8 Day Luxury Cruise
$8100-9900 USD
per person based on double occupancy
2024 Dates
Available by request
Deposit: $1000 Meeting Place: Quito, Ecuador Gateway City: Quito, Ecuador Age Range: 6-80
ROAM has been operating a variety of trips in Galapagos for more almost two decades. Our all-inclusive charters have been the most adventurous and active trips available in the archipelago. Now we offer the most luxurious adventure. The M/Y Grace is 147-feet long and accommodates 16 guests in 9 staterooms. Originally owned by Aristotle Onassis and given to Price Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco as a wedding gift, the M/Y Grace was extensively renovated in 2022 and now plies the turquoise blue waters of the Galapagos and houses ROAM guests! Be part of history and join us in week-long adventure in style.
Voted #1 Best Intimate Ship/Ocean Cruise Line in the World by Travel+Leisure, the ship has spacious cabins, a main saloon for daily briefings, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, sun decks and lots of space for private reflection. As exciting as it is to explore the magic of the Galapagos, we’ve found that our guests are almost as excited to sit down to delicious meals at the al-fresco dining area while enjoying to panorama. ROAM trips always stay away from the crowds and this luxury yacht is more personal than a massive cruise ship. The boat has even been equipped with a rolling keel so it minimizes rocking during rough seas.
Both the northern and southern itineraries offer hiking and snorkeling everyday. We travel in small intimate groups so you will spend time seeing the marine life instead of hordes of human flippers. The yacht is equipped with sea kayaks, which are an excellent way to discover the Galapagos on your own. When you travel in a small yacht, you minimize human impact and not the islands. Your presence will almost be unnoticed by the wildlife. For this reason the more fragile visiting sites are only available to small group vessel like ours. The chances for unexpected wildlife encounters increase the further you are from populated towns.
With such intimate group sizes, we can turn the yacht to follow a humpback whale or stop to snorkel with a school of dolphins. Scuba divers can arrange dives (with advance notice) on the main islands and no Galapagos trip would be complete without classic ROAM hospitality both pre- and post-sailing in Quito. Customized extensions are available in the highlands, jungle and coast and these trips easily dovetail with our legendary Ecuador multi-sport weeks utilizing haciendas and unique lodges. ROAM also customizes nomadic surf safaris and owns and operates a rustic bamboo surf house on the west coast of Ecuador.
We have the knowledge, expertise and ground staff in place to ensure you will be immersed in Ecuador’s landscape and culture for a meaningful and wonderful experience.
Itinerary at a Glance
Galapagos East:
- Arrival to Baltra, explore Santa Cruz Island highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
- Cruise to Floreana Island and visit Post Office Bay & Punta Cormorant, Champion or Devil’s Crown
- Explore Punta Suarez and Gardner Bay on Española Island
- Travel to San Cristobal Island and snorkel at Kicker Rock
- Visit Santa Fe and South Plaza islands
- Voyage to North Seymour, Santiago and Bartolome Islands
- Visit Chinese Hat and Dragon Hill back on Santa Cruz Island
- Explore Black Turtle Cove before returning to Baltra for flights homeward
Galapagos West:
- Arrival to Baltra and transfer to Bachas Beach on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island
- Ascend Prince Phillip’s Steps on Genovesa Island then sea kayak or snorkel at Darwin Bay Beach
- Sail to Santiago Island and explore James Bay, Espumilla Beach & Buccaneer’s Cove
- Travel around the northern tip of volcanic Isabela Island to Punta Vicente Roca & Tagus Cove
- Snorkel at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island then travel back to Isabela to explore Urbina Bay
- Tour the west coast of Isabela Island stopping at Elizabeth Bay and Punta Morena
- Continue around Isabela to Las Tintoreras and hike to Sucre’s Cave or Sierra Negra Volcano
- Explore Los Gemelos on Santa Cruz Island before returning to Baltra for flights home
What’s Included:
- Accommodations 8 days/7 nights
- All meals and snacks during the trip
- All transfers while in Galapagos
- All guided services through the sailing
- Non-alcoholic bevergage consumed onboard
- All snorkelling gear (mask, snorkel, fins, shortie wetsuit)
- Sea kayaks
What to Expect on the Galapagos Luxury Cruise
Because of the Galapagos’ famed natural history and remarkable creatures, these remote islands are revered the world over. In an effort to protect and preserve these “enchanted isles”, that literally changed the world, access is restricted and regulated. Our itineraries only visit one sight every 14 days so we run two versions on alternating weeks. Here’s a sample itinerary for Baltra to San Cristobal.
