Day 1: Arrive Quito, Ecuador
A transfer is included from Quito Airport to the Swissôtel Quito; settle in and get a good night’s sleep tonight, so you’ll be all set for an early morning start tomorrow!
Overnight: Swissôtel Quito, Ecuador
Meals Included:

Day 2: Visit the Equator and explore Quito
Taking its name from the Equator which splits the city in two, Quito has a history as colorful as the sites you will see today. Your discoveries start at the Equator, the imaginary line that divides the Northern and Southern hemispheres; you’ll have the rare opportunity to stand with one foot on each side of the world during your visit this morning. Check out the region’s geography and natural sciences at the Inti-Ñan Solar Museum; have lunch near the crater of extinct Pululahua Volcano, home to a farming community; and tour Quito’s colonial center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Please join us for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel this evening.
Overnight: Swissôtel Quito, Ecuador
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Cruise to islands time forgot
Hop on a plane for a flight to Baltra Island, the starting point for your Galápagos cruise* aboard our expeditionary ship, M / V Santa Cruz. Your first stop is Santa Cruz Island, home to daisy-tree forests, volcanic craters, endemic cactus, giant tortoises, and eight different species of Darwin’s Finches – the tiny birds that have become the symbol of evolution in the Galápagos. Put on your hiking shoes for a guided walk around a saltwater lagoon, and look for pintail ducks, flamingos, stilts, and sandpipers; most of the islands’ bird species can be found here. Back aboard the ship, a welcome briefing this evening introduces your Captain and crew, and our naturalists will offer details on the following day’s activities.
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Meet the locals on Santiago Island
Go ashore on Santiago Island for a walk through a mangrove forest, where you’ll observe sea turtles and flocks of pink flamingos. Later, put on your bathing suit for a swim and a snorkel, and learn more about the sea lions and marine iguanas who live on Santiago’s black lava shores – and about the Galápagos Islands’ volcanic origins – from our expert naturalists.
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Finches and sea lions on Rábida and hike on Bartolomé
Get ready to get wet when you wade ashore on the red beach of Rabida (Jervis) Island, where you may be welcomed by a colony of noisy sea lions. This island is studded with volcanic craters that mockingbirds and Darwin’s Finches call home. Continue on to Bartolomé Island and take a hike up to the summit – about 365 steps up – for views of neighboring islands and lots of cool volcanic features like tuff cones and lava tubes of varying sizes. Climb aboard a panga for a ride around Pinnacle Rock to look for tropical Galápagos penguins, sea lions and sea turtles – and have a chance to meet them face-to-face on a glass-bottom boat ride or while snorkeling.
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Towering sights and birds of Darwin Bay
Sail along the cliffs of Genovesa (Tower) Island today, where you’ll make a dry landing; climb Prince Philip’s Steps up to flat land for a hike across the island and an opportunity to see large colonies of Nazca (masked) boobies, storm petrels and frigate birds. In the afternoon, cruise to Darwin Bay; a wet landing on lava terrain leads to views of the many bird species you’ll find here, including blue- and red-footed boobies. Swim or snorkel if you wish. Join us for the Captain’s farewell dinner aboard ship tonight!
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Disembark ship and fly to Guayaquil
Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center on San Cristóbal (Chatham) Island – the capital of the Galápagos Islands, one of the oldest islands in the archipelago, and the last stop on your cruise; it’s a great place to learn even more about the natural history of the amazing islands you’ve just been exploring! Say goodbye to the Captain and crew as you disembark M / V Santa Cruz for a flight back to Guayaquil and a farewell dinner by the pool!
Overnight: Hilton Colón Guayaquil, Ecuador
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Homeward bound
Tour ends: Guayaquil. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Hilton Colón Guayaquil to Guayaquil International Airport; allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast