An Intimate Galapagos Islands Yacht Cruise with a Top MTS Guide | 11-Day Itinerary

Short on Time? This trip is also available as a 9-Day Itinerary.

Cruise the Galapagos with Mountain Travel Sobek for an interactive tour through a real-life never-never land: hiking, swimming, snorkeling, sea kayaking, and watching a world where wonders never cease. See each island in style on an MTS charter aboard one of our small, luxury yachts (12-16 passengers max) for the best up-close wildlife encounters.

On an MTS Signature Guide Cruise in the Galapagos, you'll travel in the company of one of our top naturalist guides. All have 15-20 years of experience guiding in the Enchanted Isles, and comprise a superior team of experts whose depth of knowledge and passion for this truly unique wildlife paradise comes through in everything they do. They are simply without equal in providing their guests the best possible Galapagos experience!

Our Signature Guide Cruises are scheduled on specific dates. However if those dates don't match your available travel times we have multiple Galapagos departures year-round, and can easily match you up with a departure on the same great yachts but at a time that suits you! Call a Regional Specialist for details. 1-888-831-7526

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Activities

Comfortable yacht travel; hiking; wildlife viewing; optional swimming, snorkeling, sea kayaking; maximum elevation 9,350' (Quito)

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy up close and personal encounters with wildlife in the world’s top nature destination, including snorkeling with sea lions and green sea turtles!
• The most comprehensive Galapagos experience available, with nature hikes, snorkeling, and sea kayaking excursions
• We do it right: many yachts to choose from, 5-star hotel in Quito, the best naturalist guides!
• A dedicated in-country staff to see to your every need

Duration: 11 days Start Location: Quito, Ecuador End Location: Quito, Ecuador

BRIEF Itinerary

• Day 1 : Arrive in Quito, Ecuador

   Arrive in Quito, Ecuador. A Mountain Travel Sobek representative will meet you outside the customs and immigration area at the airport. He or she will answer questions, brief you on the immediate arrangements, and escort you to your hotel.

• Day 2 : Quito

  A free day in Quito to explore on your own or tour the colonial Old Town, visit Otavalo Market or visit the cloud forest!

• Day 3 : To the Galapagos Islands

  Fly to the Galapagos Islands. Board yacht and begin your Galapagos cruise.

• Days 4 - 9 : Cruise Among the "Enchanted Isles"

  Each day of your Galápagos tour contains magical moments of discovery, with a naturalist guide helping you see the wonders of the islands. The Galápagos cruise itinerary varies, but you'll visit a combination of islands: Plazas, North Seymour, Tower, James (Santiago), Bartolomé, Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Española (Hood), and Floreana. Each has its own special highlights: the soft, powdery sands, blue-footed boobies, and waved albatross colony at Española; great snorkeling and a volcano hike on Bartolomé; tide pools and fur seals on James; the giant tortoises in the highlands of Santa Cruz; flightless cormorants and hordes of marine iguanas on Fernandina.

• Day 10 : End Cruise and Return to Quito

  Motor back to the port. Transfer to the airport and fly to Quito, arriving in the late afternoon.

• Day 11 : Fly Home

  Transfer to the airport for homeward bound flight or join one of our extensions in Ecuador or Peru!

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  Swissôtel

  Quito, Ecuador

  This luxury hotel offers comfort and professional service in an excellent location close to the Old Town and the airport. Large, comfortable rooms and great views of the surrounding area from the top.

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  The Reina Silvia

  At 90 feet long, the Reina Silvia was recently redesigned to create a pleasant atmosphere for groups of 12-16 guests. All cabins feature en suite bathrooms with shower, vanity and lavatory. More information and deck plan.

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

• Greg Estes

  Born in the United States, Greg Estes first arrived in Galapagos in 1982 leading the Cambridge Darwin Centenary Galapagos Expedition to conduct research on the feeding ecology of marine iguanas. After graduating from the University of London, England, with an honours degree in Biology Greg’s research in Galapagos has encompassed a wide range of ecological projects, including studies on sperm whales and the endangered Galapagos petrel. Greg and his wife Thalia have retraced Darwin’s footsteps through Galapagos using information from his original notebooks and manuscripts of the famous voyage. Their research was published in “Notes and Records of the Royal Society“, September 2000 and was the basis of their book Darwin in Galapagos: Footsteps to a New World, published by Princeton University Press in 2009. Greg has served as a licensed naturalist guide of the Galapagos National Park Service since 1982 and continues to work as naturalist and expeditions leader in the islands. He is in high demand by university and natural history organizations alike and among the institutions he has guided/led are the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Stanford University, Princeton University, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, New York Audubon Society, New York Botanical Gardens. Greg has traveled extensively in North, Central and South America, and Europe and has worked as a naturalist in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic. His explorations have included an ascent of Cotopaxi in Ecuador, which is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.

• Desiree Cruz

  Desiree Cruz loves Galápagos so much that she lives in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, she received her B.S. from the University of Guayaquil in biology with a specialty in botany. She has been a naturalist guide in Galápagos since 1987 and has served in several capacities for the Galápagos National Park Service, including Deputy Director. Desiree is fluent in Spanish, English, and German. She has worked with Sea Shepherd in Galápagos, an organization dedicated to protecting the marine reserve from poaching, and is an advocate for conservation in Galápagos. She balances her conservation work with the delight of sharing her love of nature and Galápagos with our trip members. Desiree is a “guide’s guide” and works part-time teaching naturalist guides in Galápagos.

• Patricia Stucki

  Patricia Stucki has been guiding diving trips in Galápagos since 1999. A native of Switzerland and originally a journalist for the Swiss News Agency, Patricia started her career in guiding as a dive master in Honduras in 1995 and as a naturalist guide in Costa Rica. She is fascinated by wildlife, is a passionate teacher, and an active conservationist in the islands. As a resident of Galápagos, she will be able to give you an insider’s viewpoint of life in the islands. Patricia is fluent in English, German, and French.

• Luis Die

  Luis Die was born in Seville, Spain, and is a graduate of the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid with a degree in environmental biology. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and French and has guided in Galápagos for more than a decade. In addition to being a professional nature photographer, Luis is working on a Master’s Degree in geographical ecology and is active with conservation groups on the mainland. Luis is a born teacher and enthusiastically shares his knowledge of Galápagos with people of all ages. He lives in Quito with his wife and twin sons and is our head naturalist guide, working exclusively with Mountain Travel Sobek.

photo credits: ©Christopher Bettencourt