Ecuador & Galapagos Islands

February 24 -
March 3,2026

Tour Highlights

Roundtrip Airfare from Charlotte
Santiago Island
3 Nights Hotel in Quito, Ecuador
4 Nights Galapagos Island Cruise
17 Meals-7 Breakfast, 3 Lunch, 7 Dinners
2 Included excursions per day while on cruise
Naturalist Guide on board ship
Quito City Tour
Visit to the Equator
Highlands Tortoise Reserve
Rabida Island
Fernandina Island
Isabela Island
Santa Cruz Island

*Passport Required*

Day 1-Depart US-Overnight flight to Ecuador

Board your overnight flight and get ready to experience Ecuador & Galapagos Islands!

Day 2-Quito, Ecuador- Middle of the world

After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of Quito, the first UNESCO World Culture Heritage Site. Enjoy the eclectic architecture built over the last 5 centuries. See the Gothic Basilica of the Heart of Jesus and the Metropolitan Cathedral, featuring an eclectic mix of architectural styles, from Moorish to Baroque and Neo Classical. See Independence Square flanked by the presidential and the Archbishop's palaces. Visit the Jesuit church of the society of Jesus, Quito's most significant Spanish Baroque architecture in South America. Also see San Francisco Plaza, a vast complex of religious art. Visit the Middle of the World where the earths equator passes through Ecuador at 0°0'0" latitude and stand with one foot in each half of the world. The 98 feet monument is built on the historic site where a French explorer calculated the line of the equator in 1736. See the colonial church and bull fighting ring. The evening is at leisure to explore the city of Quito on your own.

Day 3-Quito-Flight to Baltra-MV Galapagos legend

After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra Island in the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival, meet your naturalist guide and transfer to the MV Galapagos Legend for your 4 night cruise. Your cruise departs for Mosquera Islet, a tiny, low lying islet, covered in coral sand, located between north and south Seymour islands. It is home toa group of sealions that come to laze on the soft white sand. It is a good spot to observe shore birds as well as herons, lava gulls, and boobies. Rays, barracudas, and sharks can also be seen snorkeling.

Day 4-EGAS Port (Santiago island)- Rabida Island

We visit Santiago Island. A wet landing puts you on Egas port, a black volcanic beach once visited by Darwin. This unique and dramatic shoreline host a variety of species that live between land and sea. Particular among these are the endemic Galapagos fur seals. Other species of note include American oyster catchers, sea lions, waders, herons, lava lizards and even Galapagos Hawks. Our afternoon adventure lies at the heart of the archipelago, with a visit to Rabida Island with its distinctive red sand beach. Home to sea lions, mocking birds, finches, endemic Galapagos doves and more. A walk takes us a overview of the bay. Snorkeling here can be a highlight, often with sea lions, ubiquitous turtles and black stripe salemas.

Day 5-Urbina Bay & Tagus cove (isabela island)

After breakfast our day begins with a wet landing on the beach at Urbina Bay. At the far end of a level hike we arrive at a strange phenomenon where large blocks of coral lie completely expose after a dramatic geological uplift during the 1950's. Located at the western base of Alcedo Volcano, be on the look out for impressive land iguanas as well as some of the volcanos endemic Galapagos giant tortoises. Excellent snorkeling today in the clear blue waters with a opportunity to see beautiful marine life up-close. This afternoon we visit Tagus Cove, one of the few sites visited by Charles Darwin and the HMS Beagle in the early 1800's and a well known hide out in the days of pirates. A beautiful hike leads us pasted an overview of Darwin Lake and on to a stunning volcanic landscape reveling Isabela islands dramatic northern volcanos. Once back at sea level, we have an opportunity to snorkel with fish, penguins, turtles and spot other sea and wildlife.

Day 6- Fernandina island-isabela island

Today we visit Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island with a dry landing. The youngest island of Galapagos island. Fernandina island is referred to as the 'Marine Iguana Capital of the World'. This is home to a huge concentration of these enigmatic reptiles. On the same shore line, we can find pelecans, the galapagod penguins, sea lions and fur seals all offering amazing photo opportunities. We also have the exciting opportunity to snorkel with marine iguans feeding underwater, penguins, turtles and the bazzar, flightless cormorants, the only place this species is found in the world. This afternoon visit Vicente Roca Point on Isabela Island. Studded with resting sea birds such as brown noddies and nazca boobies, view them in close proximiety from your dinghies. A marine only visitor area snorkeling here is supurb and one of the riches marine havens in the galapagos islands with certain species of fish only found in the west of the archipelago. We have the opportunity to snorkel and swim with sun fish, sea horses, penguins and green turtles.

Day 7-santa cruz island-tortoise reserve-flight quito

Today your Galapagos Islands cruise ends as you look back on all of the highlights, sights, marine life and wild life encountered on your adventure. After a dry landing, disembark the ship and travel by coach into the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island to the highlands tortoise reserve. Here you have an opportunity to interact up close with wild Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge 600 pound reptiles offers great photo opportunities and the chance to see several species of famed finches. Continue on to the Baltra island airport for your flight to Quito. THis evening enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day 8-Quito-FLight to USA

Today transfer to the airport for your flight home with wonderful memories of Ecuador & Galapagos Islands Cruise.

Pricing

Standard Plus Cabin

Double occupancy: $7,500

Single Occupancy: $9,750

Junior Suite Cabin

Double occupancy: $7,824

Single Occupancy: $10,174

Balcony suite cabin

Double occupancy: $8,345

Single Occupancy: $10,995

TO book this tour please call our office at (843) 656-2450 or fill out a tour inquiry and we will reach out to answer any questions you may have

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