Classic Galapagos: Central Southern Islands (Grand Queen Beatriz)

Intrepid Travel · 10 days

4.6

17 Reviews

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Duration

10 days

Tour Type

Group Tour

Accommodations

Comfortable

Physical Rating

Average

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Set sail on a 10-day adventure cruise around the central and southern islands of the Galapagos, observing the unique wildlife of these remote Pacific islands.

Highlights

Experience the benefits of small group travel aboard your vessel, the M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz, as you sail through the natural landscapes and seascapes of the Galapagos.
Explore the islands on deck, on foot and in the water, waking to a new view each morning, and keeping an eye out for the next bird sighting or sea turtle passing by.
See the contrasting Galapagos landscapes between islands, from the unique formation of Sombrero Chino to the colourful sands of Isla Rabida.
Learn a thing or two about 18th century whalers at Post Office Bay and take your place in history by posting a letter at the remote mail drop.
Encounter the unique Galapagos wildlife in their natural habitat, from giant blue-footed and masked boobies, pelicans and frigate birds to iguanas, sea lions, tortoises and fur seals.

Trip Details

Duration

10 days

Transportation

Minibus,Boat,Plane,Zodiac

Tour Type

Group Tour

Guide Language

English

Starts

Quito, Ecuador

Finishes

Quito, Ecuador

Accommodations

Comfortable

Travel Style

Physical Rating

Average

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Ecuador. Your adventure begins in Quito – Ecuador’s sprawling capital city. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 5 or 6 pm tonight to meet your local leader and small group of fellow travellers. If you arrive early, maybe check out the city at your own pace – head to the Old Town and pick one (or more) of the 30 churches to explore. After your meeting, you’ll head to a small, local restaurant for dinner with your group. Take in the aromas and fresh flavours of the traditional Ecuadorian cuisine – think locroc (traditional potato soup) or quinoa, pork and vegetable dishes cooked with herbs, lemongrass and rich sauces, all sourced from local farms.

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 2: Baltra - Isla Santa Cruz

You have a very early start this morning (maybe as early as 4 am, depending on flight times) as you head into the Galapagos. Transfer to Mariscal Sucre International Airport (Quito Airport), with a boxed breakfast on the way. When you arrive, you’ll meet your naturalist guide in the arrival hall. Take the short bus ride to the ferry, then board and head across the Itabaca Channel to Isla Santa Cruz. Once you reach the island, you’ll hop in a private vehicle and drive to Puerto Ayora – the main port of the island. Here, there will be two dinghies to transport you and your fellow travellers to your home for the next week – M/Y Queen Beatriz. Once on board, settle in and then have lunch with your group. After, head up into the highlands for a change of scenery. Beginning at the coast, you'll travel across Santa Cruz through the agricultural region and into the misty forests. This is a lush, humid zone containing miconia bushes, scalesia and inactive volcanic cones. Santa Cruz has more endemic plants than any of the other islands and you’re likely to see Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat, and maybe even the bright red feathers of a vermillion flycatcher!

Included Activities:

Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 3: North Seymour - Isla Mosquera

Visit North Seymour – one of the most visited islands in the Galapagos. Hike past colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds – sharing the same nesting area on North Seymour, blue-footed boobies nest on the ground making their nests from the twigs of Palo Santos trees, while the frigate birds nest just above them in the saltbushes. After your walk, go snorkelling and see how many colourful fish you can spot, maybe with a few white-tipped reef sharks, rays and sea lions, too. Have lunch, then sail to the small Isla Mosquera. Along the rocks and in the tide pools, Sally Lightfoot crabs (red lava crabs) scamper back and forth, skipping across small pools of water in search of food. The island also has a very large colony of sea lions, as well as a sizeable resident brown pelican population. Depending on the tides and visibility, you may have a chance to go snorkelling in the surrounding turquoise waters.

