
Southeast Galápagos Cruise
4 Days Galápagos cruise on board the Calipso
From USD 1,423
Southeast Galápagos Cruise
4 Days, Max. 16 passengers
2 Reviews
A 4-day Expedition Cruise
2 Reviews
The Trip Highlights
Scientific insights at C. Darwin Research Station
Playful Sea Lions in South Plaza
Giant Tortoises in the wild on Santa Cruz
A tropical murder mystery on Floreana
Galapatours 'Plus' Experience
Really great routes
Spacious lounge, jacuzzi
English-speaking guide for all activities
Lectures in the evening
Get to know the highlights of Galápagos with this Naturalist cruise on board the beautiful Calipso! On this Expedition Cruise, you will discover the incredible wildlife of the Galápagos Islands: During our visit to Floreana, you will have the opportunity for some great dinghy rides, extensive snorkeling, and learning more about the fascinating human history of the Galápagos. On San Cristóbal, you will be able to snorkel in crystal clear waters, relax with sea lions on pristine white sand beaches and learn more about the evolution of giant tortoises. During your time on Santa Cruz, you will have the chance to observe the famous Galápagos Giant Tortoises in the wild and learn more about the preservation and scientific study of these amazing animals. Your visit to Santa Fe will involve a beautiful short hike, during which you can observe Galápagos Hawks, Darwin's Finches, Galápagos Mockingbirds. and Galápagos Sea Lions. A walk across South Plaza is one of the best visitor experiences in the Galápagos thanks to the large number of species living in such a small area.
Your ship: Calipso
- Fully refurbished in 2019
- Stunning, modern cabins
- Extensive Naturalist Itinerary
- Single cabins available
Calipso has just completed a stunning refit. She has not just been refurbished, her interior has been virtually rebuilt! Her owners wanted her to offer something different, and she is now the only vessel to operate alternating naturalist and diving cruises year-round. The beneift to non-divers? More space for you to enjoy the wonders of the Galápagos from above the water's surface!
Modern, chic, comfortable Calipso now features ten extremely comfortable cabins for a maximu … Read more about Calipso
Amenities
Internet/Wifi
All meals
Nitrox (free)
Snorkel gear (free of charge)
100% CO2 carbon footprint offset
Scuba outing possible
Kayaks on board
Air conditioning & private bathroom
Single travellers can share cabin
Water, Coffee, Tea & fresh juices
-20% for children ≤ 12
Wetsuits
English guide
Sundeck with jacuzzi
Food & Drinks
The food on our Galapágos Cruises is among the very best you will find in South America. Most of the on-board chefs are internationally trained and have prior experience working in the best hotels and restaurants in Ecuador and indeed around the world.
You can expect a first-class selection of food, including a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, locally sourced poultry and fish/seafood, rice and pasta dishes. Most boats will always include some typical Ecuadorian dishes on the menu during your cruise. If you have specific dietary requirements then these can usually be accommodated by the chef providing you have given advance notice. Please make sure you tell us about any allergies or dietary requirements you have at the time you book with us. If you leave it until you arrive at the dockside, then it may well be impossible to accommodate your needs.
Most boats serve a range of options at meal times in a relaxed buffet-style. At the first class and luxury end of the market, some boats have more formal dining where you will be served at your seat. However the atmosphere is always relaxed on board our cruises, and never stuffy or formal.



No dates selected
Multiple Addons possibe
Optional Module Before First Day
Day 1
AM
Baltra • Arrival at Baltra airport+transfer to ship

Welcome to Galápagos! Once your flight has landed and you went through the immigration process, you'll be met in the Arrivals lounge by our English-speaking guide who will take you to your transfer vehicle for the short journey to your waiting ship.
Baltra Island, where your arrival airport is, was used as an important Air Force base in the Second World War. This is the primary airport for the Galápagos Islands and you'll be rubbing shoulders with fellow tourists, international naturalists and conservationists, researchers and academics, and Galápagos residents alike. The airport has been built as a "green" airport, and as well as using recycled materials in its construction, it's special design keeps the buildings relatively cool without the need for any air conditioning.
Once on board your ship, you will be introduced to the crew and given a welcome briefing as well as an important safety drill. After this you'll be shown to your cabin. While you're served a well-deserved and delicious lunch, the captain will cast off and your adventure truly starts.
Note: If you plan to spend a few days prior to the cruise in Puerto Ayora and want to do the cruise later this is no problem at all. The transfer from Puerto Ayora to Baltra is very easy.
PM
South Plaza • A walk on South Plaza

