The Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

  • Baltra Island, Ecuador
  • Galapagos Islands
  • 4, 5, 7, 8 days+
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The Monserrat Galapagos Cruise Tour

Aboard the Monserrat Galapagos Yacht, you will embark on a first-class expedition through the enchanting Galapagos Islands, guided by not one but two expert National Park naturalist guides for a richer, more immersive understanding of the archipelago.

The purpose-built, meticulously refurbished yacht accommodates guests across ten elegant cabins, including seven twin and three double-bed layouts spread across the Upper and Lower Decks. Each cabin features a private ensuite bathroom, air conditioning, and large windows to take in the sweeping island scenery.

Between excursions, the Monserrat offers beautiful interior and exterior social areas to relax and reflect. Head up to the Sun Deck to feel the sea breeze from a comfortable deckchair or soak in the Jacuzzi as the Galapagos landscape drifts past. High-speed internet is available throughout, so you can stay connected even at the edge of the world.

Your dedicated chef and kitchen staff will treat you to a full culinary experience at every meal, from hearty breakfasts to freshly prepared warm lunches and dinners. Every dish is crafted to keep you fueled and satisfied for a full day of discovery.

You will xplore some incredible Galapagos sights with your friendly and skilled Galapagos guides on daily guided excursions.

The Monserrat Galapagos Cruise Tour Summary

You will enjoy a first-class expedition aboard the Monserrat Galapagos Yacht. With two expert National Park naturalist guides leading every excursion, you will explore the iconic islands with a depth of insight that sets this cruise apart.

Our Galapagos cruise packages aboard the Monserrat cater to both short and extended voyages, ensuring an unforgettable experience for every traveler. From snorkeling and guided wildlife walks to kayaking and Zodiac rides, each day brings new and remarkable encounters with the Galapagos. Choose from 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 15-day cruise options.

Tour Info

  • Focus Area: Galapagos National Park
  • Duration: 4, 5, 7, 8 days+
  • Start Point: Baltra Island / San Cristobal
  • End Point: Baltra Island / San Cristobal

The Monserrat Galapagos Cruise Itinerary

PM: Arrival to San Cristobal Island Airport, transfer and reception assistance, then boarding the vessel.

PM: Lobos Island (San Cristobal Island)
A small islet just off the coast of San Cristobal, Lobos Island makes for an easy and rewarding first introduction to the Galapagos. The island is a key nesting site for blue-footed boobies and home to a large sea lion colony, where young pups can often be seen playing in the shallows.

Activities: Hiking, snorkeling | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, marine iguanas, various tropical fish, spotted eagle rays.
(-, L, D)
AM: Gardner Bay (Española Island)
Gardner Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago, with a long stretch of white sand shared with a resident colony of Española sea lions. The snorkeling is excellent, with clear water and a good chance of spotting green sea turtles, reef fish, and the occasional shark cruising along the bottom.

Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, swimming | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, green sea turtles, reef sharks, Española marine iguanas, white-tipped sharks, various tropical fish.
(B, L, -)

PM: Suarez Point (Española Island)
Suarez Point is one of the most wildlife-dense visitor sites in the Galapagos. This rocky coastal promontory is the only place in the world where waved albatrosses nest, and during nesting season their courtship displays are something to see. The cliffs are packed with blue-footed and Nazca boobies, and a blowhole in the lava shoots seawater high into the air with each passing swell.

Activities: Hiking | Difficulty: Moderate | Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Waved albatrosses, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, Española mockingbirds, marine iguanas, Galapagos hawks, red-billed tropicbirds, sally lightfoot crabs.
(-, -, D)
AM: Cormorant Point (Floreana Island)
Cormorant Point has two very different beaches: the first has an unusual green tint from olivine crystals in the volcanic rock, and the second is a brilliant white beach where sea turtles come to nest. Between them sits a saltwater lagoon that is one of the most reliable spots in the Galapagos to find American flamingos.
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, swimming | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: American flamingos, sea turtles, stingrays, white-tipped sharks, various shorebirds, black-necked stilts, pintail ducks.
(B, L, -)

PM: Post Office Bay (Floreana Island)
Post Office Bay has been home to a wooden barrel postal system since the late 18th century, when whalers would leave letters hoping a passing ship might carry them home. Visitors still keep the tradition going today, browsing the mail and hand-delivering anything addressed near where they live. The bay also offers good snorkeling and a relaxed beach stop.
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, post barrel tradition | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea turtles, rays, sea lions, various tropical fish, marine iguanas.
(-, -, D)
AM: Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)
The Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora is the center of conservation work in the Galapagos. The giant tortoise breeding program here has pulled several subspecies back from the edge of extinction, and you can see tortoises at every stage of life, from hatchlings small enough to hold in your hand to old individuals that have been on the island for over a century.

Activities: Walking tour | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Giant Galapagos tortoises, land iguanas, Darwin's finches, Galapagos mockingbirds.
(B, L, -)

PM: The Highlands (Santa Cruz Island)
The highlands of Santa Cruz are a world away from the coast, with mist, green forest, and farmland where giant tortoises wander freely. It is the best place to see these animals outside of a breeding center. The area also has extensive lava tunnels formed when the outer shell of ancient lava flows hardened while molten rock drained away beneath, leaving long hollow tubes stretching hundreds of metres underground.

