Galapagos Islands Adventure
Explore the flora, fauna & spectacular scenery of two biodiverse Galapagos Islands: Santa Cruz & Isabela, with an extra night on Isabela! Optional extension to Quito
Overview
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| Style | Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 24 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. More of these packages
Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout |
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| Departures | March – December 2020 | Group Size | 16 travelers max |
| Themes | Active, Bucket List, Nature & Wildlife | ||
| Activity Level | Advanced | ||
| What to Expect | This fast-paced, locally hosted tour involves a significant amount of walking or hiking, often on uneven terrain, and reaches high altitudes requiring a high level of physical fitness to fully enjoy the trip. | ||
| Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. | ||
Package includes
- Flights
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round-trip flights from Miami (MIA) including fuel surcharges and taxes and fees
- All transfers, ground transportation & Galapagos flights
- Transportation between islands in shared charter speedboat
- Superior class accommodations in Quito and in the Galapagos
- 10 Meals: 6 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 3 dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours with a naturalist guide on the islands
- Snorkeling gear
- Galapagos National Park Fee ($100), Transit Control Card ($20), & Isabela Port Fee ($10)
Optional add-ons
- Optional Quito Extension
Why you'll love it
- Prepare to be awe-struck as you journey past the lush flora and fauna of the Scalesia Forest to discover Los Gemelos lava chambers.
- Mingle with the Galapagos tortoises at a 600-acre Giant Tortoise Reserve where the gentle giants are free to roam about the private area, grazing on the grounds and finding places to sleep.
- Explore Tortuga Bay with a small hike to the famous prickly-pear cactus forest where you will see an abundance of wildlife, such as Darwin Finches, Lava Lizards and more!
- Kayak at Punta Estrada and paddle through the lava channel walls to see the vibrant blue hues of the islands' iconic blue-footed boobies.
- Keep your eyes peeled for whales, dolphins, and manta rays as you set off for Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island via charter speedboat.
- Get your camera ready as you walk through a jagged lava field to explore the biodiversity in Las Tintoreras, such as whitetip reef sharks, sea lions, and marine iguanas, and end your trip with an opportunity to snorkel in the shallow waters.
- Observe the fascinating marine life in the crystal-clear waters of Concha de Perla, including sea turtles, tropical fish, and sea lions.
The Galapagos Islands are among Ecuador’s jewels. More than 600 miles offshore in the Pacific, these islands are home to fascinating species of birds and animals such as marine iguanas, giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, pelicans and more! Follow in the intrepid footsteps of Charles Darwin on an active adventure and discover the unique wildlife that inspired his theory of evolution. Stay on Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands traveling from island to island via speedboat rides for an incredible Galapagos experience, which includes flights, first-class hotels and most meals, as well as a fast-paced program of hiking, exploration, and observation of the islands' delicate ecosystems.
Plus, our program is new and improved this season, now with an extra night on Isabela Island, making your experience even more spectacular! Spend your extra day visiting Flamingo Lagoon and relaxing as you soak up the beauty, sunshine, and wildlife of those biodiverse islands.
So lace up your boots, strap on your daypacks, and don't wait a moment longer to book our new Galapagos Islands Adventure package. Space is truly very limited, and at these prices, you won't find a better value-for-money vacation anywhere.
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA/Arrive Quito, Ecuador
- Depart the USA on your flight bound for Quito, Ecuador
- Upon arrival in Quito this evening, meet our representative and transfer by hotel shuttle service to your hotel for check-in
Accommodations:Wyndham Quito Airport or similar
Full Day ItineraryThis evening, arrive in Quito (9,350 feet above sea level) and after customs formalities, you will be met and transferred by scheduled shuttle service to your hotel for check-in and overnight.
Day 2 Quito, Baltra Island & Santa Cruz Island
- Transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra Island
- Take a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island
- Discover Los Gemelos lava chambers
- Explore a 600-acre private giant tortoise reserve
- Continue to Puerto Ayora for check-in and welcome drink
- Enjoy a welcome dinner with fellow travelers
Accommodations:Hotel Solymar Included meals:Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra, gateway to the Galapagos Islands, to begin your adventure. Next, you'll take a short ferry ride across Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island, and then drive through the various micro climates on your way to the village of Puerto Ayora on the south side of the island.
