Galapagos Cruise
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Touting itself as the “only luxury yacht based in the Galapagos Islands,” the M/Y Stella Maris has the facilities in place for serving the most demanding and discerning clientele. Accommodating up to 14 guests in ultimate of style, this thrilling 8-day/7-night Galapagos Islands tour takes you to stunning volcanic island environments that showcase one of Earth’s greatest displays of wildlife and landscapes. On board the 14-passenger Stella Maris luxury yacht, you will see many of the singular geological features created by this volcanic hotspot where its islands are still being formed. This Galapagos Islands cruise through the central and eastern islands will give you the best vantage point to see all of these memorable attractions both by sea and by foot, as the ship will let off you and your professional park-certified naturalist guide for daily land excursions to explore the islands.
“The Galapagos experience was absolutely amazing. Not just the abundant sea life and incredible spots, but also your professionalism and passion for your work turned my trip into an unforgettable holiday.”
AM: In the morning, you will fly from either Quito or Guayaquil (on the Ecuadorian mainland) to the Galapagos Islands. At the airport on San Cristobal Island, after you will pay your entrance fee to the national park, a member of the ship's crew will welcome you and accompany you to your yacht: the Stella Maris.
PM: After lunch and a security briefing, we will go on our first land-visit on Lobos Island, located across from San Cristobal Island. This is a seasonal nesting location for Blue-footed boobies and Frigatebirds. You can also enjoy swimming and snorkeling with sea lions in the island’s calm bay.
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, we will make our 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: Then we will visit Cerro Brujo, a fascinating lava hill located on the northeastern coast of San Cristobal Island. This is a fascinating lava hill located on the northeastern coast of San Cristobal Island. Here you will find exceptional views of Kicker Rock, as well as the southern part of San Cristobal and the adjacent coast. On this site’s rocks, you can observe Blue-footed boobies, seagulls, Black-necked Stilts, Ruddy Turnstones, Whimbrels, other sandpiper species, White-cheeked pintails and some pelicans. The protected bay is also popular among young sea turtles and rays, which makes swimming and snorkeling here particularly exciting.
Later 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.
AM: Española is the southernmost, oldest and one of the most bio-diverse islands of the Galapagos archipelago. Its English name is “Hood Island,” in honor of the British admiral Samuel Hood. Because of its isolated position, there is much endemic wildlife to be explored here – in addition to great snorkeling from Española’s remarkably beautiful beaches.
Located on Española Island’s eastern shore, Gardner Bay is noted for its turquoise-colored waters and its magnificent beach, which we will visit in the morning. Around the bays small nearby islets, snorkelers will find an abundance of fish and sometimes turtles and benign sharks. The bay is also frequented by a transient colony of sea lions who love to swim with people. Birds, like the endemic Española mockingbird and different species of Darwin finches, are omnipresent.
We will also ride around Osborn Islet, located close to Española Island. It is made of volcanic rock and is a popular fishing site among local small-scale fishers. On this Galapagos islet, you will have a chance to go snorkeling and see schools of tropical fish, Manta rays, Green turtles, Surgeon fish, Sea urchins, and starfish. Another stop will be small Gardner Islet, situated across from Espanola Island’s Gardner Bay, which is lined with vertical cliffs that drop to sandy ledges and large boulders. We will go snorkeling here, where you are likely to encounter the smallest of the Galapagos garden eels, Snake eels, as well as Black-spotted morays, Galapagos puffer fish, Scorpion fish, Trumpet fish, cornetfish and Red-lipped batfish. You will be able to see plenty sea lions lying lazily on the beach. On the north end of the island are twisting tunnels, and to the south are caves, which all make for a remarkable excursion. The area has an abundance of fish including schools of snappers, Creole fish, King angelfish, large Puffer fish, and a variety of sea urchins and sea stars.
PM: After lunch, we will go on an excursion to Suarez Point. One of the archipelago’s most outstanding wildlife areas, this site boasts a long list of species along its cliffs and its sand and pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds, the curious and bold Española Island mockingbirds are found here, as are other birding favorites that include Galapagos doves, Galapagos hawks, Swallow-tailed gulls and the world’s largest colony of Waved albatross – an unequivocal highlight during mating season (May-December). Several types of reptiles are unique to this island, including the marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard. In fact, this is also the only site where you will be able to see “red” sea iguanas. In addition, when heavy swells are running, Suarez Point is the site of a spectacular blowhole whose thundering spray shoots 30 yards up into the air. The trek here is on a stony path about a mile long, though the duration of this excursion is about 3 hours.
