9-Day Galápagos Islands Cruise with HX Expeditions

Two days ago, we set out on our latest bucket list adventure: the Galápagos Islands. A place where evolution isn’t just theory—it’s daily life.

We’re following in Darwin’s footsteps as we spend the next week island-hopping and getting up close with giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, sea lions, sharks, and as many of the islands’ Big 15 as we can track down.

And our basecamp for this wild expedition? HX’s Santa Cruz II. This 90-passenger ship is our floating home away from shore—complete with comfortable cabins, creative cuisine, and some well-earned cocktails every evening after days filled with adventure on land and beneath the waves.

But before the islands came Quito. Our nine-day, all-inclusive journey started in Ecuador’s capital—the highest on the planet—where we explored historic sites, tasted authentic local flavors, and stood with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern. From there, HX flew us out to the islands, bussed us to the port, and set us on our first zodiac ride—delivering us to the ship that will carry us through this unforgettable journey.

So if you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing the Galápagos for yourself and want to see what every detail is like, sit back, relax, and enjoy the adventure.