Activities: Hiking, wildlife viewing, lava tunnel exploration | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate | Landing: N/A (inland excursion)
Possible Wildlife: Wild giant tortoises, Darwin's finches, short-eared owls, paint-billed crakes, vermilion flycatchers.
(-, -, D)
AM: Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island)
Darwin Bay is a flooded volcanic caldera forming a sheltered cove on the remote island of Genovesa, often called Bird Island for obvious reasons. The beach and surrounding cliffs hold one of the largest red-footed booby colonies in the world, along with frigatebirds, Nazca boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls. The snorkeling inside the bay is also very good.
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-crowned night herons, fur sea lions, various tropical fish.
(B, L, -)

PM: Prince Philip's Steps (Genovesa Island)
Prince Philip's Steps is a steep trail that climbs straight up a cliff face before opening onto a lava plateau. Up top, Nazca boobies nest across the open ground and short-eared owls can sometimes be spotted hunting storm petrels in daylight, something rarely seen elsewhere in the islands.

Activities: Hiking | Difficulty: Moderate | Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Nazca boobies, short-eared owls, storm petrels, red-footed boobies, Darwin's finches, sharp-beaked ground finches.
(-, -, D)
AM: Bartolome Island
Bartolome is one of the most recognizable landscapes in the Galapagos, with volcanic spatter cones and rust-colored lava fields surrounding the famous Pinnacle Rock. The summit trail has wide views across the islands, and the beach below is one of the best snorkeling spots in the archipelago, including the chance to swim with Galapagos penguins.
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, swimming | Difficulty: Moderate | Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, rays, marine iguanas, various tropical fish, sally lightfoot crabs.
(B, L, -)

PM: Bowditch Point (Santa Cruz Island)
Bowditch Point is a quiet coastal site on the northern shore of Santa Cruz with calm, sheltered water good for snorkeling and kayaking. Sea turtles are often seen feeding along the rocky shoreline here in the afternoon.
Activities: Snorkeling, kayaking, wildlife viewing | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, rays, various tropical fish, shorebirds.
(-, -, D)
AM: Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island)
Bachas Beach is a white sand beach on the north coast of Santa Cruz and one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in the Galapagos. The name comes from a mispronunciation of "barges," and the rusting remains of US WWII pontoon barges are still visible at the water's edge. Just inland there is a small flamingo lagoon that often has birds wading close to the shore.

Activities: Walking, swimming, wildlife viewing | Difficulty: Easy | Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea turtles, American flamingos, white-cheeked pintail ducks, marine iguanas, sally lightfoot crabs, various shorebirds.
(B, -, -)

AM: Transfer to Baltra Island Airport for disembarkation and departure.

Rates & Inclusions

4 days / 3 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $2,795

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $2,995

5 days / 4 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $3,995

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $4,250

7 days / 6 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $5,395

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $5,795

8 days / 7 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $5,995

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $6,350

9 days / 8 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $6,450

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $6,995

11 days / 10 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $7,795

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $8,350

12 days / 11 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $8,350

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $8,795

15 days / 14 nights

Lower Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $10,550

Upper Deck Cabin (Double Occupancy): $10,995

Notes
  • Rates Per Person in USD
  • Child discount is of 15% if travelling with 2 adults and under 12 years of age. discount does not apply on discounted or promotional rates.
  • Children of all ages are allowed onboard but parents are and will be held fully responsible and liable for their kids safety during the entire cruise.
  • Cruise itinerary is subject to change at any time for situations beyond our company’s control.
Included
  • Cabin accommodation
  • Fuel Surcharge
  • All meals
  • Cooking & Cocktail Demonstrations
  • All activities and excursions as depicted in the itineraries in company of a bilingual naturalist guide
  • Snorkeling equipment
  • Kayak
  • Wetsuits
  • Stand up Paddle Board
  • Internet
Not Included
  • Air ticket to and from Galapagos
  • Galapagos fee USD 200 Subject to change
  • Galapagos Control Transit Card USD 20
  • Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages
  • Gratuities to guides and crew
  • Personals expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Single supplement

Operated By Via Natura

About Via Natura

The Via Natura story spans more than 30 years of immersive, tailor-made tours organized across Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and Peru. With offices in Guayaquil, Cusco, and Puerto Ayora, the company was founded on a vision of travel that blends comfort with authenticity, luxury with meaning, and adventure with precision.

From the beginning, Via Natura has focused on delivering unique experiences that go beyond standard itineraries. Their approach is rooted in three core principles: personalized travel design, curated out-of-the-ordinary experiences, and a definition of luxury centered on setting, authenticity, and exclusivity. Every journey is individually crafted based on the client’s preferences, and is enriched by the deep local insight of the team.

In addition to their tailor-made trips, Via Natura owns and operates key Galapagos tourism assets, including Monserrat Galapagos Cruises and Casa Natura Galapagos Lodge. The Monserrat, a first-class yacht named after the Virgin of Montserrat, accommodates just 20 guests and is recognized for its attentive service, high crew-to-guest ratio, and expert naturalist guides.

Over the decades, Via Natura has established itself as a trusted, expert operator in the region. This is a company that travelers turn to for thoughtful, luxurious, and transformative travel experiences.

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Via Natura Details

Tour Types:
Luxury, Adventure
Sales Agents:
Pilar Velasquez
Offices In:
Santa Cruz, Ecuador
Member Of:
Serandipians, XO Private, USTOA, LATA, LATA
Founded:
1993
Featured In:
Elite Traveler, Latte Luxury News