AM: Today we will visit Floreana Island, will visit Floreana Island, considered to be one of the most exotic in the Galapagos archipelago. Countless legends are part of the history of this island, as pirates and buccaneers were drawn to here in search of for food and water. Later the island was colonized by Norwegians, Brits, Germans and others who were in search of ways to make money from what they hoped to discover here. The name Floreana is in honor of Juan Jose Flores, Ecuador’s first president.
This morning’s excursion is to the Cormorant Point visitor site. After a wet landing on the beach, we will go down a 100-meter-long path to a mangrove lagoon that is home to Galapagos ducks, black herons, oystercatchers, and plovers. With a little bit of luck, you might also see flamingos. Another path leads to a small beach that is an important nesting site for sea turtles. In the shallow water there, one can often find stingrays and Whitetip reef sharks.
Later, you will be able to take advantage of the great snorkeling opportunities at “Devil’s Crown” (Corona del Diablo), a broken volcanic cone that is one of the most beautiful places for snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands. The underwater world here includes reef sharks, starfish, sea turtles, sea lions and a host of tropical fish species.
PM: Later we will visit Post Office Bay, where the legendary post barrel that whalers historically used to put their mail in is still kept. After a wet landing, you can walk just off the beach to leave a letter here in hopes that it will make to its destination via another tourist ...so don’t forget to bring postcards along. Snorkelers can take a dip on the main beach among the playful sea lions and green sea turtles.
Ending the day, we will visit the Baroness’ Lookout Point, where the controversial “Baroness” Eloisa de Wagner – one of the first human inhabitants in the Galapagos Islands – would spend several hours daily observing whales and dolphins.
AM: After a dry landing on North Seymour Island, we will take a short walk along its coast, where you will encounter Swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions, and Cliff crabs. This part of Seymour Island is also known for being a major nesting site for Blue-footed boobies and one of the largest colonies of Magnificent frigatebirds (a species different from the Great frigatebird). As you enjoy this relaxing hike around various nesting sites, you can also spot both of the endemic species of iguanas: marine iguanas and land iguanas.
PM: Upon arriving on Bartolome Island, we will go up to a lookout point to admire the spectacular panorama of Sullivan Bay and the famous Pinnacle Rock. The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some of the finest snorkeling in the islands. There, you can discover a marvelous underwater world and will have a good chance of finding gently gliding sea turtles. On the beaches beneath Pinnacle Rock, it’s quite possible to meet one of the quick-as-an-arrow Galapagos penguins; at around 25 centimeters tall, this is second smallest species of penguin in the world. Likewise, you’re likely to see harmless Whitetip reef sharks in these waters.
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 will be able to see Red-footed boobies. At Genovesa’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 El Barranco. Located on Genovesa Island, in the southern part of Darwin Bay, this is 1.5-kilometer trail stretches out over volcanic rock 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. The two other species of petrels that can be seen here are the Galapagos petrel and the Wooden petrel. You can also see Red-footed boobies and Nazca boobies 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. On this life-filled island, 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 extremely pleasurable experience and beautiful view from atop the steep banks or strolling along the base of the cliff. Opuntia cactuses grow on this island and the vegetation changes color throughout the year.
PM: After lunch, we will visit Santa Fe Island, a small rocky island covered in small Palo Santo trees and 6-meter-high opuntia cactuses. The island is inhabited mainly by large yellow land iguanas, the Galapagos buzzard, Blue-footed boobies, and pelicans. While snorkeling in the wonderful blue-green bay where the ship anchors, you can observe the many inhabitants of the underwater world, including countless tropical fish, rays, sea turtles and playful sea lions.
AM: Today, on Santa Cruz Island, we will visit the El Chato tortoise reserve, founded in 1964, to observe the huge Galapagos turtles and white herons in their natural habitat. You will also be able to walk through underground lava tunnels formed by volcanic eruptions. Next, we will go to the Santa Cruz Highlands and see the twin “Los Gemelos” craters, which will be explained by your naturalist guide. These craters are surrounded by scalesia forest, where also live Ruby tyrants and small and large Tree finches.
Concluding this amazing experience in the Galapagos Islands, you will be transferred to the Baltra Island airport for your return flight to the Ecuadorian mainland. Enjoy your last look back at the “enchanted islands,” a unique paradise with inspiring natural wonders.
| Room | Double | Main Deck | Twin | Upper Deck |
| 8 Days | US$ 11,300 PP | US$ 15,050 PP | US$ 10,800 PP | US$ 25,450 PP |
| Room | Double | Main Deck | Twin | Upper Deck |
| 8 Days | US$ 11,300 PP | US$ 15,050 PP | US$ 10,800 PP | US$ 25,450 PP |
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“I enjoyed the scenery and the exotic wildlife on the islands very much. The airport transfers in both directions went smoothly and the service on board was very good.”