Eastern Route:
Day 1 (Tuesday): Arrive Baltra & Santa Cruz Island
Your flight from Quito leaves early and after a 2-hour flight we’ll touch down on Baltra Island. After passing through Galapagos National Park inspection at the Baltra Airport, your National Park Guide will be there to greet you and accompany you on the short bus ride to the Itabaca channel.
Once across the Itabaca channel, we will visit Los Gemelos. These two large sinkholes were formed by collapsed lava tubes. The contrast between the marine desert coast and verdant Lost World look of the highlands is most striking here and you can easily encounter rain even when sun is shining a half an hour away at the coast. This is an excellent place to view some of Darwin’s famous finches along with the elusive and dazzling vermillion flycatcher.
Our afternoon destination is the Wild Tortoise Reserve where we will view these friendly ancient creatures in their natural setting.
We will then board your home while in Galapagos, the Grace Yacht. In the late afternoon, we can visit Puerto Ayora, home to both the Galapagos National Park Service Headquarters and Charles Darwin Research Station.
Back onboard the Grace, we’ll enjoy happy hour atop her sky lounge before sitting down to dinner. We spend a bit more time in port this evening before setting sail for the island of Floreana. (lunch, dinner)
Day Two (Wednesday): Floreana Island, Post Office Bay, Punta Cormorant & Champion Islet
Floreana has had a colorful history of pirates, whalers, convicts and quirky colonists.
In 1793 British whalers set up a barrel as the island’s post office, to send letters home on passing ships. The tradition continues to this day, simply by dropping a post card into the barrel without a stamp. The catch is you must take a post card from the barrel and see that it gets to the right place. That is how the system began and continues to this day. Some claim it works better than the official Ecuadorian post office. You’ll have a chance to continue the traditions by sending your own card and picking up others.
Farther inland you will enter the underworld of Floreana in the form of a lava tube. The lava tube descends fairly deep into the earth back toward the ocean, where you can swim in a subterranean grotto beneath the tide.
We return to the Grace for lunch and a siesta and as we travel along the coast, we’ll pass mangrove-lined lagoons on our way to Punta Cormorant.
Punta Cormorant offers two highly contrasting beaches; one composed of volcanic olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tint that glitters in the sun, and the other, a fine white sand beach known as Flour Beach. Between the two beaches is a hypersaline lagoon frequented by flamingoes, pintails, stilts and other wading birds.
Standing at the edge of the water you will soon notice that the silty surf is rife with rays and sea turtles. We return to our yacht to don wet suits in preparation for snorkeling at Champion. Champion is considered one of the top snorkeling sites the Galapagos offering prime underwater sea lion interactions. Dolphins are frequently seen near the shore along with humpback whales who like the bay off Flour Beach.
As you swim with the sea lions you will be surrounded by an assortment of tropical fish including yellowtail grunts, amberjacks and schools of king angel. You may spot sleepy white-tipped reef sharks hugging the bottom. Sea turtles glide by, while torpedo-like Galapagos penguins can also be encountered in the waters off Champion.
Alternatively we may snorkel at Devil’s Crown which is located north of Punta Cormorant. Devil’s Crown is home to a myriad of marine species including several species of corals, sea urchins, and many other creatures including a great number of fish species, making this place one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos.
Day Three (Thursday): Española Island: Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay
Gardner Bay is one of the most popular sites in the Galapagos due to the breathtaking variation and sheer number of fauna. The giant tortoise was reintroduced here in the 1970’s and counts as one of the park’s great success stories. They reside in an off-limits area, but don’t worry—the famous giant tortoise awaits you on other islands!
The quantity and variety of wildlife at Punta Suarez is remarkable. Sea lions surf the waves beyond the breakwater landing, and tiny pups are known to greet your toes upon arrival. A few steps inland is a colorful variety of marine iguana in the Galapagos. The trail then takes us beside the western edge of the island where Nazca boobies nest along the cliff’s edge. Galapagos doves, cactus finch and mocking birds forage nearby while both lava and swallow-tailed gulls sit atop the cliffs in company with marine iguanas.
