Wild Galápagos: Western Islands Expedition

Aqua Expeditions

Wild Galápagos: Western Islands Expedition

Duration8 days, 7 nights
WhereEcuador
From, per personRM 52,374

Overview

Venture into the volcanic western Galápagos aboard Aqua Mare, a luxurious 50-metre superyacht welcoming just 16 guests. This seven-night journey reaches wildlife-rich islands including Isabela and Fernandina, where marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins and sea lions live amid powerful lava landscapes. Naturalist-led island walks, tender excursions and opportunities to snorkel or kayak bring the archipelago to life, while fine dining and thoughtfully designed suites offer a refined retreat after each discovery.

Why Travel This Route

  • ✅ The remote volcanic wilderness of Fernandina and Isabela
  • ✅ Marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and possible penguin encounters
  • ✅ Floreana flamingo habitats and historic Post Office Bay
  • ✅ Red-sand Rábida, blue-footed boobies on North Seymour and sea lions on Mosquera
  • ✅ Guided walks and organised marine activities in an intimate superyacht setting

Itinerary

  1. Day 1Santa Cruz: Manzanillo Ranch and Puerto Ayora

    Arrive via Baltra Airport and meet the Aqua Expeditions team for a cross-island transfer by road and ferry to Puerto Ayora, approximately 1.5 hours. Pause in the Santa Cruz highlands for an outdoor lunch and a visit to a giant tortoise reserve. Board Aqua Mare and settle into your suite, meet the expedition team and prepare your snorkelling equipment. In the evening, guests may have time to explore Puerto Ayora waterfront before their first dinner on board.

    Meals: Lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  2. Day 2Floreana: Punta Cormorant, Post Office Bay and Baroness Lookout

    Step ashore at Punta Cormorant to explore a brackish lagoon frequented by flamingos and wading birds. The beach and nearby waters can reveal signs of nesting sea turtles and sightings of rays or reef sharks. Later, visit the historic Post Office Bay, where visitors have traditionally exchanged unstamped postcards, and continue by tender towards Baroness Lookout for coastal views and island history.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  3. Day 3Isabela: Punta Moreno and Urbina Bay

    Explore Isabela’s extraordinary basaltic lava terrain around Punta Moreno and mangrove-fringed lagoons, with possibilities to spot Galápagos penguins, marine iguanas and flightless cormorants. In the afternoon, continue to Urbina Bay, an area uplifted by geological activity in 1954. The walk here offers opportunities for land iguanas, large marine iguanas and, occasionally, giant tortoises, against the backdrop of Isabela’s volcanoes.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  4. Day 4Fernandina: Punta Espinoza; Isabela: Tagus Cove

    Land at Punta Espinoza on remote Fernandina, a remarkable environment of recent lava and dense marine iguana colonies. Watch for flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins and other coastal species. Cross Bolívar Channel towards Tagus Cove on Isabela, historically visited by whalers and pirates. A guided hike towards Darwin Lake may be offered, alongside alternatives such as snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding or tender exploration depending on conditions.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  5. Day 5Santiago: Buccaneer Cove and Puerto Egas

    Begin with a tender excursion around Buccaneer Cove or, depending on sea conditions, visit Espumilla Beach, an important sea turtle nesting area. Continue to Puerto Egas and walk along black-sand and rocky tidal shorelines towards fur seal grottos. The waters here can offer snorkelling encounters with sea turtles, sea lions and reef sharks.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  6. Day 6Rábida and Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove

    Discover Rábida’s memorable red-sand shoreline, formed from oxidised volcanic material. Walk the coast and enjoy opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding or snorkelling around sea lion habitat. Later, explore Black Turtle Cove, a sheltered mangrove estuary on Santa Cruz, by tender only. Watch quietly for green sea turtles and sharks among the mangrove channels.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  7. Day 7North Seymour and Mosquera

    On North Seymour, guided walks reveal important breeding habitat for blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds, together with land iguanas and other seabirds. After lunch aboard, visit low-lying Mosquera Island, known for its colony of sea lions and open sandy expanses. Return to Aqua Mare for a final evening of expedition reflections and dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight aboard Aqua Mare.

  8. Day 8Baltra: Disembarkation

    Enjoy breakfast aboard before saying farewell to the crew. Transfer to Baltra Airport for the recommended onward flight to mainland Ecuador. Exact timing and transfer arrangements depend on the confirmed sailing instructions.

    Meals: Breakfast. End of cruise.

Rates and dates

Current sailings only, in Malaysian Ringgit per person.

SailingShip From, per person
27 Aug - 03 Sep 2027AQUA MARE RM 52,374
08 Oct - 15 Oct 2027AQUA MARE RM 52,374
17 Dec - 24 Dec 2027AQUA MARE RM 52,374

Included

  • Luxury accommodation aboard Aqua Mare in your reserved sea-facing design suite, with ensuite bathroom and daily onboard hospitality
  • All scheduled meals aboard (embarkation day lunch and dinner; disembarkation day breakfast), with Peruvian-Japanese Nikkei-influenced cuisine
  • Non-alcoholic beverages and selected house wines and beer
  • Scheduled small-group shore excursions, nature walks, island landings and tender excursions led by English-speaking naturalist guides
  • Snorkelling equipment and wetsuits, plus the yacht’s kayaks and stand-up paddleboards during organised activities
  • Galápagos National Park entrance fee and Transit Control Card (TCT/TCC)
  • Onboard naturalist presentations, selected evening entertainment, high-speed satellite internet and laundry service
  • Shared airport-to-yacht and yacht-to-airport transfers when travelling on the operator’s recommended domestic flights

Not included

  • International air tickets to/from Ecuador and domestic flights between mainland Ecuador and Baltra (Galápagos)
  • Pre- and post-cruise hotels, land touring and transfers beyond the included recommended-flight transfers
  • Gratuities for crew and guides
  • Premium alcoholic beverages, cocktails and drinks outside the included wine and beer selection
  • Optional rendezvous scuba-diving excursions and other privately arranged or chargeable activities
  • Personal purchases, travel insurance, medical expenses and travel documentation
  • Costs arising from flight changes, missed embarkation, weather disruption or additional requested services

Good to know

Ship
AQUA MARE
Route
BALTRA to PUERTO AYORA (SANTA CRUZ) to FLOREANA to PUNTA MORENO (ISABELA) to URBINA BAY (ISABELA) to PUNTA ESPINOZA (FERNANDINA) to TAGUS COVE (ISABELA) to BUCCANEER COVE & PUERTO EGAS (SANTIAGO) to RÁBIDA to BLACK TURTLE COVE (SANTA CRUZ) to NORTH SEYMOUR to MOSQUERA to BALTRA
Suites
CAT V | Design Suite (16 m²) · CAT IV (22 m²) · CAT III (28 m²) · CAT II (26 m²) · CAT I | Owner’s Suite (80 m²)

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