MONSERRAT GALAPAGOS YACHT ITINERARY A 5 Day Itinerary
Overview
Available languages
5 days
Mobile ticket
Through our commitment to personalized service and attention to detail, Monserrat Galapagos Expeditions aims to create the perfect setting for an unforgettable experience on the enchanted islands.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
BALTRA ISLAND / DRAGON HILL
Accommodations
Monserrat Yacht
Food and Drinks
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Baltra
Arrive in Baltra Island. After clearing immigration and customs. Our Monserrat Yacht naturalist guide will welcome you to the Archipelago and escort you to the vessel. We will then sail to Dragon Hill where our first exploration of the Galapagos begins. Dragon Hill is a great introduction to the Galapagos Islands. Here you can relax, swim and snorkel on its crystalline waters.
Dragon Hill (Cerro Dragon)
Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill) is consider as a prime birdwatching site. You will take a short walk from the beach to a hypersaline (saltier than the ocean) lagoon frequented by pink flamingos, common stilts, pintail ducks, and other species of birds. You will pass through a Scalesia tree forest; which is endemic to the area, a quick fact about this iconic specie there are only 400 specimens of Scalesia trees left in the world.
SANTIAGO ISLAND: BUCCANNER COVE / EGAS PORT
Accommodations
Monserrat Yacht
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Santiago Island has seen its share of human activity from whalers and pirates over the years, and despite the introduction of goats to the island many years ago, the wildlife of Santiago has otherwise flourished and provides outstanding viewing opportunities. The island boasts marine iguanas, sea lions, fur seals, land and sea turtles, among others. Enjoy great wildlife viewing both on land and in the water. Head to Buccaneer Cove to witness the towering cliff wall rock formations. Afternoon excursion to Egas Port to see the salt crater as well as a dark sand beach and tidal pools. Buccaneer Cove Excursion (AM) Jump into the panga or zodiac and cruise alongside high cliffs and rock formations on this visit, which was a favorite hideout for pirates looking to stock up their boats with food and water. Spot sea lions relaxing on the beach and sea birds nesting in the cove as you will able to do snorkeling and kayak around the shore.
Puerto Egas
Puerto Egas Excursion (PM) The spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay spots a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife. (Puerto Egas) Snorkeling Excursion (PM) Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach to explore Puerto Egas' interesting underwater world. Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reef sharks while snorkeling. After this activity, you will visit the large tidal pool area – marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs are everywhere.
ISABELA ISLAND: ESPINOZA POINT / VICENTE ROCA POINT
Accommodations
Monserrat Yacht
Monserrat Yacht
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Isabela
Vicente Roca Point Excursion (AM) Vicente Roca Point has great deep-water snorkeling at one of the richest marine havens on Earth (Bolivar Channel). Vicente Roca Point is renowned for its Galápagos green turtles, which are very numerous on the bay. Although the spot is known for its high concentration of green turtles, sharks and rays can also be observed when underwater visibility is good. We take a dinghy ride along the coast to observe a great diversity of sea and coastal birds; Nazca and blue-footed boobies, noddies, brown pelicans, penguins, flightless cormorants. The upwelling of cold-water currents in this part of the Galapagos gives rise to an abundance of marine life. Our snorkeling will take us along the cliffs and offers the chance of exploring two shallow underwater caves with rich marine wildlife.
Fernandina
Espinoza Point Excursion (PM) Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island is one of the most pristine islands in the world, with none of man’s introduced species to date. From here we can see the island of Isabela across the Bolívar Channel, an area that boasts some of the highest diversity of endemic sea fauna in the Galapagos. Fernandina is the youngest of the Galapagos Islands and a visitor favorite. When landing, check out the tidal pools where there is abundance of sea life, including small fish and mollusks. If we are lucky, a sea turtle or ray may be trapped in the pools. A little further ahead we will pass through some marine iguana burrows and sea lion colonies. The trail continues to where several flightless cormorants have their nests. This remarkable bird is only found in western Galapagos, and experts estimate that they may only be a few hundred individuals in total.
