Itinerary Overview
Quito/Guayaquil
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 Jul 25, 2026 - Quito
Quito is a fantastic place to visit and the best place to start your Latin American journey. Quito is also the entertainment center in Ecuador with new bars and discos opening every week and also the best place to shop, either at the small souvenir shops or at big malls. Quito has many interesting cultural sites, historical sites, museums, private galleries, churches, exhibition centers, and theaters.
Day 2 Jul 26, 2026 - Quito
Quito is a fantastic place to visit and the best place to start your Latin American journey. Quito is also the entertainment center in Ecuador with new bars and discos opening every week and also the best place to shop, either at the small souvenir shops or at big malls. Quito has many interesting cultural sites, historical sites, museums, private galleries, churches, exhibition centers, and theaters.
Day 3 Jul 27, 2026 - Quito
Quito is a fantastic place to visit and the best place to start your Latin American journey. Quito is also the entertainment center in Ecuador with new bars and discos opening every week and also the best place to shop, either at the small souvenir shops or at big malls. Quito has many interesting cultural sites, historical sites, museums, private galleries, churches, exhibition centers, and theaters.
Day 4 Jul 27, 2026 - Isla Baltra
Today Baltra is the most important airport of Galápagos and a small navy base for Ecuador. Baltra has suffered most from human settling and does not have any visitor sites. Many cruises start from the its harbour and already there pelicans and noddies will welcome you. To the north lies Mosquera, a small sandy bank with a large colony of sea lions. Go swimming and snorkeling on the beach.
Day 5 Jul 27, 2026 - Isla Santa Cruz
Here, the Charles Darwin Station offers insight into ongoing research and conservation in the Galapagos. Also located on this island is Cerro Dragon, one of the best places to spy land iguanas.
Day 6 Jul 28, 2026 - Isla Santiago (Buccaneer Cove)
Day 7 Jul 28, 2026 - Isla Santiago (Puerto Egas)
Santiago's Puerto Egas is the perfect place to explore dark, sandy beaches and spot birds and marine iguanas.
Day 8 Jul 29, 2026 - Isla Rabida
Known for its striking dark-red color, this island is home to a picturesque saltwater lagoon where white-tailed pintail ducks and flamingos congregate.
Day 9 Jul 29, 2026 - Isla Bartolome
This small, barren island offers guests the opportunity to observe firsthand its volcanic formations and moon-like landscape.
Day 10 Jul 30, 2026 - Genovesa (Tower) Island
The island is home to Darwin Bay and colonies of Frigates, Red Footed and Masked Boobies. Just behind the beach one sees inland tide pools and outcrops of black rock and saltbushes, frequented by feeding Wandering Tattlers, Turnstones, Whimbrels, Lava Gulls and Fiddler Crabs. Genovesa, as a result of its isolation, remains an undisturbed nesting ground for these birds, who fish in its rich waters, and lacks introduced as well as native land animals and reptiles-the only reptile, in fact, is a small subspecies of marine iguana. This island is a must for bird enthusiasts of all ages.
Day 11 Jul 30, 2026 - Darwin Bay
Darwin Bay is located in the Galapagos Islands where one side of the caldera on the horse-shoe shaped Genovesa Island collapsed. The submerged crater that resulted formed Darwin Bay. The steep cliffs that surround the bay provide homes for many seabirds, and there is a white sand coral beach that heads a half mile trail from the bay. Genovesa has developed a reputation as “The Bird Island” due to the numerous bird species that nest there which include swallow-tail gulls, storm petrels, Darwin’s finches, nazca boobies and red-footed boobies. Visitors to Darwin Bay can enjoy hiking, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and dinghy rides. In addition to seabirds, additional wildlife found near Darwin Bay includes rays, colorful reef fish, marine iguana and sharks.
Day 12 Jul 31, 2026 - Isla Santa Cruz
Here, the Charles Darwin Station offers insight into ongoing research and conservation in the Galapagos. Also located on this island is Cerro Dragon, one of the best places to spy land iguanas.
