Email Print

iCruise Cruises
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
MS Santa Cruz II Ship Information
Itineraries
11 Night Galapagos Islands In Darwins Footsteps Plus Machu Picchu (Eastern Route) Cruise and Land Tour

Virtual Tours

MS Santa Cruz II

Category SSF - Seven Seas Suite Forward
Seven Seas Suite (Forward)

Photos are examples only. Actual cabin colors and features may vary.

11 Night Galapagos Islands In Darwins Footsteps Plus Machu Picchu (Eastern Route) Cruise and Land Tour

From Lima, (Peru) to Quito, (Ecuador)

Array
(
    [Thumbnail] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-santa-cruz-ii_13139_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

            [1] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => https://c558963.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/706588.jpg
                )

            [2] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-500-science-corner-santa-cruz-ii-hgr-149444_1920_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

            [3] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-501-sky-deck-santa-cruz-ii-hgr-149430_1920_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

            [4] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-700-beagle-restaurant-ms-santa-cruz-ii-hgr-157283_1920-photo_clara_tuma_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

            [5] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-901-gym-ms-santa-cruz-ii-hgr-157292_1920-photo_clara_tuma_467x467_tb.jpg
                )

            [6] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-900-santa-cruz-ii-hot-tub-hgr-147706_1920_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

            [7] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-39-ms-santa-cruz-explorer-cabin-ee-cabin-215-joined-with-217_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

            [8] => Array
                (
                    [ThumbnailPath] => ../images/thumbnails/ship_849_1280x960-40-ms-santa-cruz-darwin-suite-ds-hgr-157082_1920-_photo_clara_tuma_480x480_tb.jpg
                )

        )

)

Track this Cruise. Get Price Alerts

Get FREE Price Alerts

Subscribe to our weekly cruise deals email and enjoy FREE price change alerts and updates for this cruise and others like it.

Email Address

Track this Cruise

We promise to protect your privacy and personal data. You can review our privacy policy here.

MS Santa Cruz II
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
3 Stars

Cruise #: 13952399

Sail Date: Sunday, Dec 29, 2024

Return Date: Thursday, Jan 9, 2025

See More Dates >

Room Types & Rates:

Oceanview		$11,285
Balcony		Call to Book1-800-427-8473
Suite		$13,194

*Prices are per person based on double occupancy

Includes taxes & fees

Request a Quote

Special Promotions

Save

How To Book This Cruise

1-800-427-8473

Expert travel agents are ready to assist you. Please reference Cruise Number CN-13952399.

Get A Quote

Just complete this short quote form and one of our agents will get you a quote right away.

Day by Day Summary and Map

11 Night Galapagos Islands In Darwins Footsteps Plus Machu Picchu (Eastern Route) Cruise and Land Tour

Land Segment of Itinerary

Sunday - Dec 29, 2024

Day
1

Lima, Peru

Start your adventure in ancient and modern Lima. Welcome to Peru, one of the most fascinating countries in South America! If you have time after your arrival in Lima before settling in at your hotel for an overnight stay, consider wandering the historical center, which is packed with elegant Spanish colonial architecture, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or why not walk along the oceanfront boardwalk in the upmarket Miraflores district. Here, you'll find many restaurants and cafes, as well as shops if you need to purchase anything ahead of your adventure. Lima is considered the food capital of Latin America, so be sure to try local dishes like ceviche, which is raw fish marinated in lime juice with onion and chili. ...
Read More

Land Segment of Itinerary

Monday - Dec 30, 2024

Day
2

Lima, Peru

Air Travel

Cusco, Peru

Explore the ancient seat of the Inca Empire. In the morning, you'll take a flight to Cusco, the ancient seat of the Inca Empire. A local guide will take you to check into your hotel, before inviting you on a guided tour of this enigmatic city. You'll see impressive Inca structures contrasted with ornate buildings from Spanish colonial times. Visit the 15th-century ceremonial compound of Sacsayhuaman, or admire the architecture of the Spanish Santo Domingo Church, a convent built on the ruins of Coricancha, the Inca Sun Temple. After your tour of the highlights of this cultural and architectural gem, we'll return to the hotel for dinner. ...
Read More

