This Beluga Galapagos trip itinerary focuses on the Central, Southern and Northern Islands, including visits to Tower and Hood Island, two highlights of the Galapagos Islands.
Details
Overview
Itinerary Highlights
- See Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat.
- Snorkel alongside some of the rare, local wildlife.
- Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up and remains of the Norwegian fishing village.
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Baltra / Santa Cruz: Highlands & Charles Darwin Station
- Day 2: Plazas / Santa Fe
- Day 3: San Cristobal: Cerro Brujo, Leon Dormido & El Junco
- Day 4: Española: Gardner Bay & Pta. Suarez
- Day 5: Floreana: Pta. Cormorant & Post Office Bay
- Day 6: Santa Cruz: Dragon Hill / Santiago: Sullivan Bay
- Day 7: Tower: Darwin Bay & Prince Philips Steps
- Day 8: Turtle Cove / Baltra
Travelling with Eclipse
Peace of Mind
- Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
- 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
- We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
- No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
- Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
- Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
- We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
- Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
- Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
- Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
- Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.
Day 1: Baltra / Santa Cruz: Highlands & Charles Darwin Station
Santa Cruz Island
• Highlands of Santa Cruz: Galapagos giant tortoises can be seen in the wild in the highlands of Santa Cruz.
• Charles Darwin Station: Visit the Charles Darwin Station is a research facility and National Park Information center. The Charles Darwin Station has a giant tortoise and land iguana breeding program and interpretation center.
Day 2: Plazas / Santa Fe
South Plaza Island: Plazas consists of two very small islands that were uplifted from the sea, separated by a channel. Only South Plazas has a visitor site. The highlights include tall Opuntia cactus, land and marine iguanas, rocky cliff that looks out towards open ocean which is also a nesting site for red-billed tropic birds and gulls, and a seal lion bachelor colony.
Santa Fe Island: Santa Fe is a smaller island of 24 km2. The visitor site Santa Fe is located on the northeast end of the island. Highlights include Santa Fe land iguanas, pelican nesting site, sea lion colony, mockingbird, and Palo Santo trees.
Day 3: San Cristobal: Cerro Brujo, Leon Dormido & El Junco
San Cristóbal Island (Chatham): San Cristóbal is the easternmost island of Galapagos and also one of the oldest.
• Witch Hill: Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) is a volcanic cone that looks over a beautiful white sandy beach which has plenty of sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, waders and marine iguanas.
• Galapaguera and El Junco: The lagoon is the only fresh water reservoir in Galapagos and has great views from its altitude of 700m in the highlands of San Cristóbal. Rainwater has collected in the caldera for hundreds of years and formed this lagoon. Galapaguera is a good area to see tortoises in their natural environment.
Day 4: Española: Gardner Bay & Pta. Suarez
Hood Island (Española): Hood is the oldest of the Southern Islands and is the southernmost in the archipelago. Because of its remote location a unique range of endemic species evolved here
• Gardner Bay: Located on the northeast of the island, the site has a long and beautiful white sand beach inhabited by sea lion colonies.
• Islote Gardner and Islote Osborn: These islets are snorkeling sites where visitors will see an abundance of tropical fish, reef sharks, and turtles.
• Punta Suarez: The wildlife at Punta Suarez is plentiful and varied. Along the cliff visitors can enjoy the blowhole where seawater is forced about 20m into the air. The highlights are the Waved albatross (April-Dec) that are only found on Hood, Galapagos Hawks, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and Española lava lizards.
Day 5: Floreana: Pta. Cormorant & Post Office Bay
Floreana Island: Floreana is best known for its colorful history of buccaneers, whalers, convicts, and early colonists.
• Punta Cormorant: Punta Cormorant has two contrasting beaches and a large inland lagoon where pink flamingos can be seen.
• Devil’s Crown: This is a snorkeling site located just off Punta Cormorant. The site is a completely submerged volcano that has eroded to create the appearance of a jagged crown.
• Post Office Bay: This is one of the few sites visited for its human history. Visit the wooden mail barrel where letters are dropped off and picked up and remains of the Norwegian fishing village.
