On this 8-day Wild Galápagos Escape cruise aboard the 48-guest National Geographic Islander II, witness the iconic wildlife that sparked the theory of evolution by natural selection, snorkel pristine waters teeming with sea lions and sea turtles, and hike black-sand beaches and lush highlands.
With multiple adventures each day on land and undersea—including options for walks and hikes, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling—you’ll be assured of the full Galápagos experience, but in less time. Get close to the iconic wildlife that has no instinct to flee human presence, making for magical encounters. Snorkel with sea lions, hike the highlands among giant tortoises, and see blue-footed boobies and other seabirds up close. As with the classic, 10-day expeditions, honed over the last 50 years, each voyage is crafted to offer you a diverse experience of the archipelago.
Drawing from 50+ years of sharing the wild wonder of Galápagos with adventurous guests and a top expedition team, you can look forward to an action-packed week. You’ll explore under the sure guidance of an expedition leader, three handpicked naturalists, including a Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor and an undersea specialist, plus a wellness specialist. Make the expedition as active as you choose with options to snorkel, hike, kayak, and paddle. For those who prefer to stay dry, there’s the service of our undersea specialist, who’ll share undersea video footage with you during the cocktail hour.
Wild Galápagos Escape Highlights
- Experience all Galápagos offers in just over one week, with departures on Saturday and Thursday
- Snorkel and kayak among colorful fish, sea turtles, penguins, and playful sea lions, and walk among colonies of wildlife and seabirds unfazed by your presence
- Maximize your time in the islands with options for exploration every day including hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and more
- Add a three-night post-expedition extension in Quito, Ecuador
- Have more time? Take back-to-back voyages and see more of the archipelago—because no single site in Galápagos National Park can be visited by the same ship more than once in two weeks, consecutive voyages call on different islands.
- With National Geographic Global Explorers, our exclusive family program, kids and teens will learn about this fascinating part of the world—from “sneezing” iguanas to giant tortoises
Itinerary
Day-to-Day Itinerary
- Day 1 — Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Upon arrival in Guayaquil, Ecuador, transfer to the 44-room Hotel del Parque, a tranquil haven surrounded by lush gardens set in a lovingly restored 19th-century building. Most flights arrive in the late evening. Choose to arrive early for an optional extra night to rest, relax, and prepare for your voyage. Or opt for the full-day excursion from Guayaquil to Hacienda La Danesa. Ask your expedition specialist about options, including flying into Quito, Ecuador’s capital, instead of Guayaquil.
- Day 2 — Guayaquil / Galápagos Islands / Embark Ship
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Fly to Baltra in the center of Galápagos, a little world unto itself in the Tropical Pacific. We are welcomed by our naturalist staff and start exploring the islands.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Days 3-6 — Galápagos Islands
- Listed below is a sample of islands we may visit during our expedition. Our expeditions begin and end at Baltra and include visits to Isla Santa Cruz and a careful selection of diverse islands. No two days are alike. Each of our itineraries offers an optimal balance of wildlife, landscapes, and experiences. All ship itineraries are subject to Galápagos National Park regulations.
North Seymour: Look for nesting frigatebirds, plus land and marine iguanas, and enjoy a beautiful coastal walk.
Santa Cruz: Head to the lush, green highlands to look for giant tortoises roaming in the wild.
Isabela: Toast crossing the Equator at Volcán Ecuador, northernmost of Isabela’s six great shield volcanoes. Keep an eye open for whales and dolphins as we ply these nutrient-rich waters, once the haunt of whalers and pirates.
Fernandina: One of the most active oceanic volcanoes in the world, Fernandina is the youngest and most pristine island in Galápagos—and home to the strange flightless cormorant and the largest marine iguanas.
San Cristóbal: Search for red-footed boobies and the endemic mockingbird and lava lizard—found only on this easternmost island.
Española: Located in the extreme southeast of the archipelago, this island is home to swallow-tailed gulls, Española mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, and seasonally, the world’s only population of waved albatrosses at Punta Suárez.
Floreana: Follow a trail past a rose pink-tinted lagoon frequented by flamingos. Snorkel among sea lions and abundant fish, or cruise along Champion Islet by Zodiac. Visit the famous wooden barrel at Post Office Bay, and learn about its unusual postal system.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 7 — Disembark Ship / Galápagos Islands / Guayaquil
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Return by air to Guayaquil, where we transfer to the Hotel del Parque—or continue to Quito for an optional three-night extension. You may be able to take advantage of overnight flights. Ask your Expedition Specialist for details.
