Yacht Isabela II’s excellently-crafted itineraries allow for some of the best-in-class wildlife and island coverage in Galapagos. Many of this yacht’s excursions take place at exclusive visitor sites too, meaning guests will often have entire areas to themselves. Multiple naturalist guides on Yacht Isabela II also means that guests have the added freedom to choose from a wider range of activities on each day of their itinerary.

Safety and sustainability are both at the forefront of Yacht Isabela II, with a 24-hour onboard Medical Officer and its own water treatment plant. This is also one of the few yacht’s in Galapagos that comes equipped with plenty of the definitive exploration tools (dinghies, kayaks, snorkeling gear, paddleboards, etc.) that you’ll need to experience Galapagos properly, including a glass-bottom boat!

Baltra Airport

• We arrive at Baltra Airport and transfer to the Itabaca Channel to take a ferry across to Santa Cruz Island. A 30-minute bus ride takes us to a restaurant in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island to enjoy lunch.

Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)

• After lunch, guests will head down to the town of Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and get a chance to check out the breeding program for giant tortoises. Guests will also get a good sense of the efforts and progress that the Foundation and National Park have made in terms of conservation. After this, they’ll take a transfer dinghy from the town’s port to board Yacht Isabela II. Once aboard, guests will check in, partake in the Captain’s welcome cocktail and then have dinner.

Post Office Bay

• After breakfast, guests will disembark at Post Office Bay to visit the historic “Post Office Barrel” that has functioned as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries! There’s great swimming and snorkeling from the beach here as well.

Cormorant Point & Champion Islet

• Guests will get to visit Cormorant Point, which has an olivine-crystal beach and a brackish-water lagoon where bird species like American flamingos can be spotted. A brief walk to the other side of the island rewards guests with a beautiful, white-sand beach that is often the spot for sea turtles to come and nest. Afterwards, at Champion Islet, guests can choose to snorkel, ride along the coast in the dinghies or observe the underwater world from the comfort of Yacht Isabela II’s glass-bottom boat.

Punta Suarez

• The morning outing at Punta Suárez provides an exciting walk across lava terrain to visit the unique seabird colonies that populate this area. Waved albatrosses (visible from April until January), boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and the famous “blowhole” geological formation await! Also, guests will want to keep an eye out for the red-green-black marine iguanas! Many regard this site as one of the best in all Galapagos. Afterwards, guests will head back onboard for lunch.

Gardner Bay

• In the afternoon, guests will disembark at this beautiful, white coral beach for a short walk to observe the sea lions, mockingbirds and finches. Guests can also choose to simply enjoy the beach. There is great snorkeling in this area. Alternatively, guests can opt to kayak or take a ride aboard the glass-bottom boat.

Punta Pitt

• Guests land at the eastern tip of San Cristobal Island on this morning. The trail that ascends from the beach provides spectacular views of the shoreline, allowing guests to observe frigatebirds plus a colony of bachelor sea lions. After the walk there is a chance to swim along the beach and snorkel or take a ride aboard the dinghy, weather permitting.

Cerro Brujo

• After lunch, a dinghy ride along the shores will take guests over to Cerro Brujo’s expansive, white coral beach. This is a great site for walking, with rewarding birdwatching opportunities that feature plenty of seabirds and shorebirds. Galapagos sea lions will also be present. History Fact: These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked along back in September of 1835

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

• After breakfast, guests will depart to the pier and then transfer to the airport for their flight back to the mainland.

Yacht Isabela II is ideally-designed for Galapagos expedition cruising. It offers handsome installations to perfectly complement the day’s outings, providing guests with the perfect, intimate space for exploring Darwin’s islands in absolute comfort. Traditionalists will enjoy feeling at home with a crew that has remained almost unchanged for years, leading to seamless attention to detail that will make the entire journey feel extra special.

Additionally, Yacht Isabela II recently (mid-2018) underwent a complete and drastic renovation process that saw its interior and exterior areas completely refreshed and updated.

Guests are invited to enjoy the fresh air atop the Sun deck or find fascinating books about nature and history in the library. Delicious meals – served impeccably in the dining room or al fresco – will nourish the senses as a well-deserved reward after each and every expedition. Guests are more than welcome to take a break in the hot tub, stay strong in the fitness room, or have a drink at the bar or outside as they sunbathe.