This Cachalote Explorer trip itinerary focuses on the Central, Southern and Northern Islands, including visits to Tower and Hood Island, two of the highlights of the Galapagos Islands.
Details
Overview
Itinerary Highlights
- See tortoises in their natural environment.
- Enjoy breathtaking views of the islands from the highland.
- Highlights include Santa Fe land iguanas, pelican nesting site, sea lion colony, mockingbird, and Palo Santo trees.
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Arrive at Baltra Airport / Santa Cruz Island: Highlands of Santa Cruz and Charles Darwin Station
- Day 2: South Plaza Island / Santa Fe Island
- Day 3: San Cristóbal Island: Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) and Galapaguera and el Junco.
- Day 4: Española (Hood) Island: Gardner Bay, Islote Garnder and Islote Osborn and Punta Suarez
- Day 5: Floreana Island: Punta Cormorant, Devil’s Crown and Post Office Bay
- Day 6: Santa Cruz Island: Dragon Hill / James Island: Sullivan Bay
- Day 7: Tower (Genovesa) Island: Darwin Bay and El Barranco
- Day 8: Daphne Mayor Island / Baltra for return flight to Quito
Travelling with Eclipse
Peace of Mind
- Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
- 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
- We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
- No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
- Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
- Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
- We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
- Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
- Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
- Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
- Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.
Day 1: Arrive at Baltra Airport / Santa Cruz Island: Highlands of Santa Cruz and Charles Darwin Station
Arrival to Baltra airport. Passengers are welcome by our guides and transferred to the Cachalote. After departure the first island visit is made.
Visit the Charles Darwin Station is a research facility and National Park Information centre. The Charles Darwin Station has a giant tortoise and land iguana breeding program and interpretation centre.
Day 2: South Plaza Island / Santa Fe Island
Plazas consists of two very small islands that were uplifted from the sea, separated by a channel. Only South Plazas has a visitor site. The highlights include tall Opuntia cactus, land and marine iguanas, rocky cliff that looks out towards open ocean which is also a nesting site for red-billed tropic birds and gulls, and a seal lion bachelor colony.
Santa Fe is a smaller island of 24 km2. The visitor site Santa Fe is located on the northeast end of the island. Highlights include Santa Fe land iguanas, pelican nesting site, sea lion colony, mockingbird, and Palo Santo trees.
Day 3: San Cristóbal Island: Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) and Galapaguera and el Junco.
San Cristóbal is the easternmost island of Galapagos and also one of the oldest. Cerro Brujo is a white sand beach on the west side of San Cristóbal. Highlights include: Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, and sea lions, Chatham mockingbird, lava lizards.
The lagoon is the only fresh water reservoir in Galapagos and has great views from its altitude of 700m in the highlands of San Cristóbal. Rainwater has collected in the caldera for hundreds of years and formed this lagoon. Galapaguera is a good area to see tortoises in their natural environment.
Day 4: Española (Hood) Island: Gardner Bay, Islote Garnder and Islote Osborn and Punta Suarez
Española is the oldest of the Southern Islands and is the southernmost in the archipelago. Because of its remote location a unique range of endemic species evolved here. Gardner Bay is located on the northeast of the island, the site has a long and beautiful white sand beach inhabited by sea lion colonies.
The wildlife at Punta Suarez is plentiful and varied. Along the cliff visitors can enjoy the blowhole where seawater is forced about 20m into the air. The highlights are the Waved albatross (April-Dec), Galapagos Hawks, blue-footed boobies, Nascar boobies, and Española lava lizards.
Day 5: Floreana Island: Punta Cormorant, Devil’s Crown and Post Office Bay
This is one of the few sites visited for its human history. Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up and remains of the Norwegian fishing village. Punta Cormorant has two contrasting beaches and a large inland lagoon where pink flamingos can be seen.
This is one of the few sites visited for its human history. Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up and remains of the Norwegian fishing village.
Day 6: Santa Cruz Island: Dragon Hill / James Island: Sullivan Bay
Dragon Hill is located in the northwestern side of Santa Cruz Island. Some highlights include small lagoons with flamingos, Palo Santo trees, and Opuntia cactus.
Santiago Island is located between Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. This Island offers a wide variety of seabirds, marine iguanas and fur seals. This site is of great geological interest. Highlights: 100 hundred year old lava flow field, pahoehoe formations, lava bubbles.
Day 7: Tower (Genovesa) Island: Darwin Bay and El Barranco
Genovesa is an eroded flat volcanic island, with a natural harbor, which is actually the submerged caldera of this volcanic island. There is a good possibility of seeing the unique “Short eared owl” at El Barranco. During the dinghy rides along the cliffs fur seals and several species of seabirds can be spotted.
