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    East & West Galapagos Expedition

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    2524
    15 Days / 14 Nights
    Dates : Late Oct 2026
    Blatra / Baltra
    Aqua Mare
    All shore excursions + Snorkelling & diving equipment + Kayaking & paddleboarding + Group transfers + Laundry + Unlimited WiFi
    HighlightsMap/ItineraryInclusions/ExclusionsPricesPhotosContact Us

    A 14-night expedition aboard the luxurious Aqua Mare, combining Aqua Expeditions’ East and West Galapagos itineraries for a comprehensive exploration of the Galapagos Archipelago. From Baltra Island, discover volcanic landscapes, endemic wildlife and remote islands including Genovesa, Santiago, Santa Cruz, Española, Floreana, Isabela and Fernandina. Guided excursions offer opportunities to encounter giant tortoises, marine iguanas, penguins, sea lions and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife, alongside snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding and guided hikes. With only 16 guests, two naturalist guides and personalized service, the journey combines immersive exploration with the comfort and sophistication of a 50-meter superyacht.

    • East & West Galapagos: A comprehensive 14-night exploration combining both sides of the archipelago.
    • Exceptional wildlife: Encounter giant tortoises, marine iguanas, penguins, sea lions and endemic bird species across multiple islands.
    • Active exploration: Snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, guided hikes and expert-led wildlife excursions.
    • Luxury small-ship experience: Sail aboard the 50-meter Aqua Mare with just 16 guests, two naturalist guides and 16 crew members.

    Map/Itinerary

    Day 1Embarkation At Baltra Island And Bahia Borrero

    Once you arrive at Baltra airport after traveling on one of our recommended flights, you will be met by our team and escorted on a short cross island transfer to the jetty. Receive a warm welcome aboard Aqua Mare, the Galapagos Islands’ first 50m luxury superyacht. After a delicious lunch, pick out your snorkeling kit and receive a waterproof bag and Aqua Expeditions water bottle as a welcome gift. ​The afternoon will see you head out for your first excursion to the beautiful white beach of Bahia Borrero in the northern part of Santa Cruz. You might be able to spot Darwin’s finches, Cactus finches, and Small Ground finches nestled in the coastal vegetation. For those who prefer to snorkel, you will encounter sea turtles at the beach — one of their primary nesting sites. Afterwards, head back to the yacht and indulge in a sumptuous Nikkei-inspired dinner curated by Aqua Expeditions’ world-renowned consultant chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Share stories of your excursion with other guests, marking the perfect start to your Galapagos Islands adventure.

    Day 2El Barranco And Bahía Darwin, Genovesa Island

    This morning, you’ll wake up on the other side of the equator and head over to Bahía Darwin’s coralline beach for hiking and snorkeling. Following a sumptuous lunch, explore Genovesa Island with a tender ride along the volcanic rocks of El Barranco. You’ll be able to view fur seals resting inside rock crevices. A 1.5 km hike inland will then take us to the lava fields to view red-footed boobies as well as great frigatebirds and Galapagos storm petrels. Enjoy a private movie screening after dinner if you wish. We recommend watching the Planet Earth documentary on the Galapagos Islands, the swashbuckling box office Master and Commander, or simply enjoy the starlit skies from the sun deck.

    Day 3Bahía Sullivan, Santiago Island And Sombrero Chino Island

    Start the morning early with a workout or a guided meditation on our sun deck followed by a refreshing breakfast. Our first excursion of the day will take us to Santiago Island with a dry landing at Bahía Sullivan to discover recent Pahoehoe lava flows. After a sumptuous lunch and lecture from one of our expert naturalist guides onboard Aqua Mare, we leave for Sombrero Chino Island, so named after the small crater that forms the islet. In the surrounding crystal-clear waters, you might have the opportunity to observe sea lions and penguins from above. There will be time for snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, and kayaking. After working up an appetite, return to the yacht for evening sundowners and a signature dining experience serving macambo rice and fish maito. *Morning rendezvous diving option available

    Day 4Bartolomé Island And Cerro Dragón, Santa Cruz Island

    With an early morning anchor at Bartolomé Island, you will embark upon a mild climb up to the summit of a spatter cone for a spectacular view of the island’s iconic Pinnacle Rock. Cool down afterwards with a snorkel where you may encounter sea turtles and Galapagos penguins, before heading back to the yacht for lunch as we sail towards Santa Cruz Island. Our afternoon excursion takes us to Cerro Dragón or Dragon Hill, so named because in 1975 it was one of the only places in the Santa Cruz Island where scientists could still find a healthy population of land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus). Back onboard, swap tales of your magnificent excursion while enjoying the best of the region’s flavors through seafood specialties like pan seared scallops and grilled squid. *Morning rendezvous diving option available

    Day 5El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve And Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, Santa Cruz Island

    This morning, visit a nature reserve to see the Galapagos Islands’ famous giant tortoises in their natural habitat. This area is also a great place to observe Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, flycatchers, cattle egrets, and if lucky Galapagos Rails. After a delicious lunch, you will visit Darwin Station and the National Park headquarters. There will be free time to to enjoy the town of Puerto Ayora before returning to the ship. Enjoy the scenic sunset views on board from the upper deck.