Land Segment of Itinerary

Tuesday - Dec 31, 2024

Day
3

Cusco, Peru

Bus Travel

Ollantaytambo, Peru

Train Travel

Aguas Calientes, Peru

Bus Travel

Machu Picchu, Peru

Bus Travel

Aguas Calientes, Peru

Train Travel

Ollantaytambo, Peru

Bus Travel

Cusco, Peru

Discover the lost city of the Incas. An early morning transfer will take you to Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley, from where you'll catch a train along the narrow-gauge line to Machu Picchu, passing through stunning highland scenery along the way. After around two hours, we'll stop at the small town of Aguas Calientes and take the short bus ride to Machu Picchu - the so-called Lost City of the Incas. You'll enjoy a guided tour of this once-hidden settlement, marveling at the stonewalls, terraces and ramps that are carved into the mountain. You'll love the peaceful atmosphere of Machu Picchu as you gaze at the lowland jungle from this city in the clouds. After lunch, we'll return to Cusco where you'll enjoy your final night at the hotel. ...
Read More

Land Segment of Itinerary

Wednesday - Jan 1, 2025

Day
4

Quito, Ecuador

Discover the vibrant city of Quito. Today, you'll enjoy a guided tour of Quito's remarkable Old Town - one of the largest and best-preserved colonial-era quarters in South America. Wander through cobblestone streets as you admire the architecture - and sample some delicious chocolate made from the finest Ecuadorian cacao along the way. Next, you'll head to the iconic 'Middle of the World City', located around 16 miles north of Quito. After lunch, you'll visit the famous monument that delineates the imaginary line of the Equator. Have your camera ready to capture the moment you stand with one foot in each hemisphere. ...
Read More

Land Segment of Itinerary

Thursday - Jan 2, 2025

Day
5

Quito, Ecuador

Bus Travel

Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador

Bus Travel

Quito, Ecuador

Straddle the Equator in the Middle of the World City. Today, enjoy a guided tour of Quito's remarkable Old Town, one of the largest and best-preserved colonial-era quarters in South America. Wander through cobblestone streets as you admire the architecture and sample delicious chocolate made from the finest Ecuadorian cacao along the way. Next, you'll head to the iconic 'Middle of the World City', located around 16 miles north of Quito. After lunch, you'll visit the famous monument that delineates the imaginary line that is the Equator. Have your camera ready to capture the moment you stand with one foot in each hemisphere. ...
Read More

Land Segment of Itinerary

Friday - Jan 3, 2025

Day
6

Quito, Ecuador

Air Travel

Cruise Segment of Itinerary

Day 6 - Friday - Jan 3, 2025

Day
6

Cruise Begins

Baltra, Galapagos, Ecuador

Isla Mosquera, Ecuador

Get ready to explore the spectacular Galapagos Islands. After breakfast, a short flight will take you to Baltra Island, a part of the spectacular Galapagos Archipelago. A transfer will take you straight to the port, where your comfortable expedition ship MS Santa Cruz II awaits you. Get your first glimpse of the islands' incredible wildlife on Mosquera Islet, home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in the archipelago. We'll take our small panga boats ashore for a closer look. As you stroll across the flat, sandy dunes, look out for blue-footed boobies and Sally Lightfoot crabs, and learn about the marine and terrestrial ecosystems from your naturalist guides. ...
Read More

Saturday - Jan 4, 2025

Day
7

San Cristobal Island (Puerto Baquerizo), Ecuador

San Cristobal Island (Puerto Baquerizo), Ecuador

Land Travel

Cerro Colorado, Ecuador

Land Travel

San Cristobal Island (Puerto Baquerizo), Ecuador

Punta Pitt, Ecuador

Meet the famous giant tortoises. Your first stop today is the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve, a breeding center for the endangered giant tortoise. It's also home to other endemic species, including the San Cristobal mockingbird and the lava lizard. The giant tortoise is probably the most iconic of all Galapagos wildlife, with a lifespan of over 100 years. They thrive here, ambling around forests similar to their natural habitat. Up to August 2024 we'll call at Cerro Brujo, on the island's west coast. With its white coral beaches, you'll literally be walking in Darwin's footsteps as the naturalist visited here in 1835. There are plenty of sea and shore birds to look out for here, as well as sea lions. After August 2024 we'll instead likely explore Punta Pitt in our small panga boats (dependent on local authority restrictions). This is the only site in the Galapagos Islands where you might see three species of boobies. Enjoy a nature walk, explore the coastline by boat, or snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear water. ...
Read More

