Destination Details
Santa Cruz Island (Isla Santa Cruz)
Island
Located near the center of the archipelago, Santa Cruz is the center of tourism in the Galapagos. Puerto Ayora the largest settlement in the Galapagos is home to the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station.
Wild Galapagos Tortoises roam free crashing through the mist covered guayabillo, pega pega, and grasses of the humid zone. Flycatchers, Darwin's finch and owl fill the scalesia forests near Los Gremlos. Almost every bird found in the archipelago has been seen within the many life zones on Santa Cruz.
The coastal region offers spectacular scenery. On the north shore of the island, accessible only by sea, is an extensive mangrove lagoon called Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove). Here among the mangroves turtle enjoy swimming in the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface while fish, rays and small sharks circle below. A land iguana colony makes the northern Conway Bay their home. Sea lions cover Eden Island and almost every beach on Santa Cruz has their share of marine iguanas. Puerto Ayora along the southern shore is lined with cactus, marine iguanas, pelicans and boobies co-existing with tourist boats, restaurants, small hotels and houses.
Santa Cruz possesses all of the various life zones present in the archipelago. As you travel through these zones birders are enchanted. Whether it's the bright red feathers of a vermillion flycatcher or one of Darwin's Finch almost every bird present in the islands can be found here.
Tracking tortoises is not the only exciting activity to be found in the highlands. There are also plenty of lava tubes, sinkholes and craters to explore. Theses eerie formations offer a fascinating hike into the belly of the island to view its volcanic make-up.
Top▲Santa Cruz Island (Isla Santa Cruz) Cruises
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7 Night Galapagos Islands CruiseBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | May to May | 7 NightsOn the Celebrity Xpedition (Mega Yacht) | Operated by Celebrity Cruises |
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10 Night Galapagos Island CruiseBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | January to October | 10 NightsOn the Celebrity Xpedition (Mega Yacht) | Operated by Celebrity CruisesMany destinations promise visitors the chance to "step back into history." A Celebrity Xpeditions to the Galapagos Islands perhaps best exemplifies that promise, as we take you to a destination that helped to shape one of the world's leading scientific doctrines. The are known as the inspiration for Charles Darwin's… |
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11 Night Galapagos Island CruiseBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | March to April | 11 NightsOn the Celebrity Xpedition (Mega Yacht) | Operated by Celebrity CruisesMany destinations promise visitors the chance to "step back into history." A Celebrity Xpeditions to the Galapagos Islands perhaps best exemplifies that promise, as we take you to a destination that helped to shape one of the world's leading scientific doctrines. The are known as the inspiration for Charles Darwin's… |
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13 Night Galapagos Island CruiseBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | May to May | 13 NightsOn the Celebrity Xpedition (Mega Yacht) | Operated by Celebrity Cruises |
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Equador & The GalapagosQuito to Guayaquil | January to December | 9 NightsOn the La Pinta (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Avalon WaterwaysThis exciting vacation lets you sample the natural wonders of Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. Enjoy guided sightseeing in Quito, have your photo taken at the “center of the world,” and spend time at leisure in Guayaquil. Also, fly over the Pacific to Baltra Island, where you’ll embark on an exciting 8-day… |
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Galápagos IslandsSan Cristobal Island to Santa Cruz Island (Isla Santa Cruz) | January to December | 3 NightsOn the GALAPAGOS EXPLORER II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Canodros S.A. |
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Galapagos IslandsDragon Hill to San Cristobal Island | January to December | 4 NightsOn the GALAPAGOS EXPLORER II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Canodros S.A. |
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Cruising the Galápagos IslandsBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | January to November | 9 NightsOn the Isabela II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by TauckOn Tauck's Galápagos Islands cruise, treasure troves of natural wonders appear daily! From Charles Darwin to today’s visitors, the Galápagos Islands continue to fascinate with unique wildlife viewing that is unlike any other place in the world. And since the birds and animals are unafraid of humans, you can get… |
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Peru & the Galápagos IslandsGalapagos Islands to Galapagos Islands | February to October | 15 NightsOn the Isabela II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by TauckThis active, adventurous Galápagos and Peru tour combines the ancient empire of the Incas, with the timeless natural world of the Galápagos Islands. A highlight of your Peru tour is a visit to the mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu, the spectacular Lost City of the Incas - and one of the must-see destinations in the… |
