Galapagos Islands Cruise
M/V Galapagos Legend Cruise

EAST ITINERARY - 3 nights / 4 days

Day 1: Monday - Galapagos (Baltra Airport)
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra on the Galapagos Islands, a 2.5 hour flight. You will be greeted at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend for your spectacular Galapagos Islands Cruise!

North Seymour
The first landing is on North Seymour, where you may spot swallow-tailed gulls and sea lions. This site is a major nesting colony of blue-footed boobies, and has the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird, with its bright red gular pouch. There area also marine iguanas and land iguanas that call this part of the Galapagos Islands their home.

Day 2: Tuesday - Santa Cruz (Dragon Hill)
Today's Galapagos Legend cruise itinerary is another opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the Galapagos Islands. Walk to a saltwater lagoon just beyond the beach, where pink flamingos enjoy preening and sunning themselves. Follow this trail to Dragon Hill, which offers a lovely view of the bay. This is a nesting site for reintroduced land iguanas, and there is also a Holy Stick Forest.

Floreana (Cormorant Point)
After cruising further along the archipelago, take another landing on a greenish-colored sand beach of Floreana. Here is a wonderful hike among black mangroves to a brackish lagoon that holds one of the biggest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, Galapagos daisies, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions.

Day 3: Wednesday - Española (Surez Point)
The Galapagos Legend cruise itinerary continues to Española, one of the most popular islands to visit. Learn about the inactive volcanoes here, and walk along the old lava flows. Besides the sea lion colonies here, Española is a very important site for bird watching. Various bird species such as the mockingbird, Blue-footed and Nazca booby, Galapagos Dove, hawks, and swallow-tailed gulls can be spotted from very close. There are also colonies of marine iguanas, lava lizards, and sally lightfoot crabs. After a short trek, encounter colonies of Nazca and blue-footed boobies, which often nest very close to the trail. Continue on the nature hike until reaching the world's largest colony of waved albatross. A major highlight is their mating season, from May through December. You will also visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots into the air about 23 m (75 ft).

San Cristobal (Interpretation Center or La Galapaguera)
This afternoon, the Galapagos Legend will land at the Puerto Baquerizo Moreno so that you can visit the giant tortoise breeding center. You will be able to see these amazing tortoises up close, and learn about their breeding habits and the ways that the Interpretation Center has been able to aid the growth of the species. There is also opportunity to the visit the town and go shopping for souvenirs and locally-made handicrafts.

Day 4: Thursday - Santa Cruz (Carrion Point)
Santa Cruz Island offers excellent snorkeling and swimming in its warm, turquoise waters in a quiet lagoon near Carrion Point. Get up close to tropical fish, manta rays, and harmless white-tipped reef sharks. There are land iguanas and sea lions on the island, as well as the Charles Darwin Research Station. For passengers on the 4 day Galapagos Legend cruise itinerary, depart for Baltra in the afternoon, and then return to Quito or Guayaquil.

WEST ITINERARY - 4 nights / 5 days

Day 1: Thursday - Galapagos (Baltra Airport)
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra on the Galapagos Islands, a 2.5 hour flight. You will be greeted at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend for your spectacular Galapagos Islands Cruise!

Bartolome
Your first stop on this 5 day Galapagos Legend cruise itinerary is at Bartolome Islet. Explore volcanic formations like lava bombs, spatter, and cinder cones. Hike to the summit of the extinct volcano, which gives you a magnificent view of the surrounding islands, glistening shores, and the nearby Pinnacle Rock. During the hike, you are likely to see marine iguanas and lava lizards, as well as tiquilla, lava cactus, and Scalecia tree covering the landscape. There will be time for snorkeling, with Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and harmless white-tipped sharks at a safe distance.

Day 2: Friday - Urbina Bay (Isabela)
Isabela Island is home to giant tortoises, iguanas, blue-footed boobies, Galapagos penguins, and flightless cormorants. There are several volcanoes, lagoons and beaches just beckoning the adventurous explorer. Spend some time looking at fossils on the beach and coral reefs, then go walking through the island, and spend the afternoon snorkeling in Urbina Bay.

Fernandina (Espinosa Point)
This is a small, active volcanic island next to Isabela Island, where you can explore the volcanic ash beach and coral area. Depending on the season you may be able to observe giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants. After the walk, there will be time for snorkeling.

Day 3: Saturday - Santiago (Egas Port)
Wet landing on a beach of dark sand (volcanic ash). Most of the landscape is comprised of layers of rocks and lava flows. Here you can see great blue herons, striated herons, yellow-crowned night herons and American oystercatchers. Passengers will see marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds alongside red sally lightfoot crabs. There is a colony of fur-seals swimming in pools of cool water. This is a place where you can swim, snorkel and look for squid, starfish and a variety of colorful tropical fish.

Rvida (Jervis)
The volcano-formed beach is dark red and frequented by sea lions. Itâs considered the geographic center of Galapagos because it has the most diverse volcanic rocks on the Islands. Hike to a salt water lagoon, where flamingos occasionally roost. July through September is a good time to observe brown pelicans nesting in the salty bushes. There are also boobies and nine species of Darwin's finches here. You can take a dinghy ride by the reefs, as well as snorkel.

Day 4: Sunday - Santa Cruz (Charles Darwin Research Station)
Here you will be able to observe the giant tortoises that are part of the reproduction program, and where Lonesome George, the last of his sub-species, once drew many crowds. Visitors can also admire the prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds. Later on, you will have some free time to walk around town and shop for souvenirs.

Santa Cruz (Highlands)
Continue exploring Santa Cruz Island with a trek through the highlands to Cerro Chato, where you can see the famous giant tortoises in their natural habitat. You can also walk inside the dormant lava tubes nearby.

Day 5: Monday - Santa Cruz (Bachas Beach)
This beach is located on north side of Santa Cruz Island. Here you will encounter many sea birds, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and have the opportunity to walk on the white sand beach. Return to the Galapagos Legend cruise ship, check out and transfer to the Baltras airport. Return flight to Quito or Guayaquil.

NOTE: The 7 night Galapagos Legend Cruise itinerary can start in the west or in the east and can begin Monday or Thursday.