In Darwin’s Footsteps (Eastern Route)

Begin your adventure in the vibrant city of Quito

Your journey begins on the Equator in the lush Andean foothills. At 9,350 feet, Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world, and its main draw is the exquisite Old Town which was founded on an ancient Inca settlement. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s packed with well-preserved colonial architecture as evidenced in colourful plazas, magnificent churches, and handsome monuments.

Settle into your hotel and enjoy an overnight stay.

If you have time, why not come a few days earlier and join one of our pre-voyage options.

Straddle the Equator at the Middle of the World City 

Today you’ll enjoy a guided tour of Quito’s remarkable Old Town. It’s one of the largest and best-preserved colonial-era quarters in South America. Wander through cobblestone streets as you admire the architecture and sample some delicious chocolate made from finest Ecuadorian cacao along the way.

Next, you’ll head to the iconic ‘Middle of the World City’, located around 16 miles north of Quito. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous monument that delineates the imaginary line of the Equator. Have your camera ready to capture the moment you stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

Get ready to explore the spectacular Galápagos Islands 

After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island in the spectacular Galápagos archipelago. A transfer brings you straight to the port where your comfortable expedition ship MS Santa Cruz II awaits.

Fly on Day 7 to Galápagos. Each day here, you'll hike, swim, snorkel or explore by kayak or Zodiac—all the while witnessing incredible interactions between animals in their natural habitat. Start exploring on Isla Santa Cruz with a trip over the highlands of Santa Cruz upon arrival. Over these few days, walk in a cactus forest with endemic land iguanas on Santa Fé. Wander among sea lions and admire soaring sea birds on Plaza Sur. Search for penguins on stark black lava at Sullivan Bay on Santiago. Snorkel in crystal-clear water at Sombrero Chino. And sail across the Equator and into the flooded caldera at Genovesa, a seabird paradise where you'll bid farewell to Darwin's Islands.

You'll get your first glimpse of the islands' incredible wildlife on Mosquera Islet, home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in the archipelago. We'll take our small boats ashore to get a closer look.

As you stroll across flat and sandy dunes, look out for blue-footed boobies and Sally Lightfoot crabs, and learn about the marine and terrestrial ecosystems from your naturalist guides.

Meet the famous giant tortoises

First our small boats will take you to Punta Pitt, the only site in the Galápagos Islands where you might see three species of boobies. Enjoy a nature walk, explore the coastline by boat, or snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear water.

Then we’ll head to the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve, a breeding centre for the endangered giant tortoise. It's also home to other endemic species, including the San Cristobal mockingbird and lava lizard.

The giant tortoise is probably the most iconic of all Galápagos wildlife, with a lifespan of over 100 years. Here, they thrive, ambling around forests similar to their natural habitat.

Spot wildlife against idyllic backdrops

We start the day with a scenic nature walk on the blissful beaches of Santa Fe, home to the endemic Barrington land iguana and a colony of sea lions.

You can swim or snorkel from our small boats, take a kayak for a paddle around the island, or join a trip in our glass-bottomed boat to observe the marine life below.

After a delicious lunch, prepared by our onboard chefs, we head to South Plaza Island.

Keep an eye out for frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls, and Galápagos shearwaters gliding on the breeze. Here, among a dazzling array of flora, land iguanas laze by the shore while marine iguanas slip in and out of the water.

Learn about local conservation efforts on Santa Cruz Island

Today we pay a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora.

A giant tortoise breeding centre, here you can see recently hatched tortoises and Darwin’s famous finches: the birds he used as a basis for his theory of evolution by natural selection. There’s also an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti that’s home to many land birds.

Enjoy a cooler climate over lunch in the lush highlands, where giant tortoises shuffle about munching on grass and wallowing in pools.

You'll have time for another activity, such as mountain biking or visiting a sugar plantation.

Silver Origin will anchor in front of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, where the prestigious Charles Darwin Research Station is located. The station also houses the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center for giant tortoises and land iguanas where guides interpret the center's captive breeding and reintroduction programs. In addition to these star species, throughout the station there are huge prickly pear cactus trees being fed upon by the pretty Galapagos Cactus Finch. To round out the stay in Puerto Ayora, enjoy free time in town where local artists have created charming art galleries and corner cafes.

