well protected from the ocean swells. The spot is a popular anchorage from which to take panga rides along the cliff where a partially sunken cave lies... For those of an even more curious nature, one cove is only accessible from the sea by way of a short underwater passage which opens to the calm waters of the hidden cove where sea lions like to laze on the beach having traveled along the underwater route.

This morning, we visit Tagus Cove, located on the western Island of Isabela, the largest Island in the Galapagos. We will disembark here and go for a walk, where we will discover a salt-water lagoon, and large lava fields and volcanic formations. Graffiti dating back to the 1800's is written on the rocky cliffs. Heading back to the Cove we will see Galapagos penguins, boobies, pelicans and other seabirds. After lunch, we cross the Bolivar Canal to Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, the youngest and most pristine Island found in Galapagos. Hundreds of marine iguanas, the largest colony in the Galapagos, bask in the sun along the rugged shoreline, along with resident sea-lion bulls carefully guarding their territory.

This morning we will visit the Plazas Islands which, despite their small size, are home to some of the most interesting species to be found anywhere in the Galapagos. You will be able to see iguanas, sea-lions, and large colonies of sea-birds such as frigate birds, pelicans, mullets and shearwaters. In the afternoon, we will head on to Bartolomé, famous for Pinnacle Rock - a towering, pointing obelisk that rises from the water by a double beach that has become the best-known landmark in the Galapagos. We will climb to the summit of the island for some superb views before heading back down to the beach to swim with penguins and sea-lions!

This morning we will arrive on San Cristobal Island, where we will visit the National Park centre to have a quick briefing session. Then we will climb up to Tijeretas hill, from where we have a superb view over the island. Then, in the afternoon, we visit Lobos island, which is appropriately-named as the sea-lions leap, frolic, and generally have a great time here!

Today we will sail south to the island of Española and the headland known as Punta Suarez. This rocky point of land is home to one of the most impressive colonies of sea-birds in the Galapagos. Along the southern shore, huge cliffs rise up from the sea, giving you spectacular views of soaring birds and an enormous blowhole, where water spouts up to 15m in the air! Then, in the afternoon, we will sail around to Gardner Bay to visit a friendly sea-lion colony.

This morning we will head on to Floreana Island and Punta Cormorant, with its olivine-crystal beach, for an easy walk that includes a brackish water lagoon where bird species like Greater flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts, herons, sandpipers, and others may be observed. Then we will head to Post Office Bay, where pirates and whalers used to leave messages for each other in a floating barrel.

This morning we will dock in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz, from where we will take you to Baltra to catch your flight back to the mainland, where we'll meet you and take you back to your hotel.

Please note that all Galapagos cruise itineraries are subject to change by the Galapagos National Park Authorities.

Prices

8 day Galapagos cruise from £2800pp
5 day Galapagos cruise from £1950pp
4 day Galapagos cruise from £1800pp

We know it's confusing when you're looking at lots of different options to work out what is, and isn't, included. We try to keep things simple by just including everything we can think of so you don't have any nasty surprises

The only sizeable cost we don't include is the $100 Galapagos National Park fee as we are unable to pre-pay this, however we do include all of the following:

• Full return airfare between Ecuador and the Galapagos
• 2 nights accommodation in Quito - one before and one after your cruise
• All transfers
• All your meals while on board
• Services of the ships crew
• Services of at least one on-board guide and qualified naturalist

You will need the accommodation in Quito because of the timing of international flights and the flights to and from the Galapagos but most operators don't include these non-optional costs in their prices so make sure you check!