Western and Northern Galapagos on Origin*Theory*Evolve Yachts

Upon arrival in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (SCY) on San Cristobal Island, our guides are ready to escort you to your expedition yacht. After a short bus ride to the dock, and a Zodiac transfer to the anchored yacht in the bay, you are shown your cabin and treated to a delicious lunch. A welcome briefing and a brief safety drill follow, allowing you to choose your snorkel equipment and wetsuit for the week.

You have time to settle in after lunch before the yacht leaves the harbor. Within a few hours, we reach Leon Dormido, a vertical tuff cone formation rising 500 feet from the ocean. Erosion has split the rock, providing a spectacular backdrop for photographs at sunset. As we circumnavigate the formation, you easily spot blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigatebirds on the cliffs.

After a briefing on activities for the following day, you join our Captain and crew for a cocktail reception. An elegant multi-course dinner, prepared by our accomplished chefs, is served.

In the morning, you land at Prince Philip’s Steps (4) on Genovesa (TOWER) Island, considered one of the most spectacular sites in the Galapagos for bird watching due to its diverse species. Throughout the day, keep your camera ready. Your guides point out red-footed boobies nesting in palo santo trees, Nazca boobies nesting near the trail, and storm petrels gathering in large numbers in an open lava field. With luck, you may even spot the elusive short-eared owl.

After a BBQ lunch on the yacht’s shaded sun deck and a demonstration on how to make Ecuadorian ceviche, you have the option to explore the cliffs up close, either by kayak or stand-up paddleboard, or join a deep-water snorkeling excursion from the Zodiac (2). Look for the red-billed tropic bird hidden in the crevices of the rock. Males looking to attract a mate inflate a red pouch on their chest. To round out the afternoon, you can relax on the beach or choose to swim with friendly, playful sea lions in these warmer northern waters. When you return to the yacht, a short briefing is followed by a delicious dinner. If the night is clear, take a stroll on deck and see a sky filled with bright stars. Your guides can point out constellations and help you identify the species of birds flying alongside the yacht.

This afternoon, you land at Darwin Bay (1), a gorgeous coral sand beach. Here, you see both swallow-tailed gulls and lava gulls gathered near the tide pools. A forest of Opuntia cactus and mangroves provides shelter for the Great frigatebirds. Males, looking to attract a mate, inflate a red pouch on their chest. To conclude the afternoon, you can relax on the beach or choose to swim with friendly, playful sea lions in these warmer northern waters. When you return to the yacht, a short evening briefing is followed by a delicious dinner. If the night is clear, take a stroll on deck to see a sky full of bright stars. Your guides can point out constellations and help you identify the species of birds flying alongside the yacht.

This morning, you visit Las Bachas (1) on the northern side of Santa Cruz. Dozens of bright pink flamingos feed in the interior lagoons, and a long white sand beach provides a beautiful setting for a leisurely stroll. Your guides point out endemic plant species and share fascinating Galapagos history. Before returning to the yacht for lunch, there is time to snorkel from the beach. Don’t forget to bring your underwater camera to capture photos of colorful tropical fish, sea stars, as well as sea turtles, and perhaps even sharks on the ocean floor. Your guide offers an informative and entertaining enrichment lecture, focusing on marine currents, climate, and the geology of the Islands.

In the afternoon, as you step ashore at Cerro Dragon (3) (Dragon Hill), you are treated to a magnificent panoramic view of the bay and island landscape. You may spot flamingos in the brackish lagoon and observe various plants, including opuntia cactus, Palo Santo, and Muyuyo trees (Cordia Lutea). Along the trail, keep an eye out for Darwin’s finches, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers, and Audubon shearwaters. The guides pause to point out birds such as stilts, pintail ducks, and sandpipers. As you traverse the path, search for golden Land iguanas, distinct from their marine counterparts, basking in the sun. These iguanas are native to the Galapagos and were once part of the Station’s breeding program. After a leisurely walk along the trail, you return to the yacht for a briefing and dinner.

Begin your morning with a Zodiac ride at Punta Vicente Roca (1). Your skilled driver navigates through the wave-sculpted caves and brings you up close to the rugged walls covered in colorful Sally light-foot crabs. Don’t miss the opportunity to snorkel (2), with penguins diving playfully in the water or grooming themselves on rock formations. Look for sea turtles poking their heads above water before swimming gracefully beneath the surface. After lunch, take a seat on the sun deck to enjoy the scenery as we sail through the Bolivar Channel. In addition to the dramatic scenery, you may spot whales breaching or bottle-nose dolphins riding the bow wave, and spinner dolphins jumping in graceful arcs. You may even catch a glimpse of a Mola-Mola, the odd-looking giant sunfish with triangular fins on the top and bottom and a short, stubbly tail fin.

In the afternoon, you disembark at Urbina Bay on ISABELA (2) and witness surprising evidence of volcanic activity. Four miles of coastal seabed are exposed due to a dramatic uplift during a volcanic eruption in 1954, and some of the remaining coral skeletons still stand several feet high. A diverse collection of animal species awaits Galapagos land iguanas, marine iguanas, Darwin’s finches, brown pelicans, flightless cormorants, and the occasional giant Galapagos tortoise. After your exploration, you return to the vessel for your nightly briefing and dinner. Following dessert, step outside and observe the pale glow of the Milky Way. As we cross the Equator, you may even get a visit from King Neptune himself! Guests of all ages will enjoy this fun-filled evening and maritime ritual, where our crew gets dressed as pirates, and guest participation is optional.

