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Galapagos island hoppingGalapagos Islands tour On this Galapagos Islands tour, you'll spend a couple of days immersing yourself in island life of the Galapagos. The Galapagos Islands lie 1000km off the coast of Ecuador and are famed for their unique ecosystem and unusual plants and wildlife. For millions of years the animals have lived happily without the threat of natural predators, which means they don’t (yet) feel threatened by the presence of human visitors. It’s fascinating to see, and almost be able to touch, the animals without them shying away from you. This module will give you a chance to follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and discover a magical kingdom of rare animals and plants in this tiny archipelago at the edge of the world.This Galapagos Islands tour isn’t your average boat trip. Instead of spending rocky nights in a bunk bed below deck, you’ll be stepping ashore at the end each day and sleeping in a comfortable hotel on dry land. From Santa Cruz, you’ll hop to Isabela and then to Bartolome. You’ll be visiting the islands as part of a small international group; sailing to places where most of the boat cruises don’t go whilst still seeing the same unique wildlife. On the islands, you’re free to roam as you wish; take a stroll through the tiny harbour and enjoy a beautiful sunset with the sea lions barking in the distance and a chirpy frigate bird flying overhead. Even though boats have very limited capacity, Galapaos island hopping tours are more frequently available and you won’t need to worry about those sea legs… |
| Duration |
5 days / 4 nights on request |
Accommodation |
4 nights in comfortable eco lodges on three different Galapagos islands |
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Price |
£ per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes |
Accommodation full board, transport, excursions as described with English-speaking guide |
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Transport |
Private transfers, boat transfers |
Excludes |
Return flight Galapagos Islands (approx £ p.p.), airport taxes, entrance fee Galapagos Archipelago (US$110 p.p. to be paid locally), personal expenses, drinks, tips |
Day 1 Santa Cruz - arrivalAt the end of a two hour flight from Quito or Guayaquil you’ll arrive at the Galapagos islands, and the beginning of your Galapagos Islands tour. You might expect to trip up over the abundant wildlife here, but you’ll need to get a bit further out from Baltra airport for that. As soon as you board the small ferry from Baltra to Santa Cruz island, you’re immediately met by huge pelicans skimming across the water and sea lions sunbathing on the jetty. On your way to the turtle sanctuary, the minibus stops for a couple of minutes to let the huge land turtle cross the road and that’s when you realise you’re in Mother Nature’s playground, the Galapagos!On arrival at Baltra airport, you’ll be met by a guide from your hotel to take you across the water to the island of Santa Cruz. On the way to the harbour of Puerto Ayora you’ll make a stop at the Los Gemelos craters and lava tunnels and go on a short hike through the area to see the giant Galapagos land turtles in their natural habitat. The trail’s very swampy, so you’ll exchange your shoes for rubber wellies before you set off. During the hike, you’ll stop off for lunch at a scenic spot in the highlands. Later that afternoon, you can meet the world’s most famous giant turtle Lonesome George at the Charles Darwin Research Centre. At the hotel, settle in to your room and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool. After dinner at the hotel, you’ll be briefed on your Galapagos Islands tour itinerary for the next couple of days. The exact itinerary is always subject to change, depending on instructions by the local authorities or weather conditions. The daily itinerary as outlined below is an example of what to expect. |
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Day 2 Waters around Santa CruzAfter breakfast you’ll be picked up at the hotel by your guide for a trip to the Academy Bay, just off the coast of Santa Cruz. Bring your swimming gear today because this is your chance to go snorkelling with the sea lions, a real highlight of your Galapagos Islands tour! They’re incredibly playful and love to follow the air bubbles from your snorkel and they’re completely fearless swimming right towards you and shooting away just in front of you. This is about as close as you can ever get.Further up at Tortuga Bay, you can jump back into the water to join another colony of sea lions, and you might see the (harmless) sharks and rays here. Once you’re done playing with the sea lions and relaxing on the beach, go for a walk up to the breeding grounds of the sea iguana. These iguanas are almost jet-black and look like a close relative of the dinosaurs (well, a small one). They spend the day lazing in the sun in small groups and taking an occasional dip in the water to cool off again. The guide will prepare lunch on the beach and, later that afternoon, you’ll return to the hotel where you can freshen up before setting sail to the next destination of your Galapagos Islands tour. |