Meals Included: Breakfast
- Day 8 — Guayaquil
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Stay and linger in Guayaquil or return home today.
Please note: These expeditions begin and end at Baltra, and include visits to Isla Santa Cruz and a careful selection of diverse islands. Each of our itineraries offers an optimal balance of wildlife, landscapes and experiences. All ship itineraries are subject to Galápagos National Park regulations.
Please note: All day-by-day breakdowns are a sampling of the places we intend to visit, conditions permitting.
Dates & Rates
Dates & Rates
| Dates | SU | IS | SO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Jul 6, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Jul 15, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Aug 3, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Aug 12, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Aug 17, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Aug 26, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Aug 31, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Sep 23, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Oct 7, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Oct 12, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Oct 21, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Oct 26, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Nov 4, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Nov 9, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Nov 18, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Nov 23, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Dec 2, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Dec 7, 2023 | $9,790 | $13,650 | $14,590 |
| Dec 16, 2023 | $10,770 | $15,020 | $16,050 |
| Dec 21, 2023 | $12,820 | $17,930 | $19,220 |
| Dec 30, 2023 | $12,410 | $17,370 | $18,490 |
| Jan 4, 2024 | $11,688 | $16,301 | $17,419 |
| Jan 13, 2024 | $11,091 | $15,469 | $16,530 |
| Jan 18, 2024 | $11,091 | $15,469 | $16,530 |
| Jan 27, 2024 | $10,870 | $15,160 | $16,200 |
| Feb 1, 2024 | $11,091 | $15,469 | $16,530 |
| Feb 10, 2024 | $11,688 | $16,301 | $17,419 |
| Feb 15, 2024 | $11,442 | $15,957 | $17,052 |
| Feb 29, 2024 | $10,979 | $15,313 | $16,363 |
| Mar 9, 2024 | $12,771 | $17,804 | $19,032 |
| Mar 14, 2024 | $11,268 | $15,709 | $16,795 |
| Mar 23, 2024 | $12,788 | $17,835 | $19,058 |
| Mar 28, 2024 | $11,688 | $16,301 | $17,419 |
| Apr 6, 2024 | $12,771 | $17,804 | $19,032 |
| Apr 11, 2024 | $11,442 | $15,957 | $17,052 |
| Apr 20, 2024 | $10,795 | $15,051 | $16,081 |
| Apr 25, 2024 | $10,701 | $14,917 | $15,948 |
| May 4, 2024 | $10,580 | $14,750 | $15,760 |
| May 9, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,343 | $15,040 |
| May 18, 2024 | $10,580 | $14,750 | $15,760 |
| May 23, 2024 | $10,191 | $14,343 | $15,181 |
| Jun 1, 2024 | $10,770 | $15,020 | $16,050 |
| Jun 6, 2024 | $10,870 | $15,160 | $16,200 |
| Jun 15, 2024 | $11,852 | $16,526 | $17,663 |
| Jun 29, 2024 | $12,905 | $17,988 | $19,235 |
| Jul 4, 2024 | $12,054 | $16,802 | $17,967 |
| Jul 13, 2024 | $10,970 | $15,430 | $16,350 |
| Jul 18, 2024 | $11,670 | $16,265 | $17,393 |
| Jul 27, 2024 | $11,031 | $15,378 | $16,442 |
| Aug 1, 2024 | $10,680 | $14,880 | $15,910 |
| Aug 10, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Aug 15, 2024 | $10,680 | $14,880 | $15,910 |
| Aug 24, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Aug 29, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Sep 12, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Sep 21, 2024 | $10,402 | $14,494 | $15,494 |
| Sep 26, 2024 | $11,080 | $15,444 | $16,515 |
| Oct 5, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Oct 10, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Oct 19, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Oct 24, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Nov 2, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Nov 7, 2024 | $10,380 | $14,470 | $15,470 |
| Nov 16, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Nov 21, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Nov 30, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Dec 5, 2024 | $10,090 | $14,200 | $15,030 |
| Dec 14, 2024 | $10,979 | $15,313 | $16,363 |
| Dec 28, 2024 | $15,600 | $20,611 | $22,505 |
Ships
Ships
National Geographic Islander II
Sailing starting in August 2022, the sleek and elegant 48-passenger National Geographic Islander II will sail year-round in the Galápagos Islands and elevate the guest experience to an entirely new level. View ship details…