Day 6: Santa Cruz: Dragon Hill / Santiago: Sullivan Bay
Santa Cruz Island
• Dragon Hill: Cerro Dragon has hyper-salinic small lagoon behind the beach, often frequented by flamingos
James Island (Santiago)
James Island is located between Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. This Island offers a wide variety of seabirds, marine iguanas and fur seals.
• Sullivan Bay: This site is of great geological interest. Highlights: 100 hundred year old lava flow field, pahoehoe formations, and lava bubbles.
Day 7: Tower: Darwin Bay & Prince Philips Steps
Tower Island (Genovesa): Tower is an eroded flat volcanic island, with a natural harbor, which is actually the submerged caldera of this volcanic island.
• Darwin Bay: The steep cliffs of this area dominate the island. This area is home to thousands of frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Noddy terns, lava gulls, tropicbirds, doves, storm petrels and Darwin’s finches.
• El Barranco: There is a good possibility of seeing the unique “Short eared owl” at this site. During the dinghy rides along the cliffs fur seals and several species of seabirds can be spotted.
Day 8: Turtle Cove / Baltra
Santa Cruz Island
Caleta Tortuga (Turtle Cove): Turtle Cove is a red mangrove lagoon on Santa Cruz and a perfect example of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat.
Baltra
Return flight to Quito
Next Departure Date: 30 Apr 2025
| Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2025 - 07 May 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| Cabin 3 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 6 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 2 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 5 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 7 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 4 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 1 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| Cabin 8 | AUD$9750pp | Contact us | |
| 14 May 2025 - 21 May 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 11 Jun 2025 - 18 Jun 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 25 Jun 2025 - 02 Jul 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 09 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 06 Aug 2025 - 13 Aug 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 20 Aug 2025 - 27 Aug 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 17 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 10 Dec 2025 - 17 Dec 2025 | AUD$9750pp | ||
| 24 Dec 2025 - 31 Dec 2025 | AUD$9750pp |
Alternative itinerary options:
- 6 Day Beluga: ''Hood'' Itinerary
- 6 Day Beluga: ''Isabela'' Itinerary
- 8 Day Beluga: ''Fernandina'' Itinerary
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Cabin Details
Cabin 1
One single bed & one bunk bed, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 2
Two beds, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 3
One bed, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 4
Two beds, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 5
One bed, two portholes, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 6
Two beds, large windows providing a 180-degree panoramic view, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 7
One bed, large windows providing a 180-degree panoramic view, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Cabin 8
Two beds, a wide panoramic window, storage space, private bath, hot/cold showers, vanity table & security safe.
Beluga Deckplan
Specifications
- Category: Superior First Class
- Capacity: 16 passengers
- Length: 110 ft.
- Beam: 23 ft.
- Cruise Range: 12 knots cruising.
- Type: Motor Vessel, Steel hull
- Mechanical Equipment: Twin Scania Diesel Electronic 450 HP each, 3 Perkins generators for 110v and 220v, 2 reverse osmosis watermakers, autopilot system, sewage treatment plant
- Safety Equipment: VHF (DSC) & HF (DSC) radios. EPIRB, SART, satellite tracking device, 2 GPS’s, 2 radars, depth sounder, flares, basic first aid kits, 2 tenders with outboards, fin keels for extra stability, flotation rings, life rafts with surplus capacity for all passengers and crew, fire alarm system.
- Guest Accommodation: 8 Double cabins each with a private bath. Hot/cold water showers. Security safe in each cabin.
- Crew: All crew are fully trained and certified. Captain, multilingual naturalist guide, cook, 2 engineers, barman, and 4 sailors.
Whats included?
- All meals and accommodation in double cabins while on board
- Welcome cocktail
- All excursions and activities while on board
- Wetsuits
- Snorkeling gear
- Use of kayaks
- Bilingual naturalist guide
What’s not included?
- Flights to and from Galapagos
- Galápagos National Park fee: US$200 per person
- Transit control card: US$20 per person
- Any extra beverages on board (anything in a bottle)
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Price Assurance
At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.
Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.
Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.
Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!
Destination: Galapagos
This once in a lifetime destination is a nature lovers dream. Watch the famous Galapagos tortoises and blue footed boobies in the morning and snorkel with sea lions in the afternoon, then relax on your cruise to the next destination tomorrow!
Downloadable travel guide
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