51¶¯Âþ

24 August 2026 – 8 days for £7,999 per person

26 July 2027 – 9 days for £9,999 per person

Register your interest for 2028 and we will contact you when confirmed details including finalised dates and prices are available.

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Discover the unparalleled biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Sail aboard the intimate Solaris yacht, accommodating just 15 guests – including five dedicated solo traveller cabins (at no extra cost for the cabin) – while exploring the pristine islands of Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, Rabida and Chinese Hat.   

Begin your Galápagos adventure on Baltra Island before crossing to Santa Cruz to visit the renowned Charles Darwin Research Station, where you’ll gain fascinating insights into the archipelago’s unique wildlife and conservation efforts during a talk with the Foundation’s Science Director. Continue to Isabela, the largest island in the Galápagos, home to penguins, marine and land iguanas, and an abundance of birdlife, before sailing to the pristine, volcanically active island of Fernandina. Complete your journey with visits to Santiago, Rábida, and Chinese Hat, where dramatic landscapes and exceptional snorkeling reveal the vibrant marine life that makes the Galápagos so extraordinary. 

During your time in the Galapagos you will embark on daily guided hikes across volcanic landscapes and explore thriving underwater ecosystems while snorkelling, gaining an up-close look at the islands’ remarkable biodiversity.

You will be accompanied throughout by passionate naturalist, Darwin and Wallace scholar, lecturer, and author, James (Jim) Costa. Between excursions, relax on board and join engaging talks with expert naturalist and renowned Darwin and Wallace scholar Dr James Costa, whose deep knowledge and storytelling bring the Galapagos’ unique geology, wildlife and evolutionary history vividly to life.  

We have carefully selected the Solaris yacht, an intimate expedition vessel designed to accommodate just 15 guests including 5 dedicated solo cabins, ensuring an exclusive and immersive experience with minimal environmental impact and expert naturalist guides on board. This spacious and stylish yacht is small enough to navigate into bays that larger expedition ships can’t go near, so you get to truly immerse yourself in the stunning islands.

In partnership with Latin Routes in 2026 and The Ultimate Travel Company in 2027.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Arrrive in Quito and meet the group

On arrival in Quito, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore the city at your own pace. 

With Pichincha volcano on one side and Machangara gorge on the other, plus the equator passing directly through, few cities can rival Quito’s setting, nor the splendour of its old town, with its colonial churches, mansions and plazas. This historical city sits at an altitude of 2850 metres and has the largest and best-preserved historic centre in Latin America. 

In the evening, you will meet Jim Costa, as well as a local guide who will take you over the itinerary for the next day.  

Day 2: Fly to the Galapagos, embark the Solaris and visit Bachas (Santa Cruz)    

This morning, you will be transferred to the airport for an early flight to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands that will take about 3.5 hours with a short stop in Guayaquil where you will stay on the plane.  

On arrival in the Galapagos, you will be met and transferred to board the Solaris yacht. Once on board, cabins will be assigned. You will also meet the crew members, your onboard naturalist guide while enjoying a delicious lunch.  

Sitting in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ecuador are the 19 islands and dozens of rocks and islets that make up the impeccable, otherworldly archipelago of the Galapagos Islands. Serving as inspiration for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, it will come as no surprise that a myriad of exotic species inhabit the islands and around the sea of rocky formations and islets.   

During your cruise, your naturalist guide will lead the daily excursions and give evening briefings. In addition, you will be accompanied throughout by Jim Costa, who will give a series of lectures on board, he will also accompany the daily excursions.  

This afternoon, visit the white coral-sand beaches of Las Bachas, a nesting site for sea turtles and home to flamingos, black-necked stilts, and other coastal birds, while learning about the islands’ remarkable wildlife and history.

Day 3: Tintoreras islet (Isabela) 

Today, explore Tintoreras Islet, a chain of small islets just off the coast of Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island, renowned for its incredible concentration of wildlife.The islets take their name from the abundant whitetip reef sharks (tintoreras in Spanish) that gather in the shallow tidal channels, offering an unforgettable sight. Another highlight is the vast breeding colony of marine iguanas, where hundreds can be seen basking on the lava rocks and weaving through the landscape.

After lunch aboard, you will visit the local tortoise breeding centre, where you can see giant Galapagos tortoises of all sizes. This project, just outside Puerto Villamil, was created to rescue the endangered populations of Isabela’s southernmost volcanoes. You may also have the chance to see American flamingos.  

At the end of the afternoon, you will have some free time to explore the village and/or its beach. 