Whilst her twin, North Plaza, is closed to visitors, South Plaza is one of the best visitor sites in the Galápagos thanks to the large number of species present on her small area.
The Plazas were formed as the result of a geological uplift, and because this was uneven they both have cliffs on their south sides and low lying shores on their northern coasts.
The most noticeable (and noisiest) of South Plaza's residents are her Galápagos Sea Lions, who have a large colony here. Less obvious are her land iguanas (the smallest in the islands), many marine iguanas and large numbers and varieties of seabirds.
Inland is a mix of scrubby vegetation and giant opuntia cactus forest, providing food for the iguanas. As you follow the circular hiking trail you will come to the summit of the cliffs here where you'll be among countless nesting seabirds.
Day 2
AM
Floreana • Post Office Bay

Floreana, like several of the Galápagos Islands, has a history of whaling. During voyages of many months, whaling ships would call here to replenish stocks of food and water, and the sailors were often keen to send news to loved ones that they were still safe. A tradition grew up here where sailors would leave a letter addressed home, hopeful that a ship heading back to port would pick it up and deliver it for them. This tradition of leaving letters and cards, and picking up others addressed to your home port meant that the location of this letter drop became known as "Post Office Bay".
Decades later, the unofficial Floreana post office is still very active - why not leave a card of your own, or see if you could take one back to your home town for someone else?! As well as this charming tradition, Post Office Bay boasts a pleasant beach, and there is a short hiking trail down to a cave, which is actually a lava tube that runs down to the sea.
You will also have the opportunity to take a Panga through some of the nearby coves and mangroves from which you could see sharks, rays, and sea lions swimming around you.
Floreana • Baroness View Point

Located on the northern coast of Floreana Island, the Baroness Viewpoint is a wonderful place to soak in the beauty and diversity of the Galápagos.
This visitor point is named after the "Baroness" Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (her claim to be a member of the Austrian royal family was never fully confirmed) who came to the island with her two - some say three - lovers in the 1930s. After some disagreements with two other eccentric settler families, the Baroness and one of her lovers disappeared. Local legend has it that murder was involved…
Away from this exotic intrigue, the view point has some lovely and easy walking trails that allow you to get really close to the bird and plant life of the island.
PM
Floreana • Cormorant Point

Cormorant Point is on the northern tip of Floreana, and you'll land on a beach that sits between two volcanic cones. The sand on one of the beaches here has a noticeably olive-green color. This is due to a much higher than usual concentration of olivine crystals in the sand. Another beach is made up mainly of coral sand and is almost a brilliant white in comparison.
This Galápagos site has a large lagoon which is favored by flamingos, their pink coloring contrasting with the green sand. There is some good snorkeling here, and you can often spot rays in the shallows. There is a one mile hike available that takes you to higher ground and provides great views over the lagoon, and to both beaches on either side of the Point.
Day 3
AM
Santa Fe • A walk on Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a small, flat island right in the center of the Galápagos archipelago, and is thought to be one of the oldest volcanoes here. Dating of the rocks below the water estimates they were formed almost 4 million years ago.
Santa Fe had its own breed of Giant Tortoise that became extinct at some point in the 1800s due to being hunted for meat. There are two species that are unique to the island still present here - the Santa Fe Land Iguana, and the Santa Fe Rice Rat.
There is one visitor site on Santa Fe, and you will have a panga ride to a wet landing on the beach at Barrington Bay on the island's north coast. From here there are two hiking trails. One is a short loop close to the beach that takes you into an Opuntia forest filled with these massive cactus. This is the best opportunity to see the Santa Fe land iguanas and also other species such as Galápagos Hawks.
The second trail is a tougher proposition as it climbs quite steeply to the top of a cliff from where you will enjoy stunning views over the island's unspoilt interior.
Back on the beach you can join the Galápagos Sea Lions who often play in the waves and you can enjoy some wonderful snorkeling in the clear blue-green waters here.
PM
Santa Cruz • Charles Darwin Research Station

