Galápagos Islands

The wild beauty and unique ecology of the Galápagos Islands make it the perfect expedition cruise destination. With rugged volcanic scenery and tame wildlife, little has changed since Charles Darwin set foot here in 1835.

See all expedition cruises

Galápagos Islands

See all expedition cruises

Explore the Galápagos Islands with us

A team of handpicked experts will sail with you aboard our comfortable expedition vessel, Santa Cruz II. They have many years’ experience in the ecology and wildlife of the Galápagos. With only around 11 guests per expedition guide, you’ll enjoy a highly personalized cruise experience.

The ship, with capacity for only 90 guests, has been refurbished in a modern Scandinavian style. It features excellent onboard facilities and its small size allows us to easily venture off the beaten track. Along with numerous activities such as snorkeling and kayaking, we’ll go on guided nature walks and enjoy outstanding food prepared by the crew.

Explore the Galápagos Islands with us

Galápagos: the inspiration behind a revolution

Sometimes called a ‘living laboratory’, the remote Galápagos Islands are a unique example of pristine nature, giving us an insight into the processes of life on Earth. Naturalist Charles Darwin set foot here in 1835 and the experience led to his groundbreaking book about evolution, On the Origin of Species.

Our journey to these astonishing volcanic islands follows in Darwin’s footsteps, bringing you up close to the wildlife and sights that inspired him. In particular, we’ll be looking out for the so-called ‘Big 15’: the 15 most iconic animal and bird species of the Galápagos. These include giant tortoises, marine iguanas, Galápagos Albatross, Blue-footed Boobies, and others.

Unique wildlife and ecology

From the famous giant tortoises lumbering around the greener parts of the islands to the scaly marine iguanas that have evolved to graze on underwater vegetation, you’ll see why the Galápagos Islands are such a special destination for nature lovers. Due to the unique habitat of each island, a huge range of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife flourishes in this haven of biodiversity.

What’s more, having evolved with no major predators, much of the wildlife is remarkably tame, and impervious to the presence of humans. We’ll keep a respectable distance, of course, but you’ll be able to get close to the Galápagos sea lions, Blue-footed Boobies, land iguanas, frigatebirds, and other members of the ‘Big 15’ iconic species.

iguana looking out to the landscape cactus and vegetation

A crucible of evolution

Hidden away in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, the Galápagos Archipelago formed millions of years ago when subsea eruptions pushed up a group of volcanic islands. These remote islands were at first arid and barren, but rainforest animals from Central and South America soon colonized them after floating across the ocean aboard rafts of vegetation.

Only the birds and reptiles could survive such a long voyage. Thus, the Galápagos became seeded by new arrivals, free from mammalian predators. Each species was forced to adapt to the different island environments, making natural selection apparent to Darwin when he arrived. You’ll learn about this and more from your knowledgeable onboard Expedition Team, who will inform and educate you in onboard lectures and guided nature walks.

Your Hurtigruten expedition cruise: educational, informal, and enjoyable

At Hurtigruten Expeditions we want to show you some of the most remote and beautiful places in the world and do it in a way that gives back. Learn about the unique and fragile ecology of the Galápagos Islands and why its protection is so important. With a focus on science and conservation, the knowledgeable Expedition Team—who have been exploring these islands for years—will teach you lots of interesting things about the islands.

Along the way, visit a variety of islands and ecosystems, from the white sandy beaches and black volcanic rocks of Santa Fe to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz, where wild giant tortoises thrive. At the same time, enjoy outstanding cuisine and hospitality aboard our modern, comfortable, and cozy expedition ship.

Cruises

Punta Suarez Gradner Bay Osborn Islet Coastline

Activities

The Galápagos Islands offer almost limitless opportunities for discovery and adventure. Learn all about the wildlife and ecology of the archipelago and find out why conservation efforts there are so important. The onboard Expedition Team has worked in the Galápagos Islands for years and knows them better than anyone. Our ship, Santa Cruz II, will take you to some off-the-beaten track destinations where you can try kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), reef snorkeling, and more.

Activities

Adventures in the Galápagos Islands

Explore the diverse volcanic islands of this vast archipelago on a guided cruise around one of the planet’s most beautiful and biodiverse destinations. From rocky and arid islands dominated by cacti and iguanas to the lush tropical highlands of Santa Cruz, where giant tortoises amble, you’ll experience a range of habitats and climatic conditions.

Our onboard Expedition Team members are friendly Galápagos experts with years of experience exploring these islands. They’ll lead onshore landings and nature walks, share their knowledge of natural history, and explain conservation efforts. Most wildlife here is unafraid of humans, so you can get far closer to much of these creatures than you might be used to. Of course, we’ll always maintain a respectable distance to avoid disturbing the animals in any way.

