Galápagos — West & Central Islands (Eden)

Arrive at any time. The adventure begins today. Feel free to explore, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Your representative will review the details of your tour.

Take an early flight to the Galapagos Islands and transfer to Puerto Ayora and board the Eden. Spend the afternoon in the highlands seeing giant tortoises in the wild and exploring lava tunnels.

Plane

Mariscal Sucre International Airport – Seymour Airport 2h

Flights from Quito to Baltra depart between 6:40am and 9:40am depending on the day of the week. These will arrive into the Galapagos between 9:30am and 12:30pm with a short refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will generally arrive at the boat in time for lunch on Day 2 before the afternoon activity.

Highlands Giant Tortoises Visit

Santa Cruz Island

Head to Santa Cruz’s verdant highlands. This is a perfect place to hike through the grounds and see giant tortoises in their natural environment, before savouring an included lunch.

Eden

Santa Cruz Island – Isabela Island

When it comes to our fleet of Galapagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galapagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Stop off in the small town of Puerto Villamil before hiking to the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano. In the afternoon, visit the wetlands and the tortoise breeding centre in the Puerto Villamil area.

Sierra Negra Volcano Hike

Isabela Island 1h-2h

Hike to the rim of the 10km (6 mi) wide crater of the Sierra Negra volcano, which has the largest basaltic caldera in the Galapagos. Trek across the moon-like landscape of the lava fields and fumaroles, and enjoy spectacular views looking north toward Fernandina and the rest of Isabela Island. The volcano last erupted in June 2018, making it the most recent eruption of the Galapagos. This hike is 7km in total (3.5 km each way).

Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Visit

Isabela Island 1h-2h

Walk through the town’s wetlands to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. With the giant tortoise on its way to extinction in the late 1950s, this program was established to protect these noble creatures.

Flamingo Lagoon Visit

Isabela Island

Spend some time exploring Isabela's natural attractions. Enjoy a walk to the largest coastal lagoon in the Galapagos, also a principal breeding ground for flamingos. Make stops along the way at a lookout point, and to visit natural pools, beaches, and mangrove swamps. Also stop along the way at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre to see how these fascinating creatures are hatched, cared for and released into the wild in the ongoing efforts to protect the species.

Eden

Isabela Island – Punta Moreno

When it comes to our fleet of Galapagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galapagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Pay a morning visit to Punta Moreno on the southwest coast of Isabela to see lava formations, flamingos, and amazing views of the three most active volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands. Don't forget your snorkels! In the afternoon, visit Elizabeth Bay which offers amazing bird and marine life viewing opportunities. Head out on the pangas and explore the shallows and mangroves to look for sea turtles and penguins.

Punta Moreno Visit

Punta Moreno

Visit Punta Moreno and explore its interesting landscape, which is home to black lava flows and a unique system of brackish lagoons that draw in a wide range of wildlife. Spot Darwin’s finches, Galapagos doves, penguins, and more! Be sure to bring your camera for shots of the island’s amazing scenery, and your snorkel to experience a different point of view. Punta Moreno boasts a panoramic viewpoint of three of Isabela’s imposing volcanoes: Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul.

Elizabeth Bay Panga Ride

Elizabeth Bay

Head out by panga to explore, keeping an eye out for wildlife hiding among the mangroves. Search for marine turtles, rays, and flightless cormorants in the sheltered waters. Also spot blue-footed boobies, penguins, and pelicans feeding on the abundant marine life.

Eden

Punta Moreno – Tagus Cove

When it comes to our fleet of Galapagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galapagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Stop for a visit at Tagus Cove and hike to a lookout to get a stunning view of the bay. Spot old graffiti on the cliffs from whalers and pirates who once visited the the cove. Continue to Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, the youngest of the Galapagos Islands, where you will have an opportunity to snorkel. Witness the large colony of marine iguanas and a variety of bird life.

Tagus Cove Visit

Tagus Cove

Visit Tagus Cove, an Isabela Island anchorage site that was popular among whalers and pirates. Tour the area on foot for spectacular views of Darwin Lake (a spherical saltwater crater), the bay, and Darwin and Wolf volcanoes. Upon landing, take the wooden stairway to the trail entrance, and follow the trail through a dry vegetation zone. Opt to continue on an ascent to a promontory made up of spatter cones (small volcanic cones) or explore the area by dinghy.

Punta Espinoza Visit

Punta Espinoza

Tour a number of different trails at this not-to-be-missed landing site that’s home to some of the largest colonies of marine iguanas and sea birds. Follow the path along the beach and across lava flows for a unique opportunity to explore one of the least-visited areas of the Galapagos. Here, you will also have a chance to snorkel.

Eden

Punta Espinoza – Puerto Egas

When it comes to our fleet of Galapagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galapagos from the outdoor sundeck.

On a morning excursion to Puerto Egas, walk on a dark sand beach studded with rock formations and tidal pools. Take a refreshing dip in turquoise waters and snorkel around, searching for fish and sea turtles in the protected bay. Later, visit Rabida Island for a visit to a saltwater lagoon and sea lion colony.

Puerto Egas Visit

Puerto Egas

Explore the spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay. Spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife.

Snorkelling (Puerto Egas)

Puerto Egas 45m-1h

Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach to explore Puerto Egas' interesting underwater world. Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reef sharks while snorkelling. After, visit the large tidal pool area – marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs are everywhere.

Rábida Island Visit

Rabida Island

Arrive at a red sand beach at Rabida to explore its trails. A short trail leads to a saltwater lagoon; another trail goes past the lagoon to the interior, where the revered palo santo trees grow. (When burned, the branches of this tree give off a pleasing aroma and ward off mosquitoes.)

Eden

Rabida Island – Santa Cruz Island

When it comes to our fleet of Galapagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galapagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Visit North Seymour for guided walks to observe birds and wildlife, including vast sea lion colonies. Disembark at Baltra and fly back to Quito.

North Seymour Island Visit

North Seymour

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). Depending on the season, see blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks.

Plane

Seymour Airport – Mariscal Sucre International Airport 2h

Depart at any time.

Itineraries are subject to change.