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.
27/09/20263 nights
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
back 30/09/2026 · 2 spots
from US$3,600Ask about this date
01/10/20263 nights
MONIQUE · 4-Day Southern Islands: Santa Cruz's Wild Tortoises
back 04/10/2026 · 14 spots
from US$3,352Ask about this date
05/10/20263 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Southern & Northern: Chinese Hat's Shark Channel
back 08/10/2026 · 5 spots
from US$2,036Ask about this date
11/10/20263 nights
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
back 14/10/2026 · 4 spots
from US$1,800Ask about this date
12/10/20263 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Northern & Western: Sullivan Bay's Fresh Lava
back 15/10/2026 · 4 spots
from US$2,036Ask about this date
15/10/20263 nights
MONIQUE · 4-Day Southern Islands: Santa Cruz's Wild Tortoises
back 18/10/2026 · 9 spots
from US$3,352Ask about this date
25/10/20263 nights
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
back 28/10/2026 · 2 spots
from US$2,880Ask about this date
29/10/20263 nights
MONIQUE · 4-Day Southern Islands: Santa Cruz's Wild Tortoises
back 01/11/2026 · 16 spots
from US$3,352Ask about this date
02/11/20263 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Southern & Northern: Chinese Hat's Shark Channel
back 05/11/2026 · 2 spots
from US$2,156Ask about this date
09/11/20263 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Northern & Western: Sullivan Bay's Fresh Lava
back 12/11/2026 · 2 spots
from US$2,395Ask about this date
12/11/20263 nights
MONIQUE · 4-Day Southern Islands: Santa Cruz's Wild Tortoises
back 15/11/2026 · 5 spots
from US$3,352Ask about this date
22/11/20263 nights
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
back 25/11/2026 · 2 spots
from US$3,600Ask about this date
26/11/20263 nights
ENDEMIC · 4-Day Western & Southern: Black Turtle Cove's Mangroves
back 29/11/2026 · 14 spots
from US$4,491Ask about this date
30/11/20263 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Southern & Northern: Chinese Hat's Shark Channel
back 03/12/2026 · 4 spots
from US$2,156Ask about this date
05/12/20263 nights
GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 4-Day Southern Islands: Black Turtle Cove Sanctuary
back 08/12/2026 · 11 spots
from US$5,350Ask about this date
06/12/20263 nights
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
back 09/12/2026 · 6 spots
from US$3,060Ask about this date
09/12/20263 nights
Galaxy Orion · 4-Day Southern Islands: Albatross Courtship Peak
back 12/12/2026 · 1 spot
from US$1,710Ask about this date
10/12/20263 nights
ENDEMIC · 4-Day Western & Southern: Black Turtle Cove's Mangroves
back 13/12/2026 · 6 spots
from US$3,327Ask about this date
14/12/20263 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Southern & Northern: Chinese Hat's Shark Channel
back 17/12/2026 · 13 spots
from US$2,036Ask about this date
23/12/20263 nights
Galaxy Orion · 4-Day Southern Islands: Albatross Courtship Peak
back 26/12/2026 · 2 spots
from US$2,700Ask about this date
02/01/20273 nights
GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 4-Day Southern Islands: Black Turtle Cove Sanctuary
back 05/01/2027 · 1 spot
from US$5,650Ask about this date
03/01/20273 nights
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
back 06/01/2027 · 5 spots
from US$3,315Ask about this date
04/01/20273 nights
Archipel I · 4-Day Northern & Western: Sullivan Bay's Fresh Lava
back 07/01/2027 · 3 spots
from US$2,450Ask about this date
06/01/20273 nights
Galaxy Orion · 4-Day Southern Islands: Albatross Courtship Peak
back 09/01/2027 · 1 spot
from US$2,000Ask about this date
Show more departures24 of 204 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
6 of 21 species with photos shownShow all 21
Your selection
ENDEMIC · 4-Day Western & Southern: Black Turtle Cove's Mangroves
10/12/2026 · 3 nights · from US$3,327
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