Passengers on the glass bottom boat looking dont and into the ocean underneath them

Landings with small boats (RIBs)

Our small boats (RIBs) allow us to land on beaches and terrain that would otherwise be too rugged for larger vessels. They’re great for wildlife watching, so we’ll be on the lookout for marine creatures as we head to and from the ship. Try the glass-bottomed boat and observe marine life and reefs from above—it’s like snorkeling without getting in the water!

Nature walks

Exploring the islands by foot turns a simple experience into an adventure. Our frequent nature walks will involve walking on trails that lead through a range of distinct ecosystems. Depending on the itinerary, you could be walking amid the delicate incense scent of the silvery palo santo trees on North Seymour, watching giant tortoises lumber through the undergrowth on Santa Cruz, or walking to the sea lion colony on Santa Fe.

Snorkeling

What could be better than drifting over a colorful reef and seeing the amazing marine life illuminated in the crystal-clear water? We have all the snorkeling gear you need and our expert Expedition Team will bring you to incredible places where you might see placid turtles, colorful fish, diving marine iguanas, and the underwater acrobatics of curious sea lions. If you prefer wearing a wetsuit, we have some available that you can rent.

A girl and a boy kayaking in Galapagos, they are passing a rock with a penguin on it.

Kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP)

Certain places are perfect for exploring by a kayak. We have a number of sea kayaks on board and they’re perfect for paddling the waters around Santa Fe, Española, and Santa Cruz. Or why not try out stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP)? Our expedition ship also carries a number of boards on board.

Conservation and research centers

The Galápagos Islands are a focus for global conservation and research efforts. We’ll visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, where over 200 scientists and volunteers are engaged in projects to boost biodiversity. You’ll see baby tortoises being reared in incubation pens, as well as other inspiring conservation success stories. On San Cristobal, another project set in a forest doubles as a tortoise reserve. Here, you can see these gentle giants in their natural habitat.

Wildlife watching*

There’s no doubt about it, your expedition cruise in the Galápagos Islands will be one continuous wildlife watching experience. Because animals here evolved without many predators, they have no fear of humans. That means you can get close to photograph them as they loaf around on the beaches and volcanic rocks, or in the case of giant tortoises, you can catch them ambling along peacefully. We’ll also be on the lookout for faster-moving creatures such as dolphins, reef sharks, and Galápagos hawks.

Lectures and talks

Your Expedition Team forms part of a team of experts with years of experience exploring the Galápagos Islands and they present in-depth lectures on a wide range of topics pertaining to the Galápagos Islands, including its wildlife and current conservation efforts.

Seals resting on the coastline of Espanola Island

Galápagos wildlife

Arguably, no other place on Earth can compete with the Galápagos Islands in terms of unique wildlife experiences. It’s not just the numerous endemic species, it’s also that their evolution without mammalian predators makes them unafraid of humans. Each island harbors a variety of animals and the surrounding seas are teeming with life.

Galápagos wildlife

Marine Iguana climbing out of water onto a rock

Terrestrial and marine iguanas

These spiky-looking reptiles can be seen on several islands in the Galápagos. Predominantly vegetarian, the terrestrial iguanas that first arrived have evolved into several different subspecies, including marine iguanas, which can dive underwater and graze on the seabed. Land iguanas mostly eat cacti and other succulents and play in important role in dispersing seeds, but are somewhat omnivorous as well and will eat carrion.

Galápagos giant tortoises

Probably the most iconic Galápagos animal, endangered giant tortoises can weight up to 470 lb and are thought to live over 100 years. Although they were heavily hunted by pirates and whalers, recent conservation efforts have succeeded in boosting their numbers. Each Galápagos giant tortoise subspecies has a uniquely shaped shell, allowing these slow-moving herbivores to more efficiently push through the different types of vegetation found on each island.

Two Albatross seabirds flapping their wings and walking

Galápagos Albatross

With a wingspan of over 8 feet, the Galápagos Albatross breeds almost exclusively on Española. Close to 35,000 breeding pairs live here, but they are considered critically endangered, due to having only one main breeding site. The birds need steady winds to give them lift, but these die down in January. This means chicks must be mature enough by then to fly or be stranded during the hottest season.

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Price from $ 6,283

Galápagos Islands

Galápagos Islands

Explore the Galápagos Islands with us

Explore the Galápagos Islands with us

Galápagos: the inspiration behind a revolution

Unique wildlife and ecology

A crucible of evolution

Your Hurtigruten expedition cruise: educational, informal, and enjoyable

Cruises

Activities

Activities

Adventures in the Galápagos Islands

Landings with small boats (RIBs)

Nature walks

Snorkeling

Kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP)

Conservation and research centers

Wildlife watching*

Lectures and talks

Galápagos wildlife

Galápagos wildlife

Terrestrial and marine iguanas

Galápagos giant tortoises

Galápagos Albatross

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