The steep cliffs of this area dominate the island. This area is home to thousands of frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Noddy terns, lava gulls, tropicbirds, doves, storm petrels and Darwin’s finches.
Day 8: Daphne Mayor Island / Baltra for return flight to Quito
Daphne Mayor is a small tuff cone island where many species of birds nest. Famous for a 20 year study of Darwin’s Finches conducted by Peter and Rosemary Grant. During the circumnavigation you will see blue-footed boobies, nasca boobies, red-billed tropicbirds and other sealife.
Baltra
Return flight to Quito
Next Departure Date: 19 Feb 2025
| Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 2025 - 26 Feb 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| Cabin 8 | NZD$8148pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 3-7 | NZD$9259pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 1-2 | NZD$10000pp | Contact us | |
| 05 Mar 2025 - 12 Mar 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 02 Apr 2025 - 09 Apr 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 30 Apr 2025 - 07 May 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 28 May 2025 - 04 Jun 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 11 Jun 2025 - 18 Jun 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 25 Jun 2025 - 02 Jul 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 09 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 23 Jul 2025 - 30 Jul 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 06 Aug 2025 - 13 Aug 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 20 Aug 2025 - 27 Aug 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 03 Sep 2025 - 10 Sep 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 12 Nov 2025 - 19 Nov 2025 | NZD$8148pp | ||
| 10 Dec 2025 - 17 Dec 2025 | NZD$8148pp |
Alternative itinerary options:
- 6 Day Cachalote Explorer: ''Hood'' Itinerary
- 6 Day Cachalote Explorer: ''Isabela'' Itinerary
- 8 Day Cachalote Explorer: ''Fernandina'' Itinerary
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Cabin Details
Cabin 8
Located on lower deck, lower double bed and upper single bed, private bathroom with hot/cold-water shower & air conditioning.
Cabin 3-7
Located on lower deck, private bathroom with hot/cold-water shower & air conditioning.
Cabin 3: lower double bed and upper single bed
Cabin 4: lower double bed and upper single bed
Cabin 5 & 6: queen bed
Cabin 7: lower double bed and upper single bed
Cabin 1-2
Located on upper deck, 3 beds (two lower double beds and one upper single bed or one lower double bed, one lower single bed and one upper single bed), private bathroom with hot/cold-water shower & air conditioning.
Cachalote Explorer Deckplan
Specifications
- Category: Standard First-Class Motor Vessel
- Capacity: 16 passengers
- L.O.A: 88ft
- Beam: 24ft
- Salon Dimensions: 17.5ft x 35ft
- Type: Motor Vessel, Steel hull
- Mechanical Equipment: 1 main Caterpillar Engine, 3 Generators (110v), 2 reverse osmosis water makers, sewage treatment plant
- Safety Equipment: VHF (DSC) & HF (DSC) radios. EPIRB, SART, Hunter satellite tracking device, 2 GPS’s, 2 radars, depth sounder, flares, basic first aid kits, 2 tenders with outboards, fin keels for extra stability, flotation rings, life rafts with surplus capacity for all passengers and crew, fire alarm system.
- Guest Accommodation: 8 cabins each with private bath. Hot / cold water showers. Combination of Queen, Double and Twin sized mattresses.
- Crew: All crew are fully trained and certified. Captain, multilingual naturalist guide, cook, engineers, barman, and 4 sailors.
- Cruising speed: 8 knots (approx.)
Whats included?
- On-board accommodation
- All meals during voyage
- Scheduled excursions
- Services of experienced guide(s)
- Use of snorkel and kayaking equipment
- Welcome cocktail
What’s not included?
- International and internal airfares
- Arrival/departure taxes or reciprocity fees, visa fees where applicable
- Galápagos National Park fee: US$200 per person
- Transit control card: US$20 per person
- Christmas & new-year surcharges
- Travel insurance
- Wet-suit rental
- Gratuities
- Any items not mentioned as included
Price Assurance
At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.
Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.
Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.
Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!
Destination: Galapagos
This once in a lifetime destination is a nature lovers dream. Watch the famous Galapagos tortoises and blue footed boobies in the morning and snorkel with sea lions in the afternoon, then relax on your cruise to the next destination tomorrow!
Downloadable travel guide
Planning your next adventure has never been easier with our free downloadable travel guides. Get in-depth insights into local attractions, dining options, and hidden gems, all curated by our team of travel specialists with decades of experience.