    Day 6Punta Suárez, Gardner Bay, And Islote Osborn, Española Island

     
    Rise and shine to a guided meditation on our upper deck before disembarking in Punta Suárez for this morning’s excursion. This visitor site is one of the most interesting landing sites in Galapagos Islands, due to the high percentage of unique endemism in its fauna such as Española mockingbirds, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and the unique waved albatross. In the afternoon, we will take a tender ride to the beautiful array of islets where you will be able to snorkel alongside playful sea lions and many different species of reef fishes. The last visit of the day will be Bahía Gardner, an outstanding coralline sand beach that boasts one of the biggest colonies of sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. Back at the yacht, head over to our bar to socialize over Happy Hour with a glass of our special Aqua Bloody Mare as the crew prepares for departure to our next anchorage.

    Day 7Sante Fé Island And Plaza Sur Island

    After a night of sailing, visit Santa Fe Island, one of the oldest in the Galapagos archipelago. The island is characterized by its vegetation of palo santo trees, pear cactus, and other native bushes. Here you may spot land iguanas, lava lizards, mockingbirds, and Darwin’s finches. After the visit, we will be able to enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, or stand-up paddle boarding. Enjoy lunch on board before sailing to Plaza Sur Island, located off the eastern shore of Santa Cruz. In the afternoon, disembark at a small but diverse little islet to head out on a two-hour hiking excursion led by your guide to discover its unique landforms. Swap notes on everything you’ve seen today and end the day gazing at the archipelago’s amazing starlit skies while sipping on a glass of wine. *Morning rendezvous diving option available

    Day 8Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island

    Build your own adventure today from a selection of activities, whether you’re interested in snorkeling, hiking, cycling, or even scuba diving. Please reach out to our Cruise Director onboard for more information. You will be able to meet new companions joining you onward for the next seven nights, and spend the evening exploring the main town of Puerto Ayora. We recommend strolling along the main waterfront where you can stop by the many boutiques and jewelry shops before heading back to the ship for a fascinating lecture from our guides. Finally, end the day with a fresh seafood dining in the Galapagos Islands. *Bookings for dives must be made at least eight days prior to departure.

    Day 9Punta Cormorant, Bahía Post Office, And Mirador De La Baronesa, Floreana Island

    Today, we will be anchored in the southern part of the Archipelago at Floreana Island. After breakfast, the morning wet landing excursion will take you to a big brackish water lagoon to observe greater flamingos, ducks, black-necked stilts and other shore birds at Punta Cormorant. You will be able to observe where sea turtles nest at night, and possibly spot stingrays and sharks swimming very close to the shore. Enjoy a splendid lunch consisting of fresh Ecuadorian recipes with an Andean twist before heading back out to Floreana to pay tribute to an old island tradition at Bahía Post Office. The visit will follow another quick tour of what once was a fishing enterprise in the 1920s before continuing onboard the tenders to visit Mirador de la Baronesa. Upon returning onboard Aqua Mare, enjoy another feast showcasing a blend of Japanese technique and Peruvian seasoning through delicacies such as the tuna tartare and quinoa yakimeshi. Stay out on the upper deck with a cocktail if you would like to admire the northern and southern hemispheres’ starlit skies tonight. *Morning rendezvous diving option available

    Day 10 Punta Moreno And Bahía Urbina, Isabela Island

    After a night of sailing, the morning sees our beautiful superyacht anchored on the western side of Isabela Island. As the biggest and youngest island in the Archipelago, Isabela was formed by five relatively young volcanoes and is characterized by giant tortoises and marine iguanas. For the morning excursion, a hike at Punta Moreno takes us to the mangroves and gas-rich basaltic lava rocks resulting from a large basaltic lava flow which came from the Cerro Azul volcano on Isabela hundreds of years ago. There are mangrove lagoons along the shore, where you will embark on a dinghy ride to observe marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and penguins among other species. In the afternoon, the Aqua Mare will sail north to Bahía Urbina, a 6km² point, once underwater and uplifted in 1954 up to 3m above sea level. Here you can see land iguanas, some of the biggest marine iguanas roaming free in the Archipelago, and on occasion, tortoises as well. We’ll end the day with an unforgettable view of Isabela’s five volcanoes while dining on macambo rice, fish maito, and candied pear beneath the stars.