ISABELA ISLAND URBINA BAY / TAGUS COVE
Accommodations
Monserrat Yacht
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Urbina Bay
Urbina Bay is a fascinating visitor site that came to be as the shallow sea bottom uplifted in 1954 showing a large coral reef sticking up above sea level. Because of this, Urbina Bay is one of the newest features in the Galapagos. This visitor site is located at west of Isabela and provides spectacular views of the Alcedo volcano. The long trail starts on the beach where a wet landing is made. In this location, you will likely see wild Galapagos Giant Tortoises and Galapagos Land Iguanas. As the trail circles back towards the shore line you'll come across colonies of the unique Galapagos Flightless Cormorant which lost its ability to fly. This is also a great spot for snorkeling, as you can come close to a Galapagos Penguin Colony and see Galapagos Marine Iguanas feeding underwater.
Tagus Cove
The name of the site dates back to 1814 when it was visited by a British ship, The Tagus, which had anchored there in search of giant tortoises to be used as food supply on the boat. Here, we will admire a variety of seabirds, such as blue-footed booby, brown noddy, terns, flightless cormorant and Galapagos penguins depending on the season. Occasionally you might see woodpecker finches, the Galapagos hawk, the yellow warbler or a large-billed flycatcher. After a dry landing one, we can climb up the trail to visit Darwin 's Lake. The lake is located on the slopes of Darwin Volcano and is, surprisingly, a salt water lake above sea level. Our naturalist guide will tell you what are the different scientific theories for this occurrence. Meanwhile, in our snorkeling there are chances to see sharks, turtles and sea stars. You may also see various different types of colorful fish.
BLACK TURTLE COVE / BALTRA AIRPORT
Accommodations
Monserrat Yacht
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Black Turtle Cove
Black Turtle Cove Explore the mangroves by panga to find rich marine wildlife between the fresh and salt waters. Keep any eye out for manta rays and sea turtles in this tranquil ecosystem. Whitetip reef sharks can also be seen gliding by.
Baltra
Disembark at Baltra for flight back to Ecuador mainland.
What‘s Included
Snorkeling equipment and Wetsuits
All activities and excursions depicted in the itinerary accompanied by a bilingual naturalist guide
Cooking & Cocktail Demonstrations
Wifi
Galapagos fee
Galapagos Control Transit Card USD 20.00
Alcoholic and non – alcoholic beverage
Options
MONSERRAT GALAPAGOS YACHT ITINERARY A 5 Day Itinerary
1 Lower Deck Cabin
All activities included
First Class Yacht
Duration: 5 days
All meals included
ITINERARY A 5 Day Itinerary
Yacht
Reviews
32 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A magical trip with a truly wonderful crew
527heidir,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an adventure! We were a group of 6 - two families with a kid each - and researched our options extensively for our Galápagos cruise. We were joined by 2 other families and had a vacation for the record books. This was a great value trip that felt comfortable onboard and top-notch crew an itinerary-wise. THE PEOPLE: Isabela in the booking office is a delight to work with, the crew of the Monserrat could not have been kinder, and the naturalists - wow. Javier and Karem went above and beyond for every member of our group, sharing their expertise and excitement for the geology and biology of this incredible place. Karem made a checklist for all of the kids on the boat and Javier put together teaser videos of all we had seen and done each night before presenting us with our very own videologue. (Bring a large Zip drive for photos and videos!) THE SHIP: The ship is clean and modern with excellent storage in the cabins. It’s a simpler option amongst countless luxury offerings but you will be more than comfortable and looked after. There’s AC and WiFi! The new hot tub on the sun deck was enjoyed immensely by the children, and there’s ample common space to lounge or play games. The crew even let us hook up a movie one night for the kids. We were generously fed simple, well prepared meals, and every interaction with the crew was wonderful. We loved returning from snorkeling, a little chilly, to hot cocoa and snacks! Special shout out to Franklin, William, Francisco, and the lovely Evelyn! THE ITINERARY: The western islands were magical. I’ve had many friends and family travel to the Galapagos and enjoy every thing and island they saw. (“Any trip to the Galapagos is better than no trip,” they all said.) But the remoteness of the western islands is unlike anything I’ve seen in decades of travel. The snorkeling was jaw dropping (scores of large green sea turtles feeding amongst thermal vents; swimming with every manner of sharks; playing for hours with sea lions; penguins and eels and feeding marine iguanas - not to mention the fish!) and the hiking (more like walking) was great, even when six hot, less enthusiastic kids dragged their feet. The water will be chillier and rougher but even our kiddos as young as 9 did well with their ship-provided wetsuits. The stars at night were awe inspiring and we had a super fun moment to mark crossing the equator. I don’t think anyone slept much, with early mornings and staying up late to watch the sea lion-shark-pelican hunting alongside the boat. One night, a mama sea lion and her pup came on board. It’s hard to want to sleep!
