BALCONIES · SEABIRDS · VOLCANOES
Hermes Galápagos Luxury Cruise
Twelve balcony suites, a spa and two restaurants aboard one of the newest ships in the Galápagos, sailing between marine iguana colonies in the west and seabird cliffs in the north.
Your trip
Your 11 days aboard Hermes
Hermes is one of the newest ships sailing the Galápagos: twelve suites, each with its own balcony and private jacuzzi, plus a spa, a gym, a library and two restaurants on board. It suits a honeymoon, an anniversary, or any trip where the comfort matters as much as the wildlife. The route we sail covers the volcanic west, where flightless cormorants and marine iguanas gather in numbers found nowhere else on Earth, and the seabird cliffs of the north, where red-footed boobies and frigatebirds nest by the thousand.
Return flights from London are included, along with a night in Quito before you fly out to the islands and another on the way home, so the whole eleven-day, ten-night trip, two nights in Quito and eight days aboard Hermes, is arranged and ATOL protected as one package. Many guests extend into the Andes or Peru afterwards, most often through our Galápagos, Machu Picchu and the Andes holiday.
At a glance
11 days10 nights
Hermes20 guests
Flights includedATOL protected
Dates on requestTell us your month
Galapagos IslandsOur destination guide
WHAT YOU WILL SEE
Wildlife & Nature
Flightless cormorants at Espinoza Point, Fernandina, a bird found nowhere else in the world
Marine iguana colonies piled across the black lava of Fernandina and Isabela
Galápagos penguins and, in season, sea turtles snorkelling beside you at Vicente Roca Point
Red-footed and Nazca boobies, great frigatebirds and short-eared owls on the cliffs of Genovesa
Blue-footed booby courtship displays and nesting frigatebirds on North Seymour Island
Fur seals and marine iguanas in the tide pools of Puerto Egas, Santiago
Land iguanas and a flamingo lagoon at Dragon Hill
Reef sharks, rays and turtles from the panga in the mangroves of Black Turtle Cove
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1Fly from London
Your overnight flight leaves London for Quito, Ecuador’s capital, high in the Andes.
Day 2Arrive in Quito
Met at the airport and taken to your hotel, with the rest of the day free to settle in before the islands. Overnight in Quito.
Day 3Fly to the islands, board Hermes, Santa Cruz Highlands
A short flight takes you to Baltra, where you board Hermes for the first time. In the afternoon you head into the Santa Cruz highlands to walk among giant tortoises in the wild and through a lava tunnel formed by an old eruption.
Day 4Dragon Hill and Chinese Hat
A morning walk past a lagoon, often visited by flamingos, to a land iguana nesting site at Dragon Hill. In the afternoon you land on Chinese Hat, a small volcanic cone, then snorkel the channel alongside Galápagos penguins and sea lions.
Day 5Genovesa, the bird island
Genovesa is given over almost entirely to seabirds. A steep morning climb at Prince Philip’s Steps brings you onto a plateau where red-footed and Nazca boobies nest within touching distance and short-eared owls hunt storm petrels in daylight. In the afternoon you land on the white coral sand of Darwin Bay among great frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls.
Day 6Black Turtle Cove and Bachas Beach
A quiet panga ride through the mangroves of Black Turtle Cove in the morning, watching for reef sharks, rays and turtles in the shallow water. In the afternoon you land on Bachas Beach for a swim and a walk past a lagoon where flamingos sometimes feed.
Day 7Tagus Cove and Urbina Bay, Isabela
A hike above Tagus Cove for a view over a volcanic crater lake, followed by a panga ride along cliffs used by pirates and whalers centuries ago. In the afternoon you land at Urbina Bay, where the seafloor was pushed up by an earthquake in 1954, to look for land iguanas and giant tortoises.
Day 8Fernandina and Vicente Roca Point
Fernandina is the youngest and least disturbed island in the archipelago. A morning walk at Espinoza Point takes you through the largest marine iguana colonies in Galápagos and past nesting flightless cormorants, a bird found nowhere else on Earth. In the afternoon you snorkel by panga at Vicente Roca Point, in the water with Galápagos penguins and, in season, sea turtles.