Further east along the cliff is the Albatross Airport where waved albatross soar out over the dramatic shoreline. These are the largest birds you will see in the Galapagos with wingspans up to 2.25 m or 7.4 ft. They are the only species of albatross exclusive to the tropics. In the trees set back from the cliff is one of only two places in the world where the waved albatross nests.
On the northeastern shore of Hood, Gardner Bay offers a magnificent long white sandy beach, where colonies of sea lions laze in the sun, sea turtles swim offshore and inquisitive mockingbirds investigate new arrivals. The snorkeling by Gardner Island offers peak encounters with playful young sea lions and schools of surprisingly large tropical fish, including yellow tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish and bumphead parrot fish. Sleepy white-tipped reef sharks can also be seen napping on the bottom.
Day Four (Friday): San Cristobal Island, Punta Pitt, Lobos Island and Kicker Rock
Punta Pitt is located at the east end of San Cristóbal Island. This is the only site in the Galapagos Islands, where you can watch the three species of boobies and two species of frigates nesting in the same area. This is due to the abundance of food so there is hardly any competition between them.
Further west lies Isla Lobos. The tiny island is separated from much larger San Cristobal by a narrow channel and little bay and is home to a noisy population of frolicking sea lions. It is also a nesting place for blue-footed boobies and an excellent spot for snorkeling. The sea lions like to dart past, and then swim up to you to blow bubbles at your mask. On occasion they have been known to leap over, and then dive in front of unsuspecting snorkelers.
Heading up the coast from Isla Lobos we will visit Leon Dormido, or Kicker Rock, a spectacular formation that rises 152 meters (500 feet) out of the Pacific. We will circumnavigate the rock formation in search for birds, and possibly, hammerhead sharks.
Day Five (Saturday): Santa Fe Island & South Plaza Island
Santa Fe offers one of the more beautiful and sheltered coves in the islands. Its turquoise lagoon is protected by a peninsula of tiny islets forming an ideal anchorage. The island lies southeast of Santa Cruz Island within sight of Puerto Ayora.
A wet landing on a sandy white beach brings us into contact with one of many sea lion colonies. Galapagos hawks are sometimes easily approached, perched atop salt bushes. You will be struck by the forest of giant prickly pear cactus found here that live up to their name, with tree-sized trunks! These are the largest of their kind in the Galapagos.
Our goal is to spot one of the large species of land iguana endemic to Santa Fe. Beige to chocolate brown in color with dragonlike spines, these big iguanas truly resemble dinosaurs. After the hike, there is nothing more inviting than snorkeling in the calm waters of the bay where sea lions play, sea turtles swim and tropical fish hide amidst the islets that form the natural reef.
South Plaza Island lies just a few hundred meters off the east coast of Santa Cruz Island. South Plaza is one of the smallest yet richest islands in the archipelago. South Plaza is known for its lush and diverse flora. A grove of luminescent green prickly-pear cacti, a ground cover of red sesuvium, the turquoise waters of the channel and fiery sally lightfoot crabs combine to create a colorful palate of an island to explore. One of the big attractions here are the friendly yellow land iguanas waiting for lunch to drop from a cactus in the form of a prickly pear. Swallow-tailed gulls with red banded eyes nest atop the overlook where you may spot marine life such as manta rays. We may see red-billed tropic birds, Nazca and blue-footed boobies catching rides on the wind currents.
Day Six (Sunday): North Seymour Island & Bartolomé Island
North Seymour Island is teeming with life! You might have to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana. Blue-footed boobies nest on either side of the trail where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. You are likely to see fluffy white chicks peeking out from beneath their protective mothers. As you walk along, you may be fortunate to witness flocks of brown pelicans and blue-footed boobies hunting schools of fish. Frigate birds with wingspans of up to 5 feet soar overhead and all around.
This evening will be especially relaxed and you can have a long lingering soak in the Jacuzzi. The Grace yacht can stay anchored where she is tonight as we are already within sight of our morning’s landing site across the channel just to the south.