Mandy's Group
T9949OXkatiec,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Professional, knowledgeable, patient and fun
Unforgettable family adventure
annmQ3703PU,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We spent 4 nights on the Monserrat and had such a wonderful experience. The guides (Javier and Karem) were knowledgeable, kind and really got to know our group adjusting the experience to make sure everyone had an amazing trip. The ship was well appointed and comfy and we loved the “welcome back to the ship” hot chocolate and snacks. Staff seemed authentically invested in making sure our time was amazing and went out of their way to help us have an unforgettable adventure. We were so lucky to be placed with 3 other families all with kids around the same age and guides really supported kids to feel confident and engaged in learning about the incredible plants, geology and animals we got to encounter.
Best Cruise in the Galapagos
CatharinaW,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great plan and guides! High knowledge and care plus a comfortable ship
Unforgettable Family Cruise
Cedron1,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our five day Galapagos cruise on the Montserrat was just plain amazing. It felt like we were in another world. Excellent staff, personal attention, good equipment & caring guides who shared their knowledge & passion for this environment & its unique forms of life made the trip a success for our multigenerational family. Seeing sharks & sea lions hunting beside the boat at night and the next morning swimming beside them, plus sea turtles, rays, marine iguanas, pelicans, flightless cormorants, even penguins. Add the warm drinks waiting after snorkeling…unforgettable. Hikes on land were full of new species for us, too. Rest up—you will be very busy! But every minute will be worth it.
Absolutely incredible
T9949OXkatiec,Jan 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Perfect. Everything was perfect the staff is top notch. The amount of care and hard work for this trip shows. Thank you to everyone so much for making this experience one of the best.
DO NOT recommend AT ALL
tammik208,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00If looking to book a cruise we highly recommend staying away from Monserrat Cruise. We found the food to be terrible. It was tasteless and never served hot. I have kidney cancer and requested juice and snacks throughout the day and was told that wasn’t possible. Water, soda and alcoholic beverages were available. Snacks are only available immediately after an excursion and not through the day. We were anchored for six hours during an afternoon and requested to use the kayaks and paddle boards that they advertise as being available and were told we couldn’t use them. When we inquired as to why we were told it was a restricted area but passengers on another ship anchored near by were kayaking. There isn’t anything to do during the LONG stretches of time that you’re not snorkeling or on shore. The cabins are subpar and cramped compared to many other boats we have experienced. We had requested to eat meals on the upper deck that is prominently shown in their advertisements and were told that they don’t allow that. I posted a review of the company on Facebook and they promptly blocked me.
One of the best ways to see Galapagos
DonG1773,Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Galapagos is a must see designation. And if you plan to go, the Montserrat experience is one of the best ways to do it. Great ship, crew, guides, good and activities.
Unforgettable and would repeat without doubt
Cordoba075,Aug 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Boat with good facilities in general. Outstanding crew in the professional and daily dealings. Very good cooking and food, either burn it with activities or come back with some extra kilos because of how good they are. The activities well directed by the 2 guides, both those on land and snorkeling, leaving freedom of movement within limits and respect for the Mood by tourists. From the same boat, on the way, you can see whales, dolphins, turtles, penguins, sea lions and sharks.
Amazing Experience
173louise,Aug 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We chose the Monserrat for its availability, value and activity/snorkel filled itinerary. It 100% delivered on this. We completed A, B & C routes. With A being our favourite, with so many back to back amazing animal/underwater encounters. However C and D also had some amazing locations, with Bartholomew island and Esplanola being my highlights. During our time on the boat we had different guides and crew. The biggest difference for me was the chef change, and from reading thru previous comments, this could be the reason for the very positive and negative reviews food reviews. Either way you are incredibly well looked after and fed. The guides were all wonderful and was great to have 2 of them. The were always seeking out the best wildlife encounters for the group. The itinerary is full, with early starts, a couple of activities and then a break over lunch time and back into it about 3 till 6. I booked directly thru via natura, and found it to be a bit unofficial and handing over a lot of money up front. It all worked out, but i guess if you are not happy to go this way then use an agent. It felt like a lot of guests got different information about the tour, flight times and how much to tip. Consistency of communications could be improved. All in all an amazing, once in a lifetime trip, and would highly recommend the Monserrat.
From US$3,196.00
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Operated by Monserrat Galapagos Cruises