MV Galapagos Legend Cruise - 4 nights - West 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 – Baltra Airport

Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island (2 1/2 hours flight). Arriving in Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our natural guides and taken (ten-minute bus drive) to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.

 PM – Mosquera Islet

Wet Landing. This tiny, low lying islet, covered in coral sand, is set between North and South Seymour Islands. It is home to a group of sea lions that come to laze on the soft white sand. It is a good spot to observe shorebirds as well as herons, lava gulls and boobies. Snorkeling or diving here one can often see sharks, rays and barracudas.

Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: sandy

 Duration: 1 1/2-hour walk and snorkeling.

 Day 2

 AM - Egas Port (Santiago Island)

Wet landing. The black volcanic sand sets this landing apart from most. It is best known for the dramatic shoreline where we meet a host of species that chose to live between land and sea. Particular among these are the endemic Galapagos fur seals which maintain a small colony at the end of our walk. Other species of note include American oyster catchers, sea lions, waders, herons, lava lizards and even Galapagos hawks. An optional visit takes us to an abandoned salt mine famous in its day for supplying salt to mainland Ecuador.

 Difficulty level: moderate

 Type of terrain: flat and semy - rocky

 Duration: 1 1/2 hour walk and snorkeling

 PM - Rabida Island

Wet landing. Lying at the heart of the archipelago this dramatic island, with its distinctive red-sand beach, is home to sea lions, mockingbirds, finches, endemic Galapagos doves and vermilion flycatchers. A walk takes us through a forest of palo santo and cacti to a beautiful overview of the bay. Snorkeling here can be excellent, often with large schools of black-striped salemas, sea lions and the ubiquitous turtles.

 Difficulty level: easy

 Type of terrain: sandy

 Duration: 1 1/2-hour walk/1-hour snorkeling/1 hour dinghy ride

 Day 3

 AM - Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

Wet landing. At the far end of a long, level hike we arrive at a strange phenomenon where large blocks of coral lie completely exposed after a dramatic geological uplift in 1954. Located at the western base of Alcedo Volcano we hope to run into a few very impressive land iguanas as well as some of the volcano’s endemic Galapagos giant tortoises during the wet season.

 Difficulty level: moderate

 Type of terrain: flat and rocky

 Duration: 1 1/2-hour walk/1-hour snorkeling.

 PM - Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)

Dry landing. A well-known hideout and deep water anchorage in the days of pirates, Tagus Cove was also one of the few sites visited by Charles Darwin and the HMS Beagle in 1835. A beautiful hike leads us past an overview of Darwin Lake and on to a stunning volcanic landscape revealing Isabela island’s dramatic northern volcanoes. Once back at sea level the perfect activity is to snorkel along a submerged wall with turtles, lots of fish, penguins and potentially flightless cormorants. You might even be tempted by a panga ride or kayak!

 Difficulty level: moderate/demanding

 Type of terrain: steep

 Duration: 2-hour walk/40-minutes panga ride/1-hour deep water snorkeling

 Day 4

 AM - Espinosa Point (Fernandina Island) 

Dry landing. The youngest island of Galapagos and one of the most pristine in the world. Fernandina is simply the “marine iguana capital of the world”. This desolate volcanic backdrop is home to a huge concentration of these enigmatic reptiles. Incongruously, sharing the same shoreline, we can find the diminutive Galapagos penguins. Here we also have the exciting opportunity to snorkel with marine iguanas feeding underwater, penguins, turtles and the bizarre, endemic, flightless cormorants.

 Difficulty level: moderate

 Type of terrain: flat and semy rocky

 Duration: 1 1/2 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

 PM - Vicente Roca Point (Isabela Island)

Great deep-water snorkeling at one of the richest marine havens on Earth, the Bolivar Channel. Accessible by water, we take a dinghy ride along the coast to observe a great diversity of sea and coastal birds; Nazca and blue-footed boobies, noddies, brown pelicans, penguins, flightless cormorants. The upwelling of cold water currents in this part of the Galapagos gives rise to an abundance of marine life, a perfect place for deep snorkeling.

 Difficulty level: moderate

 Type of terrain: water

 Duration: 1-hour snorkeling/1-hour dinghy ride