Galapagos South Islands Cruise on board the Petrel

Our staff will greet you at the airport in Baltra and take you directly to the boat.

Santa Cruz island: Twin Craters

The guide will give you a briefing on all aspects of living aboard, and you'll then be ready to travel to Los Gemelos (The Twin Craters). You should wear sturdy shoes and comfortable clothes for hiking. Also, bring any other items such as walking sticks or cameras.

Santa Cruz is a popular tourist destination today. It is home to approximately 12,000 Galapagos residents and has the longest paved road throughout the archipelago. It is important to eradicate all non-native animals and plants that destroy native and endangered species. Although there is no evidence of volcanic activity, it does not mean that there is none. Santa Cruz is a Spanish word meaning holy cross. However, its English name comes directly from the British vessel Indefatigable.

Gemelos or the Twin Craters, which means "twins" in Spanish, is a pair of caves formed in the magma chambers from a former volcano. The once-full chambers have collapsed, resulting in two similar craters. These craters can be viewed on a short hike through Scalesia forests. You will then be transferred to your yacht after the visit to Twin Craters. After the visit to the Twin Craters, you will be transferred to your cabin. Here you can relax and enjoy some time before the briefing.

South Plaza Island

South Plaza is the smallest island with a visitor center, but it is home to an amazing variety of flora & fauna. The island is home to a large number of Sesuvium plants, including the prickly pear-cactus tree, which provides food for the land Iguana. A few years back, mice were eradicated from the island. This helped the land iguana population grow again.

Santa Fe Island

Santa Fe Island is the only place where you can find Opuntia Cactus. It is also home to the Santa Fe land Iguana. The island was once home to giant tortoises, but they were driven extinct by pirates and other buccaneers who took the tortoises with them as food. Barrington Island is the island's name. It was named after British Admiral Samuel Barrington. On the landing beach, you can often see large numbers of sea lions and Galapagos Hawks.

San Cristobal Island, the fifth-largest island in the Galapagos, is located farthest East. This is also where Darwin landed in 1835, and where the first permanent settlements were established. The capital of Galapagos is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It houses the Ecuadorian Navy and many government offices. There are also daily flights to Ecuador from the airport. The island is facing conservation challenges from invasive plants such as blackberry and the guayaba, and insects like the blackfly.

Lobos Island can be found about an hour from San Cristobal. Seasonally, blue-footed boobies nest here. Recent years have seen frigate birds nesting here. There are many sea lions and marine iguanas. The site is peaceful and serene with stunning views of Kicker Rock in the distance.

Interpretation Center & La Galapaguera

La Galapaguera is an Interpretation Center that has been open to the public from 1998. It provides extensive information about Galapagos' history, ecosystems, geology and flora & fauna. The center also houses giant tortoises, which are bred in the semi-natural habitat that was created by its employees. The center has meeting rooms, interpretive panels, auditoriums and exhibits.

Espanola Island is the Galapagos' southernmost and oldest island. It is believed to be approximately four million years old. This is due to its isolation from other islands. This is a great place to take amazing photos of the endemic birds that only live on Espanola, and stunning landscapes created by millions years of erosion.

Gardner Bay

Gardner Bay is one the most beautiful beaches in the Galapagos. A large colony playful and friendly sea lions lives on the white sandy beach. There are three types of finches to be found. The Espanola Mockingbird, although friendly, is probably searching for food. Tourists must have once given the Espanola Mockingbird water or food. This taught them bad habits. This is where the eggs of green sea turtles are laid between January and March.

Suarez Point

Suarez Point is an amazing spot where you can see many of Espanola Island’s endemic species. The only Waved Albatross breeding area will be passed by the trail. You might be able to see a young albatross fly for the first time in up to five years. Older birds spend months at sea and only return to breed. They share the same mate throughout their lives and will only meet up to reproduce each year. You can also see marine iguanas which are brightly colored all year, Galapagos doves and blue-footed bobies, Nazca boobies and Nazca boobies as well as swallow-tailed birds, red-billed tropical birds, Darwin finches, and Nazca boobies.

Floreana Island has a fascinating human history. Floreana Island was home to the first resident of the Galapagos Islands, an Irishman. He lived there from 1807-1809. It is also the location of the first postoffice in the group of islands that was established by the whalers in 1797. It was colonized by Ecuadorians in the 1700's, but it is still quite isolated today. It is still surrounded by mystery. In 1930, there were several disappearances. This was due to tension between a baroness (and her three servants) who arrived after a settled husband and wife. They had given birth to the first Galapagos baby. Another couple, a doctor and a female companion, lived off the land in their garden. Today's small population lives off the land and grows their own food. They also get water from the rain-filled ponds in the rainy season. The only telephone in Velasco Ibarra is in one hotel. Most residents live in the highlands. Transport is very limited. It is available only every two weeks.

Cormorant Point

Cormorant Point is another interesting and fun visitor spot. There are two beaches that can be visited. Flamingoes can also be seen swimming through brackish lagoons in search of shrimp. This gives them their vibrant and bright colors. The olivine crystals make one beach green and the other Flour Beach, a powdery white made from finely pulverized coral, is appropriately named Flour Beach.

Devil's Crown

Devil's Crown is a popular tourist site with the best snorkeling. Amazing volcanic structures have been submerged in the seafloor over time. You will find hundreds of colorful fish species amongst the coral reefs. Common visitors include sharks, sea lions, sea turtles and hammerhead sharks. This underwater spectacle is something you should not miss.

Post Office Bay

Post Office Bay, a site that is completely human-influential, was established by passing whalers in 1797. It is the first officially recognized post office. Visitors continue to follow the tradition by leaving messages on postcards in the barrel for future visitors. They also pick up any post cards left by previous visitors to send home. Many visitors love this exchangeable activity.

Baroness Lookout Point is a historic viewpoint and beautiful landscape located in the north part of the island. It is named after an Austrian Baroness, who was the subject of numerous mysterious disappearances as well as well-known stories about loathing among Floreana residents.

Charles Darwin Research Station is involved in many research projects. It also provides assistance to researchers, governmental agencies, and institutions, including the Galapagos National Park. Many of the research results are published in popular scientific journals, magazines, and online. The research station plays an important role in education in Galapagos. The Giant Tortoise Restoration Program, which has been in operation for many years, includes all stages of the giant tortoise's life cycle: eggs, hatchlings, and adults.

Your cruise is officially over. We hope you enjoyed your Galapagos Cruise! We will transfer you to the Baltra Airport for your departure to mainland Ecuador. Enjoy safe travels