Finch Cruise

Blue-footed boobies stamping and whistling at their nests, eagle rays gliding in mangrove lagoons, inky-black marine iguanas piled atop one another as they bask in the sun—the Galapagos is full of natural marvels, and the animals have no fear of humans, which makes the wildlife viewing amazing. Our Finch Cruise links the central and northern islands for a fantastic exploration of Darwin’s legendary archipelago, including gloriously remote Tower Island, with its tree-nesting red-footed boobies and incredible snorkeling. At the end of our cruise, we disembark from our elegant 16-guest tall ship Mary Anne and head to the luxurious retreat of the Royal Palm Hotel, one of the Leading Hotels of the World, to look for giant Galapagos tortoises in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Quito, Ecuador

Arrive in Quito, Ecuador’s highland capital, and enjoy a tour of the city’s colonial heart, a World Heritage Site. Overnights at the Hotel Hilton Colon.

Days 3-4 Galapagos Cruise
Galapagos / Santa Cruz / Tower

Flying to the Galapagos, we board the Mary Anne at Baltra and set a course for Santa Cruz Island to explore Black Turtle Cove, where golden rays and green sea turtles glide. At far-flung Tower Island, we hike along the sandy shores of Darwin Bay, discovering a remarkable avian sanctuary where red-footed boobies nest in palo santo trees and great frigatebirds wheel overhead.

Days 5-6
Galapagos Cruise / Bartolome / Santiago / Rabida

Our trail on Bartolome Island brings us past extraordinary volcanic formations as we hike to its 375-foot summit for phenomenal views. Heading to Santiago, we stroll along the recent lava flows at Sullivan Bay amid bright red Sally Lightfoot crabs and inky black marine iguanas. We also land at Rabida, with its fascinating maroon-tinted beaches, and explore this birdwatchers’ haven known for Galapagos hawks and nine species of Darwin’s finches.

Days 7-9
Santa Cruz / Baltra / Quito

We explore along Las Bachas beach, a major nesting site for green sea turtles, then disembark at Baltra and head to the secluded retreat of the Royal Palm Hotel. Nearby in the forests, we look for giant tortoises, then head down to Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, which provides scientific research to ensure the proper preservation of the islands. On Day 8, we fly to Quito and depart on Day 9.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 1, Easiest. It is appropriate for anyone in good health who is physically active and enjoys moderate walks. There are daily shore excursions featuring walks on well-marked trails through wildlife colonies, rocky lava fields, and along beaches. Our shore landings are either “dry” (where there are rocks or wooden piers to step onto when you disembark from the panga) or “wet” (which involves stepping out of the panga into a foot or so of surf and wading to shore). Getting out of the panga for a dry landing is occasionally tricky, especially on days when the seas may be active because the panga moves up and down with the waves and the rocks you step onto may be slippery. The yacht staff will assist in these landings. While we travel aboard small sailing vessels, we normally motor from island to island because of the long distances between islands and the desire to maximize our time on shore.

Explanation of Trip Levels