Galápagos — West & Central Islands aboard the Eden

The adventure begins today. Feel free to explore, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Your G Representative will review the details of your tour.

Flights from Quito to Baltra depart between 6:40am and 9:40am depending on the day of the week. These will arrive into the Galápagos between 9:30am and 12:30pm with a short refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will generally arrive at the boat in time for lunch on Day 2 before the afternoon activity.

Head to Santa Cruz’s verdant highlands. This is a perfect place to hike through the grounds and see giant tortoises in their natural environment, before savouring an included lunch.

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Hike to the rim of the 10km (6 mi) wide crater of the Sierra Negra volcano, which has the largest basaltic caldera in the Galápagos. Trek across the moon-like landscape of the lava fields and fumaroles, and enjoy spectacular views looking north toward Fernandina and the rest of Isabela Island. The volcano last erupted in June 2018, making it the most recent eruption of the Galápagos. This hike is 7km in total (3.5 km each way).

Walk through the town’s wetlands to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. With the giant tortoise on its way to extinction in the late 1950s, this program was established to protect these noble creatures.

Spend some time exploring Isabela's natural attractions. Enjoy a walk to the largest coastal lagoon in the Galápagos, also a principal breeding ground for flamingos. Make stops along the way at a lookout point, and to visit natural pools, beaches, and mangrove swamps. Also stop along the way at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre to see how these fascinating creatures are hatched, cared for and released into the wild in the ongoing efforts to protect the species.

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Visit Punta Moreno and explore its interesting landscape, which is home to black lava flows and a unique system of brackish lagoons that draw in a wide range of wildlife. Spot Darwin’s finches, Galápagos doves, penguins, and more! Be sure to bring your camera for shots of the island’s amazing scenery. Punta Moreno boasts a panoramic viewpoint of three of Isabela’s imposing volcanoes: Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul.

Head out by panga to explore, keeping an eye out for wildlife hiding among the mangroves. Search for marine turtles, rays, and flightless cormorants in the sheltered waters. Also spot blue-footed boobies, penguins, and pelicans feeding on the abundant marine life.

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Visit Tagus Cove, an Isabela Island anchorage site that was popular among whalers and pirates. Tour the area on foot for spectacular views of Darwin Lake (a spherical saltwater crater), the bay, and Darwin and Wolf volcanoes. Upon landing, take the wooden stairway to the trail entrance, and follow the trail through a dry vegetation zone. Opt to continue on an ascent to a promontory made up of spatter cones (small volcanic cones) or explore the area by dinghy.

Tour a number of different trails at this not-to-be-missed landing site that’s home to some of the largest colonies of marine iguanas and sea birds. Follow the path along the beach and across lava flows for a unique opportunity to explore one of the least-visited areas of the Galápagos.

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Explore the spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay. Spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife.

Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach to explore Puerto Egas' interesting underwater world. Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reef sharks while snorkelling. After, visit the large tidal pool area – marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs are everywhere.

Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay, is where you will begin a hike on a dry trail leading you to tide pools rich in sea life, where you will see Marine Iguanas, Sally Light Foot Crabs, and the shy but adorable Galapagos Fur seals. While making the short trek, be looking for the Galapagos Hawk and one of his favorite meals the Lava Lizard. Upon returning you will find Egas Port a great place to snorkel off the beach. Attractions: Fur Seals, Galapagos Sea Lions, Marine Iguanas, Sally Light-foot crabs, tidal pools, reef sharks, turtles, rays Activities: Snorkeling, hiking Landing: wet This attractive site is dominated by Pan de Azucar (Sugarloaf hill) and the black-sand beach is bounded by low tuff cliffs sculpted by wind and sea. Sea lions cool off under the roof of a natural arch at the western end of the beach, where marine iguanas and sally lighfoot crabs roam the rocks. Puerto Egas is the archipelago's best site for Galapagos fur seals, which co-inhabit the rock platforms with Galapagos sea lions, large marine iguanas and Sallylightfoot Crabsyellow-crowned night herons. Productive rock pools picked over by lava herons, American oystercatchers and other waders. Arid-zone vegetation supports Darwins Finches, Galapagos hawks and abundant Galapagos doves. Blue footed boobies and occasional Galapagos penguins roost on rocky point with good fish watching in the clear water. Playa Espumilla's lagoon is excellent for waders, many Galapagos sea lions and nesting green sea turltes at Buccaneer Cove. Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach and keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reefsharks along the waters edge With a large tidal pool area marine iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs are everywhere.

Arrive at a red sand beach at Rábida to explore its trails. A short trail leads to a saltwater lagoon; another trail goes past the lagoon to the interior, where the revered palo santo trees grow. (When burned, the branches of this tree give off a pleasing aroma and ward off mosquitoes.)

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). Depending on the season, see blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.