Today you'll see Los Gemelos (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers, an awe-inspiring visual reminder of the power of nature. The path to the lava chambers is a wonderful introduction to the great biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands, teeming with endemic flora and fauna, including a scalesia forest draped in liverwort and mosses, as well as numerous birds including Darwin Finches.
Afterward, drive to a 600-acre private reserve where giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze and sleep. Feel free to mingle with these gentle giants. As prehistoric as these creatures look, wait until you hear what they sound like! Galápago is Spanish for tortoise, and the islands were named for these amazing creatures. There will be a selection of field boots for your use if conditions are muddy.
Next, you'll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the remnants of an illuminated lava tunnel. Created by ancient lava flows, the tunnel is 1,350 feet long with a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, adorned with stalagmites & stalactites, mineral-colored walls, and a rippled lava floor.
Continue to Puerto Ayora to check into your hotel. You may choose to visit the Charles Darwin Center independently in the afternoon. Later this evening, enjoy a welcome dinner with fellow travelers.
Day 3 Santa Cruz Island & Tortuga Bay
- Set out on tour of beautiful Tortuga Bay
- See endemic native species on a walk through a cactus forest
- Continue to a sandy beach to observe marine creatures in the shallow water
- After a chance to swim, take a short hike to an iguana nesting site
- Walk through a prickly pear forest
- Kayak in Punta Estrada to visit the home of the blue-footed boobies
Accommodations:Hotel Solymar Included meals:Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryDepart after breakfast for a tour of Tortuga Bay. A short hike down a path will take you through a cactus forest, home to numerous Darwin Finches, Mockingbirds, Yellow Warblers, Lava Lizards and many more of the Galapagos’ endemic and native species. From the white sandy beach, you will have a chance to observe different marine species, like stingrays and baby reef sharks in the shallow waters of the mangroves.
After an opportunity to swim, take a short hike to a marine iguana nesting site. The walk back is through a prickly pear forest carpeted in crimson sesuvium with black lava outcroppings. Continue back to the hotel on foot or via speed boat.
This afternoon, kayak at Punta Estrada where you will paddle through towering lava channel walls to visit the home of the blue-footed boobies.
Day 4 Santa Cruz Island & Isabela Island
- Morning at leisure
- Board a speedboat and set off for Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island
- Enjoy a short exploration of Puerto Villamil
Accommodations:Iguana Crossing Included meals:Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, enjoy your bayside hotel at leisure. This afternoon, board a shared charter speedboat and set off for Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. The trip takes approximately two hours, and you may see some marine life such as whales, dolphins and manta rays among others. Upon arrival at Puerto Villamil, check in at your hotel. Afterwards, enjoy a short exploration of Puerto Villamil. This evening, meet with fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 5 Isabela Island
- Explore a small group of islands called Las Tintoreras
- Take a walk through a lava field that is home to a colony of marine iguanas
- Visit the Flamingo Lagoon
Accommodations:Iguana Crossing Included meals:Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast at the lodge, board a small craft and head out to Las Tintoreras, a small group of islands located just off the coast of Puerto Villamil. Here, you’ll take an intriguing walk through a jagged lava field, passing abundant colonies of nesting marine iguanas and sea lions, to see a small canal of shallow waters, full of resting whitetip reef sharks. After the walk, you have the opportunity to snorkel in this warm, shallow bay surrounded by mangroves, for an opportunity to see whitetip reef sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, and of course, the mystery of the mangrove below the surface.
This afternoon, visit the Flamingo Lagoon, an area where these unique birds come to rest and feed.
Day 6 Isabela Island & Santa Cruz Island
- Set out to see Concha de Perla
- Board a speedboat and return to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island
- Enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant
Accommodations:Hotel Solymar Included meals:Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast at the lodge, set out to see Concha de Perla to observe the fascinating marine life that inhabits this natural pool of crystal-clear water.
This afternoon board a shared charter speedboat heading back to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and enjoy some free time. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner on your last night in the Galapagos.
Day 7 Santa Cruz Island & Quito, depart Quito
- Transfer to the Baltra airport for your flight back to Quito. Enjoy the comforts of the Layover Stay lounge before your international flight back to the USA that will depart late tonight.