    Day 11Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island, And Caleta Tagus, Isabela Island

    Start the morning early with a workout on our sun deck at our next anchorage point of Punta Espinoza, part of a huge lava flow formed from one of the many eruptions of the La Cumbre volcano, known to be one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The region is famous for its large colonies of marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and lizards. We might come across Galapagos penguins, Galapagos hawks, and snakes as well. You will spend the morning on shore with the option to snorkel before returning to the yacht for a sumptuous lunch. As Aqua Mare crosses the Bolivar Channel back towards Isabela Island, prepare to channel your inner pirate for the afternoon excursion visiting Caleta Tagus, once a favorite anchorage spot for pirates and whalers. Here we will hike to see Darwin Lake, a saltwater lake trapped inside a tuff cone. If you would rather not hike, you can take your pick from our four double kayaks, snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, or a ride on our elegant black tenders to explore the cove and its surroundings. Return to the yacht for evening sundowners and head to the bridge after dinner for a chat with our captain as we cross the equatorial line twice.

    Day 12Puerto Egas, Playa Espumilla, And Caleta Bucanero, Santiago Island

    This morning, we’ll take a tender ride to Caleta Bucanero, a 17th century pirate rest stop where pirates used to stock up on fresh tortoise meat and fresh water. In case ocean conditions are unfavorable, we’ll visit Playa Espumilla instead, a golden sandy beach which is a well-known breeding ground for sea turtles. We head back to the yacht for lunch encompassing flavors of the South American Pacific coast through specially prepared dishes like the linguine ai frutti di mare. Next, disembark on the black sand beaches of Puerto Egas, northwest of Santiago Island. You will be able to walk the intertidal zone to the fur seal grottos or snorkel to watch sea turtles, sea lions, and white-tipped sharks.

    Day 13Rábida Island And Caleta Tortuga Negra, Santa Cruz Island

    Awake to the sounds of nature and a fresh breakfast before departing by tender to Rábida Island, also known as the red island. The color is the result of oxidation of very old porous lava. You will be able to hike, take out one of our double kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, or snorkel, as well as observe sea lions which have made their home on the beach. After a delicious lunch, you can listen to an afternoon lecture presented by our expert guides in the panoramic lounge. The Aqua Mare will sail towards the north of Santa Cruz Island, to Caleta Tortuga Negra, a mangrove estuary that is home to sea turtles. This is a tender ride excursion as there is no landing site, but you will be able to spot green sea turtles, as well as blacktip and Galapagos sharks. End this glorious day discovering more of our signature cuisine courtesy of Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. * Morning rendezvous diving option available

    Day 14Seymour Norte Island And Mosquera Island

    Your penultimate day in the Archipelago begins with refreshing breakfast before heading out to Seymour Norte Island, formed by uprisings of underwater volcanic lavas some 3.1 million years ago. The island is mostly known for its healthy population of land iguanas, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and great frigate birds. After a morning full of fun activities, you will head back to the yacht for a delicious lunch aboard Aqua Mare. For the afternoon excursion, hop on to one of our tenders for a wet landing onto Mosquera Island. Although it’s one of the smallest in the archipelago, Mosquera Island is one of the hotspots for spotting sea lions. Around sunset you will return to the sleek comfort of Aqua Mare for your last evening aboard. Swap notes on everything you’ve experienced during this most incredible adventure with your friends onboard and toast farewell with something special from our curated wine list. * Morning rendezvous diving option available

    Day 15Disembarkation At Baltra Island

    The last day begins with a luxurious breakfast set against the morning sunrise. Enjoy the views from Aqua Mare before we make our way to Baltra Island for disembarkation. Bid farewell to the crew and your beautiful home for the past week. You will be escorted to the airport for your flight back to the mainland and onward journey home, with all the wonderful memories which we hope you will cherish forever.

    Inclusions/Exclusions

    Inclusions

    • 14-night cruise
    • All meals onboard
    • House wines, beer and non-alcoholic beverages
    • All excursions
    • Galapagos National Park entrance fee
    • INGALA Transit Control Card
    • Group transfers to and from the yacht when traveling on recommended flights
    • Use of snorkeling equipment
    • Wetsuits
    • Kayaks
    • Stand-up paddleboards
    • Laundry service
    • Internet/Wi-Fi
     

    Exclusions

    • International and domestic airfare
    • Visas
    • Private transfers
    • Spirits and premium wines
    • Boutique purchases
    • Guide and crew gratuities
    • Travel insurance

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