Best Galapagos Highlands Cruises, Tours, & Trips for 2025-2026

Best Galapagos Cruises & Tours

Top 10 Highland Tours of Santa Cruz for 2025-2026

Best Galapagos Cruises & Tours

10 Best Highland Luxury Tours of Santa Cruz for 2025-2026

Trip Name	From	Days	Next Departure	Summary
Central East Islands	$8,195	5	Jun 19, 2025	Set sail on a 5-day cruise from Baltra to San Cristobal aboard Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise in the Central East Galapagos Islands. Explore Santa Cruz's highlands and lava tunnels, Rábida's red sand beach, Bartolomé's volcanic panoramas, and South Plaza's land iguanas. Discover more flora and fauna while enjoying up-close wildlife encounters. 0
North & Central Islands	$5,845	5	Jun 10, 2025	Enjoy an extensive adventure into the unique world of the Galapagos on this incredible 5-day journey. Admire the incredible natural beauty of this archipelago sailing pass Baltra, Rabida, Santiago, Genovesa, Santa Cruz and more! 0
Northern Galapagos Catamaran Cruise	$5,190	5	Jun 10, 2025	The Ocean Spray luxury catamaran takes you on a 5-day Galapagos Northern Islands cruise, exploring Genovesa, South Plaza, Mosquero, and Santiago. Light hiking, pristine snorkeling, and swimming with sea lions and penguins make this trip the perfect luxury Galapagos vacation package. 0
Private Charter - North & Central Islands Aboard Galapagos Horizon	$82,450	5	Jun 10, 2025	Enjoy an extensive adventure into the unique world of the Galapagos on this incredible 5-day private journey. Admire the incredible natural beauty of this archipelago, sailing to Baltra, Rabida, Santiago, Genovesa, Santa Cruz and more! 0
Central Islands Cruise	$9,990	8	Jun 14, 2025	Discover the highlights of San Cristobal, Española, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Santiago, and Genovesa islands on this incredible 8-day adventure aboard the Elite. There is an endless list of activities to make this an unforgettable trip including snorkeling, roaming volcanic landscapes, and observing the native wildlife. 0
Diving Galapagos	$7,395	8	Jun 15, 2025	Embark on this 8-day cruise aboard the Galapagos Sky. Enjoy scuba diving adventures in some of the best spots in the world. Tour Bartolome and dive in Cousins Rocks, Wolf Island, Darwin Island and more. Experience wildlife in and out of the water on this scuba tour. 0
Western Islands	$6,190	6	Jun 14, 2025	Experience Galapagos penguins, Elizabeth Bay and more on a cruise through the Western Islands. Enjoy hiking, snorkeling and dinghy rides on this 6-day Galapagos tour. 0
Northern Islands Cruise	$6,190	5	Jun 17, 2025	Board the Elite for a 5-Day sailing expedition across one of the most unique archipelagos on the planet, the Galapagos Islands. Experience the beauty and natural charm of these volcanic islands while visiting Santa Cruz, Genovesa, Rabida and San Cristobal. 0
Southern & Northern Islands	$11,695	7	Jun 09, 2025	Join the 7-Day Hermes Ultra Luxury Cruise in the Eastern & Central Galapagos, beginning on San Cristóbal Island. Explore Tijeretas, Gardner Bay, Punta Suárez, and Floreana. Snorkel at Champion Islet, then visit Genovesa Island. Conclude at Black Turtle Cove, disembarking in Baltra, marking the end of your unforgettable journey. 0
Private Charter - Island Circumnavigation Aboard Galapagos Horizon	$126,450	8	Jun 14, 2025	This 8-day private cruise offers incredible snorkeling, hiking, and kayaking adventures all around the Galapagos archipelago in style. Gourmet cuisine, the best guides, and spacious & stylish cabins guarantee a top-notch luxury cruising experience second to none. 0

Top 6 Highlands Cruises and Tours Deals for 2025-2026

Trip Name	From	Days	Next Departure	Summary
Northern Islands	$4,256	5	Jun 09, 2025	Get close to giant tortoises on a tour of the Northern Islands. From tortoises to boobies, hawks to sea lions, this northern itinerary makes for a truly memorable 5 days in the Galapagos. 0
Northeast Islands	$4,050	5	Aug 04, 2025	0
Eastern Islands II	$3,195	5	Jun 12, 2025	Embark on a 5-day exciting cruise through the eastern islands of the Galapagos. Meet Galapagos giant turtles, climb to the Baroness Lookout Point, snorkel with sea turtles and sharks, and visit one of the first sites visited by Charles Darwin. These volcanic and wildlife-rich islands are an ideal place to spend your vacations! 0
Western Islands	$5,200	6	Jun 09, 2025	Embark the Alya on this 6-day catamaran cruise of the Western Galapagos Islands, visiting some of the most popular sites including the Tortoise Breeding Center on Santa Cruz, snorkeling in Elizabeth Bay on Isabela, kayaking around Urbina Bay at Fernandina, and hiking the Chinese Hat Islet near the southeast coast of Santiago, plus much more! 0
Private Charter - Western Islands Aboard Galaxy	$60,800	6	Jun 11, 2025	Enjoy a 6-day private cruise in the Western Galapagos Islands aboard the Galaxy, where you can explore enchanting landscapes teeming with unique wildlife, including giant tortoises, flamingos, iguanas, and sharks. The islands of Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, and Santiago offer an extensive array of activities for you to experience. 0
Private Charter - Eastern Islands II	$51,120	5	Jun 12, 2025	Embark Archipel I for a 5-day private cruise through the eastern islands of the Galapagos. Enjoy the unique green sand beaches of Cormorant point, the abundance of wildlife on Española, and the friendly interaction with Floreana's playful sea lions. These volcanic and wildlife-rich islands are ideal for a vacation. 0

All Galapagos Articles

Santa Cruz Highlands Travel Guide

Getting to the Highlands
All of our cruises and tours of the Galapagos Islands are all-inclusive, so you will never have to worry about transportation. If you are touring the highlands as your first stop after arriving, then you may meet a taxi after crossing the Itabaca Channel from the Baltra Island airport. The taxi will take you right to your Highlands visitor site. Traveling from Puerto Ayora, you will likely arrive with your travel group on a motor coach or open air bus.

Activities in the Santa Cruz Highlands

Los Gemelos- Meaning "Twins," in Spanish, these two massive sinkholes are a sight to behold, where you can hike through a scalesia forest to see the extinct remains of two volcanoes that collapsed.
Lava Tunnels - Another impressive volcanic feature of the highlands are the lava tunnels, naturally hollowed out geologic features that created tunnels when the flowing surface lava hardened over hot magma that continued to flow underneath.
El Chato Ranch- Walk through the green pastures of this highland hacienda where giant tortoises roam in their natural habitat.