- Arrive in the USA early tomorrow morning
- Or take advantage of your already included airfare and extend your stay in Quito!
Included meals:Breakfast
Quito Optional Extension
Why not take advantage of your already-included international airfare to extend your stay in Quito! Passengers taking the post-tour extension will arrive in the U.S. 3 days later than the dates listed.
Day 7 Arrive Quito
- Upon arrival in Quito this evening, transfer to your hotel for check-in
Accommodations:Swissotel Quito Included meals:Breakfast
Day 8 Quito
- City tour of Quito and Equatorial Monument
Accommodations:Swissotel Quito Included meals:Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryToday, enjoy a city tour of Quito. Arguably one of the loveliest of all South American cities, Quito offers a spectacular setting surrounded by mountains and several snow-capped volcanoes, included the still-active Mt. Pichincha. Begin your walking tour at the Presidential Palace. Continue to the Monastery of San Francisco, Quito's oldest church and the largest colonial building constructed in Latin America. Visit the largest neo-gothic basilica in the Americas, noted for its gargoyles in the form of native Ecuadorian animals such as iguanas, armadillos and Galapagos tortoises. The next stop, La Compañía de Jesús, has an ornate and richly sculptured facade and interior, with colored columns, 10-sided altars, and gilded balconies.
After lunch, drive north of Quito to the Equatorial Monument, the Mitad del Mundo ("Middle of the World"), commemorating the exact place where Charles Marie de la Condamine established the Equator, where you can stand with one foot in the northern and one in the southern hemisphere.
For those interested in seeing a spectacular panoramic view over Quito and the snow-capped surrounding volcanoes of Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo, take a ride on the Teleférico. This gondola lift transitions to approximately 13,285 feet above sea level for a breathtaking experience. For those who opt out of the Teleférico ride, enjoy a visit to the Quito National Museum. NOTE: The Teleférico experience reaches high altitudes and may not be suitable for all passengers. Warm clothes are suggested.
Later this evening, join fellow travelers for an included dinner.
Day 9 Quito & Otavalo, depart Quito
- Explore the Otavalo Market
- Visit the Peguche Waterfall
- Transfer back to the airport for your international flight home
- Arrive in the USA early tomorrow morning
Included meals:Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, travel to Otavalo, the land of the “Otavaleños” Ecuadorian community where all families speak Quichua as their first language and Spanish as their second. See women garbed in colorful embroidered clothing, and men in broad-brimmed hats with blue ponchos.
Explore the Otavalo Market located around the Plaza de Ponchos, the most famous indigenous market in Ecuador. The Otavaleños travel to the town to sell a multicolored variety of handicrafts including sweaters, ponchos, hats, necklaces and other handmade products.
Following lunch, visit the Peguche Waterfall that offers great views of the falls from several hiking trails and bridges.
Later today, transfer back to Quito. Enjoy the comforts of the Layover Stay lounge before your international flight back to the USA that will depart late tonight.
Hotels
Swissotel Quito
Superior First Class
Swissotel Quito is one of the city’s top luxury hotels, located in the commercial and residential area of the Floresta neighborhood.
Wyndham Quito Airport
First Class
Experience the warmest of welcomes when you visit the 4-star Wyndham Quito Airport hotel. With a prime location at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), the Wyndham Quito Airport is your top choice for an overnight stopover or day-room in transit. From the moment you step into the lobby, you will find impeccable services and amenities. Relax in your well-appointed room, indulge in the finest international dishes at the onsite restaurant or meet up with friends at the lobby bar for a signature cocktail.
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
Reviews
Trip Details
- What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
- I'm traveling solo. Can you help me find a roommate? Yes, you can connect with other travelers to share a room and avoid single occupancy rates.
- Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
- Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
- Do I need a visa or any other documents? Please review the requirements about which documents you need before you travel.
- Should I purchase travel protection? Yes! Protect your travel investment with a travel protection plan, available to U.S. residents (excluding overseas territories).
- What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
- What should I know about Ecuador? Check out our guide for travel tips, the best time to go, blog posts, videos, and more.
- What should I know about Galapagos? Check out our guide for travel tips, the best time to go, blog posts, videos, and more.
