Solaris
Single cabins sold as singles, kayaks included, and a five-day route that reaches Genovesa — something almost no short itinerary manages. Sixteen guests.
Single cabins
Sold as singles, not as a double with a supplement. Rare enough to be the reason people book her.
Genovesa in five days
The short route still reaches the seabird island, which most five-day itineraries cannot.
Kayaks
Included at the sites where the park allows them, along with the snorkel gear.
Built for the people other boats overcharge
Solaris is a premium small yacht: thirty-five metres, sixteen guests, ten knots. Long and narrow rather than wide, with a sun deck, a lounge and two shaded resting areas that get used all afternoon once the sun gets serious.
What sets her apart is the cabin plan. Somewhere in it are cabins meant for one person and priced that way, which on a boat of this class is unusual enough to be the headline. The solo supplement across the rest of the fleet runs from fifty to a hundred per cent; here that conversation does not happen. Kayaks and snorkel gear are in the fare, and the routes are unusually well chosen for the number of days each one runs.
At a glance
The volcanic west, day by day
Arrival and Bachas Beach
Met at Baltra and taken to the boat, then an easy first afternoon on the white sand at Bachas: a sea turtle nesting beach with flamingos on the lagoon behind it.
Tintoreras and the wetlands
Whitetip reef sharks resting shoulder to shoulder in a narrow lava channel, then the mangroves, lagoons and tortoise breeding centre behind Puerto Villamil.
Moreno Point and Tagus Cove
Barren lava and brackish pools with views to three volcanoes, then Mangle Point and the walk up the tuff cone to Darwin Lake, past the ship names sailors carved into the rock.
Espinoza Point and Vicente Roca
The westernmost island and the largest marine iguana colonies on earth, with flightless cormorants and penguins alongside. Snorkeling in the cold upwelling at Vicente Roca in the afternoon.
Espumilla, Buccaneer Cove and Puerto Egas
Golden sand and mangroves at Espumilla, the eroded cliffs where whalers and pirates sheltered, and then the tide pools and fur seals along the black rock at Puerto Egas.
Rabida and Chinese Hat
The red sand beach with its flamingo lagoon and pelican nests, then Chinese Hat: lava formations, penguins on the channel, and some of the better snorkeling in the central islands.
Charles Darwin Station and farewell
The research station and its tortoise restoration programme, then the transfer to Baltra and the flight to the mainland.
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
- 7 days. The western route above: Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, Rabida and Chinese Hat. Baltra to Baltra.
- 5 days, north. Santa Cruz highlands, North Seymour, Mosquera, both Genovesa sites, the Plazas, Santa Fe and Witch Hill. Baltra to San Cristobal.
- 5 days, south. Colorado Hill, Espanola with Gardner Bay and Suarez Point, Floreana, Sullivan Bay, Bartholomew and Black Turtle Cove. San Cristobal to Baltra.
The northern five-day route is the one worth planning around: Genovesa sits alone in the far north and most short itineraries write it off as too far. Getting there and back inside five days, with the Plazas and Santa Fe on the way, is unusual. The southern route carries Espanola, where the waved albatross nests between April and December. Each route starts on one island and ends on another — check yours before booking flights.
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
- Use of kayaks at the sites where the park allows them
- 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
One condition 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 — ask us before you buy the ticket.
Where you sleep
Cabins across the main and upper decks, all with private facilities, and among them cabins built and priced for one person. Tell us who is travelling and we will tell you exactly which berths are open — on this boat the answer for a solo traveller is a real cabin rather than a supplement.
Meals on board
All meals are covered, with water, coffee and tea throughout, served in the lounge or out on the sun deck when the evening allows it. 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 travelling alone and refuse to pay for two beds
- You want Genovesa but only have five days
- Kayaking at the landing sites appeals to you
- A premium small yacht is enough boat — the islands are the point
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
- Stability at anchor matters — a catamaran rolls less
- You need a published price before you enquire
Also good for solo travellers: the Cachalote Explorer and the Elite. Want balconies and a wider hull? The Treasure. Came for the sharks instead? See our Galapagos diving cruises.
Ask us for a quote
Three routes run on the Solaris, of five and seven days, and the rate depends on the cabin and the season. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and we come back with what is open and the full cost with flights and fees included.