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Galapagos Aboard National Geographic IslanderBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | May to December | 9 NightsOn the National Geographic Islander (Catamaran (no sails)) | Operated by Lindblad ExpeditionsThe moment you set foot on your first island in Galápagos you’ll see that curiosity and fearlessness are a way of life. Whether strolling the islands’ pristine beaches, searching for the spectacular waved albatross, having a “chat” with a particularly friendly sea lion, or snorkeling with Galápagos penguins, a…
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Galapagos + Peru's Land Of The IncasSanta Cruz Island (Isla Santa Cruz) to Lima | May to December | 15 NightsOn the National Geographic Endeavour (Expedition Vessel) | Operated by Lindblad ExpeditionsThematically, one might ask, why connect a visit to Peru with an expedition to the Galápagos Islands? For that, we have two distinct answers: Firstly, as magnificent as the Galápagos Islands are for wildlife, so is Peru from an historical and archaeological perspective. Secondly, Peru’s capital city of Lima, is less… |
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Galapagos IslandsSan Cristobal Island to San Cristobal Island | January to December | 9 NightsOn the Evolution (Motor Vessel) | Operated by International ExpeditionsOn the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos Islands are home to some of the most interesting and accessible wildlife anywhere. During our intimate Galapagos Islands Tour, you’ll find yourself just inches away from giant tortoises, comical blue-footed boobies, sea lions, penguins, iguanas and many other animals,… |
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GalapagosBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | August to September | 9 NightsOn the Isabela II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Cruise WestOur journey to the Galápagos Islands is an adventure into the heart of wildlife. Nowhere else on earth can you have the opportunity to interact with so many animals. Over the course of 10 days in this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve you’ll visit volcanic islands, each with its own distinctive… |
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Galapagos (Cruise + Machu Picchu)Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | August to September | 14 NightsOn the Isabela II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Cruise WestOur journey to the Galápagos Islands is an adventure into the heart of wildlife. Nowhere else on earth can you have the opportunity to interact with so many animals. Over the course of 10 days in this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve you’ll visit volcanic islands, each with its own distinctive… |
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Galapagos - 2010San Cristobal Island to San Cristobal Island | March to April | 9 NightsOn the Galápagos Explorer II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Cruise WestWith Cruise West, you’ll explore the very best of this unusual ecosystem in up-close, casual and personal style. And because this destination has been so overwhelmingly popular with our guests, we’ve increased capacity for 2010 by deploying a larger all-suite ship for this itinerary. Watch fur seals gaze at you… |
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Galapagos (Cruise + Machu Picchu) - 2010San Cristobal Island to San Cristobal Island | March to April | 15 NightsOn the Galápagos Explorer II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Cruise WestWith Cruise West, you’ll explore the very best of this unusual ecosystem in up-close, casual and personal style. And because this destination has been so overwhelmingly popular with our guests, we’ve increased capacity for 2010 by deploying a larger all-suite ship for this itinerary. Watch fur seals gaze at you… |
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Galapagos IslandsSan Cristobal Island to San Cristobal Island | January to December | 7 NightsOn the GALAPAGOS EXPLORER II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Canodros S.A. |
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Galapagos IslandsSanta Cruz Island (Isla Santa Cruz) to Santa Cruz Island (Isla Santa Cruz) | January to December | 7 NightsOn the GALAPAGOS EXPLORER II (Motor Vessel) | Operated by Canodros S.A. |
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Galapagos Aboard National Geographic EndeavourBaltra Island (Isla Baltra) to Baltra Island (Isla Baltra) | May to December | 9 NightsOn the National Geographic Endeavour (Expedition Vessel) | Operated by Lindblad ExpeditionsLocated 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands provide a natural habitat for some of the world’s most interesting and unusual animals. Only in Galápagos will you come face to face with wildlife that has never developed a fear of people. With an expedition to the Land of Darwin, you have the…
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Catherine MacDonald
Barb Stetzer
