The Enchanting Galapagos Islands, Andean People & Culture

Tuesday, 23 June 2026

Fly from the UK to Quito

Depart the UK on a daytime flight to Quito, arriving the same evening. You will be met by our representative and taken to your chosen hotel for 2-night stay including breakfast. Our guide will provide you with expert local advice, explain your programme and answer any questions you may have.

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Wednesday, 24 June 2026

Guided tour of Quito

Enjoy an afternoon guided tour of Quito, including the historic old part of the city with its fabulous colonial architecture, many convents, churches and small streets to explore.

We will visit the three main squares including impressive San Francisco square as well as the Presidential Palace and the Gold Museum.

Thursday, 25 June 2026

Fly to the Galapagos Islands

Fly to the Galapagos Islands and transfer to your chosen ship for a 7-night cruise on a full board basis including all excursions. Once on board, settle into your cabin and enjoy dinner followed by a full briefing and lecture on your exciting week ahead.

Explore the the Galapagos Islands, where Darwin observed the wildlife that would lead him to his theory of evolution. Basking marine iguanas, waved albatrosses, blue and red footed boobies, giant tortoises and friendly sea lions abound. Each morning and afternoon enjoy walking, swimming and snorkelling, accompanied by our expert naturalist guides to observe as much friendly wildlife as possible. Here we feature the Galapagos Legend 7-night North and West Itinerary.

 

 

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Friday, 26 June 2026

Genovesa Island: El Barranco & Darwin Bay

It is amazing to see the diversity of sea life that shelters in the crevices on the lava rock cliffs. A small group of fur seals can be found close to the landing area. Red-billed tropicbirds are seen flying overhead, switching between their nests in the bay and their nests. At the foot of a path that passes through a seabird colony, you will find a steep staircase that runs up to the top of rocks. The trail then continues inland, allowing you to view more nesting colonies of boobies in the Palo Santo forest. Wedge-romped Storm-Petrels are visible flying in all directions from the trail's end, just above a lava plain. You may be able to see a short-eared Owl if you're lucky.

You will find a small coral and sand beach. The trail leads west along the tidal lagoon, then up a steep rocky hill to reach a viewpoint overlooking Darwin Bay and the cliffs. Visitors will find pairs of swallow-tailed and lava gulls along the trail close to the tidal lake. You will continue on the trail through Palo Santo trees and Opuntia cedars, as well as Saltbushes, which are home to red-footed bobies and Great Frigate birds. Visitors can see red-footed bobies in this area. Genovesa's trees and bushes are home to more than 100,000 red-footed bobies.

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Saturday, 27 June 2026

Santa Cruz Island: Dragon Hill & Santa Fe Island

In the morning, see Dragon Hill's flamingos, walk by a brackish lake. You will find beautiful views of nearby islands and anchored boats as you walk along the trail. Mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, yellow warblers and Darwin's finches can be found in the forest.

In the afternoon, explore Santa Fe Island with its white sandy beaches, surrounded by sea-lion colonies. Through the island path, an endangered cactus forest can be passed, home to the Santa Fe land Iguanas, the largest of the islands. This island is home to a number species including the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos snakes and rice rats, one of the few endemic Galapagos rodents. There are also a variety finches and one mockingbird species.

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Sunday, 28 June 2026

Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach & Mosquera Islet

Today visit two small flamingo lakes are located on the north side Santa Cruz. They were used by iguanas to sunbathe. This beach is the primary nesting site for sea turtles in the Galapagos. The average turtle will lay 70 eggs per season, which is three to four times the normal number. This paradisiacal spot will also contain the remains of barges, which were sunk long ago when the United States Navy had a base on Baltra Island during World War II. Locals changed the name barges to "Bachas".

After lunch, visit Mosquera Islet where the topography is flat and sandy with a large colony sea lions. This is a great spot to see shorebirds like lava gulls and herons. The islet is undeveloped and visitors can freely enjoy its open space. The majority of the island is covered in sand and barren volcanic rock. 

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Monday, 29 June 2026

Santiago Island: Egas Port & Rabida Island

This morning visit Egas Port, a volcanic sand beach of black colour, visited by Darwin in 1835. The trail's first section is made of volcanic ash, which is eroded tuff. The second half is uneven volcanic basaltic rock terrain. Santiago shore's unique and strikingly layered terrain is home to many animals, including the yellow-crowned nightheon. You can easily see colonies of endemic fur sealings in volcanic rock pools.

In the afternoon, we visit Rabida Island, home to sea lion colonies. Its unique beaches are covered in dark-red sand. Rabida Island is the epicentre for the Galapagos Islands because of its volcanic geology. From July to September, nesting brown pelicans can be found along with nine species of the famous Darwin’s finches.

To observe nesting seabirds, a dinghy ride is taken along the cliffs. You can snorkel off the coast where you will find marine life at its best.

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Tuesday, 30 June 2026

Isabela Island: Urbina Bay & Tagus Cove

After breakfast visit Urbina Bay to see giant tortoises, land Iguanas and the unusual flightless cormorant. We then go snorkeling with sea turtles and sea lions. Urbina Bay is home to many different plants, each with a different range of flowers. This attracts different insects, birds and reptiles. The island's highlight is the coral reef, which was created by the 1954 seismic activity. Here you can see Alcedo Volcano. Whale watching is possible from Urbina to Tagus Cove during May-December.

In the afternoon, we visit Tagus Cove and Darwin's salt water crater lake, with spectacular views of volcanic formations and lava fields. Enjoy a dinghy ride along the shoreline, which is home to a wide variety of seabirds including the blue-footed boby, brown noddy and flightless cormorant. Depending on the season, we may also see a lot of Galapagos Penguins (the only penguin species that live in the tropics), as well as a number of other seabirds. There are approximately 2,000 penguins living on the islands. 

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Wednesday, 01 July 2026

Fernandina Island, Espinoza Point & Isabela Island

It is possible to see Isabela Island from Espinosa Point. This area boasts the most diverse endemic marine fauna in the Galapagos. These are the home to some of the most primitive and large marine iguanas. Fernandina offers a rare opportunity to see flightless cormorants nesting at Galapagos penguins' nesting sites and the Galapagos Hawk, which is the "King of predators" on the islands.

The majority of Fernandina terrain is covered by AA and Pa-hoehoe lava formations. In the inland, vegetation is sparse with very few brachycereus-cacti. Mangroves can be found at the beaches.

Later, deep-water snorkelling is possible at the Bolivar Channel in Vicente Roca Point, one of the most beautiful marine havens on Earth. We can access the coast by water and take a dinghy along the coast to see a wide variety of coastal birds, including nazca and blue-footed bobies, noddies and brown pelicans as well as penguins and flightless cormorants. 

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Thursday, 02 July 2026

Santa Cruz Island and return to the UK

Disembark after breakfast and travel through Santa Cruz island winding through the agricultural zone to reach dense and humid forests. You may also see Galapagos Giant Tortoises wandering in the paddocks and often seen along the road. This is an ideal spot for birdwatchers, as almost all land birds on the island live or migrate here. Continue to Baltra airport and fly to Guayaquil or Quito for your return overnight flight back to the UK. 

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Friday, 03 July 2026

Arrive in the UK

Arrive back in the UK in the morning.