Galapagos Tours

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Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a nature lover's paradise. Isolated from the mainland for thousands of years, some of the most unusual species in the world evolved here, including giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and even the world's only equatorial penguin. The islands comprise the Galapagos National Park and were recently named a "World Heritage Site". Nearly all uninhabited, these islands can only be visited with a certified naturalist guide on one of the Galapagos yachts approved by the park service.

Adventure Life offers 7 and 10 day Galapagos tours on over 40 different yachts. On our 10-day Galapagos tours, we visit eight to ten of the islands described below. The 7-day tours typically visit four to six islands.

Each island offers something unique. Unusual geological formations, tortoise nesting grounds, rare bird species, winding lava flows... and more! Read the descriptions below to learn more about the highlights on each island.

Contact us to select a Galapagos cruise that features the islands that interest you most. You can also access the island itineraries for each yacht from our Galapagos tour page.

Bartolome « click for more details
Home of the famous Pinnacle Rock. Climbing to the top of this island rewards visitors with panoramic views of varied lava formations, volcanic peaks and a moon-like landscape. Bartolome also provides the chance to swim with the unique Galapagos Penguin.

Santa Cruz « click for more details
Santa Cruz is home to the Charles Darwin Station, where visitors can observe tortoise research and breeding programs. Don't forget to say hello to the tortoise Lonesome George - the last of his species. A trip to the highlands offers the chance to see enormous pit craters, lava tunnels and giant tortoises roaming freely.

Fernandina « click for more details
No foreign species have ever invaded this island, and, as a result, it claims one of the world's most pristine island ecosystems. After walking past a colony of marine iguanas and a group of lazy sea lions, visitors arrive at the island's highlight - the flightless cormorant nesting site.

Isabela « click for more details
The largest and one of the most volcanically active islands, Isabela provide habitat for five subspecies of giant tortoise - one for each of its five active volcanoes. West of the island, humpback whales are sometimes seen breaching completely out of the water.

Genovesa « click for more details
Considered a bird-watcher's paradise, the volcanic sea cliffs offer prime breeding places for frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, tropic birds and red-footed boobies.

Santiago « click for more details
Fur sea lions (once called fur seals) were thought to have gone extinct by 1905, but have since made a dramatic comeback. Santiago provides habitat for many of the 30-40,000 fur seal lions that call the Galapagos home. There are also plenty of lazy sea lion off the coast of two small coral-lined beaches.

Santa Fe « click for more details
The endemic land iguanas here can grow over five feet long and in true Galapagos style the Opuntia cactus, a favorite food of the land iguana, has responded by growing tall and woody - up to 33 feet high. Manta rays and sea turtles flit by as dark shadows against the sandy bottom of Santa Fe's beautiful anchorage.

South Plaza « click for more details
This small, steep-cliffed island was formed by uplifted lava and is covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies and colorful yellow and red land iguanas.

North Seymour « click for more details
This tiny island is packed with countless sea lions and it's one of the most popular breeding grounds for sea birds. A very large colony of frigate birds nest here, and it's almost guaranteed to see a few males proudly displaying their red pouches to impress a mate.

Espanola « click for more details
This is the southernmost island and the breeding site of nearly all of the world's 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses. Espanola teems with mockingbirds, blue-footed and nazca boobies, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, hawks, red and green marine iguanas, and sea lions.

Floreana « click for more details
At Punta Cormorant a flamingo lagoon can be found behind white and black mangroves. Clear water and interesting coral growths make Devil's Crown a perfect spot for snorkeling. Floreana is also home to Post Office Bay, where 18th century whalers used a simple barrel to facilitate delivery to the United States and Europe.

Rabida « click for more details
Rabida is a bird-watcher's delight. Some of the rarest species are in abundance, such as 9 varieties of finches, large billed flycatchers, Galapagos hawks and brown pelicans. The dark red sand beaches, that include a horde of snoring sea lions, are a great launch point for spectacular snorkeling. Also, the island is home to the skinny legged Flamingo.

Darwin Island « click for more details
This flat island is surrounded by high vertical cliffs on all sides. It does not have any land visitor sites and is best known for its premier diving.

Wolf « click for more details
Primarily known as an exceptional dive site, this island does not have any land visitor sites.

San Cristobal « click for more details
Home of the oldest settlement in the islands, San Cristobal claims some of the most spectacular landscape. Cloudforests in the highlands are a perfect habitat for giant tortoises, and Punta Pitt is one of the only places to see red-footed boobies.

Lobos « click for more details
This tiny, rocky outcrop is a haven for sea lions and a blue-footed booby colony. A short trail along the island is commonly frequented by lava lizards as well.

Chinese Hat « click for more details
As you land on the Chinese Hat, you will find that little has changed since its first discovery many centuries ago. Today one will still be amazed by the lava formations, spatter cones, lava tubes and the lava Cactuses.

Black Turtle Cove « click for more details
This lovely cove includes a red mangrove lagoon on Santa Cruz Island. There are no landing sites so most visitors travel via panga or kayak.

Highlands « click for more details
Highlands offers the chance to see enormous pit craters, lava tunnels, and giant tortoises roaming freely.

Dragon Hill « click for more details
Named for the large number of land iguanas that frequent the area, Dragon Hill has become an important nesting site for iguanas reintroduced there by the Charles Darwin Research Center.

Charles Darwin Center « click for more details
Visit the world famous Charles Darwin Research Center where efforts to protect and preserve the native and endemic animals are developed. Learn about the giant tortoise rearing programs and, of course, visit Lonesome George, the last of his subspecies.

Mosquero « click for more details
Located between North Seymour and Baltra Island is the small island of Mosquera. The island consists is a long narrow stretch of white sand, rocks, and tide pools.

Leon Dormido « click for more details
Leon Dormido, "the Sleeping Lion", is a much-photographed rocky formation on the western side of the Island of San Cristobal.