Day 4: Moreno point (Isabela) and Punta Mangle (fernandina)  

This morning, visit Moreno Point on the north coast of Isabela Island, nestled between the towering volcanoes of Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul. This striking landscape of lava fields, coastal lagoons, and mangrove forests is a haven for birdlife, where you may spot flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, common gallinules, black-necked stilts, and herons. Along the rocky shoreline, keep an eye out for marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, and green sea turtles. Return to the yacht for lunch on board.

In the afternoon, enter the Bolivar Channel and navigate towards Tagus cove. On the way, you will see how explosive eruptions have blown out a part of the outer rims of both tuff cones and created their characteristic horseshoe shapes and Tagus cove. Sailors used to write the names of their vessels on the eastern cliffs of this place.  

Explore the wildlife under water during a snorkeling excursion, Tagus cove is a natural sheltered inlet, rich in wildlife below and above water. You may spot sharks, sea lions, penguins Galapagos rays and sea turtles, but also marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, pelicans and Darwin’s finches. 

Afterwards, return to the boat before enjoying a panga cruise along the cliffs which will give you a good chance to see the Galapagos penguin, the flightless cormorant and other sea birds.  

Day 5: Punta Espinoza (Fernandina), Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela) and equator crossing 

Today, you will discover Fernandina, which is the third-largest island in the archipelago. It has a single visitor site: Punta Espinoza, located at the northeastern tip of the island. Marine iguanas congregate in larger groups here than on any other island. They bask in the sand, swim near the shore and sometimes block the way at the landing dock.

As you enjoy lunch on board, the yacht crosses the Bolívar Channel to Vicente Roca Point, at the northwestern tip of Isabela Island. Surrounded by dramatic volcanic cliffs, this sheltered bay offers exceptional snorkeling in cool, nutrient-rich waters, where you may encounter Galápagos penguins, green sea turtles, rays, pufferfish, seahorses, whitetip reef sharks, and, if you’re lucky, the elusive ocean sunfish (mola mola).

Later in the evening, there will a unique celebration as you cross the equator. This local tradition by Galapagos sailors pays homage to King Neptune, the mythical ruler of the seas. Sailors believe that by paying respect to King Neptune, they will receive good fortune and protection during their maritime endeavors. 

Day 6: Espumilla beach and Puerto Egas (Santiago)

After breakfast on board, travel by panga to Espumilla beach, located at the northern end of James Bay, on the western coast of Santiago. This beach has been revived as an important breeding site for turtles. The turtles return year after year to bury their eggs into the cinnamon-coloured sand dunes. The beach ridge hides mangroves with two picturesque lagoons. While climbing a hill, you will be rewarded with a beautiful overview of the transitions from sea into beach into mangrove into dry palo santo forest. 

At lunchtime, the yacht will navigate south to Puerto Egas, with its famous fur seal grottos, where you will enjoy another, very different guided walk along the coastline. Its masterfully sculptured coastline of black basalts and polished multi-coloured ash layers forms a photogenic scene with collapsed lava tunnels, natural arches, caves and blowholes, such as “Darwin’s toilet”. In a grotto directly below a spectacular rock arch at the end of the beach, a colony of sea lions occupies the shade. Hundreds of Sally Lightfoot crabs seem an even brighter orange against the black rocks. 

Day 7: Rabida and Chinese hat 

After breakfast, disembark the yacht and travel by panga to the remarkable red beach of Rabida, where there will be two short, guided hikes. Oxidised iron particles give the rocks and sand their rusty colour. The beach wall holds a shallow, green-fringed lagoon. This oasis is the most fertile place on the otherwise arid islet, which is overgrown with leaf-dropping palo santo trees. The salty pool attracts all kinds of aquatic birds, like pintails and sometimes American flamingos. One of the most outstanding attractions is the major breeding colony of brown pelicans, the only ones in the world that plunge-dive. Return to the yacht for lunch onboard. 

In the afternoon, explore Chinese Hat, a 52-metre-high volcanic cone, forming an islet off the rocky coast of Santiago, where a small colony of Galapagos penguins has settled. On the beach, you can also find curious pillow-type lavas with coral heads on top! These spheres had a submarine origin before being lifted above sea level.  There will be an opportunity to snorkel here.  

Enjoy a wonderful farewell meal onboard with Jim and your expedition crew as you reminisce about your amazing time exploring the Galapagos.  

Day 8*: Disembark the Solaris, visit Charles Darwin Research Station and fly to Quito

In the morning, disembark the Solaris. You will then be transferred to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the headquarters of the Galapagos National Park Service, from which biological research and indispensable conservation management of this unique but vulnerable archipelago are directed. You will be taken on an extended educational tour to learn about the history of the Charles Darwin Foundation, the scientific projects that the centre oversees, sharks and the vital ecological role they play and the impact of the parasitic avian vampire fly. Plus, you will visit the successful breeding centre and the enclosure of the Galapagos giant tortoises.    

