The brand’s longest sailings to date, new nine-day itineraries offer a wider exploration of the Galápagos, encountering nearly all of the ‘Big 15’ wildlife species in a single voyage
Pioneers of expedition cruising to the Galápagos Islands and the leading DMC in Ecuador, Metropolitan Touring has unveiled its longest Galápagos expedition itineraries to date. Two new nine-day sailings have been designed to deliver a deeper, more comprehensive experience of the archipelago, visiting up to 10 islands.
Created in response to growing demand for longer, single-voyage discovery, the new sailings combine two shorter expedition routes into one seamless journey. The result is a broader ecological and geographic exploration, allowing guests to visit a wider cross-section of islands and habitats, reflecting the extraordinary biodiversity that has made the Galápagos one of the world’s most biodiverse and scientifically significant ecosystems.
A new standard for wildlife encounters
The new voyages visit up to 10 islands, while ensuring no island or visitor-spot is repeated, ensuring increased time in destination, a greater diversity of landing sites and expert naturalist guiding throughout the journey.
Designed to maximise wildlife encounters, guests can spot nearly all species included on the Galápagos ‘Big 15’ wildlife checklist – widely recognised by travel experts and tour operators as a collection of the region’s most celebrated endemic and iconic species. These include blue- and red-footed boobies, flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, land and marine iguanas and endangered giant tortoises.
Two extended routes and distinct regions
Guests can choose between two nine-day expeditions, each exploring different regions:
- Origin of Species: 24-cabin Yacht La Pinta sails the geologically older eastern islands, known for their rich biodiversity and important historical links to Charles Darwin’s early observations. Guests can expect diverse wildlife encounters including sea lion colonies, marine iguanas, and nesting seabirds, alongside opportunities to explore mangrove ecosystems, white-sand beaches and some of the region’s most accessible snorkelling sites
- Islands of Fire: 20-cabin Isabella II explores the central, northwestern and northeastern islands, some of the youngest and most volcanically active in the archipelago: dramatic lava landscapes, rugged coastlines and nutrient-rich waters that support extraordinary marine life. Guests may encounter flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins and large populations of marine iguanas
With one of the lowest passenger-to-guide ratios in the Galápagos, guests can enjoy small-group on-shore expeditions with a wide range of daily activities available, including hiking, kayaking, snorkelling, glass-bottom boat explorations and stand-up paddleboarding. Owing to the yachts’ size and the carrying capacity of each national park-designated visitor site, Yacht La Pinta and Yacht Isabella II ensure guests explore visitor sites without other vessels present 84% of the time, enhancing the sense of exclusivity and wildlife immersion.
Building on 70 years of regional expertise
Founded in 1953, Ecuadorian-owned Metropolitan Touring pioneered travel to the Galápagos Islands in 1969, and now operates a trio of expedition yachts: Santa Cruz II (currently operated by HX Expeditions) Isabela II and Yacht La Pinta. Proudly rooted in the region, the company has since played a leading role in shaping responsible tourism across mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos, and continues to expand its expedition portfolio while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability, local expertise and premium delivery.
A long-standing leader in environmental stewardship, Metropolitan Touring established the first recycling and waste management plant on Santa Cruz Island in 1996, now operated by the local municipality. The company also fronted the campaign for the Galápagos marine reserve expansion, granted in 2022, creating a migration corridor the size of Sri Lanka – with 2026 marking 40 years since the reserve was first established. In 2023, the brand initiated the biggest private investment of renewable energy in the archipelago’s history, installing over 350 solar panels at Finch Bay Hotel. Working closely with local communities, Metropolitan Touring has also welcomed over 1,600 local students and residents onboard its yachts, helping to further their knowledge, stewardship and love of the place they call home.
Now operating as fully carbon-neutral, Metropolitan Touring offsets guests’ carbon emissions by investing in forest conservation and restoration in the Andean Chocó, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Metropolitan Touring’s CEO, Paulina Burbano de Lara, says: “Our new extended itineraries reflect how today’s travellers want to experience the Galápagos, with more time and deeper understanding of the region. By combining our most successful expedition routes into longer journeys, we can deliver richer wildlife encounters, broader island exploration and the highest standards of expert-led guiding, while maintaining our long-standing commitment to conservation and responsible tourism.”
To book: Metropolitan Touring’s nine-day itineraries start from £8,057 per guest. Images: here
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Editor’s Note
Founded in 1953, Metropolitan Touring celebrates over 70 years as Ecuador’s leading DMC and pioneers of expedition cruising to the Galápagos Islands. The company owns a trio of expedition vessels in the archipelago, Santa Cruz II, Isabela II and Yacht La Pinta and one hotel, Finch Bay Hotel, on Santa Cruz Island. On the mainland, the boutique Casa Gangotena in the heart of Quito’s historic center, and Mashpi Lodge, a luxury cocoon from which to explore the forests to the northwest of Quito, form part of its portfolio. The carbon neutral company also operates in Colombia and Peru. In Ecuador, all guest carbon emissions are offset through the acquisition and management of endangered and biodiverse forests.
