Galápagos Giant Tortoise
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Charles Darwin Station · Santa Cruz Highlands
Likely, all year
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. 116 of our itineraries call at Santa Cruz across 24 ships, from US$1,423 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)
Availability and prices updated
2,687 upcoming departures with space, across 116 itineraries and 24 ships. Sold-out dates are not listed.
2,687 departures
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.
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Charles Darwin Station · Santa Cruz Highlands
Likely, all year
Where on Santa Cruz
Black Turtle Cove
Likely, all year
Where on Santa Cruz
Bachas Beach · Black Turtle Cove
Likely, all year
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Charles Darwin Station · Santa Cruz Highlands
Possible, all year
Only in Galápagos
Where on Santa Cruz
Dragon Hill
Possible, all year

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