After your visit, return to Baltra airport for your onward flight back to Quito.  

* In 2027 you will overnight in Quito on day 8 and depart the following day. 

Please note that Galapagos itineraries may occasionally change due to local conditions, wildlife activity, or other operational considerations. Any adjustments are made to ensure your safety and to provide the most engaging and rewarding experience possible in this unique and fragile environment.

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Cruise route map

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Booking administration 

This tour is operated by our trusted tour operator partners Latin Routes in 2026 and The Ultimate Travel Company in 2027 on behalf of 51¶¯Âþ Discovery Tours. Their dedicated team will be your main point of contact from booking until you return home, handling your reservation, payments, travel documents, pre-departure information and any questions about your tour or travel arrangements.

Highlights

• Explore Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago and Rábida islands
• Travel with renowned Darwin and Wallace scholar Dr. James (Jim) Costa
• Expert English-speaking onboard naturalist throughout your Galápagos voyage
• Sail aboard the luxury Solaris with dedicated solo cabins and no single supplement
• Spot iguanas, sea lions, penguins and extraordinary endemic wildlife
• Guided by an English-speaking Galápagos National Park naturalist
• Enjoy an exclusive talk with the Science Director at the Charles Darwin Research Station
• Snorkel among sea turtles, reef sharks, rays and colourful tropical fish
• Daily hikes exploring volcanic landscapes and unique island geology
• Small group experience with a maximum of 15 guests

Meet the expert

James Costa 

Dr James (Jim) Costa hails from the southern Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, USA, where he is professor and executive director of the Highlands Biological Station of Western Carolina University. A naturalist, Darwin and Wallace scholar, lecturer and author, Jim teaches biogeography, Darwin’s Origin of Species, and a Humboldt-inspired comparative temperate-tropical ecology/biogeography field course in the Andes of Ecuador, and an island evolution and conservation course in the Galápagos Islands. He also lectures widely around the globe on Darwin, Wallace, and the history of evolutionary thought as well as geological and environmental history, interests that have led him to crisscross the Galápagos numerous times as researcher, lecturer, and educator. 

Jim’s books include The Annotated Origin, Darwin’s Backyard: How Small Experiments Led to a Big Theory, Radical by Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace, and Darwin and the Art of Botany: Observations on the Curious World of Plants (with Bobbi Angell).

A Trustee of the Charles Darwin Trust in London, Jim’s honors include the Alfred Russel Wallace Medal and the Stephen Jay Gould Prize of the Society for the Study of Evolution, and research fellowships at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, the LuEsther T. Mertz Library of the NY Botanical Garden, the University of Toulouse, and the DFG-Centre for Advanced Study at the University of Hamburg.  

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Rogelio ‘Pedro’ Guaycha – Onboard naturalist

Pedro is an experienced Galápagos naturalist guide with a strong academic background in tourism and extensive field expertise in interpreting the archipelago’s unique natural systems. Raised on Santa Cruz Island and trained at the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil, he completed the rigorous Galápagos naturalist guide certification, developing a particular focus on geology, island formation, and ecosystem dynamics.

Alongside his scientific guiding work, Pedro has a strong interest in ornithology and underwater photography, using both disciplines to enhance environmental interpretation across land and sea. His photographic work has been published in Galápagos: A Natural History (Princeton University Press), reflecting his ability to communicate scientific understanding of volcanic processes, evolution, and biodiversity through both field observation and visual storytelling.

Each evening, Pedro will host engaging briefings to recap the day’s discoveries and outline the following day’s itinerary, ensuring you are well-prepared for every excursion. Their passion and expertise bring the islands to life, offering a deeper understanding of this extraordinary destination.

What’s included

• One night’s accomodation in a four-star hotel in Quito on a bed and breakfast basis 
• Welcome dinner on day one in Quito 
• Six-night cruise in the Galapagos including all meals 
• Group transfers throughout, including to and from Quito and Baltra airports 
• Domestic flights between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos 
• English-speaking National Park guide in the Galapagos 
• Travel with James Costa throughout the cruise 

What’s not included

• International flights to and from Ecuador
• Drinks with dinner in Quito
• Drinks on board the ship, which are payable locally
• Gratuities for crew and National Park guide
• Visa/ETA (if applicable)
• Travel insurance
• Single supplement (for hotel rooms in Quito for 2027 departure) – £150
• Local fees including a US$20 transit fee for the Galapagos and a US$200 national park fee to enter Galapagos National Park, both are payable locally in cash
• Wetsuit hire, $75, paid locally, paid onboard

How to get there 

This tour begins and ends in Quito. Please speak to the team at Latin Routes (2026) or The Ultimate Travel Company (2027) who can offer flight advice and book flights for those travelling from the UK.

