Natural Paradise
Suites with private balconies, fourteen knots, and two hotel nights on the mainland thrown in with the eight-day cruises. Sixteen guests, eleven crew, four routes.
Two hotel nights
Included on the eight-day cruises, in Quito or Guayaquil, with the transfers and airport assistance.
Fourteen knots
Among the fastest in the naturalist fleet. Night crossings end sooner and mornings start at the site.
Balconies
Suites and junior suites on the upper and main decks, each with its own balcony.
What the fare quietly covers
Natural Paradise is a 2016 motor yacht: thirty-four metres, sixteen guests, fourteen knots. Nine cabins over three decks, running from standard cabins on the lower deck up to two full suites on the upper, with junior suites and suites carrying private balconies. A jacuzzi, kayaks, paddleboards, wetsuits and Wi-Fi come with the boat rather than the invoice.
The part worth doing arithmetic on is the mainland package. Eight-day cruises include two hotel nights in Quito or Guayaquil either side of the trip, plus two transfers and airport assistance; the shorter cruises include one night and one transfer. Nobody else in this catalogue does that, and on a trip where you have to overnight on the mainland anyway, it is several hundred dollars that never appears in the comparison.
At a glance
Isabela, Fernandina and the south, day by day
Arrival and Eden Islet
Met at Baltra and taken to the boat, then snorkeling and a dinghy ride around Eden Islet off the west coast of Santa Cruz — an easy start before the crossing west.
Vicente Roca and Espinosa Point
Snorkeling in the cold upwelling under the collapsed cliffs at Vicente Roca, where turtles and mola mola gather, then Fernandina: the largest marine iguana colonies on earth, with penguins and flightless cormorants.
Urbina Bay and Moreno Point
Coral reef pushed above the waterline by tectonic uplift, with land iguanas and giant tortoises near the shore, then the barren lava and brackish pools of Moreno Point.
Sierra Negra and the wetlands
The climb to the rim of Sierra Negra, one of the largest active calderas on earth, then the wetlands behind Puerto Villamil and the Arnaldo Tupiza breeding centre.
Chinese Hat and Mosquera
Lava formations and penguins on the channel at Chinese Hat, some of the better snorkeling in the central islands, then the sand strip at Mosquera with its sea lion colony.
Post Office Bay and Cormorant Point
The mail barrel that has worked since the whalers, the Baroness lookout and its strange history, then Cormorant Point and Champion Islet: flamingos on the lagoon and the best snorkeling of the day.
Suarez Point and Gardner Bay
The trail past marine iguanas, the blowhole and the waved albatross, which nests here and nowhere else between April and December. Gardner Bay and its islets in the afternoon for the best snorkeling of the week.
Lobos Island and departure
Nesting blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds, sea lions and marine iguanas, with Kicker Rock on the horizon, then the transfer to San Cristobal airport.
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.
Four ways to sail her
- Western — 8 days, Tuesday to Tuesday. The route above: Isabela, Fernandina, Chinese Hat, Floreana, Espanola and San Cristobal. Baltra to San Cristobal.
- Northern — 8 days, Tuesday to Tuesday. Kicker Rock, North Seymour, South Plaza, Rabida, Bartholomew, Sullivan Bay, the Santa Cruz highlands, both Genovesa sites and Santiago. San Cristobal to Baltra.
- 5 days, Tuesday to Saturday. The first half of the northern route: Kicker Rock, North Seymour, South Plaza, Rabida, Bartholomew, Sullivan Bay and Dragon Hill.
- 4 days, Saturday to Tuesday. The breeding centre, both Genovesa sites, Santiago and Bachas Beach. The shortest way to reach Genovesa.
The two eight-day routes share almost nothing, so back to back they cover the archipelago. If you only get one: the western route carries Fernandina, Sierra Negra and Espanola with its albatross; the northern carries Genovesa and its red-footed boobies. Worth noting that the four-day route reaches Genovesa, which almost no short itinerary manages. Each route starts on one island and ends on another — check yours before booking flights.
What she carries
- Private balconies on the suites and junior suites
- Jacuzzi on deck
- Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards
- Snorkel gear and wetsuits
- Wi-Fi on board
- Library, TV and DVD
- Hairdryer in every cabin
- Furuno radar, GPS, depth sounders and VHF-DSS radio
- Cruise manager and cruise director
What the price covers
Included
- All meals throughout the cruise
- Every excursion on the itinerary
- Bilingual National Park guide
- All transfers within the islands
- Use of the expedition gear: snorkel kit, wetsuits, kayaks and paddleboards
- Carbon footprint compensation
- Two hotel nights in Quito or Guayaquil on eight-day cruises, one on the shorter ones
- Transfers and airport assistance on the mainland
Not included
- National Park entrance fee — USD 200
- Transit control card — USD 20
- Mainland to Galapagos airfare
- Alcoholic drinks
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips and personal expenses
Do the sum before you compare fares. Two nights in a Quito hotel, two transfers and the airport assistance are money you would spend anyway, since almost nobody flies to the islands the same day they land in Ecuador. Ask us for the exact conditions when you write — the hotel package has terms attached to the cruise dates.
Where you sleep
Nine cabins across three decks: two standard on the lower, a junior suite and two standard on the main, and two junior suites plus two full suites on the upper. The upper and main deck suites carry the private balconies; the lower deck standards sit closer to the waterline and move less. Every cabin has a private bathroom and a hairdryer.
Meals on board
All meals are covered, served in the dining room or outside at the al fresco table when the evening allows it. Alcohol is 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 flying in from far away and need the mainland nights anyway
- A private balcony is what separates a good cabin from a great one
- You want Genovesa but only have four days
- Fourteen knots means less of the week spent under way
Choose another cruise if
- You came to dive — this is a naturalist cruise, not a dive boat
- You are travelling alone — there is no single cabin here
- Stability at anchor matters — a catamaran rolls less
- You need a published price before you enquire
Comparing balcony boats? The Petrel and the Treasure. Travelling alone? The Solaris or the Elite. Came for the sharks instead? See our Galapagos diving cruises.
Ask us for a quote
Four routes run on the Natural Paradise, from four to eight days, and the rate moves with the season and the cabin. Send us your dates and we come back with what is sailing, which cabins are open, and the full cost with the hotel nights and fees spelled out.