Galapagos Outer Loop

More than 560 miles from the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are renowned for their extraordinary biodiversity. Discover some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna on a cruise here.

Daphne is a satellite volcanic cone located north of Santa Cruz Island. The crater floor is an important breeding site for blue-footed boobies. The cliff shore of the island is home to sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, and tropical birds which can be observed during the circumnavigation of the island

The beach at Gardner Bay, with its sparkling white sand, offers one of the best places to relax and swim in the Galápagos. It’s home to one of the most important colonies of sea lions in the archipelago, and is also a nesting site for sea turtles. Three species of Darwin’s finches and Española mockingbirds may also be seen herev

At Suarez Point, be greeted by a colony of sea lions upon arrival. This area is also home to nearly the entire world population of waved albatross – though they’re graceful in the air, their clumsy behaviour on land is a sight to see. A cliffside hike leads to a natural lava fissure that spews water like a towering geyser

It’s small brackish lagoon is often home to flamingos, stilts, and white-cheeked pintail ducks, and one of its beaches is a highly used nesting site for sea turtles. Check out the green-hued sand where you land

Rich in history, this site is home to the post office barrel established in about 1793, where pirates, buccaneers, whalers and others could leave their mail to be picked up by outbound ships. The tradition continues today, as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home

Along this beautiful rocky shore, a field of hardened black lava flows is pockmarked by shallow pools, which are home to shorebirds and flamingos. The mangrove-lined shore also provides a chance to see marine iguanas, sea turtles, stingrays, sharks, penguins, and the flightless cormorant

Here you will see large land iguanas, finches, and if lucky, a giant tortoise or two. In 1954, the intrusion of magma below one of the island’s volcanoes caused part of the bay to be uplifted some 6 metres, and today you can walk through the remains of what was once a thriving underwater reef

More than 560 miles from the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are renowned for their extraordinary biodiversity. Discover some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna on a cruise here.

The half-collapsed remains of an ancient volcano make for a spectacular setting at this site. Awe-inspiring cliffs, blue waters and wildlife create a zodiac ride to remember as you search for sea turtles, penguins, fur seals, the flightless cormorant, marine iguanas, marine mammals, and the oddly shaped form of the elusive sunfish

Dragon Hill, or “Cerro Dragon” is named after its population of land iguanas. The site offers a beautiful view of the landscape and two small brackish lagoons where flamingos and other shorebirds occasionally feed. Along the trail, we’ll cross a beautiful “white not forest” of Palo Santo (incense) trees and Galápagos cotton plants

This is the main population centre of the islands, and home to the National Park Service tortoise-breeding centre and the Charles Darwin Research Station. You will be able to visit the tortoise-breeding centre and walk through the Charles Darwin Research Station

More than 560 miles from the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are renowned for their extraordinary biodiversity. Discover some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna on a cruise here.

Santa Cruz is the second-largest island in the Galapagos and home to Puerto Ayora (the largest town in the islands). In 1959, the Ecuadorian government declared all the islands, except areas already colonized, as a national park. In the same year, the Charles Darwin Foundation was founded to promote scientific research and ensure the conservation of the Galapagos. In 1992, the waters surrounding the Galapagos were declared a marine reserve. Here, you have the opportunity to visit a giant tortoise reserve in the lushly vegetated highlands, where the animals roam free in their natural habitat. On another excursion, a short drive through town brings you to the Galapagos Park Service giant tortoise breeding station and the Charles Darwin Research Station. Afterwards there is time to wander through the lovely streets of Puerto Ayora for some shopping.

More than 560 miles from the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are renowned for their extraordinary biodiversity. Discover some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna on a cruise here.