Galapagos Cruise
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The Anahi motor catamaran visits the most remote and less visited excursion sites in the Galapagos Islands, meaning that you will practically have the islands to yourselves on this 5-day/4-night Galapagos cruise! During this cruise, we disembark on different islands to explore, hike, swim, snorkel, and view the extraordinary natural wonders and rich Galapagos wildlife – including colorful frigatebirds, various species of Darwin finches, sea lions, lava lizards, blue-footed boobies, and much more. Sailing onboard the 16-passenger Anahi motor vessel, this itinerary that will take you through the northern and eastern islands of the archipelago, stopping at points that include central Santa Cruz Island, Genovesa Island in the north, easterly San Cristobal Island, and various islets in between. The species found here are not found anywhere else, while the volcanic landscape, birdlife-rich forests and gorgeous lagoons will make you want to never end this Galapagos Islands tour.
“I want to thank you for arranging a perfect tour for me. I know you did not have control over who the other people would be, but it all, on all fronts, was perfect. The itinerary was sensational and the boat fabulous.”
AM: In the morning, you will fly from Quito or Guayaquil (on the Ecuadorian mainland) to Baltra Island, in the heart of Galapagos archipelago and the main point of entrance to this natural paradise. Upon your arrival at the airport, you will need to pay the national park entry fee, which goes to protecting both the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve. A member of the ship's crew will welcome you and accompany you to your catamaran: the M/C Anahi.
PM: We will arrive on the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island, where we will visit the long and sandy Bachas Beach, one of the most important nesting beaches for sea turtles. Here you can find flamingos, Black-winged stilts, sea lions, herons, marine iguanas, and — with a little bit of luck — tiny Galapagos penguins. In addition, this beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but they then spend 3 to 5 years without breeding. At this paradisiacal site, we will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago, once the property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. That is why the beach is called “Bachas” because the word “barges” in English was hard to pronounce for the local people. You will also have the opportunity to swim on this soft white sand beach or explore the fascinating underwater by snorkeling.
AM: Our destination for today is Genovesa Island, considered to be one of the wildest and most pristine islands in Galapagos National Park. Known as “Bird Island,” Genovesa is the only place where you can see Red-footed boobies. After a wet landing in Genovesa Island’s Darwin Bay, we will walk along a short path that leads through the nesting sites of booby and frigatebird colonies. On the beach, you can observe the interesting spectacle of how frigate birds try to rob the prey of the different species of boobies.
PM: This afternoon we are off to the El Barranco cliffs. Located on Genovesa Island in the southern part of Darwin Bay, a 1.5-kilometer trail stretches out over volcanic rock that leads to this cliff and takes about two hours to cover. The second half of the trail is very delicate, so please stay on the path. It can get very hot so make sure to bring water. Because of the natural erosion, this is the ideal place for the nesting of storm petrels. Two other species of petrels that can be seen here are the Galapagos petrel and the Wooden petrel. Red-footed boobies and Nazca boobies can be seen here as well as fur seals and several species of seabirds.
AM: Today we will explore South Plaza Island, located east of Santa Cruz Island. After a dry landing on the northern part of this life-filled islet, you will encounter colonies of sea lions and land iguanas. While on the steep banks you can see numbers of birds like nesting Tropicbirds and Fork-tailed seagulls, but most of all, you will enjoy the beautiful views from either atop the steep banks or while strolling along the base of the cliff. Opuntia cactuses grow on this island and the vegetation changes color throughout the year.
PM: We will make a wet landing on Barrington Bay, on the northeastern side of Santa Fe Island. A large number of sea lions are found on the beach, as well as land iguanas, which all occasionally make it difficult to access the two trails leading from the shore. There are many rock formations around the bay, making it a fabulous site for snorkeling due to the presence of sea turtles.
AM: In the morning we will visit Punta Pitt, on the eastern side of San Cristobal Island. After a high-intensity hike on rocky terrain along a 1.4 km-long path and several magnificent lookout points, you will make your way through colonies of Frigatebirds and Fork-tailed seagulls. What’s more, this is probably the only site in the world where you can see all three species of boobies – Masked, Red- and Blue-footed ones. In addition to its great range of seabirds, Punta Pitt is also excellent for dinghy rides and snorkeling.
PM: In the afternoon we will follow the route that Charles Darwin once took and sail around the massive tuff-rock called “Kicker Rock,” which is a nesting site for hosts of seabirds. Here, you will be able to find Blue-footed boobies, pelicans, and frigate birds. This is a great site for scuba diving, and hammerhead sharks can be seen in the area. Later, we will visit Lobos Island, located across from San Cristobal Island. This is a seasonal nesting location for Blue-footed boobies and Frigatebirds. You also can enjoy swimming and snorkeling with sea lions in the island’s calm bay.
AM: After breakfast, we will visit the highlands of San Cristobal Island. One of the main features of the San Cristobal highlands is the Tortoise Breeding Center, where you will also see enormous Galapagos tortoises and iguanas. The natural population of tortoises from San Cristobal Island is seriously threatened by introduced animals – mainly wild goats, rats, and cats. Efforts are being made to eradicate them, but so far these have not been successful. Close to the center is an easy trail that covers a distance of 900 meters; along this trail, you will see different species of native and endemic plants of the Galapagos, like cat’s claw, manzanillo, romerillo, and acacia. Be careful not to touch or eat the manzanillo fruits as these are toxic. San Cristobal Island is also one of the few islands where you can see the plant calandrinia galapagosa, which is in danger of extinction.
From the dock on San Cristobal Island, we will take a short bus ride to the airport for your flight back to the mainland. Enjoy the last view of the “enchanted islands,” a unique paradise with fascinating natural highlights.
| Room | Charter | Standar Main Deck | Suite Upper Deck |
| 5 Days | US$ 59,378 PP | US$ 3,885 PP | US$ 4,116 PP |
| Room | Charter | Standar Main Deck | Suite Upper Deck |
| 5 Days | US$ 59,378 PP | US$ 3,885 PP | US$ 4,116 PP |
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“My husband, daughter and I want to thank you again for making our trip to the Galapagos extremely awesome!”