Discover the enchanted Galapagos Islands which offer endless opportunities to witness a unique abundance of wildlife in a setting unlike any other on the planet. Due to its isolation, the Galapagos formed a natural sanctuary that preserves species, allowing them to evolve over countless millennia. This is one of the few places on earth that allows such close and intimate contact with the wildlife. The tour also provides many benefits to local communities and is socially and environmentally responsible. Be part of an educational and inspirational journey of a lifetime in one of the most fiercely protected marine wilderness in the world!
7 Days / 6 Nights
Day by Day
- Day 1 Arrive to Quito, Carlota Hotel
Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city of America declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Depending on arrival time, you can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help you to organize a day trip (please request in advance).
- Day 2 Arrival in The Galapagos – Santa Cruz Island, Finch Bay
Today you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight to Baltra airport in the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival you will be picked up and transferred to Santa Cruz, a nearby island, crossing the narrow Itabaca channel by ferry. Here you will visit a private ranch where you will enjoy lunch before heading out for a walk-in search of the giant tortoises. During this visit, you will also visit some lava tubes, which are formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies.
- Day 3 Bay Tour Excursion & Charles Darwin Research Station – Santa Cruz Island, Finch Bay
Today after breakfast you will enjoy a half-day tour of Academy Bay. Be sure to pack everything you need for this trip. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it. During the tour, you will take a boat to Academy Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are very curious animals and like to approach to swim next to you underwater. In the afternoon we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands.
- Day 4 Flight to Isabela Island, Breeding Center and Flamingo Lagoon – Isabela Island, Iguana Crossing
Today we will take a flight to the largest island in the archipelago and where most of the volcanic activity in the Galapagos is reported. The island was formed by six shield volcanoes, Alcedo, Cerra Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra, and Wolf; five of them are still active which makes the island one of the most volcanically active places on earth.
- Day 5 Hike in sierra negra – Isabela Island, Iguana Crossing
After driving up from Puerto Villamil to the trail head, we will prepare our backpacks for the hike into a young forest ecosystem, a world of recent geological history. Our destination is the rim of Sierra Negra Crater, an active volcano which last erupted in June 2018. Upon arrival, we take in breathtaking views and explore the circumference of the massive, lava-filled crater, a caldera that is over six miles across at its widest point. If we feel energetic enough, we can continue our hike to Volcan Chico.
- Day 6 Flight Back to Quito, Carlota Hotel
After our final breakfast on the Galapagos Island and the last photos taken of sea lions, we have a flight to Baltra’s airport in time to catch the flight back to the mainland.
- Day 7 Departure – End of Services
Today our trip will end and you will have your International departures. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “Buen viaje”!
Price
Price from $3,865. Based on double occupancy, standard room.
Contact us for pricing and to connect with your personal travel expert.
