World Cruise Awards Winner “Latin America’s Best Cruise Line 2024”
Sail through the Galapagos Islands aboard the luxurious Elite, exploring the picturesque landscapes of Bartolome, Fernandina, Isabela, North Seymour, Rabida, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz.
Galapagos
Western, Central & Eastern Islands
8 Days aboard Elite . From NZD $16,650pp.
Details
Overview
Itinerary Highlights:
- Walk through some small highland villages as you make your way to El Junco lagoon
- Keep your eyes peeled on North Seymour Island for the land iguana, only seen at a handful of visitor sites in the Galapagos
- Take in fantastic views of the Galapagos from the top of Dragon Hill
- Spot White-tipped reef sharks at Tintoreras
- Hike up Sierra Negra, the only volcano currently open to hikers
Itinerary in Brief:
- Day 1: San Cristobal airport - El Junco Lagoon
- Day 2: North Seymour - Santa Cruz Dragon Hill
- Day 3: Tintoreras / Sierra Negra Volcano - Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center / Isabela Wetlands
- Day 4: Isabela: Moreno point - Urbina Bay
- Day 5: Fernandina: Espinosa Point - Isabela: Vicente Roca Point
- Day 6: Rabida - Bartholomew Island
- Day 7: San Cristobal: Kicker Rock - Witch Hill
- Day 8: San Cristobal Interpretation Center - San Cristobal Airport
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: San Cristobal airport - El Junco Lagoon
AM: Arrive at San Cristobal airport where you will be transferred to the vessel.
PM: El Junco Lagoon
Walk up the rocky path surrounded by rich vegetation and wildlife to the rim of the El Junco Lagoon, an impressive crater lake located in the highlands of San Cristobal island. Here you will enjoy superb panoramic views of the island, and you can often catch frigate birds diving and bathing in the crystal clear water below.
Activities and Excursions: Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Day 2: North Seymour - Santa Cruz Dragon Hill
AM: North Seymour
North Seymour island is a small island named after Lord Hugh Seymour, a senior British Royal Navy officer. Walking amongst the low, bushy vegetation you will be able to observe a large variety of birds, including blue-footed boobies, swallow tailed gulls and a large population of frigate birds.
Look out for the marvelous bright red chests of the male frigates used to attract a mate.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling, Panga ride
Difficulty: Soft
PM: Santa Cruz Dragon Hill
The name Dragon Hill refers to the large population of Galapagos land iguanas that have made their home here.
As you walk along the rocky coastline and through the forests of cacti and Palo Santo trees, you will no doubt encounter a number of these incredible creatures that resemble miniature dragons.
The high tide also makes this a fantastic place to snorkel as the coral attracts a plethora of colourful fish close to the shoreline.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling
Difficulty: Moderate
Day 3: Tintoreras / Sierra Negra Volcano - Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center / Isabela Wetlands
AM: Tintoreras / Sierra Negra Volcano
Las Tintoreras is a chain of islets off the coast of Isabela island that are characterised by dark lava formations and have created a unique habitat for a variety of wildlife. It is therefore a fantastic site for water activities such as a panga ride, snorkelling, kayaking or paddle boarding and visitors are often treated to close-up sightings of turtles, sharks, penguins and sea lions.
The Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos and has the second largest caldera in the world. As you walk up to the top of the caldera you will encounter forests of guava trees and on a clear day you will be treated to spectacular views of the other five volcanoes on the island.
Activities and Excursions: Trek, Snorkeling, Panga ride, Kayak/Paddle Boarding
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center / Isabela Wetlands
The Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center, where two species of giant tortoise are bred to increase the population of these incredible animals, plays an essential role in protecting the future of the Galapagos.
As you walk around the centre you will also be able to enjoy the beautiful gardens that boast of a wide variety of native plants.
Just outside Puerto Villamil you can also take a walk around the Isabela wetlands, comprised of lagoons, swamps and mangroves, which have become a paradise for migratory birds such as stilts and flamingos.
Activities and Excursions: Walk
Difficulty: Easy
Day 4: Isabela: Moreno point - Urbina Bay
AM: Isabela - Moreno point
Moreno point is located on the west coast of Isabela island and although it appears a barren lava flow at first, a walk along one of the trails soon reveals a multitude of beautiful green lagoons and mangroves and is a fantastic place to see penguins, blue herons and flamingos.