Included Activities:

Isla North Seymour - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
Isla North Seymour - Snorkelling (1 hours)
Isla Mosquera - Snorkelling (1 hour)
Isla Mosquera - Beach Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 4: Black Turtle Cove - Cerro Dragon.

Take a panga (Zodiac boat) to Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) – a red mangrove wetland on the north shore of Isla Santa Cruz. Jump in the cove’s peaceful waters to see green turtles – this cove is also a nursery for golden cow-nose rays, eagle rays and Galapagos sharks! There’s also abundant birdlife here, like the yellow warbler and lava heron. This is also a breeding area for turtles, so it’s not uncommon to see them mating. In the afternoon, cruise over for a walk on Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) – one of the best places to see land iguanas. Walk to a brackish lagoon, spotting lagoon birds like stilts, pintail ducks, sandpipers, sanderlings and flamingos along the way. Further inland, the trail offers a view of the bay and the western area of the archipelago, which is a nesting site for land iguanas, constantly monitored by the Charles Darwin Research Station. The arid-zone vegetation makes for an ideal place to see Darwin's finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, the endemic Galapagos flycatcher and yellow warblers.

Included Activities:

Isla Santa Cruz - Black Turtle Cove - Panga ride (1.5 hours)
Isla Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
Isla Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon - Snorkelling or swimming (1 hour)

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 5: Isla Rabida - Sombrero Chino

Wake up in Sombrero Chino – a small islet near the southeast coast of Santiago, shaped like a Chinese hat when seen from afar. The crescent-shaped sandy beach here is home to sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. On the rocky shoreline of nearby Santiago, you might see some Galapagos penguins, too. When you’re on land, follow a trail that circles the cove and passes through colonies of sea lions and marine iguanas. The cove also offers some great snorkelling opportunities, hopefully with penguins and sharks. Next, sail to the tiny Isla Rabida. Introduced species were eradicated in 1971, meaning that the native wildlife has now been returned to a state of isolation. Additionally, volcanic activity here has produced vivid colours, not least the red sand beaches and scarlet cliffs. Walk along a trail that leads through one of the finest lagoons in the Galapagos for flamingo spotting. Look out for nesting pelicans, pintail ducks, marine iguanas and sea lions as well. There may be the opportunity to go snorkelling in a cove full of sea stars, damsels, gobies and surgeon fish.

Included Activities:

Isla Santiago - Sombrero Chino - Snorkelling (1 hour)
Sombrero Chino - Walk and Panga ride (2 hours) - Wet Landing
Isla Rabida - Snorkelling (1 hour)
Isla Rabida - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 6: Bachas Beach - Punta Carrion

Today, take an early morning excursion to Las Bachas, named after the barges abandoned by the American Navy here in the 1940s. The sandy beaches of Las Bachas on the north shore of Santa Cruz are a nesting site for the Pacific green turtle and home to marine iguanas. The sand here is particularly white and soft as it’s made of decomposed coral. The rocks provide great snorkelling and are the perfect habitat for the Sally Lightfoot crabs, which are plentiful on the island. A saltwater lagoon near to the beach is home to flamingos, whimbrels and great blue herons, so keep a look out. In the afternoon, visit Punta Carrion – a shallow and protected cove, ideal for snorkelling. As you swim, look for blue-footed boobies, Galapagos herons and great blue herons above and rays and white-tipped reef sharks below.

Included Activities:

Isla Santa Cruz - Punta Carrion - Snorkelling (1 hour)
Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Snorkel (1 hour) - Wet Landing

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 7: Isla Isabela - Las Tintoreas - Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre

Wake up on the south Coast of Isla Isabela – the largest island of the Galapagos archipelago. Isabela was formed by five giant volcanic craters, all still considered active. The island is located in one of the youngest geological areas in the world, having been formed less than 1 million years ago and the southern coast has the largest area of beaches in the Galapagos. You’ll visit Las Tintoreras, heading to a viewing walkway where you can see a colony of white-tipped reef sharks swimming and sleeping. Take a long walk through lava flows and see the resident blue-footed boobies, penguins, marine iguanas and crabs. In the afternoon, take another walk through a coastal lagoon, where you might see some flamingos. This mangrove-lined path leads to Isabela’s Giant Tortoise Breeding Center (Arnoldo Tupiza) where you'll observe giant tortoises in all stages of development. You’ll then have the choice to go swimming at the beach or head out for some shopping in Puerto Villamil.

