Galápagos Northern Islands
An 8-day small-ship circuit of the Galápagos northern and central islands aboard M/V Evolution — 32 guests, naturalist-led, licence-restricted access.
8
Days
Year-round
Season
Boutique
Style
From $7,500
From
Quasar Expeditions
M/V Evolution
Key facts
From
From $7,500
Overview
A journey shaped by conditions, not a script.
M/V Evolution is one of two Quasar Expeditions vessels licensed for multi-day Galápagos itineraries. At 32 guests, she reaches sites larger ships cannot include in a single circuit. This 8-day Saturday-to-Saturday voyage runs alternating northern and southern routes — Isabela's lava-flows and pre-historic landscapes, Fernandina's wildlife, Bartolomé's Pinnacle Rock, Santa Cruz's tortoise reserves and the Charles Darwin Research Station, and Española's albatross and sea-lion colonies. Galápagos National Park-certified naturalists lead every landing.
32-guest scale — one of the smaller licensed multi-day operators in the Park.
Park-certified naturalists on every landing, with a ratio that prioritises wildlife behaviour.
Alternating Northern and Southern routes — combinable as the 15-day Darwin's Legacy.
Open bar, Galápagos National Park fees, and wifi included in 2027 rates.
Itinerary
Day-by-day route.
Day 1
Baltra → Santa Cruz
Fly in to Baltra, embark, and begin at Santa Cruz's Whaler Bay and Eden Islet for the first wildlife panel.
Day 2
Isabela & Fernandina
Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela for snorkeling with sea turtles and seabirds, then Punta Espinosa on Fernandina for marine iguanas and flightless cormorants.
Day 3
Urbina Bay · Tagus Cove
Land at Urbina Bay (Isabela) for giant tortoises in the wild and the geological uplift coastline, then Tagus Cove for snorkeling and panga rides.
Day 4
Bartolomé & Santiago
Bartolomé's Pinnacle Rock and the lookout view, then Sullivan Bay on Santiago for the lunar lava-flow landscape.
Day 5
Santa Cruz: Bachas & Dragon Hill
Bachas Beach for flamingos in the brackish lagoons, then Dragon Hill for land iguana sightings.
Day 6
Santa Cruz highlands
Pit craters, the tortoise reserve in the highlands, and the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora.
Day 7
Española
Punta Suarez for waved albatross and the blowhole, then Gardner Bay and its surrounding islets for sea lion colonies.
Day 8
Disembark Baltra
Final morning landing, then transfer back to Baltra for outbound flights — extend on the Ecuadorian mainland through 7CEI.
Inclusions
What is included.
All meals aboard, open bar, and 24-hour drinks
Galápagos National Park entrance fees and INGALA transit card
Park-certified naturalist guides on every landing
Wetsuits, snorkel gear, and kayaks
Exclusions
What is not included.
International flights to Quito or Guayaquil
Galápagos flights (Quito/Guayaquil → Baltra)
Travel insurance
Premium spirits and gratuities
Related
Other polar journeys to compare.
Planning note
Cabin choice matters as much as itinerary.
Deck height, window size, ship movement, dining style, and guide ratio all shape the expedition. We compare those details before recommending a departure.
Plan your expedition
Plan Galápagos Northern Islands with an expert.
Bring us the ships, routes, or dates you are considering. We will tell you what fits, what does not, and why.