Meanwhile, a panga ride or snorkel along the rocky shoreline is a wonderful way to spot green sea turtles and white-tip sharks.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling, Panga ride
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Isabela - Urbina Bay
Urbina Bay is located at the foot of the Alcedo Volcano and is the result of a major volcanic uplift that took place in 1954 and resulted in 6km of coral reef being lifted out of the ocean. Walking along this new shore, you can observe the corals and remains of marine life that were stranded due to this event.
However, it is now home to giant land iguanas and giant tortoises and it often a good spot to see Galapagos hawks and flightless cormorants. It is also ideal for snorkeling as turtles, rays and tropical fish frequent the coastline.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling
Difficulty: Moderate
Day 5: Fernandina: Espinosa Point - Isabela: Vicente Roca Point
AM: Fernandina - Espinosa Point
Fernandina is the youngest island in the Galapagos and Espinosa point is a wonderful area of natural beauty. Snorkeling and swimming from the zodiac allows you see thee marine iguanas feeding underwater.
On the rocks you will often see large numbers of colourful Sally Lightfoot crabs. On land, the walking trails enable you to explore the fascinating mangrove plants, lava cacti and striking black lava formations where marine iguanas enjoy basking themselves in the sun.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Isabela - Vicente Roca Point
Accessible by panga, Vicente Roca Point on the north west coast of Isabela island is a beautiful large bay with two coves that provide nesting sites for blue-footed and Nazca boobies, gulls, storm petrels and Brown Noddy Terns.
Snorkeling is also a great activity here as the cooler waters result in an abundance of food for marine life, and it is common to see groups of whales, dolphins, sea lions and marine birds gorging themselves.
Activities and Excursions: Snorkeling, Panga ride
Difficulty: Moderate
Day 6: Rabida - Bartholomew Island
AM: Rabida
Rabida island is most known for its dark red sand beach surrounded by a backdrop of cliffs and steep volcanic hills full of Palo Santo trees and endemic cacti.
A panga ride around the shoreline gives the chance to spot blue-footed and nazca boobies and water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking or paddle boarding are ideal for seeing white tipped sharks and rays.
On the beach you will find a large noisy colony of sea lions and the surrounding salt brush is home to a nesting colony of pelicans. Inland, bird watchers will delight in seeing mockingbirds, yellow warblers and Darwin finches - Rabida is the only site where all nine Darwin’s finches are found.
Activities and Excursions: Trek, Snorkeling, Panga ride, Kayak/Paddle Boarding
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Bartholomew Island
Bartholomew island is an islet located in Sullivan Bay and its most famous landmark is a huge volcanic cone named Pinnacle Rock. A walking trail leads up to a viewpoint at the summit of the island where you can enjoy spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock and the surrounding lava flows.
The northern beach, a nesting site for green sea turtles, is perfect for snorkeling where sightings of spotted eagle rays, penguins and reef sharks are possible.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling, Panga ride
Difficulty: Easy
Day 7: San Cristobal: Kicker Rock - Witch Hill
AM: San Cristobal - Kicker Rock
Kicker Rock, is an iconic feature of the Galapagos that has been formed over time by the erosion of the cone of an extinct volcano. In addition, on the rock formation itself, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and sea lions can often be seen perched on the ledges above which makes an excellent site to take great pictures while the vessel circumnavigate the rock formation.
Activities and Excursions: Circumnavigation
Difficulty: ----
AM: San Cristobal - Witch Hill
Witch Hill features an idyllic white sand beach which can be accessed by panga and is a superb vantage point for seeing Kicker Rock in the south of the island. The hill itself is an eroded tuff cone and the calm waters at the base of it offer a magnificent spot for snorkeling.
Meanwhile, a walk along the beach or on one of the inland paths, provides opportunities to see a variety of shore birds, finches and mockingbirds.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling, Panga ride
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Giant Tortoises’ Reserve, off San Cristobal
The visit to the Giant Tortoise’s Reserve is the longest hike on San Cristobal; the walk is about 5 km one way and may be quite hot.
This is an excellent site for observing giant tortoises in their natural habitat. San Cristobal has a population of six thousand giant tortoises; in a good day, hundreds of them can be seen along with other endemic species, such as lava lizards, and mockingbirds.
Snorkel is a great activity as you have opportunities to see sea turtles and tintoreras (white tipped reef sharks). The beach of this visitor site is a nesting area for sea turtles.
Activities and Excursions: Walk, Snorkeling
Difficulty: Moderate to High Intensity
Day 8: San Cristobal Interpretation Center - San Cristobal Airport
AM: San Cristobal Interpretation Center
A short distance from the centre of San Cristobal is the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, which provides an overview of the fascinating history of the islands. The main areas of focus, which are addressed through a number of expositions are: natural history, human history and conservation for the future.