Your Galápagos Islands cruise reaches Española, the archipelago's most southerly island. Birdlife here is truly extraordinary – look out for Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls, and the mighty waved albatross on cruises April through December.

It’s also a chance to spot red Española lava lizards and marine iguanas, as well as see the famous blowhole, El Soplador, blasting water 75 feet into the air.

Punta Suarez lies at the western point of Española, the oldest island in the Galapagos. Sheer cliffs provide superb thermals for seabirds, and you may spot Swallow-tailed Gulls, Nazca Boobies, and Blue-footed Boobies on the breeze. The largest seabird to nest in the Galapagos Islands is the Waved Albatross. These ocean wanderers can be seen seasonally here from April through December, when pairs reunite on Española, going through an elaborate pair-bonding display. Mockingbirds, doves, and occasional Galapagos Hawks can also be seen on the point, along with sea lions and colorful marine iguanas.

After lunch on board the ship, we'll head to the picturesque coral beach of Gardner Bay and nearby Osborn Islet, to seek out sea lions, mockingbirds, and finches. If you're feeling active, you can go snorkelling or kayaking.

Located on the northern coast of Española, the turquoise color water and white sandy beach stand out from far away. This beach is made out of pulverized shells and corals and offers a sandy patch of up to 1 kilometer in length. Española is considered one of the oldest in the Galapagos and has thus developed endemic species. Along the coast of Gardner a subspecies of colorful Marine iguanas are living among Hood Mockingbirds. The apex predators Galapagos Hawks commonly visit the coastline and a couple of times a Giant tortoise has been seen here.

The wealth of wildlife watching opportunities continues at Eden Islet, where we hope to see Galápagos green turtles, rays, and friendly reef sharks. On the shore, look out for distinctive frigatebirds with their rubbery, red throats.

You can swim or snorkel to explore the reefs. Alternatively, see the reefs from our glass-bottomed boat or by kayak.

After lunch, we'll sail to North Seymour; The island is a great site for spotting colonies of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Sea lions and marine iguanas also congregate here, attracted by the bountiful sea life in its waters.

The landing at North Seymour Island is onto black lava rock. After a short climb, visitors arrive on the island's flat plateau where a number of sea lions nurse pups and frigatebirds nest. The island is dry, and so the predominant tree is the prickly pear cactus favored by the Galapagos land iguanas that live here in number. The undulating terrain is littered with red-brown volcanic boulders and large male Magnificent Frigatebirds can be seen inflating their vivid red gular sacs in hopes of impressing females flying overhead. At certain times of the year, pairs of Blue-footed Boobies dance here in a ritualized mating dance that reinforces their pair bond and shows off their vivid blue feet. The snorkeling here is well-known for schools of colorful creole wrasses and parrot fish.

From the Galápagos Islands back to Quito

Your expedition cruise draws to a close as you disembark at Baltra Island. A transfer will take you to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Quito (or if you prefer, to Guayaquil) to connect to your international flight.

To explore more of Ecuador, why not extend your stay and join one of our post-voyage options.

As you leave this fascinating region, you'll take with you incredible memories of amazing wildlife and wonderful experiences few have the privilege of seeing.

Fly on Day 7 to Galápagos. Each day here, you'll hike, swim, snorkel or explore by kayak or Zodiac—all the while witnessing incredible interactions between animals in their natural habitat. Start exploring on Isla Santa Cruz with a trip over the highlands of Santa Cruz upon arrival. Over these few days, walk in a cactus forest with endemic land iguanas on Santa Fé. Wander among sea lions and admire soaring sea birds on Plaza Sur. Search for penguins on stark black lava at Sullivan Bay on Santiago. Snorkel in crystal-clear water at Sombrero Chino. And sail across the Equator and into the flooded caldera at Genovesa, a seabird paradise where you'll bid farewell to Darwin's Islands.