Sunday - Jan 5, 2025

Day
8

Santa Fe Island, Ecuador

South Plaza, Ecuador

Spot wildlife against idyllic backdrops. We start the day with a scenic nature walk on the blissful beaches of Santa Fe, home to the endemic Barrington land iguana and a colony of sea lions. You can swim or snorkel from the small panga boats, take a kayak for a paddle around the island, or join a trip in a glass-bottomed boat to observe the marine life below. After a delicious lunch prepared by our onboard chefs, we head to South Plaza Island. Keep an eye out for frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, and Galapagos shearwaters gliding on the breeze. Here, among a dazzling array of flora, land iguanas laze by the shore while marine iguanas slip in and out of the water. ...
Read More

Monday - Jan 6, 2025

Day
9

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

Learn about local conservation efforts on Santa Cruz Island. Today, we pay a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora. At this giant tortoise breeding center, you can see recently hatched tortoises and Darwin's famous finches - the birds he used as a basis for his theory of evolution by natural selection. There's also an impressive forest of prickly pear cacti that is home to many land birds. Enjoy a cooler climate over lunch in the lush highlands, where giant tortoises shuffle about munching on grass and wallowing in pools. You'll also have time for another activity, such as mountain biking or visiting a sugar plantation. ...
Read More

Tuesday - Jan 7, 2025

Day
10

Punta Suarez, Ecuador

Gardner Bay

Islote Osborn, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Ecuador

Lava lizards and incredible birdlife. Your Galapagos Islands cruise reaches Espanola, the archipelago's southernmost island. Birdlife here is truly extraordinary. On cruises from April through December, look for Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and the mighty waved albatross. This is also a great chance to spot red Espanola lava lizards and marine iguanas, as well as see El Soplador, the famous blowhole that blasts water 75 feet into the air. After lunch onboard the ship, we'll head to the picturesque coral beach of Gardner Bay and nearby Osborn Islet to seek out sea lions, mockingbirds, and finches. If you're feeling active, you can go snorkeling or kayaking. ...
Read More

Wednesday - Jan 8, 2025

Day
11

Eden Islet, Ecuador

North Seymour Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

Green turtles, sharks, and rare bird colonies. The abundant wildlife-watching opportunities continue at Eden Islet, where we hope to see Galapagos green turtles, rays, and friendly reef sharks. On shore, look for distinctive frigatebirds with their rubbery, red throats. You can swim or snorkel to explore the reefs. You can also see the reefs from our glass-bottomed boat or by kayak. After lunch, we'll sail to North Seymour. The island is a great site for spotting colonies of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Sea lions and marine iguanas also congregate here, attracted by the bountiful sea life in its waters. ...
Read More

Thursday - Jan 9, 2025

Day
12

Baltra, Galapagos, Ecuador

Cruise Ends

Land Segment of Itinerary

Day 12 - Thursday - Jan 9, 2025

Day
12

Air Travel

Quito, Ecuador

From the Galapagos Islands back to Quito. Your expedition cruise draws to a close as you disembark at Baltra Island. A transfer will take you to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Quito to connect to your international flight. Flight to Quito must be requested at the time of booking. If you prefer, you can continue to Guayaquil for another adventure. To explore more of Ecuador, stay and join one of the optional Post-Programs. As you leave this fascinating region, you'll take with you incredible memories of amazing wildlife and wonderful experiences few have the privilege of enjoying. ...
Read More

Save

Other Sail Dates and Itineraries on MS Santa Cruz II

Sail Date	Itinerary Name	Interior From	Oceanview From	Balcony From	Suite From	Details

Save

Overlay Title

Request a Call - We will call you right back

We are sorry, there are no travel agents available right now to return your call. Please complete the form below and one of our travel agents will call you back as soon as they are online. Thank you and we look forward to serving you.

Title:

Your Name:

Country: