Elite
123FT · POWER CATAMARAN
Desde $149,190/semana
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Yates con Tripulación en Galápagos — Yates de Expedición Privados
Un yate de expedición privado para tu grupo — Pinnacle Rock sobre la cubierta de popa al amanecer, piqueros de patas azules desde la proa en North Seymour, un pingüino de Galápagos frente a tu máscara de snorkel en Bartolomé, y un naturalista que sabe qué pinzón pertenece a cada isla.
Por qué Galápagos
¿Por qué reservar un yate con tripulación de expedición en Galápagos?
Galápagos es el viaje que tu grupo lleva tiempo postergando y finalmente decide hacer. Ocho parejas para celebrar un año especial, tres familias con los adolescentes incluidos, socios y sus parejas para el viaje del que todos llevan hablando. A seiscientas millas de la costa ecuatoriana, más especies endémicas que en ningún otro lugar del planeta, y una fauna tan indiferente a los humanos que la fotografías desde un metro de distancia. La mejor manera de que un grupo de dieciséis personas lo viva es tomando un yate de expedición entero para la semana.
Galápagos tiene opciones de menor nivel — botes diarios desde los hoteles de Santa Cruz, los barcos de dieciséis a cien pasajeros que dominan el mercado de cruceros, embarcaciones de buceo que trabajan solo Wolf y Darwin. Un yate con tripulación privado reserva el barco completo para tu grupo — ocho camarotes, dieciséis huéspedes en la mayoría de los yates, veinte en los más grandes — sin desconocidos en el camarote de al lado. El chef y el naturalista de Clase III son exclusivos para tu grupo. Las pangas parten al amanecer desde tu propia plataforma de natación; las cenas en la cubierta de popa son con tu gente; el capitán realiza los tránsitos entre islas de noche mientras duermes. El Parque autoriza la ruta; la forma en que tu grupo la recorre es solo tuya.
Hay dos rotaciones que salen en semanas alternas, y la más adecuada depende de lo que busca el grupo. La ruta Occidental — Fernandina, la costa oeste de Isabela, Santiago — es donde las iguanas marinas son más grandes, el pingüino de Galápagos y el cormorán no volador no existen en ningún otro lugar de la Tierra, y las caminatas a la caldera de Sierra Negra parten desde un desembarco en el sur de Isabela. La ruta Oriental y Norte — Española, Floreana, Genovesa, Bartolomé — es el Galápagos de las aves y el cortejo: albatros de Galápagos en Punta Suárez de abril a diciembre únicamente, el snorkel con tiburones martillo en Kicker Rock, y el tonel de madera de Post Office Bay aún en uso después de doscientos cincuenta años. Los grupos con dos semanas reservan ambas consecutivamente en el mismo yate. La mayoría elige una.
Lo que hace especial un yate con tripulación en Galápagos
Cuatro razones por las que un yate privado es la mejor manera de que un grupo de dieciséis personas descubra Galápagos.
Fauna que solo existe aquí
La danza de señalización hacia el cielo del piquero de patas azules. Los fragatas inflando el saco gular rojo en pleno cortejo. Las iguanas marinas, los únicos lagartos del planeta que se alimentan en el océano. El albatros de Galápagos en Española de abril a diciembre y en ningún otro lugar del mundo. Pingüinos de Galápagos en el ecuador. Cormoranes no voladores en Fernandina. El naturalista de tu yate sabe cuál de las trece especies de pinzones de Darwin pertenece a cada isla; la teoría de la selección natural se construyó sobre la variación que vive aquí.
Una bahía en la tierra más joven del planeta
Fernandina tiene aproximadamente setecientos mil años de antigüedad; el volcán Cumbre en su centro entró en erupción tan recientemente como en 2020. Sierra Negra en Isabela es la segunda caldera activa más grande del planeta, diez kilómetros de diámetro, accesible a pie en una mañana desde un desembarco en el sur de Isabela. Sullivan Bay en Santiago es lava pahoehoe enfriada hace apenas un siglo. Anclar bajo estos volcanes — aguas oscuras por el afloramiento de la corriente de Humboldt, laderas desnudas, especies que evolucionaron aquí en aislamiento — se acerca más a un diorama de la Tierra primitiva que a un viaje en yate por el Caribe o el Mediterráneo.
Encuentros con especies endémicas al alcance de la mano
La fauna de Galápagos no tiene miedo a los humanos — las islas no tuvieron depredadores terrestres durante la mayor parte de su historia evolutiva. Las iguanas marinas se sientan a pocos metros del sendero; las fotografías desde una roca con el yate visible en la cala al fondo. Los pingüinos de Galápagos se posan en la lava mientras la panga pasa a la deriva. Los albatros de Galápagos hacen sonar sus picos a un metro del sendero en Española. Las crías de lobo marino siguen a los nadadores desde la playa en Gardner Bay. La regla de dos metros del Parque se cumple por parte de los visitantes; los animales, por su parte, no tienen ningún concepto de ella.
Tu grupo, no cien desconocidos
El Parque Nacional Galápagos limita las embarcaciones turísticas a dieciséis huéspedes en la mayoría de los yates, veinte en los más grandes. Ocho camarotes por yate. Con un yate con tripulación privado, tu grupo ocupa el barco entero, sin otros grupos a bordo. El contraste frente a los cruceros de cien pasajeros que dominan el destino es concreto: una sola panga en cada desembarco en lugar de seis grupos rotativos, un naturalista dedicado exclusivamente a tu grupo durante todo el día, cenas en la cubierta de popa en lugar de filas de bufet, y una proporción de tripulación por huésped superior a uno a uno. El itinerario autorizado es el mismo. La forma en que tu grupo lo vive, no.
Featured Galapagos Crewed Yachts
A hand-picked selection of crewed charter yachts for Galapagos — yachts and crews we know firsthand.
Sample Galapagos Crewed Charter Itineraries
Your week is shaped around your group's interests, the season, and the conditions on the water — your captain tailors the days as they unfold. Treat these itineraries as starting points for inspiration.
Crewed Itinerary · Galapagos · Western Rotation
Galapagos Itinerary: 8 Days, Western Circuit (Isabela & Fernandina)
This Galapagos itinerary opens at Sullivan Bay's pahoehoe lava — ropy black rock only a century cooled, the yacht at anchor in the cove. The middle of the week works Isabela's west coast: the largest marine iguana colonies on Earth at Fernandina, the Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant nowhere else on the planet, the Sierra Negra caldera hikeable from a south-Isabela landing, Tagus Cove's whaler graffiti above a sea-only anchorage. Floreana's Post Office Bay and the central islands close the week. Disembark at San Cristóbal.
- Duration
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Base
- Baltra (GPS) → San Cristóbal (SCY)
The Western circuit — the wildest, most-endemic Galapagos itinerary
The Western Galapagos itinerary is what guests describe to friends when they get home — marine iguanas at their largest, penguins on the equator, the geology you can read from the air. Saturday-to-Saturday from Baltra to San Cristóbal on a private full-yacht charter. The alternate Eastern-and-Northern week and a 5-day Central intro run on the same boats; groups with two weeks book back-to-back and see everything.
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Day 1 of 8 · Baltra → Sullivan Bay
Embark Baltra and Walk a Century-Old Lava Field
Anchorage: Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island
Land at GPS on the morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil. The captain meets you at the gate, ferries you across the Itabaca channel, and the yacht is at anchor with the chef plating lunch on the aft deck. The naturalist runs the welcome briefing; the crew files the cruise plan with the park officer.
Mid-afternoon the captain points the bow north and east for the fifty-nautical-mile run to Sullivan Bay. By late afternoon the panga lands you on the 1903 pahoehoe — ropy black rock, lava bombs, pioneer plants pushing through cracks. Sundowners and dinner at anchor, the lava silhouetted against the western light.
Day Highlights
- Welcome at Baltra (GPS), Itabaca channel transfer to the yacht.
- Cruise plan filed with the park officer.
- Fifty-nautical-mile afternoon run to Sullivan Bay.
- Pre-sunset lava walk on 1903 pahoehoe.
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Day 2 of 8 · Punta Vicente Roca + Punta Espinoza
The Marine Iguana Colony and the Cliffs of Vicente Roca
Anchorage: Off Punta Espinoza, Fernandina
Overnight west into the Bolívar Channel. Morning brings the yacht into Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela's northwest tip — thousand-foot cliffs with seabirds nesting on the ledges, sea turtles surfacing in the channel, Galapagos sharks under the panga. Too current-driven for a swim from the boat; the naturalist runs the species identification from the panga.
Mid-day crossing west to Fernandina. Punta Espinoza is the only visitor site: a lava-flow point with the largest marine iguana colony anywhere on Earth — hundreds piled on bare black rock, the only lizards that forage in the ocean. The flightless cormorant nests at the site as well. Afternoon snorkel from the panga over green sea turtles.
Day Highlights
- Overnight transit west into the Bolívar Channel.
- Morning panga cruise along Punta Vicente Roca's nesting cliffs.
- Afternoon landing at Punta Espinoza — the largest marine iguana colony in the islands.
- Flightless cormorant nesting site, snorkel from the panga.
3
Day 3 of 8 · Tagus Cove + Urbina Bay
Whaler Graffiti and an Uplifted Reef
Anchorage: Tagus Cove + Urbina Bay, Isabela
Short morning run south to Tagus Cove — a small protected anchorage tucked into the tuff cliffs of a tilted volcanic crater. Whaling crews used it as a watering stop from the 1820s through the 1880s; the cliff face above the anchorage carries their names and dates, the earliest legible from 1836. The naturalist runs a kayak program in Darwin's Lake behind the cove and a panga along the cliff base.
Afternoon repositioning south to Urbina Bay. The trail above the landing crosses dead coral and bleached sea-urchin shells — in 1954 an offshore reef rose four meters above sea level overnight, tied to Alcedo volcano's activity. Land iguanas and giant tortoises forage the area in wet season. Dinner at anchor; overnight repositioning to Elizabeth Bay.
Day Highlights
- Kayak program in Darwin's Lake behind Tagus Cove.
- Whaler graffiti on the tuff cliffs — earliest inscription 1836.
- Trail across the 1954 uplifted reef at Urbina Bay.
- Wet-season land iguana and giant tortoise sightings.
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Day 4 of 8 · Elizabeth Bay + Moreno Point
Mangrove Panga and a Lagoon of Brackish Pools
Anchorage: Elizabeth Bay + Moreno Point, Isabela
Morning runs entirely from the panga. Elizabeth Bay is a series of red and black mangrove lagoons — too shallow for the yacht, channels accessible only by panga drift at idle. Green sea turtles in pairs, golden cow-nose rays gliding under the boat, white-tipped reef sharks in deeper pools, Galapagos penguins on the rocks at the channel mouths. The Marielas Islets at the head of the bay hold one of the largest penguin colonies in the archipelago.
Midday south to Moreno Point — a lava-flow promontory between Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul. The landing crosses young pahoehoe to brackish lagoons with flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks. Afternoon snorkel from the panga over green sea turtles and Galapagos sharks. Overnight repositioning to Santa Cruz.
Day Highlights
- Morning mangrove panga drift through Elizabeth Bay.
- Marielas Islets — one of the largest Galapagos penguin colonies in the islands.
- Moreno Point trail across young pahoehoe to brackish lagoons.
- Flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks in the lava sinks.
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Day 5 of 8 · Charles Darwin Research Station + Highlands
Lonesome George and the Highland Tortoises
Anchorage: Academy Bay, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Overnight east to Academy Bay off Puerto Ayora. Morning landing at the Charles Darwin Research Station — the captive-breeding program running since 1959, the Lonesome George Memorial (the last Pinta Island tortoise, taxidermied after his 2012 death), interpretive signage on the conservation work.
Midday transfer up to the highlands by private vehicle — twenty minutes from town, twelve hundred meters of elevation gain, scalesia forest and Miconia shrubland, lava tubes you walk through with the naturalist. El Chato Reserve or Rancho Manzanillo hold wild Galapagos giant tortoise populations grazing in pasture. No barriers; the animals approach as they please. Overnight repositioning south to Floreana.
Day Highlights
- Charles Darwin Research Station — captive breeding, Lonesome George Memorial.
- Private-vehicle transfer to the Santa Cruz highlands.
- Wild giant tortoise population at El Chato or Rancho Manzanillo.
- Scalesia forest and lava tubes — the endemic highland habitats.
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Day 6 of 8 · Floreana — Post Office Bay + Devil's Crown
A 250-Year-Old Mail Barrel and the Best Snorkel in the Archipelago
Anchorage: Post Office Bay + Cormorant Point, Floreana
Overnight south to Floreana — the smallest of the four populated islands, the first settled in 1832, the densest in stories. Morning lands at Post Office Bay: the wooden mail barrel that British whalers installed in 1793 still works exactly as designed. Visitors leave stamped postcards inside; later visitors take any addressed to their home city and hand-deliver them on return. The longest-running unbroken postal tradition in the Pacific.
Afternoon repositioning to Devil's Crown — a partially submerged volcanic caldera ring a few hundred meters offshore. Snorkel from the panga inside the ring and along the outside: green sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks on the sand, Galapagos sharks on the deeper edges, schools of king angelfish. The current pulls through on a tide cycle. Cormorant Point caps the day — green olivine-sand beach, flamingo lagoon, sea turtle nesting site.
Day Highlights
- Post Office Bay — drop and collect postcards from the 1793 wooden barrel.
- Devil's Crown snorkel — partially submerged volcanic caldera ring.
- Cormorant Point — green olivine-sand beach and flamingo lagoon.
- Floreana's settlement history reaches back to 1832.
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Day 7 of 8 · Santa Fe + South Plaza
Endemic Land Iguanas and a Sea Lion Nursery
Anchorage: Off Santa Fe / Plaza Sur
Overnight north to Santa Fe — one of the oldest islands in the archipelago at roughly four million years, home to the endemic Santa Fe land iguana (a species found nowhere else). The landing at Barrington Bay brings you onto a long white-sand beach with a resident sea lion colony. Inland trail through a dense Opuntia cactus forest where the Santa Fe iguanas graze on the fruit.
Midday repositioning to South Plaza — a half-mile islet east of Santa Cruz with the densest Galapagos land iguana population in the archipelago, golden against red Sesuvium ground cover in dry season. The trail follows the cliff edge above a swallow-tailed gull colony. Afternoon snorkel from the panga over sea lions and Galapagos sharks. Overnight north to San Cristóbal.
Day Highlights
- Santa Fe Island — endemic land iguanas, found nowhere else.
- Barrington Bay white-sand beach with resident sea lion colony.
- South Plaza — densest land iguana population in the islands.
- Swallow-tailed gull colony along the cliff edge.
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Day 8 of 8 · San Cristóbal disembark
Final Morning at Lobos Islet and Fly Out
Anchorage: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal
The yacht arrives off Puerto Baquerizo Moreno overnight. A final morning snorkel at Lobos Islet — a small islet a half-mile offshore named for the sea lion colony that lives on it. The naturalist runs a panga ride past blue-footed boobies nesting on the islet's south side and a final snorkel over juvenile sea lions in the channel. Farewell breakfast on the aft deck with the captain and naturalist.
Disembarkation at the dinghy dock by mid-morning. Short transfer to SCY for mid-morning flights direct to Quito and Guayaquil. Guests extending their Latin America trip from here typically connect to Cuzco (via UIO or GYE) or back to Quito for a night in the old town before flying home.
Day Highlights
- Final morning snorkel at Lobos Islet.
- Sea lion colony and blue-footed booby nesting site.
- Disembarkation at the Puerto Baquerizo Moreno dinghy dock.
- Short transfer to SCY for mid-morning flights to Quito and Guayaquil.
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Bookmark this voyage →Crewed Itinerary · Galapagos · Eastern + Northern Rotation
Galapagos Itinerary: 8 Days, Eastern & Northern Circuit (Española & Genovesa)
This Galapagos itinerary peaks on day three with the bird-and-courtship circuit: the Kicker Rock channel snorkel for hammerheads and Galapagos sharks, Punta Suárez's waved albatross colony (April through December only — they nest nowhere else on Earth), Gardner Bay's sea lion nursery on white sand. Day four climbs Bartolomé for Pinnacle Rock at sunrise — the photograph that anchors every Galapagos trip. The week chains Pitt Point's three-booby colony, Cerro Brujo's snorkel cove, Genovesa's red-footed boobies and frigates, North Seymour for the final morning. Eight days from San Cristóbal to Baltra.
- Duration
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Base
- San Cristóbal (SCY) → Baltra (GPS)
The Eastern + Northern circuit — the birding Galapagos itinerary
This Galapagos itinerary is the rotation where the waved albatross window decides the timing: April through December, Punta Suárez on Española, the only place on Earth they nest. Outside that the boobies, frigates, sea lions, and hammerheads carry the trip. The Western alternate is the marine-iguana-and-volcano counterpart; back-to-back combines them in fifteen nights on the same yacht.
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Day 1 of 8 · San Cristóbal — David Rodriguez Breeding Center
Embark San Cristóbal and Meet the Captive Tortoises
Anchorage: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal
Land at SCY on the morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil. Short transfer to the Puerto Baquerizo Moreno dinghy dock, panga across to the anchored yacht, welcome lunch on the aft deck with the naturalist's daily-program briefing.
Afternoon transfer up to the David Rodriguez Breeding Center on the northern edge of town — the local captive-breeding facility for the San Cristóbal tortoise subspecies (Chelonoidis chathamensis), one of three centers in the islands running similar conservation work. Back to the yacht for an overnight at anchor and an early start.
Day Highlights
- Welcome at SCY airport, panga transfer to the anchored yacht.
- Cruise plan filed with the park officer.
- Visit to the David Rodriguez Breeding Center.
- Captive-breeding program for the San Cristóbal tortoise.
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Day 2 of 8 · Pitt Point + Cerro Brujo
Red-Footed Boobies and a White-Sand Snorkel
Anchorage: Off Pitt Point / Cerro Brujo, San Cristóbal
Morning run north and east to Pitt Point — the only site in the archipelago where all three booby species (blue-footed, red-footed, Nazca) nest in the same area. The trail climbs to a cliff-top viewpoint over the colony; the naturalist works through the species identification (foot color is the obvious tell). Frigate birds patrol the colony for kleptoparasitism.
Afternoon repositioning to Cerro Brujo (Witch Hill) — a long white-sand beach in a sheltered bay, named for the rust-colored volcanic tuff cliff that rises behind it. The first snorkel of the week from the beach: green sea turtles, sea lions on the sand and in the surf, marine iguanas on the rocks. Overnight south for Kicker Rock and Española.
Day Highlights
- Pitt Point — the only site where all three booby species nest in one area.
- Cliff-top viewpoint over the colony.
- Cerro Brujo's white-sand beach.
- First snorkel of the week — sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas.
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Day 3 of 8 · Kicker Rock + Punta Suárez + Gardner Bay
Hammerheads in the Channel, Albatrosses on the Cliff
Anchorage: Off Gardner Bay, Española
First light brings the yacht to Kicker Rock — the twin basalt pillars off San Cristóbal's northeast coast. The morning program is the channel snorkel: the panga drops you at the eastern entrance, the current drifts you between the cliffs, the naturalist runs the boat alongside. Scalloped hammerheads in schools below, Galapagos sharks patrolling, sea turtles, eagle rays. Most groups do two passes.
Mid-day transit south to Española — the southernmost and oldest of the major islands. The afternoon landing at Punta Suárez is the bird walk most guests remember from the trip. The trail follows the cliff top past the waved albatross colony (April through December — nowhere else on Earth), the Española mockingbird, Nazca and blue-footed booby nesting sites, and a basalt blowhole that spouts seawater fifty feet up the cliff face.
Late afternoon at Gardner Bay — a half-mile crescent of white sand backed by low scrub and a resident sea lion colony. Sea lion pups follow swimmers; adults sprawl across the sand. The two-meter park-rule distance is enforced from the guest side — the animals themselves don't acknowledge it.
Day Highlights
- Morning hammerhead snorkel in the Kicker Rock channel.
- Afternoon at Punta Suárez — waved albatross (Apr-Dec), Española mockingbird, blowhole.
- Late-afternoon swim at Gardner Bay's sea lion nursery.
- Three of the marquee Galapagos visitor sites in a single day.
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Day 4 of 8 · Bachas Beach + Bartolomé Summit
The Pinnacle Rock Climb at Sunrise
Anchorage: Sullivan Bay, off Bartolomé
Overnight northwest — a hundred and ten nautical miles, the longest single leg of the week. Pre-dawn arrival in Sullivan Bay. The naturalist runs the sunrise summit hike — a 372-step wooden staircase from the southern landing climbs the volcanic cone to the lookout at 114 meters. The view from the top is the photograph that anchors every Galapagos trip: Pinnacle Rock, Sullivan Bay's pahoehoe lava across Santiago, the yacht below, the Bolívar Channel opening west.
Late morning shifts to Bachas Beach on the north coast of Santa Cruz — a wide white-sand beach with a brackish lagoon behind it holding flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks. ('Bachas' is the local pronunciation of 'barges' — two American Navy barges ran aground here during World War II.) Afternoon snorkel from the beach over sea turtles. Overnight repositioning west for Santiago's landings.
Day Highlights
- Overnight northwest transit — 110 nm to Sullivan Bay.
- Sunrise climb to the Bartolomé summit (114m).
- Pinnacle Rock + Sullivan Bay lava — the marquee Galapagos panorama.
- Afternoon at Bachas Beach with flamingo lagoon and snorkel from the sand.
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Day 5 of 8 · Santiago (Egas Port) + Rabida
Fur Seals at Egas Port and a Red-Sand Beach
Anchorage: Off Rabida Island
Morning landing at Puerto Egas (James Bay) on Santiago's northwest coast — a long black-lava shore with a fur seal colony in the cliff-base grottos, the densest sally lightfoot crab population in the islands, and a marine iguana population distinct from the western colonies. The trail runs along the lava shore to the grottos where the Galapagos fur seal rests in shaded sea caves.
Mid-day repositioning south to Rabida — distinctive for the iron-oxide-rich volcanic rock that turns the beach a deep red-brown. The trail behind the beach runs to a brackish lagoon with white-cheeked pintail ducks and (in wet season) flamingos. Afternoon snorkel along the cliff base — schools of king angelfish, parrotfish, reef fish in the rocky shallows. Overnight north toward Genovesa.
Day Highlights
- Egas Port black-lava shore — fur seal colony in the cliff grottos.
- Sally lightfoot crab density, distinct marine iguana population.
- Rabida's red-sand beach (iron-oxide volcanic rock).
- Cliff-base snorkel from the panga.
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Day 6 of 8 · Genovesa — Darwin Bay + Prince Philip's Steps
The Red-Footed Booby Colony and Prince Philip's Steps
Anchorage: Darwin Bay, Genovesa
Overnight transit north — 120 nautical miles across open water to Genovesa, a flooded volcanic caldera in the far north of the archipelago. Genovesa is uninhabited and gets no day-boat traffic; only the yachts running an A-route variant reach it. Morning landing at Darwin Bay — a half-moon beach inside the caldera rim, the calmest water of the week. Bird colonies the densest in the islands: the great frigate bird with the inflated red gular sac, the largest red-footed booby colony in the world, the Nazca booby, the swallow-tailed gull, the storm petrels in the lava cracks.
Afternoon landing at Prince Philip's Steps on the east side of the caldera — named for Prince Philip's 1965 visit. A steep climb on wooden and rock-cut steps brings you to a flat plateau on the rim — another concentration of Nazca and red-footed boobies, the storm petrel colony, short-eared owls hunting them at dusk. Overnight south back to the central islands.
Day Highlights
- Overnight 120-nm transit north to Genovesa.
- Darwin Bay — largest red-footed booby colony in the world.
- Great frigate bird courtship-sac displays.
- Prince Philip's Steps — Nazca booby plateau, storm petrel colony, hunting short-eared owls.
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Day 7 of 8 · Mosquera Islet + Santa Cruz Highlands
A Final Sea Lion Snorkel and the Wild Tortoise Population
Anchorage: Academy Bay, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Morning landing at Mosquera Islet — a low sand bar between North Seymour and Baltra. A resident sea lion colony lives on the islet; the snorkel from the beach drops you among playing juveniles. Mosquera is the most relaxed landing of the week — short, no climbing, mostly an opportunity to be in the water with the wildlife one more time.
Afternoon transit south to Academy Bay off Puerto Ayora. Private-vehicle transfer up to the highlands — twenty minutes from town, twelve hundred meters of elevation, scalesia forest into Miconia shrubland. El Chato Reserve or Rancho Manzanillo holds wild Galapagos giant tortoise populations grazing in pasture. No barriers; the animals approach as they please. Overnight transit to Baltra.
Day Highlights
- Morning sea lion snorkel at Mosquera Islet.
- Afternoon transfer to the Santa Cruz highlands.
- Wild giant tortoise population at El Chato or Rancho Manzanillo.
- Scalesia forest and Miconia shrubland.
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Day 8 of 8 · North Seymour + Baltra disembark
Blue-Footed Boobies on the Final Morning
Anchorage: Off North Seymour / Baltra
Pre-dawn run to North Seymour — a small flat island just north of Baltra, formed by tectonic uplift rather than volcanic activity. The sunrise landing brings you onto a low coastal trail past the blue-footed booby colony (the sky-pointing courtship dance performed at close range), the magnificent frigate bird colony (males with the inflated red gular sac), and the resident land iguana population.
Back on board for breakfast and the short transit to Baltra. The crew arranges the transfer to GPS for mid-morning flights direct to Quito and Guayaquil. Guests extending their Latin America trip from here typically connect to Cuzco, Lima, or back to Quito for a night in the old town before flying home.
Day Highlights
- Sunrise landing at North Seymour — blue-footed boobies and frigates at close range.
- Mile-long coastal trail past the courtship colonies.
- Short transit to Baltra, transfer to GPS.
- Mid-morning flights direct to Quito and Guayaquil.
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Bookmark this voyage →Crewed Itinerary · Galapagos · 5-Day Cut
Galapagos Itinerary: 5-Day Central Cut from Baltra
A 5-day Galapagos itinerary, Saturday-to-Wednesday from Baltra. Sullivan Bay's lava on day one, Punta Vicente Roca's seabird cliffs and Fernandina's marine iguanas on day two, Isabela's west coast on day three, Charles Darwin Research Station and the Santa Cruz highland tortoises on day four, Baltra disembark Wednesday. The Galapagos compressed for groups pairing it with a Peru, Quito, or Amazon trip on either end.
- Duration
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Base
- Baltra (GPS) → Baltra (GPS)
The shorter Galapagos itinerary for groups pairing with Latin America
The 5-day Galapagos itinerary is the right answer when the calendar is the binding constraint and Galapagos is one leg of a longer Latin America trip. The Western route's marquee sites compressed into four nights. The 8-day Western is the full version of this rotation; the 8-day Eastern-and-Northern is the alternate week. For groups with one week to spend on the islands, we recommend the 8-day Western over this 5-day cut — same wildlife density, more time.
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Day 1 of 5 · Baltra → Sullivan Bay
Embark Baltra and Walk a Century-Old Lava Field
Anchorage: Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island
Land at GPS on the morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil. The captain meets you at the gate, ferries across the Itabaca channel, and the yacht is at anchor with the chef plating lunch. The naturalist runs the welcome briefing; the cruise plan is filed with the park officer.
Mid-afternoon the captain runs north and east to Sullivan Bay. By late afternoon the panga lands you on the 1903 pahoehoe — ropy black rock, lava bombs, pioneer plants pushing through cracks. Sundowners and dinner at anchor.
Day Highlights
- Welcome at Baltra (GPS), Itabaca channel transfer.
- Cruise plan filed with the park officer.
- Fifty-nautical-mile run to Sullivan Bay.
- Pre-sunset lava walk on 1903 pahoehoe.
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Day 2 of 5 · Punta Vicente Roca + Punta Espinoza
The Marine Iguana Colony and the Cliffs of Vicente Roca
Anchorage: Off Punta Espinoza, Fernandina
Overnight west into the Bolívar Channel. Morning brings the yacht into Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela's northwest tip — thousand-foot cliffs with seabirds nesting on the ledges, sea turtles surfacing in the channel, Galapagos sharks under the panga.
Mid-day crossing west to Fernandina. Punta Espinoza is the only visitor site: a lava-flow point with the largest marine iguana colony anywhere on Earth — hundreds piled on bare black rock, the only lizards that forage in the ocean. The flightless cormorant nests at the site as well. Afternoon snorkel from the panga over green sea turtles.
Day Highlights
- Overnight transit west into the Bolívar Channel.
- Morning panga cruise along Punta Vicente Roca's nesting cliffs.
- Afternoon landing at Punta Espinoza — the largest marine iguana colony in the islands.
- Flightless cormorant nesting site, snorkel from the panga.
3
Day 3 of 5 · Tagus Cove + Urbina Bay
Whaler Graffiti and an Uplifted Reef
Anchorage: Tagus Cove + Urbina Bay, Isabela
Morning run south to Tagus Cove — a small protected anchorage tucked into tuff cliffs. Whaling crews used it as a watering stop from the 1820s through the 1880s; the cliff face above the anchorage carries their names and dates, the earliest legible from 1836. The naturalist runs a kayak program in Darwin's Lake behind the cove.
Afternoon south to Urbina Bay. The trail above the landing crosses dead coral and bleached sea-urchin shells — in 1954 an offshore reef rose four meters above sea level overnight, tied to Alcedo volcano's activity. Land iguanas and giant tortoises forage the area in wet season. Overnight east toward Santa Cruz.
Day Highlights
- Kayak program in Darwin's Lake behind Tagus Cove.
- Whaler graffiti — earliest inscription 1836.
- Trail across the 1954 uplifted reef at Urbina Bay.
- Wet-season land iguana and giant tortoise sightings.
4
Day 4 of 5 · Charles Darwin Research Station + Highlands
Lonesome George and the Highland Tortoises
Anchorage: Academy Bay, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Morning at the Charles Darwin Research Station — the captive-breeding program running since 1959, the Lonesome George Memorial (the last Pinta Island tortoise, taxidermied after his 2012 death), interpretive signage on the conservation work.
Midday transfer up to the highlands by private vehicle — twenty minutes from town, twelve hundred meters of elevation, scalesia forest into Miconia shrubland, lava tubes you walk through with the naturalist. El Chato Reserve or Rancho Manzanillo holds wild Galapagos giant tortoise populations grazing in pasture. Overnight transit to Baltra.
Day Highlights
- Charles Darwin Research Station — Lonesome George Memorial.
- Private-vehicle transfer to the Santa Cruz highlands.
- Wild giant tortoise population at El Chato or Rancho Manzanillo.
- Scalesia forest and lava tubes.
5
Day 5 of 5 · Baltra disembark
Final Morning and Fly Out
Anchorage: Baltra dinghy dock
Overnight transit north to Baltra. Farewell breakfast on the aft deck before disembarkation by mid-morning. Panga to the Itabaca channel dock, short ferry, transfer to GPS for the morning flight back to Quito or Guayaquil.
From here most groups connect to the next leg. Cuzco / Machu Picchu typically connects through GYE on LATAM, arriving Cuzco mid-afternoon for the four- or five-night Peru program. Quito old-town pairing stays in Ecuador. Amazon pairing connects from UIO to Coca for the Mashpi or Napo Wildlife Center transfer.
Day Highlights
- Overnight north to Baltra.
- Disembarkation by mid-morning.
- Transfer to GPS for direct flights to Quito and Guayaquil.
- Same-day connections to Cuzco, the Amazon, or onward international.
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Plan Your Galapagos Charter
When to go, what it costs, and how to get there — the practical answers guests ask before booking a Galapagos crewed yacht charter.
Cuándo visitar Galápagos en yate
Temporada cálida (dic–may)
Agua entre 23 y 26 °C, mar en calma, vegetación exuberante y el snorkel más cálido del año. Crías de iguana marina en marzo, desove de tortugas verdes de diciembre a marzo. Es habitual algún chubasco vespertino. La ventana que recomendamos para los visitantes primerizos — el agua más cálida, el clima más estable y sin necesidad de traje de neopreno.
Temporada fresca (jun–nov)
El afloramiento de la corriente de Humboldt baja la temperatura del agua a entre 20 y 22 °C e impulsa la mayor productividad marina del año. La mejor visibilidad de snorkel y mayor densidad de alimentación. El albatros de Galápagos está en Punta Suárez de abril a diciembre (el único lugar del planeta donde anida). Se recomienda un traje de neopreno de 3mm. Las semanas de temporada fresca tienen gran demanda entre los viajeros más apasionados por la fauna.
Calendario de eventos de fauna
Elige la semana según la especie que quieres ver: albatros de Galápagos de abril a diciembre, crías de lobo marino de septiembre a noviembre, crías de iguana marina de diciembre a marzo, desove de tortuga verde de diciembre a marzo, cortejo del piquero de patas azules de junio a agosto, piquero de patas rojas de mayo a octubre. El cortejo del fragata se produce durante todo el año, con picos ligados a El Niño. El naturalista elabora el programa diario en función de lo que esté ocurriendo activamente cuando llegues.
Cuánto cuesta un yate con tripulación en Galápagos
$60,000–$150,000 per week
Un yate de expedición privado completo en Galápagos cuesta aproximadamente entre $60,000 y $150,000+ por semana, según la categoría del yate y la época del año. El extremo inferior corresponde a la categoría Primera Clase; el superior, a los yates de Clase Lujo — Infinity, Galapagos Horizon, Galapagos Sea Star. La tarifa base cubre el yate completo para tu grupo (ocho camarotes, dieciséis a veinte huéspedes), capitán y tripulación, un naturalista licenciado de Clase III, todas las comidas y barra libre, pangas auxiliares, equipo de snorkel y trajes de neopreno, kayaks, tablas de paddleboard y las tarifas del itinerario autorizado. La entrada al Parque, la tarjeta de tránsito de Galápagos, la contribución a la cámara hiperbárica y los traslados del aeropuerto al yate se detallan al momento de la reserva y se pagan por separado. La propina a la tripulación es habitual entre el diez y el quince por ciento de la tarifa base. Las salidas están fijadas por el calendario del Parque — 4 días de viernes a lunes, 5 días de lunes a viernes o de martes a sábado, 8 días de sábado a sábado o de lunes a lunes. Los vuelos de larga distancia a Quito o Guayaquil no están incluidos.
How to get to the Galapagos
- Gateway airports
- Dos puertas de entrada en el continente y dos aeropuertos en las islas. El Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre de Quito (UIO) y el Aeropuerto Internacional José Joaquín de Olmedo de Guayaquil (GYE) son los dos centros ecuatorianos; LATAM y Avianca operan los vuelos domésticos diarios desde ambos hacia las islas. La mayoría de los viajeros procedentes de EE. UU. vuelan a UIO vía Bogotá, Miami, Ciudad de Panamá o Houston (American, Avianca, Copa, United, JetBlue) y pernoctan en el barrio Mariscal o La Floresta de Quito antes del vuelo matutino a las islas. Desde UIO/GYE, los vuelos van a la isla Baltra (GPS, el aeropuerto que sirve a Santa Cruz a través del ferry del Canal de Itabaca) o a San Cristóbal (SCY, el aeropuerto de embarque oriental). El punto de acceso depende del itinerario que reserves — la rotación Occidental embarca en Baltra; la rotación Oriental y Norte embarca en San Cristóbal.
- Embarkation ports
- El punto de embarque del yate lo fija el itinerario emitido por el PNG y no es negociable. La rotación Occidental (R1) embarca y desembarca en Baltra — los huéspedes vuelan UIO/GYE → GPS, cruzan en ferry por el Canal de Itabaca hasta Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) para pernoctar y embarcan el yate a la mañana siguiente, o suben directamente desde el aeropuerto en programas más ajustados. La rotación Oriental y Norte (R2) embarca en San Cristóbal — los huéspedes vuelan UIO/GYE → SCY directamente y embarcan el yate en Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. La introducción de 4 días (R3) embarca en Baltra. La mayoría de los huéspedes pernoctan dos noches en el casco histórico de Quito en uno de los hoteles de patrimonio (Casa Gangotena, Illa Experience Hotel, Plaza Grande) antes del vuelo a las islas; coordinamos la parte continental en Ecuador y el viaje en yate por Galápagos por separado con nuestros socios en Quito.
- Airport transfers
- Desde los aeropuertos insulares, el capitán gestiona el traslado del aeropuerto al yate de principio a fin — la mayoría de los chárteres reciben a los huéspedes en la puerta del aeropuerto, cruzan en panga hasta el barco fondeado desde el muelle de botes auxiliares, con el equipaje atendido y una bebida fría esperando en la cubierta de popa en menos de treinta minutos desde el aterrizaje. En el desembarque, el capitán organiza el traslado de regreso para conectar con el vuelo a GYE/UIO. El ferry del Canal de Itabaca hacia Santa Cruz (para los que llegan a Baltra y eligen pernoctar en Puerto Ayora) dura cinco minutos; los taxis privados desde el muelle sur hasta el centro de Puerto Ayora son unos veinticinco minutos.
- Customs & immigration
- Ecuador es el país de registro. Los ciudadanos de EE. UU., Reino Unido, la UE, Canadá y Australia no necesitan visa para estancias de menos de noventa días. Galápagos tiene su propio régimen migratorio además del ingreso ecuatoriano — la Tarjeta de Control de Tránsito de Galápagos (TCT) se emite en UIO o GYE antes del vuelo; la tarifa de entrada al Parque se cobra a la llegada a GPS o SCY. El naturalista de tu yate gestiona el papeleo del plan de crucero con el inspector del Parque en cada desembarco; los huéspedes no ven esa capa operativa. Las normas del Parque Nacional Galápagos son absolutas para los visitantes y merece la pena respetarlas: mantén al menos dos metros de distancia de la fauna, no uses flash fotográfico, no lleves comida en los desembarcos, no retires ningún material orgánico ni volcánico, y permanece en los senderos señalizados en todos los sitios de visita. El naturalista explica las normas en la bienvenida a bordo y las recuerda en cada desembarco — esas normas son la razón por la que la fauna sigue siendo como es.
Frequently asked questions
About chartering in the Galapagos.
How long should our Galapagos charter be?
The Galapagos National Park licenses each vessel to a fixed itinerary — so charter durations match the published GNP rotations, not custom day counts. The three real product cuts are the eight-day week (Saturday-to-Saturday or Monday-to-Monday — the full licensed rotation, covers either the Western islands or the Eastern-plus-Northern islands), the four-day intro (Friday-to-Monday or Monday-to-Friday — Central and Southern islands, the right length for guests adding Galapagos to a Latin America itinerary), and the back-to-back twelve-day charter (an eight-day plus a four-day on either end, the same vessel and crew, covers ninety-five percent of the licensed Galapagos product on a single charter). For most guests, eight days is the right answer — the wildlife density and the volcanic geology reward the longer week. For first-time Latin America travelers pairing Galapagos with Quito, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu, the four-day Central-and-Southern intro is the cleaner fit. The twelve-day combination is the right answer for guests who want everything in one trip — Western for the marine iguanas and Galapagos penguins, Eastern-plus-Northern for the waved albatross and Kicker Rock, all on one charter.
What's included in a private Galapagos expedition charter?
The base rate covers the entire yacht for your party, captain and crew, a Class III licensed naturalist guide (the highest park-issued guide tier — multi-language, biology background), all meals and a full open bar, panga tenders, snorkel gear and wetsuits, kayaks, paddleboards, and the licensed itinerary fees the vessel pays the park. Park entry, the Galapagos Transit Control Card, the hyperbaric chamber contribution, ferry transfers between airport and yacht, and crew gratuity are itemized at booking and paid separately — not taken out of an APA float during the charter the way a Caribbean or Mediterranean trip handles operational costs. The numbers are known at booking and don't move during the trip. Crew gratuity is customary at ten to fifteen percent of the base rate, paid on disembarkation.
How is a Galapagos charter different from a Caribbean or Mediterranean charter?
Three structural differences. First, every vessel runs a pre-approved park itinerary — the charter buys out the entire licensed yacht for your party (eight cabins, sixteen to twenty guests depending on the boat), but the route is fixed. The naturalist clears each landing with the park officer at every stop. Second, every charter carries a licensed naturalist for the duration — a separate role from the captain, running the daily program (panga before breakfast, guided landing in the morning, snorkel from the panga before lunch, afternoon zodiac cruise or beach walk, briefing the next day's plan over dinner). Third, all vessels are motor — sailing yachts are not park-licensed for inter-island travel, and the published itineraries cover long inter-island transits overnight while guests sleep. The trade-off: you give up the design-your-own-week flexibility of a BVI or Croatia charter; in exchange you get a wildlife encounter and a geological experience that doesn't exist anywhere else.
When is the best time to charter Galapagos?
Galapagos has two seasons rather than the four-season Mediterranean register, and both work for charter — the choice is about which wildlife events you're after. The warm and wet season runs December through May — sea temperatures in the mid-to-high seventies Fahrenheit, calm seas, the lushest scalesia and palo santo vegetation, marine iguana hatchlings emerging through March, green sea turtle nesting on the south-facing beaches December through March, and the warmest snorkel water of the year. Afternoon rain showers are typical but brief. The cool and dry season runs June through November — Humboldt-current upwelling drops water temperatures to the high sixties and low seventies, drives the highest marine biomass of the year (best snorkeling productivity, the highest density of feeding sea birds and sea lions), and brings the waved albatross to Española from April through December for the courtship and chick-rearing window. Whale shark season at Wolf and Darwin (technically a separate diver-only liveaboard product) is also June through November. For first-time guests we recommend December through April — the warmest water, the most consistent weather, and the calmer-water snorkeling without the wetsuit. Returning guests and serious wildlife enthusiasts often book August through October for the upwelling-driven feeding behavior and the Española albatross window.
Can we combine Galapagos with Quito, the Amazon, Peru, or Machu Picchu?
Yes — and for first-time Latin America travelers, we recommend it. Quito sits at the start or end of most Galapagos charters (LATAM and Avianca operate the daily domestic flights to Baltra and San Cristóbal from Quito and Guayaquil), and the old town is a UNESCO-inscribed colonial center worth one or two nights either side of the charter. From Quito, the Ecuadorian Amazon is a one-hour flight plus a river transfer (Mashpi Lodge and Napo Wildlife Center are the HNW options, three to four nights) — pairs naturally with Galapagos for guests who want both the marine and terrestrial expedition experience. South of Quito, Peru opens — Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and the Inkaterra and Belmond properties run a separate three-to-five-night module that we coordinate with our Peru partners. The full sequence we book most often is Quito (2 nights) → Galapagos charter (8 days) → Cuzco and Machu Picchu (4 nights), with the second leg running on Belmond Andean Explorer or Belmond Hiram Bingham depending on the schedule. The charter side is the constraint — Galapagos charter departures are Friday or Monday only, so the surrounding land program fits around the yacht's published embarkation dates.
Western Islands or Eastern-plus-Northern — which itinerary should we pick?
Different Galapagos. Both are full eight-day weeks; both are worth booking; most guests pick one and come back for the other. The Western route (R1 on our page) runs Baltra → North Seymour → Genovesa → Fernandina → Isabela west coast → Santiago → Bartolomé → back to Baltra, and is the right answer for guests who want the youngest, wildest, most-endemic Galapagos — the marine iguanas at Punta Espinoza are the largest in the archipelago, the Galapagos penguin and the flightless cormorant exist only on Fernandina and Isabela's west coast, the Sierra Negra caldera (the second-largest active volcanic crater on Earth) hikes from a south-Isabela landing, and Tagus Cove's nineteenth-century whaler graffiti sits above the anchorage. The Eastern-plus-Northern route (R2) runs San Cristóbal → Española → Floreana → Santa Cruz → North Seymour → Genovesa → Bartolomé → Santa Cruz, and is the right answer for guests who want the bird-and-courtship Galapagos — Española's waved albatross sky-clapping (April through December only), the original wooden mail barrel at Post Office Bay still in use after two hundred and fifty years, Kicker Rock's hammerhead-shark snorkel channel, and Genovesa's red-footed booby and great frigate bird colonies. For one trip, Western is our default recommendation — wildlife density is highest, the geology is most active, and the marquee shots (Pinnacle Rock at Bartolomé, marine iguanas at Fernandina, the Sierra Negra caldera) are all on this route. For repeat travelers or guests who time the trip to April-through-December specifically for the waved albatross, Eastern-plus-Northern is the right book.
Other South Pacific Charter Destinations
We charter across the South Pacific. Here are some other excellent alternatives.
How to Book Your Galapagos Yacht Charter
1
Share Your Vision
Fill out our quick form and we'll dive into your unique preferences — from adventure-packed itineraries to pampered escapes. Whether you're a seasoned voyager or new to charters, we'll tailor recommendations just for you.
2
Choose the Perfect Yacht
With over fifteen years of experience, we'll match you with the yacht that fits your style, group, and itinerary. We work directly with the captains and crews across our list — so the recommendation is built around the right boat-and-crew fit for your week, not whatever's easiest to book.
3
Relax While We Handle the Details
Once your yacht is booked, we'll take care of logistics: paperwork, reminders, and personalized resources to help you plan. From arrival planning to must-visit spots, we'll make your charter as seamless as it is unforgettable.
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¿Qué esperar de un alquiler de yate privado con tripulación?
Conocé qué hace únicos a estos viajes en yate: servicio personalizado, gastronomía gourmet y un sinfín de aventuras y momentos de relax.
¿Cómo es el proceso de reserva?
Nuestro equipo se encarga de todo: desde tu primer consulta hasta que zarpás. Todo fluye de forma simple.
¿Cuánto cuesta un alquiler de yate con tripulación?
Entendé los distintos tipos de precios, lo que está incluido y lo que no.
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