Day 13 Jul 31, 2026 - Guayaquil
This tropical city of over two million people spreads out along the banks of chocolate-colored Guayas River, about 12 miles from Gulf of Guayaquil. The river, navigable for the largest of ocean vessels, makes this one of the Pacific's most important and best-protected ports. Visitors find the city itself is primarily valued as a gateway for the Galapagos Island and the rest of the country. Ecuador's scenic capital Quito can be reached via a 45-minute flight from Guayaquil. Lush green hillsides, snow-capped volcano cones and brilliant sunshine combine to make the city a charming surprise. Guayaquil offers a rich and interesting history. The meeting of Bolivar and San Martin is commemorated with the colonnaded La Rotunda facing the river. Other attractions include Colon Park where the city was founded, the Santo Domingo Church and the cemetery, often called the White City. With its elaborate tombs and monuments, this is one of South America's most striking burial grounds.
Day 14 Aug 01, 2026 - Guayaquil
This tropical city of over two million people spreads out along the banks of chocolate-colored Guayas River, about 12 miles from Gulf of Guayaquil. The river, navigable for the largest of ocean vessels, makes this one of the Pacific's most important and best-protected ports. Visitors find the city itself is primarily valued as a gateway for the Galapagos Island and the rest of the country. Ecuador's scenic capital Quito can be reached via a 45-minute flight from Guayaquil. Lush green hillsides, snow-capped volcano cones and brilliant sunshine combine to make the city a charming surprise. Guayaquil offers a rich and interesting history. The meeting of Bolivar and San Martin is commemorated with the colonnaded La Rotunda facing the river. Other attractions include Colon Park where the city was founded, the Santo Domingo Church and the cemetery, often called the White City. With its elaborate tombs and monuments, this is one of South America's most striking burial grounds.
Stateroom Categories
Included Inclusions & Amenities
EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK
- 4 nights aboard the new 90-guest Santa Cruz II, designed especially for Galápagos Islands cruising; dry and wet landings
- Licensed Naturalist Guides of Galápagos National Park accompany shore excursions and hold briefings aboard ship, offering hands-on natural history lessons
- Private Tauck Shore Excursions with experts, averaging two daily, for wildlife sightings and exciting activities
TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES
- All gratuities to Tauck Directors, local guides, drivers, naturalists, and ship staff
- On-Tour Air included (2 flights)
- Your cruise may be a shared ship experience with non-Tauck guests onboard as well; all Tauck guests will be accompanied by one Tauck Director for approximately every 40 Tauck guests, and your itinerary will always be highlighted by exclusive, private Tauck shore excursions
- Entrance fee to Galápagos Nat'l Park – $100 value per adult
- Have brunch near a dormant volcano close to the Equator and explore colonial Quito on a guided tour
- Learn about the Galápagos' natural history and conservation in the islands during a visit to the Cristóbal Interpretation Center on San Cristóbal
- Aboard ship – daily cocktail hour; all day soft drinks; wine and beer with dinner
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
- 18 meals; service charges, most taxes and porterage
Trip Summary
Pricing Terms & Remarks
$500 Child Savings: Children 12 and under
Children under 18 must be booked in a room with at least one adult. Triple accommodations are not available for more than two adults, age 18 or older, sharing a room. Interconnecting cabins (subject to availability) can be booked onboard Santa Cruz II. Quads will be accommodated in two double rooms. Aboard ship, triple cabins are two beds and a pull-out couch; they are limited to two adults (age 18 or older) sharing a room with one child under age 18. In hotels, triples are usually a two-bedded room plus one rollaway bed.
Gratuities to Tauck Director, local guides, and ship staff included.
Recommended age: 8+ – the minimum age for this trip is 6 years.
Note: Galápagos: Wildlife Wonderland is a very active journey with considerable walking on uneven terrain. For activities marked with an asterisk (*) in the day-by-day descriptions, participation is at your own risk; a signed liability waiver will be required. Please note activity and pace level details as detailed on the Overview tab. Departures are hosted by one Tauck Director for approximately every 40 guests. We may not visit each of the islands in the order outlined, but we typically visit two different sites per day. Our Galápagos itinerary is subject to change due to wildlife encounters, atmospheric conditions and Galápagos National Park directives.
Note: Tours of June 9, 23; July 7, 21; August 1 & December 22 will operate on a Western Islands itinerary; ask for details at time of booking.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