This morning you’re in for another geological wonder. Stop at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina (4), the youngest and most pristine Island in the Galapagos, formed by active volcanoes that stretch around the coast. With no introduced animals on this island, you can observe the ecosystem at its most pristine. Sea lion harems nap on the beach, with resident bulls carefully guarding their territory and keeping a lookout for sharks that threaten the colony’s pups. Hundreds of marine iguanas, forming the largest colony in the Galapagos, warm themselves along the rugged shoreline, blending in with the dark rocks.  On the point, you will find the nests of flightless cormorants close to shore since they lost their ability to fly. You’ll have an opportunity to snorkel here, in the company of large sea turtles that frequent the area.  Return to the yacht for a BBQ lunch served on the sundeck where you’ll have a prime view for whale watching. Your guide will offer an enrichment lecture about Charles Darwin and the Theory of evolution as well as social/ environmental projects that benefit the Galapagos.

After lunch, you’ll get to see some of the human history of the Galapagos when you go ashore on Tagus Cove (5). This was a favorite anchorage for pirates and whalers for centuries, and sections of the rocky cliffs are covered in graffiti from as far back as the 1800s. Hike faster to a saltwater lagoon and scenic overview, and take in the ocean, lava fields, and volcanic formations. You may explore the shoreline of the secluded cove by kayak or paddleboard.  The wildlife is abundant, with Galapagos penguins, boobies, pelicans and other seabirds. Tonight, as we sail toward the geographic center of the archipelago, we’ll cross the equator for the third and final time.

This morning, you disembark on the dark red beach of RABIDA (Jervis) (2). This small island holds the distinction of being the geographic center of the Galapagos due to its diverse volcanic rocks. A short trail leads to a saltwater lagoon inhabited by Greater Flamingos. Along the way, keep an eye out for marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers, and Darwin’s finches. The Galapagos are home to over a dozen species of finches, and their observation significantly contributed to Charles Darwin’s ideas, forming the basis for his theory of evolution. If you choose to snorkel this morning (2), you may encounter a colony of sea lions or rays. The Galapagos house several species of rays, with golden rays and spotted eagle rays being the most common.

For guests on the Theory and Evolve, the visit continues at Puerto Egas on SANTIAGO (James Island) (3). Here, you stroll along the shoreline, exploring tide pools where you may spot octopuses, starfish, and other marine life. Keep an eye out for great blue herons, lava herons, American Oystercatchers, and yellow-crowned night herons. During low tide, you can catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they feed on exposed green algae. During mating season, these usually black marine iguanas display beautiful coloration due to the presence of green and red algae. The walk concludes at the grottos, deep pools of clear water where you may encounter fur sea lions, a species once on the verge of extinction. Before returning to the yacht, there’s an opportunity to snorkel from the beach (1). As the yacht sets sail after lunch, take a seat on deck to appreciate the dramatic landscape and watch for dolphins, often spotted in this area.

For guests on the Origin, there is a Zodiac excursion at Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove)-guiding you through a series of peaceful coves and inlets surrounded by mangroves, with their large roots rising out of the water. You may observe pairs of mating sea turtles (September to February), white-tipped reef sharks, and golden cow-nosed rays. We return to the vessel for the Captain’s Farewell cocktail with the crew, followed by dinner and a special presentation by your guides.

As you wake up this morning, your yacht is one of dozens of boats anchored in the lively harbor of Academy Bay. You disembark at Puerto Ayora, SANTA CRUZ (2) Island, the social heart of the Galapagos, with a population of 24,000 residents. This morning, we visit the breeding center Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena (2) and the Charles Darwin Research Station, where you learn about ongoing conservation efforts from exhibits set up along the wooden trail. You see hatchlings and miniature tortoises that will be repatriated by the National Park when grown. The newest exhibit honors Lonesome George, the last surviving tortoise from Pinta Island who tragically died of natural causes. With his species now extinct, Lonesome George has become a worldwide icon, emphasizing the importance of efforts to preserve and protect endangered wildlife. A more hopeful story is Diego, a saddleback tortoise whose species was reduced to 14 individuals before he was transported from the San Diego Zoo and has since fathered hundreds of descendants.

Return to the yacht for lunch and later board a bus for a short ride to the highlands of Santa Cruz to a lava tunnel, a hollow formation created when lava on the earth’s surface cools and hardens while molten lava continues to flow in the middle. Your next stop is Los Gemelos (The Twins), a pair of large, deep craters with vibrant plant life at higher elevations. The next stop is at Rancho Primicias, a privately-owned hacienda, where giant tortoises roam freely – some weighing over 500 pounds – in their natural habitat, feeding or resting in shallow pools. Return to the yacht by zodiac for a delicious multi-course farewell dinner and a goodbye presentation from the crew.

This morning, you disembark from the yacht after breakfast. To provide the perfect conclusion to your trip, you’ll visit the Interpretation Center on San Cristobal (1) to delve deeper into the human history of the Galapagos Islands. Guests on the Evolve will visit Isla Lobos (5). There’s a paved trail where you can enjoy a brief walk before taking a bus ride into town. You’ll have some free time for any last-minute photos before your transfer to the airport. The flight back to the mainland is quick, but you’ll be taking lifelong memories with you!

Difficulty level of Guided shore excursions:

1- Easy walk on even terrain or beach

2- Moderate walk on a trail with mostly firm terrain

3- Rocky trail with moderate landing and climbing

4- Difficult steep rocky trail or climbing up natural stairs

5- Long rocky challenging trail with loose or slippery rocks

Difficulty level of snorkeling excursions:

1- Enter water from the beach in shallow where you can touch the bottom

2- Enter water from Zodiac in deeper water, possible current, requires experience.