Classic Galapagos: Central Southern Islands (Grand Queen Beatriz)
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. Be charmed by the native bird species and underwater ecosystems of colourful marine life. Hike across lava flows, sail through mangroves and snorkel in natural aquariums abundant with fish, sea lions and turtles. This sail features some of the Galapagos’ most naturally beautiful islands, so sit back and relax, because it’s all smooth sailing from here!
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
Product Code: 1996
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Comfortable
Transport: Minibus,Boat,Plane,Zodiac
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Intrepid Travel
Supplier Code: GMQD
Starts: Quito, Ecuador
Finishes: Quito, Ecuador
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Average
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (9), Lunch (7), Dinner (8)Accommodation: Hotel (2 nights),Overnight boat (7 nights)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $6,699 ($670 /day)
Itinerary
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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 Walk (1 hour) - Wet Landing
- Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Snorkel (1 hour) - Wet Landing
Accommodation:
- M/Y Grand Queen Beatriz (Number of Nights: 1)
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)
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)
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)
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.
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
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
Reviews
David - Traveled, February 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.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/09/2024
Carol - Traveled, February 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.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/04/2024
Daniel - Traveled, February 2024
If taking a 7 day cruise, book Sunday to Sunday! You will get short changed and have a very long commute from the airport if you book Wed to Wed. Roberto is the best guide ever!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/04/2024
Cheryl - Traveled, February 2024
Galapagos exceeded our expectations. Intrepid staff and guide Karlawent out of their way to make sure we saw the best. Excellent accommodation Grand Queen Beatriz boat. One of the best holidays we have had.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/15/2024
Amy - Traveled, December 2023
An incredible tour. Exactly what I wanted.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/04/2024
Joseph - Traveled, October 2023
If you’re thinking about going to the Galapagos ??, I could not recommend more highly such a fantastic experience in an out of the water. Do yourself a favour go !
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/15/2023
Janice - Traveled, September 2023
This was the trip of a lifetime for me. The itinerary included opportunities to see the diversity of flora and fauna the islands are known for. Roberto and the crew of the Grand Queen Beatrix were fabulous.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/25/2023
Julie - Traveled, September 2023
My experience aboard the ‘Grand Queen Beatrix’ in the Galapagos was above and beyond what was expected. Every member of the crew was skilled and professional in each of their roles. They radiated happiness and a love for their jobs. As an ecologist I found our guide Roberto an exceptional wealth of knowledge with a genuine love and respect for the natural environment. Even more importantly, he had us laughing from start to finish. We all fell in love with Roberto. As a committed mostly solo traveller for 50 years I felt safe at all times, safety was paramount.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/18/2023
Angela - Traveled, May 2023
An amazing trip with Intrepid living up to all my expectations. The close up encounters with animals are breathtaking be it trecking the islands or snorkelling in the ocean . Accommodation on board was top notch with a wonderful crew and guide who looked after us very well .
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2023
Lynda - Traveled, May 2023
Our trip on the Grand Queen Beatrix was amazing. The guide, Roberto, and the crew couldn't do enough for us. I had an amazing time!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/01/2023
Lorie - Traveled, January 2023
This was my fifth trip with Intrepid and it was fabulous. As always, interesting itinerary, great guide, and nice, fun group. This was my first comfort level trip -- and I definitely felt a bit pampered. Seeing the Galapagos by boat was a nice mix of relaxing and being active. It was exactly the vacation I needed!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/08/2023
grant - Traveled, January 2023
This was my 2nd Gallapagos trip ,with the 1st being 15 years prior ,but was still impressed with the wonderfull ,animal ,sea & bird life
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/16/2023
Paula - Traveled, January 2023
Our guide and crew did everything to help us feel welcome. It was wonderful to experience good local people with pride in their work and environment. Perfect destination for my love of birdwatching
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/25/2023
Judy - Traveled, December 2022
It was a phenomenal trip. The boat was comfortable and clean. The food was delicious. Everyone went out of their way to ensure we had the best experience. They absolutely spoiled us! I learned so much about the wildlife, stars, and islands from our very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide, Roberto.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/02/2023
Mary - Traveled, August 2022
Our trip on the Grand Queen Beatriz was exceptional. The ship's crew was kind, generous and attentive. Each person on the crew greeted us and made us feel welcomed. Our guide was exceptional, his knowledge of animal and plant life was remarkable. All had good humor and made for a fun voyage. The wild life we saw above and below the water was remarkable. Every we returned to the ship from an excursions we were greeted with warm drinks and snacks, the room was cleaned with fresh towels. The food was fantastic, each meal was better than than the next. Highly recommend the 8+ days of sailing as less than that you are really missing out of a lot of what the Islands have to offer.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/06/2022
Kevin - Traveled, April 2022
Loved our trip to the Galapagos aboard the Grand Queen Beatriz. The boat was comfortable, the crew competent and friendly, and our local guide seemed to really enjoy sharing the treasures of the Galapagos with us. We got great underwater photos of penguins, sharks, sea lions, marine iguanas, and turtles. As another reviewer suggested, a waterproof action camera is probably a good idea on this trip. We’ve already recommended this trip of a lifetime to others and feel very lucky that we were able to enjoy this incredible experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/30/2022
Dwayne - Traveled, March 2022
For my first trip to the Galapagos, I'm so happy that I went with this tour. With wildlife, it's always a bit of chance to what you'll actually see, but having a tour guide who knew the area gave us a lead on where to visit and what we might see at each location. It was a perfect balance of excursions (snorkeling & hiking) and down-time on the boat. For those thinking about this tour, I'd recommend you bring an underwater camera because we saw a lot of underwater wildlife: Hammerhead sharks, Black/White tip reef sharks, bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, and turtles (to name a few).
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/11/2022
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