Tours from Ada Tours

Once you arrive at the airport, you will be met by our team and escorted on a cross island van and ferry transfer of approximately 1.5 hours to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Receive a warm welcome aboard Aqua Mare, the Galapagos Islands’ first 50m luxury superyacht with our 16-strong crew where you will be treated with the utmost attention courtesy of our 1:1 crew to guest ratio. A delicious Nikkei-inspired feast crafted by consultant chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino will be served for lunch. At your leisure, pick out your snorkeling kit complete with mask, fins, snorkel, and an optional shorty wetsuit for your personal use during the week. You will also receive as a welcome gift a special waterproof bag to place your belongings during wet landings and an Aqua Expeditions water bottle.
This afternoon you will visit Darwin Station and National Park headquarters, located at the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center. Our scientific team and expedition leaders will guide you through the grounds to observe these giant reptiles and learn about the conservation program of tortoises and land iguanas. You will have some leisure time to explore the main town of Puerto Ayora after the visit. We recommend strolling along the main waterfront where you can stop by the many boutiques and jewelry shops before heading back to the ship for an evening of lecture and inspiration for the next day, then to indulge in your first taste of fresh seafood dining in the Galapagos.

After a night of sailing, the morning sees our beautiful superyacht anchored on the western side of Isabela Island. As the biggest and youngest in the Archipelago, Isabela was formed by five relatively young volcanoes and is characterized by giant tortoises and marine iguanas. For the morning excursion, a hike at Punta Moreno takes us to the mangroves and gas-rich basaltic lava rocks resulting from a large basaltic lava flow which came from the Cerro Azul volcano on Isabela hundreds of years ago. There are mangrove lagoons along the shore and small saltwater lagoons inland, where you will observe ducks, shore birds, stilts, blue-winged teals, flamingos, and gallinules.

After the visit you will have the opportunity to go snorkeling near the shore or return to the yacht to rest and enjoy the majestic landscapes Isabela has to offer. In the afternoon, the boat will sail north to Bahía Urbina, a 6km point, once underwater and uplifted in 1954 up to 3m above sea level. Here you can see tortoises, land iguanas and the biggest marine iguanas roaming free in the Archipelago. We end the day with an unforgettable view of Isabela’s five volcanoes as we dine on refreshing seafood salads, baked fish, potato llapinggachos, tuna crudo, barbequed plantains, and shrimp ceviche beneath the stars

For those who missed the equatorial crossing the night before, ask our crew for your very own equator crossing certificate - although this is usually reserved for our young explorers, even the young at heart will proudly be able to take this home! This morning sees us disembark on the black sand beaches of Puerto Egas, northwest of Santiago Island. Once the location of a salt mine (1967), today you can take a two and a half-hour hike to find the abandoned mine turned into a shallow saltwater lake. For those who prefer to stay by the beach, you will be able to walk the intertidal zone to the fur seal grottos or snorkel to watch sea turtles, sea lions and white-tipped sharks.
We head back to the yacht for lunch encompassing flavors of the South American Pacific coast and Peruvian Nikkei style crafted by Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Then our tenders will continue their adventure to Playa Espumilla, where a wet landing will set us upon a golden sandy beach, a well-known breeding ground for sea turtles. You will also visit Caleta Bucanero, a 17th century pirate rest stop where pirates used to stock up on fresh tortoise meat and fresh water. The day will end with a choice of snorkeling, kayaking, or stand-up paddle boarding before winding down back onboard with Happy Hour over a glass of our special Aqua Bloody Mary as the crew prepares for departure to our next adventure.

Your penultimate day in the Archipelago begins with refreshing breakfast before heading out to North Seymour Island, formed by uprisings of underwater volcanic lavas some 3.1 million years ago. The island is mostly known for its healthy population of land iguanas, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and Great frigate birds. After a morning full of fun activities, you will head back to the yacht for a delicious lunch aboard Aqua Mare.
For the afternoon excursion, hop on to one of our tenders for a wet landing onto Mosquera Island. While the rock pile is one of the smallest in the Archipelago, it is home to one of the largest colonies of sea lions in the Galapagos, and if you’re lucky you may even spot migratory orcas. Around sunset you will return to the sleek comfort of Aqua Mare for your last evening aboard. Swap notes on everything you’ve experienced during this most incredible adventure with your friends onboard and toast farewell with something special from our curated wine list.