Independent Galapagos cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend with Peru

Welcome to Quito, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.

Your included private city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows. (B)

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra, where you’ll meet your expert naturalist and transfer to board the Galápagos Legend for an unforgettable three-night cruise. Set sail to North Seymour Island, a dramatic landmass formed by ancient underwater volcanic eruptions that layered lava across the ocean floor. Take a guided walk among impressive nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent and great frigate birds, and swallow-tailed gulls, while gaining insight into the remarkable breeding cycles of Galápagos seabirds. Along the way, encounter playful sea lions, land iguanas, and—if luck is on your side—the elusive endemic Galápagos snake. (B,L,D)

Awake at Bartolomé Island to explore a striking moonscape shaped by volcanic parasitic cones. Hike to the summit for sweeping views of the surrounding islands and iconic Pinnacle Rock, while keeping an eye out for marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies along the way. Bartolomé also boasts some of the best snorkeling in the Galápagos, with crystal-clear waters revealing sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and—on occasion—Galápagos penguins. This afternoon, sail to Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island and walk across young pahoehoe lava flows formed in the late 19th century, where reddish-yellow tuff cones are dotted with emerging plant life. The otherworldly terrain feels like stepping onto another planet. After your guided walk, enjoy snorkeling from a white-sand beach, where you may encounter penguins, sea lions, sharks, and rays gliding through the water. (B,L,D)