Day 9Puerto Egas and Buccaneer Cove, Santiago
A morning walk along the volcanic shoreline at Puerto Egas to tide pools where fur seals and marine iguanas gather, then an afternoon panga ride beneath the cliffs of Buccaneer Cove.
Day 10North Seymour Island, disembark
A last morning ashore on North Seymour, watching blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance and frigatebirds inflate their red throat pouches. You disembark Hermes and fly back to Quito for a final night before the journey home.
Day 11Fly home to London
Transfer to Quito airport for your overnight flight back to London.
LIFE ON BOARD
Space most Galápagos cruises don’t carry
Hermes carries a spa with a Turkish-style hammam, a gym, a library and two separate lounges, one built for evening recaps with your guide over a drink. An outdoor sun deck holds a plunge pool and loungers, and the Aperitivo Lounge serves cocktails on deck as the sun goes down over the islands. Nineteen crew look after twenty guests, including two butlers on duty from six in the morning until ten at night, so the pace on board feels closer to a small hotel than a typical expedition ship.
YOUR SUITE
Twelve suites, all with a private balcony
All twelve suites aboard Hermes open onto a private balcony with room for breakfast outside as the coastline slides past, and each has its own jacuzzi, a walk-in closet and floor-to-ceiling windows. Most convert between a king bed and twin beds, so the room suits however you’re travelling, and there are two single suites for anyone travelling alone. The Owner Suite carries two jacuzzis. Every suite has blackout curtains, electronic door locks and a stocked minibar included in the fare.
FOOD & YOUR GUIDES
Two restaurants, two naturalist guides
Hermes has two restaurants: Sole e Luna for relaxed al fresco meals on deck, and Paradiso for breakfast, lunch and a dressier dinner in the evening. Two naturalist guides travel with you throughout, roughly one for every ten guests, leading the morning and afternoon excursions and the briefing that sets up the next day. Snorkelling gear, wetsuits, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are all provided at no extra charge, so the only planning you need to do each day is choosing how energetic to be.
Your price covers
What's included
Flights
Return flights from London (other UK airports on request)
We can also book other airlines, including flights with one stop, to suit your dates and preferences.
Internal flights
Internal flights between Quito and the Galápagos
Accommodation
One night in Quito before the cruise and one after (upgrade to the Illa Experience Hotel in the old town on request)
Transport
All transfers between airport, hotel and yacht
Your cabin
Your suite aboard Hermes on a full-board basis
Meals
All meals on board, including the Paradiso and Sole e Luna restaurants
Guides and tours
Two naturalist guides throughout the cruise
Excursions
All excursions, hikes and panga rides in the itinerary
Snorkelling
Snorkelling gear, wetsuits, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards
Entry fees
Galápagos National Park entrance fee and Transit Control Card
ATOL protection
Your holiday is ATOL protected (ATOL 10898). You get an ATOL Certificate when you book.
Not included: Travel insurance · Tips for your guides and crew · Drinks other than those served with meals · Spa treatments and massages (available on board for an extra charge) · Personal spending and souvenirs from the boutique
Your next step
Dates and price
Tell us the month you have in mind and how many of you are travelling. We will come back with the sailing dates and a price for your cabin, flights from London included.
No commitment, we respond within 24 hours
Before you book
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Return flights from London, the internal flight to the Galápagos and a night in Quito either side of the cruise are all included and arranged as one ATOL-protected package (ATOL 10898).
Ready to sail aboard Hermes?
Tell us your dates and we will check availability and come back with a full quote, flights included and ATOL protected.
Other Expedition Cruises
Galaxy Diver II Galápagos Diving Liveaboard with Flights from London
Evolution Galápagos Cruise with Flights from London
Holidays in Galapagos Islands
Galápagos Island Hopping: Santa Cruz & Isabela
Galápagos & Machu Picchu Honeymoon: Luxury Twin-Centre
Galápagos & Machu Picchu: Andes Twin-Centre Holiday
Interested in this expedition?
Our specialists can help you choose the right cabin and departure date.
Tailor-made · ATOL 10898
Combine this with another country
Most of our expedition clients add a few extra days exploring nearby, Peru's Sacred Valley before the Galápagos, Mexico's cenotes after the cruise. A specialist can shape the whole journey.
Combine this with another country