Day Seven (Monday) Chinese Hat Island & Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island
Tiny Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat) Island is off-limits to larger groups and day boats, making Sombrero Chino, one of the least visited sites in the central islands. Our landing site is a sandy white beach cradled between black lava rocks and the crystal turquoise waters of the channel. Here, a sea lion colony likes to rest on the warm white sands, while the rockier sections of the coast are alive with fiery colored sally lightfoot crabs. Marine iguanas sun themselves atop the rocks while American oyster catchers stalk the tide pools stabbing at shellfish with their bright orange beaks. The area is inhabited by ground hugging red sesuvim plants and curious lava lizards.
Day Eight (Tuesday): Black Turtle Cove & Baltra for Flights Home
This last morning we visit Black Turtle Cove. Located on the northern shore of Santa Cruz, the cove is a living illustration of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat. Four species of mangrove crowd from the shore out into the lagoon, which stretches almost a mile inland. As we drift through the quiet waters in our dinghy, we are likely to see spotted eagle rays and cow nosed or golden rays, which swim in a diamond formation. White-tipped reef sharks can be seen beneath the boat and Pacific green sea turtles come to the surface for air and to mate. Sea birds, including brown pelicans, blue herons and lava herons, come to feed in the cove.
It’s time to begin your journey home as we set sail for nearby the Baltra Island. It doesn’t take long for the Grace to navigate along Baltra’s western shore to the island’s port. From Baltra, we say farewell to the Galapagos as you begin your journey home.
Accommodations
In Quito
Featuring comfortable and luxurious suites, an on-site restaurant with cozy fireplaces and an extensive garden, Hotel Casa de Hacienda La Jimenita offers free Wi-Fi and a complimentary breakfast. The suites in Casa de Hacienda La Jimenita feature private bathrooms with vertical hydro-massage showers, fireplaces, hand-made furniture and splendid scenic views. La Jimenita has a 90,000-square-meter private natural reserve, natural trails and an archaeological tunnel on-site. The friendly staff at La Jimenita provide tourism information and tips to explore the area.
About the Region
In 1835 Charles Darwin sailed on the British ship H.M.S. Beagle and visited the islands. His theory of the origin of species, which shook up the scientific world, was inspired by the evidence he found in this unique volcanic archipelago. The islands provide a living museum of evolutionary changes that profoundly affect all those who witness their splendor. In 1936 the Galapagos was declared a National Park to preserve its unique vegetation and wildlife. UNESCO declared Galapagos a World Natural Heritage Site in 1978 and subsequently a World Biosphere Reserve in 1985. Protection was further strengthened in 1994 with the creation of the Reserva Marina de Galapagos, which was recently extended to cover the 130,000 square kilometers within a 40-nautical mile radius of the islands making the Galapagos the second largest marine reserve in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The archipelago is purely volcanic in origin and features beautiful volcanic formations not found on the mainland. The islands emerged from lava eruptions that came from the bottom of the ocean and rise as much as 2,600 feet above sea level. Lava from more than 2,000 craters has continually altered the terrain of this region. Currently the archipelago contains 13 large islands, 6 minor ones, and more than 40 islets. Some of the younger islands still have active volcanoes. Many variables, such as isolation, climate, altitude, and the unique terrain account for the archipelago’s distinct flora and fauna.
Wildlife
From the world’s only seagoing lizards to flightless cormorants and penguins, flamingos, inflatable frigate birds, wave albatrosses, clownish boobies, giant tortoises, and 13 species of finches, you can enjoy thrilling encounters with animals-up close and in large numbers-who are completely at ease among human visitors.
There are extraordinary opportunities to swim with marine animals such as sea lions, dolphins, sea turtles and manta, eagle, and golden rays, as well as 300 species of colorful fish. The more adventurous may relish the chance to snorkel with the friendly Galapagos sharks, white-tipped reef sharks or even hammerheads.
Flora
The plants of Galapagos are equally fascinating. Many species of indigenous Scalesia (“tree daisies”) as well as tree ferns, bromeliads, and orchids are found in the highlands. Giant prickly pear and candelabra cacti abound on the coast while tiny Brachycereus cacti grow on barren lava flows. Vivid morning glories and mats of bright red sesuvium blanket the shores. Galapagos also has its very own native species of cotton, tomato, pepper, guava, and passionflower. Many kinds of plants, particularly those belonging to the daisy family, have evolved into whole arrays of endemic species on the different islands, providing scientists with perfect examples of adaptive radiation.