MV Galapagos Legend Cruise - 4 nights - South Islands 

Aboard the M/V Galapagos Legend you'll discover a volcanic island paradise situated directly on the equator 500 miles west of the Ecuadorian coast. Enjoy up-close interaction with indigenous wildlife, marine animals, flora and fauna with a focus on natural history throughout the Galapagos Legend boat trip. Enjoy interiors with marine details and original pieces of art that talk about the nature of the Islands, bathe under the sun at the sky deck by the pool; enjoy an exotic cocktail from the Fisherman's Bar; spot dolphins and whales as they smoothly navigate the rich Galapagos water from the observation decks and take pleasure in romantic meal under the sun or the moon and the stars.

 Day 1

 AM – San Cristobal Airport

Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to San Cristobal in a 2-hour flight. Upon arrival, passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.

 PM – Interpretation Center and Tijeretas Hill (San Cristobal Island)

Dry landing. The interpretation center is full of interesting information and offers the perfect overview to the formation of Galapagos, its significance in the world, threats and conservation efforts. Followed by a hike to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) we will have great looks at both species of frigate-bird, with the bonus of a beautiful view of the bay below.

Difficulty level: easy/moderate

 Type of terrain: flat / stairs / rocky

 Duration: 1-hour visit/1-hour walk

 Day 2

 AM – Gardner Bay, Gardner and Osborn islets (Espanola Island)

Wet landing. One of the most stunning beaches in all of Galapagos. The long, white, sandy beach, lapped by turquoise waters is home to a colony of Galapagos sea lions, indifferent to the humans that walk among them. The Hood mockingbirds, endemic to this particular island, will be eager to inspect the visitors and satisfy their innate curiosity. Darwin’s finches may also join the throng including the reclusive warbler finch. We can also snorkel here from the beach, in the shallows of the bay.

 Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: sandy

 Duration: 1 1/2 hour walk and snorkeling

PM – Suarez Point (Espanola Island)

Dry landing. One of the highlight visits of the trip. Punta Suarez seems to have everything – a naturalist’s paradise. A slew of marine iguanas and sea lions greet us at the landing site from where our walk continues with close encounters of boobies, endemic lizards, gulls and even a dramatic blow hole. The oldest extant island in the archipelago it is our only opportunity to commune with the endemic waved albatross during their breeding season between April and December. With luck, we can watch their complex courtship display.

 Difficulty level: demanding

 Type of terrain: rocky

 Duration: 2 1/2-hour walk

 Day 3

 AM – Post Office (Floreana Island)

Wet landing. A very short walk from the beach leads us to the famous Post Office Barrel. Claimed to have been first setup in 1793 by Captain James Colnett it remains the oldest functioning “post office” in the Pacific. The system was that whalers and fur sealers would leave addressed letters in the barrel to be picked up by homeward bound colleagues. In the spirit of maintaining tradition visitors today will often take letters and hand-deliver them in their home countries.

 Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: sandy

 Duration: 30-minute walk/1-hour snorkeling

PM – Cormorant Point/Devil’s Crown/Champion (Floreana Island) 

Wet landing. Our walk takes us past island-endemic Scalesia plants to a large, shallow, lagoon often inhabited by a variable number of shockingly pink greater flamingoes. We continue through a forest of palo santo trees to arrive at a powdery white beach, a nesting area of green turtles. As we paddle barefoot in the shallow water we will spot diamond stingrays and white-tipped reef sharks. On our way back to the olivine beach we landed on, we will have time to swim or snorkel amongst sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions and, on a good day, white-tipped reef sharks. A small colony of penguins resides on Floreana and can sometimes be observed as well. One of the favorite snorkeling sites in the islands. Devil's Crown, is home to an abundance of fish and marine animals. We will swim with big schools of yellow-tailed surgeonfish, salemas and creole fish and with luck may spot turtles, spotted eagle rays, parrotfish, and even hammerhead sharks.

 Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: sandy and flat

 Duration: 1-hour walk/1-hour snorkeling

 Day 4

 AM – Charles Darwin Research Station and Fausto Llerena Breeding Center (Santa Cruz Island)

Dry landing. Once home to the famous Lonesome George, the last tortoise of the Pinta race, the breeding and relocation center is named in honor of his long-time guardian. The center is set in the Galapagos National Park Service where various interpretative buildings are available to visit. The grounds, with large stands of native vegetation, are one of the better places to spot some of the seldom seen Darwin’s finches such as the woodpecker, cactus and vegetarian finches.

 Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: flat

 Duration: 1 1/2 hour walk

 Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island)

In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

 Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: flat and sometimes mudy

 PM –Ballena Bay/Eden Islet (Santa Cruz)

Wet landing. The perfect spot to enjoy our water activities of snorkeling, kayaking or the glass-bottom boat. Expect to see lots of fish species including king angelfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish, damsels, rays and sharks. From the land portion of the visit there will be sea lions and basking marine iguanas with herons and turtles in the mangrove areas. We might even discover some antique ceramic relics left behind by previous settlements.

 Difficulty level: moderate

 Type of terrain: rocky

 Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

Eden Islet is off the western coast of Santa Cruz. It offers opportunities to see Nazca and blue-footed boobies, reef sharks, and banks of endemic bream fish, either from the panga or while snorkeling.

 Difficulty level: moderate

 Type of terrain: water

 Duration: 1 - hour snorkeling