Santa Cruz - Floreana, 2 hours sailingFrom Santa Cruz, it’s three hours sailing to Floreana. After breakfast you’ll be going on a hike across the highlands of this volcanic island. The rocks around the islands are the breeding grounds for several species of birds. Bring your binoculars to spot the blue-footed gannets, frigate birds (the males with their funny puffed up red throats) and the swallow-tailed gulls with their young. On arrival at Floreana check in to your eco lodge which is made up of several small huts along the beach. On this evening of your Galapagos Islands tour, they'll be a short briefing and a barbecue on the beach. |
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Day 3 Floreana - Isabella, 2 hours sailingOn day three of your Galapagos Islands tour, you'll wake up to the sound of singing frigate birds and, after breakfast, head to the Floreana visitor centre. Floreana was the first island of the Galapagos to be inhabited by humans. During the short tour, the guide will tell you all about the history of the animals and the people of the island. After the tour and a lavish lunch, you’ll head back to the hotel to get ready for the trip to Isabella. During the two hour boat trip, make sure you watch over the railings to see the dolphins in the water. On arrival at Isabella, you can take another swim or just laze around on the beach. In the evening try one of the local fish dishes and a cocktail at the beach side restaurant. |
Day 4 Isabella - Santa Cruz, 4 hours sailingToday you’ll be exploring the waters around the largest island, Isabella. Your first stop is La Tintoreras, the natural sanctuary of the white-tip ref shark and you can see the sharks resting in the shallow channel in between the small lava rocks and huge lava fields. Mother Nature really pulled out all the stops here! The emerald sea, dark green mangroves and the hills of Isabella in the background are just picture perfect. The sharks lie almost motionless as they catch forty winks in the warm water of the shallows clear reef and it’s funny to watch the ever playful sea lions teasing the sharks as they dart around. You’ll also go ashore to see the sea iguanas and the penguin colony at Puerto Vamil. Before lunch, you’ll head back to the lodge and sail back to Santa Cruz, for the last night of your Galapagos Islands tour. Take a stroll through the friendly little town or look around for a couple of fun souvenirs before rounding off your Galapagos islands hopping trip with a romantic candlelit dinner back at the hotel. |
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Day 5 Santa Cruz - departureAfter breakfast you’ll be transferred back to Baltra airport for the return journey of your Galapagos Islands tour. Enjoy the last views across the beautiful landscape and keep your eyes peeled; the animals tend to pop up in the most unexpected places. A pelican landed on the roof of our minibus and we spotted a sea lion dozing on a bench at the airport. However, having seen the animals in their natural habitat completely unfazed by your presence, it didn’t even seem that unusual. With your head and your camera full of unforgettable images of this little piece of paradise, it’s time to board the plane back to Ecuador and on to Peru or Bolivia. If you’d like to see have a Galapagos Islands adventure from the water, take a look at our 5 day boat cruise: Galapagos once in a lifetime. |
General informationFlightsThere are daily flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands. If you’re planning on doing a (multi-day) boat cruise you’ll always need a return flight. If you're flying to the Galapagos from Peru (or vice versa) as part of your Peru itinerary, we can arrange an extra night in Quito or Guayaquil for you if necessary. Diving The Galapagos Islands are an underwater treasure trove and one of the most spectacular diving spots in the world. Due to its isolated location, the lack of natural predators and the volcanic origin of the islands, the animals have been able to evolve in a truly unique way. Diving with octopus, dolphins, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks, manta rays and even hammerheads is not unusual here. There are day trips from Puerto Ayora. Expect to pay around $80-$120 per person incl. all equipment and guide. It’s not cheap, but it’s probably one of the best diving experiences you’ll ever have. |
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Galapagos Islands tour accommodation images
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Return to the overview of our Galapagos tours
Or check out our Peru holidays
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