Pace and physicality

Quito and many other towns in the highlands region of Ecuador sit at a high altitude. The air is thinner, and this is harder work for your body. This can present a few minor issues but adapting to a change of altitude is manageable for most people, if a little care is taken

The Galapagos Islands are a largely untouched natural paradise. In order to experience the splendour of the diverse landscapes and waters, the included activities on this trip often require a moderate level of fitness. We ask that you read the itinerary carefully to ensure that you will be able to participate fully. You should be comfortable climbing in and out of Zodiac boats, swimming/snorkelling in the sea and walking on uneven ground.

The waters of the Galapagos are generally calm and serene. However, there is always the possibility of choppy water at sea. Steady sea legs (and a sturdy stomach) will be needed when walking around the boat during bad weather. Rain or shine, your trusty crew will always be on hand to assist you.

Things are never set in stone when you are travelling on island time. A sense of humour and flexibility will ensure you have a fun, relaxing trip through this beautiful part of the world no matter what happens. While the crew will do their best to follow the itinerary, variations may occur due to weather or under direction from local authorities.

No activity is mandatory, so you can choose exactly how active or relaxed you want to be.

Snorkelling in the Galapagos

Snorkelling is a highlight of any Galapagos expedition. No advanced experience is required, though a basic comfort in the water is recommended. Expect to encounter a dazzling array of marine life, from playful sea lions and graceful rays to tropical fish, sea turtles, and even the occasional hammerhead shark. Guided by experts, snorkelling excursions offer a safe and unforgettable opportunity to observe the archipelago’s extraordinary underwater ecosystems up close.

Solo travellers

All the dedicated solo cabins are now sold out for our 2026 cruise. However, if you are happy to share a cabin with a fellow guest of the same sex, we will do all we can to match you with another guest so you don’t have to pay the solo room supplement.

For 2027, we have 5 dedicated solo cabins which have a single bed. 

Accommodations

La Casona de la Ronda, Quito

The moment you enter through the door of this boutique hotel in the heart of the historic centre, you are stepping into a piece of Ecuadorian history as it is housed in one of the city’s oldest Spanish houses called Las Corralas, originally built in 1738. With only 22 rooms for a truly boutique experience, La Casona de la Ronda has been tastefully renovated for you to immerse fully in Ecuadorian Culture. You will enjoy all the modern conveniences but in the setting of the original house, with colours and stone walls that reflect older times. The rooms have been designed to provide you with an authentic stay, immersing you into the true atmosphere of the unique colonial centre of Quito.

The hotel also offers a restaurant where you will be served a daily complimentary breakfast and where you might wish to also have lunch and dinner and savour the delights of Ecuadorian cuisine. All this accompanied by excellent service will make your stay truly memorable.

Solaris, Galapagos

Purpose-built for exploring one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations, Solaris is an elegant first-class yacht that combines intimate comfort with immersive adventure in the Galapagos Islands. Designed for small-group cruising, the vessel has five single cabins for solo travellers and five double cabins creating a relaxed and personalised atmosphere both onboard and ashore. With stylish contemporary interiors, spacious outdoor decks, and thoughtfully designed cabins, Solaris offers a refined yet informal setting where guests can fully connect with the remarkable natural beauty surrounding them. 

Cabin types:

• Single cabins provide a cosy and peaceful retreat with a comfortable single bed and efficient use of space, perfect for independent travellers seeking quiet relaxation after each day’s excursions.
• Double cabins are more spacious and feature either twin or matrimonial bedding arrangements making them ideal for couples or friends travelling together.

All cabins feature a clean, minimalist design with calming neutral tones accented by soft blues, creating a bright and restful atmosphere that keeps the focus on the spectacular Galapagos scenery just beyond your window. Each cabin is thoughtfully laid out to maximise comfort and storage while maintaining a sense of openness and simplicity. Whether unwinding in the privacy of your cabin or socialising in the welcoming communal areas, guests will always find plenty of space to relax and recharge.

Between excursions, comfort comes effortlessly aboard Solaris. Enjoy a drink at the bar (not included), settle into the cosy lounge, or take in the fresh sea air from the spacious outdoor decks. The sun deck is ideal for soaking up the equatorial sunshine, while the shaded resting area offers a peaceful retreat with uninterrupted ocean views. Meals are served in the elegant indoor dining room or, weather permitting, al fresco on the top deck, allowing guests to dine against a backdrop of panoramic island landscapes.

Accompanied throughout by an onbaord experienced naturalist guide, guests explore the Galapagos both on land and in the water, encountering extraordinary wildlife and dramatic volcanic scenery at every turn. Each day aboard Solaris combines adventure, relaxation, and unforgettable encounters with one of the world’s most remarkable natural environments.

Please note: If required for reasons beyond our control, we reserve the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.