Galápagos Giant Tortoise
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Charles Darwin Station · Santa Cruz Highlands
JFMAMJJASOND
Likely, all year
The Galápagos Cruise · Islands · Santa Cruz
Galápagos Cruises to Santa Cruz
US$1,710
per guest, double occupancy
83
itineraries call here
16
ships
2,033
departures with space
3 to 14
nights
11
visitor sites
About Santa Cruz
Giant tortoises in the wet highland pastures above Santa Rosa, two collapsed craters at Los Gemelos with scalesia forest growing inside them, white-tipped reef sharks resting in the mangrove channels of Black Turtle Cove: Santa Cruz is the centre of the archipelago in every practical sense. The Charles Darwin Station sits at the edge of Puerto Ayora, and Tortuga Bay is a forty-minute walk from town. Eighty-three of our itineraries call at Santa Cruz across 16 ships, from $1,530 per person, on trips of 3 to 14 nights.
Almost every circuit touches Santa Cruz, because the island is where guests join and leave a ship. That makes it the easiest island to reach and the least distinctive on a printed itinerary: two departures that both list Santa Cruz can mean the highlands one week and a harbour transfer the next.
Visitor sites on Santa Cruz
Bachas Beach · Black Turtle Cove · Bowditch Point · Charles Darwin Station · Dragon Hill · Eden Islet · Gordon Rocks · Punta Carrión · Santa Cruz Highlands · Tortuga Bay · Twin Craters (Los Gemelos)
Select a departure that calls at Santa Cruz
2,033 upcoming departures with space, across 83 itineraries and 16 ships. Sold-out dates are not listed.
28/09/20268 nights
Solaris · Solaris: Route BC
back 06/10/2026 · 11 spots
from US$8,300Ask about this date
07/10/20268 nights
Tribute · Tribute: Route AB
back 15/10/2026 · 14 spots
from US$11,150Ask about this date
09/10/20268 nights
Treasure · Treasure: Route AB
back 17/10/2026 · 2 spots
from US$8,300Ask about this date
12/10/20268 nights
Solaris · Solaris: Route BC
back 20/10/2026 · 5 spots
from US$8,300Ask about this date
21/10/20268 nights
Tribute · Tribute: Route AB
back 29/10/2026 · 4 spots
from US$11,150Ask about this date
20/11/20268 nights
Treasure · Treasure: Route AB
back 28/11/2026 · 1 spot
from US$8,300Ask about this date
23/11/20268 nights
Solaris · Solaris: Route BC
back 01/12/2026 · 1 spot
from US$8,300Ask about this date
02/12/20268 nights
Tribute · Tribute: Route AB
back 10/12/2026 · 10 spots
from US$11,150Ask about this date
04/12/20268 nights
Treasure · Treasure: Route AB
back 12/12/2026 · 3 spots
from US$8,300Ask about this date
07/12/20268 nights
Solaris · Solaris: Route BC
back 15/12/2026 · 3 spots
from US$8,300Ask about this date
16/12/20268 nights
Tribute · Tribute: Route AB
back 24/12/2026 · 9 spots
from US$11,150Ask about this date
13/01/20278 nights
Tribute · Tribute: Route AB
back 21/01/2027 · 16 spots
from US$12,990Ask about this date
Show more departures12 of 84 shown
Wildlife you can see on Santa Cruz
21 of the 23 species recorded on Santa Cruz have a photo. What differs between them is how sure a sighting is and which visitor site you have to reach for it.
almost alwaysoftensometimesnot in this month
See these departures
Golden Cownose Ray
Where on Santa Cruz
Black Turtle Cove
JFMAMJJASOND
Likely, all year
Pacific Green Sea Turtle
Where on Santa Cruz
Bachas Beach · Black Turtle Cove
JFMAMJJASOND
Likely, all year
Darwin's Finches
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Charles Darwin Station · Santa Cruz Highlands
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
Galápagos Land Iguana
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Dragon Hill
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
Lava Heron
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Black Turtle Cove
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
Magnificent Frigatebird
Where on Santa Cruz
Black Turtle Cove
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
Scalloped Hammerhead
Where on Santa Cruz
Gordon Rocks
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
Spotted Eagle Ray
Where on Santa Cruz
Black Turtle Cove
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
White-tipped Reef Shark
Where on Santa Cruz
Black Turtle Cove · Tortuga Bay
JFMAMJJASOND
Possible, all year
American Flamingo
Where on Santa Cruz
Bachas Beach · Dragon Hill
JFMAMJJASOND
Rare, all year
Galápagos Barn Owl
Where on Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Highlands
JFMAMJJASOND
Rare, all year
Galápagos Petrel
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Highlands
JFMAMJJASOND
Rare, all year
Galápagos Rail
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Highlands
JFMAMJJASOND
Rare, all year
Red-lipped Batfish
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Gordon Rocks
JFMAMJJASOND
Rare, all year
Vermilion Flycatcher
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Highlands
JFMAMJJASOND
Rare, all year
21 of 21 species with photos shown
Your selection
Solaris · Solaris: Route BC
28/09/2026 · 8 nights · from US$8,300
María Fernanda Ortiz
We reply within one business day
Prefer to talk? + 1 786 509 6338
We answer first thing on the next working day
María Fernanda Ortiz
We answer personally, and we answer ourselves. A Galápagos trip is once in a lifetime, and you want the right advice before you book.
+ 1 786 509 6338We answer first thing on the next working day
Talk to us
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from US$1,710
2033 departures