About the Port
Prince Philip's Steps is a rocky stairway rising from a panga landing on Genovesa Island, known among naturalists as Bird Island for its dense seabird colonies. The climb leads to a lava plateau where Nazca boobies and red-footed boobies nest in large numbers, often alongside frigatebirds, storm petrels, and, on occasion, a short-eared owl. Genovesa itself is the exposed rim of a submerged volcanic crater, with Darwin Bay forming its sheltered inner cove.
Access is by panga rather than pier, so landings depend on calm seas and a short wet or dry disembarkation onto rock. The steps themselves are steep and uneven, rewarding a careful pace with close, largely undisturbed views of nesting birds found almost nowhere else on the islands. Because Genovesa lies far north within the archipelago, visits typically pair the steps with a separate excursion to Darwin Bay's beach and mangroves the same day.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Prince Philips Steps.
Scan the Lava Plateau for Owls
Beyond the seabird colonies atop the steps, patient eyes may catch a short-eared owl hunting storm petrels among the volcanic rubble. Allow the full hour ashore to wander the plateau's trails slowly, since the owls tend to stay still and low.
Watch Storm Petrels Swarm the Cliffs
Thousands of wedge-rumped storm petrels wheel erratically over the plateau's edge in one of the archipelago's densest seabird spectacles, a defense against hunting owls and frigatebirds. Bring binoculars, since the action often unfolds mid-air rather than in the nests underfoot.
Pair with Darwin Bay's Beach
Round out the day with the separate landing at Darwin Bay, where a flat coral-sand trail winds past nesting frigatebirds, herons, and lava gulls at eye level. The easy walk contrasts with the steep climb at the steps and takes about an hour.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Prince Philips Steps
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $11,340 | |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $28,710 | |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $40,770 | |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $12,510 | |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $18,720 | |
| Dec 19, 2026 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $14,490 | |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $25,020 | |
| Jan 16, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $13,950 | |
| Jan 30, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $14,247 | |
| Feb 13, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $14,481 | |
| Feb 27, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $14,040 | |
| Mar 13, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $15,021 | |
| Mar 27, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $15,849 | |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $14,760 | |
| Apr 24, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $43,290 | |
| May 8, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $16,380 | |
| May 22, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $39,042 | |
| Jun 5, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $41,850 | |
| Jun 12, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 14 | $26,400 | |
| Jun 19, 2027 | Silversea | Silver Origin | 7 | $14,160 |
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