Yolita II
One of the few eight-day routes that reaches both Genovesa and Fernandina — the far north and the far west on the same trip. Sixteen guests, nine cabins, wetsuits included.
North and west
Genovesa and Fernandina on one route. Most eight-day itineraries make you pick a side.
Gear included
Wetsuit and snorkel kit are in the fare, and so is the fuel surcharge that others add later.
Nine cabins
Nine cabins for sixteen guests on a thirty-five metre hull — more room than the number suggests.
The route is the argument
Yolita II is a superior class motor yacht: thirty-five metres, sixteen guests, nine cabins, and a crew of seven plus a bilingual National Park guide. Sun deck, dining room, living room and a bar. Nine knots is unhurried, which is why the itinerary leans on longer night crossings rather than rushed afternoons.
The reason to look at her is geography. Genovesa sits alone in the far north; Fernandina is the westernmost island in the archipelago. Reaching both inside eight days means real distance, and most boats in this class choose one and leave the other for a second trip. Route A does both, with Isabela, Santiago and Bartolome in between.
At a glance
Genovesa and the west, day by day
Arrival and Las Bachas
Met at Baltra and taken to the boat, then an easy first afternoon on the white sand at Las Bachas: sea turtle nesting ground, flamingo lagoon behind the beach, and a swim before dinner.
Darwin Bay and Prince Philip’s Steps
The seabird island, reached overnight. Frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls in the mangroves at Darwin Bay, then the steep climb up the cliff to the red-footed boobies and the Palo Santo forest.
Bartolome and Sullivan Bay
The climb to the viewpoint over Pinnacle Rock, with penguins in the water below, then Sullivan Bay: a lava flow from the 1890s that still looks like it cooled last week.
Sierra Negra and the breeding centre
Up through the vegetation zones to the caldera rim, one of the largest active craters on earth. The afternoon goes to the Arnaldo Tupiza centre, where the island’s tortoises are bred for release.
Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove
A dinghy ride through the mangrove channels where turtles and penguins shelter, then the walk up the tuff cone to Darwin Lake, past the ship names sailors carved into the rock.
Urbina Bay and Punta Espinoza
Uplifted coral you can walk across at Urbina Bay, with land iguanas and giant tortoises near the shore. Then the westernmost island: the largest marine iguana colonies on earth, with penguins and flightless cormorants alongside.
Espumilla Beach and Rabida
Marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs on the dark sand at Espumilla, then Rabida’s red beach in the afternoon — the best birdwatching of the week, and good snorkeling off the rocks.
Daphne and farewell
A last morning at Daphne, the tuff cone where the Grants spent forty years documenting evolution in Darwin’s finches, then the transfer to Baltra 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
- A — 8 days, Sunday to Sunday. The route above: Genovesa, Bartolome, Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago and Rabida.
- B — 8 days, Sunday to Sunday. The southern and eastern islands: North Seymour, San Cristobal, Espanola, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz and Floreana.
- B5 — 5 days, Sunday to Thursday. The first half of route B: North Seymour, San Cristobal, Espanola, Santa Fe, South Plaza and the research station.
- B4 — 4 days, Thursday to Sunday. The second half: Twin Craters, Floreana, Chinese Hat, Dragon Hill and Black Turtle Cove.
A and B split the archipelago cleanly between them: A is the volcanic west plus Genovesa, B is the south and east with Espanola, where the waved albatross nests between April and December. B5 and B4 are the two halves of route B sold separately, which is useful if you only have a few days. Every route starts and ends at Baltra.
What she carries
- Sun deck
- Dining room and living room
- Bar
- Snorkel equipment for every guest
- Wetsuits, included rather than rented
- Briefings and lectures each evening
- Bilingual naturalist guide on every excursion
What the price covers
Included
- Accommodation on board
- Three meals a day
- Drinking water, tea and coffee
- All island visits on the itinerary
- English-speaking naturalist guide
- Briefings and lectures
- Snorkel equipment and use of a wetsuit
- All transfers in the Galapagos, airport to yacht and back
- Fuel surcharge
Not included
- National Park entrance fee — USD 200
- Ingala transit control card — USD 20
- Isabela dock fee — USD 20
- Flights to and from the Galapagos
- Soft drinks and alcohol
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips and personal expenses
Two details worth catching: the fuel surcharge is inside the fare here, which several operators add at the end, and the wetsuit is included rather than rented. The Isabela dock fee only applies on routes that call there — route A does, route B does not.
Where you sleep
Nine cabins for sixteen guests, each with a private bathroom. Between excursions there is a living room, a dining room, a bar and a sun deck — a lot of social space for a boat this size, which matters on the long crossings north.
Meals on board
Three meals a day in the dining room, with drinking water, tea and coffee throughout. Soft drinks and alcohol run through the bar and 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 want Genovesa and Fernandina without booking two trips
- You would rather the gear and the fuel surcharge sat inside the price
- Superior class is enough boat — the islands are the point
- Four to eight days lets you build the trip around the holiday
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
- Nine knots feels slow — faster boats exist in this class
- You need a published price before you enquire
Want more comfort on the same islands? Compare the Petrel or the Ocean Spray. Want the longest route in the fleet? The Letty runs nine days. Came for the sharks instead? See our Galapagos diving cruises.
Ask us for a quote
Four routes run on the Yolita II, 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 park fees included.