Included Activities:

Isla Isabela - Las Tintoreras visit (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
Isla Isabela - Arnolda Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center including Flamingo Lagoon (2 hours) - Dry Landing

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 8: Isla Floreana - Post Office Bay - Devil's Crown - Punta Cormorant

Isla Floreana is a highlight of any Galapagos cruise, rich in natural wonders and wildlife. Today you’ll take a panga ride around the bay to see marine iguanas, sea lions and crabs before taking a leisurely walk to Post Office Bay, where 18th century whalers used a barrel as an unofficial mail drop. This custom continues today with visitors to the Galapagos – post one of your own or see if there are any you could deliver back home! You’ll also have the chance to go snorkelling with sea turtles. Today you might also be lucky enough to see pink flamingos and other water birds wading in the lagoons, including pintails and stilts. Just offshore, the Devil’s Crown is an old eroded volcanic cone and a popular roosting site for seabirds like boobies, pelicans and frigates. Go snorkelling in the cone, full of sea lions and colourful fish, for maybe the best underwater experience of the adventure! Later, you’ll head to Punta Cormorant, where the sand is made up of olivine crystals (a glassy volcanic mineral), giving the beach an olive-green colour.

Included Activities:

Isla Floreana - Post Office Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
Isla Floreana - Punta Cormorant walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
Isla Floreana - Devil's Crown snorkelling (1 hour)
Isla Floreana - Post Office Bay snorkelling (45 mins)

Accommodation:

M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 9: Isla Santa Cruz - Quito

Flights to the mainland depart mid-morning, so an early start is necessary today to make the most of your last day on the islands. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, and home to the Charles Darwin Research Station – as well as undertaking vital conservation work, the station also makes for interesting exploration and offers an opportunity to see giant tortoises. You may also be able to observe the baby tortoises and land iguanas! You’ll head to the airport for your flight back to Quito. Tonight, you may like to head out with your group for a farewell dinner and toast to an excellent adventure.

Included Activities:

Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Station (1 hour) - Dry Landing

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 10: Quito

There are no activities planned for today, and your adventure finishes after breakfast this morning. Of course, that doesn’t mean your adventure has to end! Why not stay on in Quito for a few days and discover the charms of the city. If you need help booking extra accommodation, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

Exclusions

Flights to and from origin and destinations
Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
Recommended gratuities/tipping
Optional activities/tours
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.

Important Information

Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.

Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

AUD $10,595

(Tour only)

Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 10 days

Trip Type: Group Tour

Activity Level: Average

Set sail on a 10-day adventure cruise around the central and southern islands of the Galapagos, observing the unique wildlife of these remote Pacific islands.

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 11 Nov 2025

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Customer Reviews

Overall Rating

Excellent

4.5

Guide

Excellent

4.5

Itinerary

Excellent

4.5

Accommodations

Excellent

4.5

Transportation

Excellent

4.5

Tour Operator

Excellent

4.5

Food

Excellent

4.5

3.0

David

Traveled, February 2024

03/09/2024

Excellent tour guide and accommodations. Need to be careful regarding the itinerary. Some itineraries require longer transfer times and others. There is a changeover in the group mid week.

4.5

Carol

Traveled, February 2024

03/04/2024

This was the trip of a lifetime for us. The boat, crew, and Guide (leader) were awesome. Food was good and interesting, in a great way. The best pineapple! Walks and snorkeling exceptional.

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989

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