The world famous Charles Darwin Research Center is just a 10 minute walk from downtown Puerto Ayora, and is the home of the non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation.
Inside, you'll find exhibits about the geography, geology and climate of the Galápagos, and the evolution of her unique species. There is also lots of information on the Foundation's current conservation and education programs.
As well as conducting it's own key research, the Charles Darwin Center also hosts international scientists, and supports the work of government agencies like the Galápagos National Park.
Next door is the site of the Galápagos' first giant tortoise breeding center, where pioneering work has been done since 1965 for the preservation of these species. Here you can see newly hatched babies, up to juveniles and full-grown adults ready to be released back into the wild.
Day 4
AM
San Cristóbal • La Galapaguera: "David Rodriguez Breeding Center"

Also known as Cerro Colorado, this is one of the newer visitor sites in Galápagos and was opened in 2003. Previously accessible only from the coast via a long hike, it's now possible to travel by road from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where the trip takes about an hour.
This breeding station has an informative visitor center that allows you to learn about the origins and evolution of the Galápagos Giant Tortoises, and about the steps being taken to preserve the species from threats such as habitat destruction and introduced species.
In the center you will see baby hatchlings and young tortoises. After they reach 4 months old they are taken out to be released into the natural habitat in the area. There is a short hiking trail where you may be able to spot giant tortoises in the wild.
San Cristóbal • Transfer to San Cristóbal airport

It's sadly time to make the very short trip to the airport for your flight back to the Ecuador mainland. Your Galapatours guide, who will have been with you throughout your adventure, will accompany you back to the departures area, giving you one final chance to tap into their excellent local knowledge and unrivalled experience.
Note: If want to spend some time in Galápagos after your cruise, please let us know. This is no problem at all and the transfer from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno to the airport and back couldn't be easier.
Multiple Addons possibe
Optional Module After Last Day
Reviews
Len
Amazing experience aboard the Calipso My wife and I recently returned from the Calipso Naturalist cruise Jan. 30 - Feb. 6, 2020. We reserved well before this rebuilt boat had sailed, because we were attracted by the diverse itinerary of 10 islands. The boat has a capacity of 16 passengers though only 12 were on this cruise. The age range was from 12-70 (we were the 70) and everything in between. We wanted a small boat experience. Overall, the cruise exceeded our expectations. We were met by cruise staff in Guayaquil and San Cristobal who helped with check in and transfers in both places. The crew was wonderful-friendly, helpful and always safety-conscious. Since all of the landings (wet or dry) are by dinghy, as were all of the snorkeling trips, getting up and down, in and out safely was a regular issue. Our naturalist guide, Martin, was extremely well informed and no question was too silly or insignificant. The cabins were of good size for a small boat as were the bathrooms. Unfortunately, as a smaller craft, when seas got even slightly choppy, the boat rocked or bobbed. We did use sea sickness meds on two occasions but it was never really a problem. Most of the time, seas were calm. Food was quite good and varied, served buffet style. Lots of fresh salads and delicious fruits, as well as freshly-squeezed juices. Seafood, chicken and various meats for the main meals. There is a small bar and drinks aside from pure water cost extra. Except for one beer drinker, our group did not use the bar! The Galápagos is, of course, iconic and we loved the animals and the often stark landscapes. The itinerary allowed us to experience a wide variety of all of them. The snorkeling was really good and the water pretty clear in February. The boat provided equipment including wet suits and floatation vests at no cost. Overall, we thought the trip was moderately strenuous and could be managed by anyone in reasonably good physical condition however those with physical issues should consider a different boat Overall, we give this boat a high rating for what it offers at a reasonable (for the Galápagos) price point. Source: TripAdvisor
Diane K
Calipso Cruise My husband and I were on the maiden voyage on Calipso August 8-14, 2019. We were in Ecuador for 9 days prior to boarding the ship. We had an awesome time. The boat was brand new (refurbished) and they were still unpacking. The crew was very nice. Two main dive guides at the time. One was excellent the other was safe and all but did not know how to interact with the passengers and was not as good as pointing out sea life as well as the other. He was knowledgeable but lacked in people skills. I reviewed him on their site after our trip. The food was great. Our room was fine. The diving at Wolf and Darwin were the best dives of our lives. The ship was comfortable. I would not hesitate to tell you to check out Calipso. Now that is from my trip in August 2019, I would hope that they have kept up this level of service or have been growing as any new organization would. We had a great group of people on our boat. I believe everyone was very happy. This review is short and sweat, I’m fussy about my dive trips, bottom line, they were fine on the first ever trip with real paying customers in the Galapagos. Source: TripAdvisor