You can also take one of the trails behind the center that lead to some great viewpoints of the ocean and volcanic rocks below.
Activities and Excursions: Walk
Difficulty: Easy
San Cristobal Airport
Depart from San Cristobal airport.
- Day 1: San Cristobal airport - El Junco Lagoon
- Day 2: North Seymour - Santa Cruz Dragon Hill
- Day 3: Tintoreras / Sierra Negra Volcano - Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center / Isabela Wetlands
- Day 4: Isabela
- Day 5: Fernandina
- Day 6: Rabida - Bartholomew Island
- Day 7: San Cristobal
- Day 8: San Cristobal Interpretation Center - San Cristobal Airport
Next Departure Date: 01 Feb 2025
| Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Feb 2025 - 08 Feb 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| Golden Suite - Main Deck | NZD$18500pp | Contact us | |
| 15 Feb 2025 - 22 Feb 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 01 Mar 2025 - 08 Mar 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 15 Mar 2025 - 22 Mar 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 29 Mar 2025 - 05 Apr 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 12 Apr 2025 - 19 Apr 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 26 Apr 2025 - 03 May 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 10 May 2025 - 17 May 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 24 May 2025 - 31 May 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 07 Jun 2025 - 14 Jun 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 21 Jun 2025 - 28 Jun 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 05 Jul 2025 - 12 Jul 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 19 Jul 2025 - 26 Jul 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 02 Aug 2025 - 09 Aug 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 16 Aug 2025 - 23 Aug 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 30 Aug 2025 - 06 Sep 2025 | NZD$16650pp | ||
| 25 Oct 2025 - 01 Nov 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 08 Nov 2025 - 15 Nov 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 22 Nov 2025 - 29 Nov 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 06 Dec 2025 - 13 Dec 2025 | NZD$18500pp | ||
| 20 Dec 2025 - 27 Dec 2025 | NZD$18500pp |
Alternative itinerary options:
- 8 Day Elite: Central, Northern & Eastern Islands (B)
- 4 Day Elite: Central & Southern Islands (C)
- 5 Day Elite: Central & Northern Islands (D)
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Cabin Details
Single Cabin - Upper Deck
Suites Size: 35 mt2/ 377 ft2 – 37 mt2/ 398 ft2
Golden Suites location: 4 suites – Upper Deck
Single cabin location: 1 cabin – Upper Deck
Single cabin size: medidas pendientes
Located on upper deck
1 single bed
Private balcony
Floor-to-ceiling window
Private bathroom
Air conditioning
Storage area
Desk
Golden Suite - Main Deck
Suites Size: 35 mt2/ 377 ft2 – 37 mt2/ 398 ft2
Golden Suites location: 4 suites – Main Deck
Located on main deck and upper deck
2 single beds or 1 king bed
Private balcony
Floor-to-ceiling windows
Private bathroom
Sofa
Air conditioning
Storage area
Desk
Sky Deck
This is perhaps the most beautiful and inviting outdoor area of the Elite. Our passenger sky lounge offers al-fresco dining, a whirlpool, and an outdoor cocktail bar, making it the perfect place for watching the Galapagos Islands float by.
Elite Deckplan
Specifications
- Operations start: July 2019
- Type: Motor catamaran
- Category: Luxury
- Length: 37.5 mt / 123.03 ft
- Beam: 13.5 mt / 44.29 ft
- Draft to Baseline: 1.90 mt / 6.23 ft
- Crew: 10 crew members + Cruise Service Officer + Guide
- Capacity: 16 passengers Speed 12 knots
- Propulsion: 2 x Marine Generator Drive Engines – 500 HP each
Whats included?
- Transfers between the airport and the yacht in the Galapagos
- Airport reception and assistance
- Accommodation on board
- Guided excursions as per your itinerary
- Top bilingual National Park guide
- Cruise service officer
- Activity daily briefing
- All meals and snacks on board
- Soft drinks and juices
- Glass of house wine for dinners
- Captain's welcome and farewell cocktail
- Supplied expedition gear: transparent sea kayaks, paddle boards, snorkelling equipment (mask, snorkel & fins), wet suits, excursions bag, water container
What’s not included?
- Round trip flights between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
- Galápagos National Park fee: US$200 per person
- Transit control card: US$20 per person
- Alcoholic and bottled beverages
- Tips for guide and crew
- Travel and health insurance
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
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