Archipel I
Eight identical cabins, all on the main deck. No suite, no upgrade, no arguing over who gets the view — and an eight-day route that covers both halves of the archipelago.
Eight equal cabins
All standard, all on the main deck. Nobody is upstairs with a better view and a higher bill.
Both halves
The eight-day route takes Santa Fe and the Plazas as well as Isabela and Fernandina.
Kayaks
Kayaks and snorkel gear come with the boat, along with eleven metres of beam that barely rolls.
No best cabin
Archipel I is a 2005 catamaran: twenty-seven metres long, eleven of beam, sixteen guests, ten knots. Nine crew and a bilingual National Park guide. Two hulls that far apart barely roll at anchor, which is the reason people who felt the swell on a monohull come back asking for a catamaran.
The cabin plan is unusually straightforward: eight standard cabins, all on the main deck, all the same. There is no suite to upsell and no upper deck to argue about. For a group of friends splitting a boat, or two couples travelling together, that removes the conversation nobody enjoys having. Kayaks, snorkel gear, a library and hairdryers come with the boat.
At a glance
East and west, day by day
Arrival, Interpretation Centre and Frigatebird Hill
Met at San Cristobal airport, then the Interpretation Centre for the geology and human history of the islands, and the walk up Frigatebird Hill where both frigatebird species nest side by side.
Santa Fe and South Plaza
One of the oldest islands in the archipelago, with its own endemic land iguana and a giant cactus forest, then South Plaza: cliffs, sea lions and the red Sesuvium ground cover.
North Seymour and Chinese Hat
Displaying frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies in the morning, then Chinese Hat: lava formations, penguins on the channel and good snorkeling in the shallows.
Twin Craters, El Chato and the breeding centre
Two collapsed magma chambers in the highlands, giant tortoises in the wild at El Chato, then the Fausto Llerena centre and its conservation programme.
Moreno Point and Urbina Bay
Barren lava and brackish pools with views to three volcanoes, then Urbina Bay: coral reef pushed above the waterline by tectonic uplift, with land iguanas and giant tortoises near the shore.
Espinoza Point and Vicente Roca
The westernmost island and the largest marine iguana colonies on earth, with penguins and flightless cormorants alongside. Then snorkeling in the cold upwelling at Vicente Roca with turtles and mola mola.
Puerto Egas and Rabida
Tide pools and fur seals along the black rock at Puerto Egas, then Rabida’s red sand beach: flamingo lagoon, pelican nests and the best birdwatching of the week.
Black Turtle Cove and farewell
A dinghy ride with the engine off through the red mangroves, watching rays, reef sharks and green turtles in the shallows, then the transfer to Baltra.
Landing sites are set by the National Park and can shift with conditions or park scheduling. The guide adjusts the day; the islands do not take requests.
Three ways to sail her
- 8 days. The full route above: San Cristobal, Santa Fe, the Plazas, North Seymour, Chinese Hat, Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago and Rabida. San Cristobal to Baltra.
- 4 days. The first half: Interpretation Centre, Frigatebird Hill, Santa Fe, South Plaza, North Seymour, Chinese Hat and Twin Craters. San Cristobal to Baltra.
- 5 days. The second half: the breeding centre, Moreno Point, Urbina Bay, Fernandina, Vicente Roca, Puerto Egas, Rabida and Black Turtle Cove. Baltra to Baltra.
The short routes are the eight-day itinerary cut in two, so pick by what you want to see rather than by what is left over. The four-day covers the eastern and central islands with the seabird colonies; the five-day is the volcanic west, with Fernandina and the cold-water snorkeling. If you have the week, the eight-day gives you both without repeating a landing.
What she carries
- Kayaks
- Snorkel equipment
- Library, TV and DVD
- Hairdryer in every cabin
- Private facilities in every cabin
- 24-mile Furuno radar, GPS and satellite navigator
- HF and VHF radios, satellite radio and depth sounder
- Smoke and fire detectors, ABC fire control, zodiacs and life jackets
What the price covers
Included
- A cabin with private facilities
- All meals, water, coffee and tea
- Every excursion with an English-speaking naturalist guide
- Snorkel gear: mask, fins and snorkel
- Transfers within the Galapagos, if the island flight is booked with us
Not included
- National Park entrance fee — USD 200, subject to change
- Transit control card — USD 20
- Flights to and from the Galapagos
- Wetsuit rental
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Tips and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
Two conditions to read twice. The airport transfers are only included if the island flight is booked through us and matches the cruise schedule — arrive on a different flight and the shuttle is charged separately. And take the wetsuit: day six is Fernandina and Vicente Roca, the coldest water on the route and the best snorkeling of the week.
Where you sleep
Eight standard cabins, all on the main deck, all with private facilities and a hairdryer. The layout is the point: on a boat where every cabin is the same, nobody pays more for a view and nobody spends the week wondering whether they picked the wrong one.
Meals on board
All meals are covered, with water, coffee and tea throughout, served in the dining room or outside on the al fresco deck. Soft drinks and alcohol are charged separately. Tell us about dietary needs before you sail rather than on the first evening.
Is this your boat?
Book it if
- You are a group splitting a boat and want every cabin to be the same
- Stability at anchor matters — eleven metres of beam barely rolls
- You want both halves of the archipelago in one week
- Kayaking and snorkeling are what you came to do
Choose another cruise if
- You came to dive — this is a naturalist cruise, not a dive boat
- You want a balcony, a suite or a jacuzzi
- You are travelling alone — there is no single cabin here
- Genovesa or Espanola is what you came for — neither is on these routes
Want Genovesa or Espanola? The Seaman Journey and the Yolita II reach them. Want balconies? The Treasure. Came for the sharks instead? See our Galapagos diving cruises.
Ask us for a quote
Three routes run on the Archipel I, of four, five and eight days. Send us your dates and we come back with what is sailing, which cabins are open, and the full cost with the park fees included.