Galápagos Islands - In Darwin’s Footsteps (Eastern Route)

Upon arrival, transfer to a 4★ hotel for your two night stay

After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of Quito’s remarkable Old Town – one of the largest and best-preserved colonial-era quarters in South America. Wander through cobblestone streets as you admire the architecture – and sample some delicious chocolate made from finest Ecuadorian cacao along the way.
Next, you’ll head to the iconic ‘Middle of the World City’, located around 16 miles north of Quito. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous monument that delineates the imaginary line of the Equator. Have your camera ready to capture the moment you stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island, a part of the spectacular Galápagos Archipelago. A transfer will take you straight to the port, where you will embark MS Santa Cruz II for your six night all-inclusive expedition voyage

Your first stop is the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve, a breeding center for the endangered giant tortoise. It’s also home to other endemic species, including the San Cristóbal mockingbird and the lava lizard. The giant tortoise is probably the most iconic of all Galápagos wildlife, with a lifespan of over 100 years. They thrive here, ambling around forests similar to their natural habitat.
Next you’ll explore Punta Pitt in small panga boats. This is the only site in the Galápagos Islands where you might see three species of boobies. Enjoy a nature walk, explore the coastline by boat, or snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear water

Start the day with a scenic nature walk on the blissful beaches of Santa Fe, home to the endemic Barrington land iguana and a colony of sea lions. You can swim or snorkel from small panga boats, take a kayak for a paddle around the island, or join a trip in a glass-bottomed boat to observe the marine life below. After a delicious lunch onboard, head to South Plaza Island. Keep an eye out for frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, and Galápagos shearwaters gliding on the breeze. Here, among a dazzling array of flora, land iguanas laze by the shore while marine iguanas slip in and out of the water.

Today we pay a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora A giant tortoise breeding centre, here you can see recently hatched tortoises and Darwin’s famous finches – the birds he used as a basis for his theory of evolution by natural selection. There’s also an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti that’s home to many land birds. Enjoy a cooler climate over lunch in the lush highlands, where giant tortoises shuffle about munching on grass and wallowing in pools. You'll have time for another activity, such as mountain biking or visiting sugar plantation.

You will reach Española today, the archipelago’s southernmost island. Birdlife here is truly extraordinary. Look for Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and the mighty waved albatross. This is also a great chance to spot red Española lava lizards and marine iguanas, as well as see El Soplador, the famous blowhole that blasts water 75 feet into the air.
After lunch on board the ship, head to the picturesque coral beach of Gardner Bay and nearby Osborn Islet to seek out sea lions, mockingbirds, and finches. If you’re feeling active, you can go snorkelling or kayaking.

The abundant wildlife-watching opportunities continue at Eden Islet, where we hope to see Galápagos green turtles, rays, and friendly reef sharks. On shore, look for distinctive frigatebirds with their rubbery, red throats.
You can swim or snorkel to explore the reefs. You can also see the reefs from the glass-bottomed boat or by kayak. After lunch, sail onto North Seymour. The island is a great site for spotting colonies of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Sea lions and marine iguanas also congregate here, attracted by the bountiful sea life in its waters.

After breakfast, disembark and transfer to the airport for your short flight to Guayaquil