Enjoy a two-night hotel stay in Ecuador's fascinating capital, Quito, before boarding your luxury expedition ship to explore the unique Galapagos Islands.
Cruise to the islands of Daphne Grande and Genovesa with their huge colonies of seabirds including the world's largest red-footed booby and yellow-crowned night herons. Discover the abundance of wildlife on North Seymour Island, from the Magnificent Frigatebird to marine iguanas, before continuing to Santiago island with its spectacular lava flows.
Enjoy a hike on Rabida island and see the most enblematic animal in the archipelago, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise at the Galapaguera Cerro Colorado on San Cristobal island.
Don't miss the opportunity to swim with sea lions at Gardener Bay on Espanola and see the Waved Galapagos Albatross, the largest seabird to nest in the archipelago at Punta Suarez, before heading to Santa Cruz island, home to the Charles Darwin Research Station.
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North Central Galapagos Luxury Expedition Itinerary
Days 1-2 - UK - Quito (Ecuador)
Fly from the UK to Quito and enjoy a two-night hotel stay at the Quito JW Marriott including breakfast. There is an included evening tour of this historic city which showcases its main sights.
Day 3 - Quito - Baltra Island (Galapagos)
Check-out of the hotel and transfer to the airport in Quito for your flight to Baltra Island where you'll embark Silver Galapagos. The island boasts a variety of flora and fauna, including prickly pear cactus and boobies. Cruise to Daphne Grande which is home to huge colonies of seabirds.
Day 4 - Genovesa Island
Bahia Darwin located in Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island is the rim of a sunken crater and home to an abundance of Galapagos wildlife. El Barranco or Prince Philip's Steps is a series of rocky steps leading to a cliff face, where visitors can observe red-footed boobies and wedge-rumped storm petrels. The steps were named after Prince Philip who visited the archipelago in 1965 and 1981. There will be opportunities for snorkelling and kayaking.
Day 5 - North Seymour Island - Santiago Island
North Seymour Island boasts prickly pear cactus and palo santos trees. There is a designated trail on the island which passes an abundance of wildlife, including blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds. Continue to the east coast of Santiago Island with its white sandy beaches and lava flows.
Day 6 - Rabida - Santa Cruz Island
Visit the small picturesque island of Rabida with its rock red cliffs. It is home to Darwin's finches and lava lizards. Enjoy a short hike during your time here, before heading to Bahia Ballena or Eden islet. Whalers left behind some of their pottery at Bahia Ballena. Eden is a small eroded cone, home to sealions and blue-footed boobies and the perfect place to snorkel and kayak.
Day 7 - San Cristobal Island
See the most famous animal in the archipelago, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise at the Galapaguera Cerro Colorado, a centre which aims to restore and protect the archipelago's natural biodiversity. Later, head to the eroded landscape of Punta Pitt, home to red-fotted boobies and the Great Frigatebird.
Day 8 - Espanola Island
Located on Espanola Island, Bahia Gardner is a popular snorkelling location where you may be able to see Manta Rays and white-tipped sharks. Later, head to Punta Suarez, a visitor site with a designated trail which allows you to observe wildlife in its natural habitat, especially waved albatrosses which flock here from all over the world to nest.
Day 9 - Santa Cruz Island - Plazas Sur
Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island where you can learn about the Galapagos Islands and the Tortoise breeding program, before visiting the bustling town of Puerto Ayora which is home to the Galapagos National Park Headquarters. The small island of Plazas Sur is home to prickly pear cactus, land iguanas and Sally Lightfoot Crabs.
Day 10 - San Cristobal - Guayaquil (Ecuador) - UK
Disembark Silver Galapagos on San Cristobal Island and fly to Guayaquil, then on to the UK. For guests with flights after 10pm, a hotel day room at Hotel Oro Verde in Guayaquil is provided.
For navigational reasons the Captain of the ship reserves the right to modify the cruise itinerary.