Itinerary
- Day 1
Quito
You'll arrive in Quito and check into your hotel. The city sits high in the Andes at about 9,350 feet, so take your time adjusting to the elevation. Spend the afternoon or evening walking around the Old Town on your own if you'd like. There are colonial plazas, churches, and old buildings throughout the UNESCO-listed district that you can explore at whatever pace works for you. If you're arriving earlier than expected, there are optional programs available to help with the adjustment.
Optional Activities
- Pre-Program activities (available for guests arriving earlier)
Landmarks Old Town of Quito - Day 2
Quito to Middle of the World
After breakfast, a guide will take you through the Old Town's cobblestone streets to see the colonial architecture up close. You'll also get to try some local Ecuadorian chocolate while you're walking around. From there, you'll travel about 16 miles north to the Middle of the World monument. This is where you can literally stand with one foot in each hemisphere on the equator line. Lunch is included with the tour.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Quito's Old Town
- Chocolate tasting from Ecuadorian cacao
- Visit to Middle of the World City monument
- Full-day excursion: Historic Quito and Middle of the World including lunch
Landmarks Middle of the World City Old Town of Quito - Day 3
Galapagos Islands
Following breakfast, you'll fly to Baltra Island in the Galapagos. Once you arrive, you'll board the MS Santa Cruz II and head out on small panga boats to Mosquera Islet. One of the largest sea lion colonies is there, and you'll see blue-footed boobies and Sally Lightfoot crabs while walking the sandy dunes. Naturalist guides go along to explain what you're seeing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Flight from Quito to Baltra Island
- Transfer to port in Baltra
- Visit to Mosquera Islet
- Small panga boat landing
- Wildlife viewing and nature walk
- Naturalist-guided experience
Landmarks Mosquera Islet Baltra Island - Day 4
Galapagos Islands
Today takes you to the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve where they breed endangered giant tortoises. You'll see endemic species like San Cristóbal mockingbirds and lava lizards too. Depending on the date, either Cerro Brujo or Punta Pitt will be your destination. Cerro Brujo has white coral beaches where Darwin walked in 1835, while Punta Pitt is known for three booby species. You can choose to do nature walks, explore by boat, snorkel, or swim.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve
- Wildlife viewing (giant tortoises, mockingbirds, lava lizards)
- Small panga boat landing
- Nature walk
- Snorkeling and swimming option
- Glass-bottomed boat option
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Glass-bottomed boat tour
Landmarks Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve Cerro Brujo Punta Pitt - Day 5
Galapagos Islands
Start with a nature walk on Santa Fe's beaches where endemic Barrington land iguanas live alongside sea lions. You have the option to swim, snorkel, kayak, or take a glass-bottomed boat tour. Later, after lunch prepared by the ship's chefs, you'll head to South Plaza Island. There you'll spot frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, Galapagos shearwaters, and both land and marine iguanas.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch prepared by onboard chefs), Dinner
Included Activities
- Nature walk on Santa Fe beaches
- Swimming or snorkeling from panga boats
- Kayaking option
- Glass-bottomed boat tour option
- Visit to South Plaza Island
- Wildlife viewing (frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters, iguanas)
Optional Activities
- Kayaking
- Glass-bottomed boat tour
- Swimming
- Snorkeling
Landmarks Santa Fe Island South Plaza Island - Day 6
Santa Cruz Island
The day starts at the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora where you can see recently hatched giant tortoises and Darwin's finches. You'll walk through an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti filled with land birds. Lunch happens in the highlands where giant tortoises roam around. If you want something more active, mountain biking or visiting a sugar plantation are also available options.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in the lush highlands), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Charles Darwin Research Station
- Giant tortoise breeding center tour
- Darwin's finches viewing
- Prickly pear cactus forest exploration
- Highland lunch experience
Optional Activities
- Mountain biking
- Sugar plantation visit
Landmarks Charles Darwin Research Station Puerto Ayora - Day 7
Espanola Island
You're heading to Espanola, the southernmost island in the Galapagos. The birdlife here is extraordinary with Nazca and blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and waved albatrosses (April through December). Red Espanola lava lizards and marine iguanas are around too. You'll also see El Soplador, a blowhole that shoots water 75 feet high. After lunch, you'll visit Gardner Bay and Osborn Islet for sea lions, mockingbirds, and finches. Snorkeling or kayaking can be added.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on board the ship), Dinner
Included Activities
- Espanola Island exploration
- Wildlife viewing (Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, gulls, albatrosses, lava lizards, marine iguanas)
- El Soplador blowhole visit
- Gardner Bay visit
- Osborn Islet visit
- Naturalist-guided experience
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling
- Kayaking
Landmarks Espanola Island El Soplador Gardner Bay Osborn Islet - Day 8
Eden Islet and North Seymour
The morning is at Eden Islet where Galapagos green turtles, rays, and reef sharks hang out along with distinctive frigatebirds. You can swim, snorkel, explore reefs by glass-bottomed boat, or kayak. After lunch, the ship sails to North Seymour where blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls gather. Sea lions and marine iguanas also congregate in these waters around the island.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on board the ship), Dinner
Included Activities
- Eden Islet exploration
- Wildlife viewing (green turtles, rays, reef sharks, frigatebirds)
- Swimming or snorkeling
- Glass-bottomed boat tour option
- Kayaking option
- North Seymour Island visit
- Blue-footed booby and swallow-tailed gull colony viewing
- Sea lion and marine iguana viewing
Optional Activities
- Swimming
- Snorkeling
- Glass-bottomed boat tour
- Kayaking
Landmarks Eden Islet North Seymour Island - Day 9
Baltra Island to Quito or Guayaquil
Your cruise ends today as you leave the MS Santa Cruz II at Baltra Island. A transfer takes you to Baltra Airport for your flight back to Ecuador. You can fly to Quito or continue to Guayaquil if you want to explore more. There's access to airport lounges in Guayaquil or Quito when you return, and optional post-programs are available if interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Flight from Baltra Island to Quito or Guayaquil
- Transfer to airport at Baltra
Optional Activities
- Post-Program activities
- Extension to Guayaquil
Landmarks Baltra Island 
