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Galapagos - Once in a lifetimeGalapagos Islands adventure Visiting the Galapagos Islands isn’t cheap, but it’s a once in a lifetime trip you won’t want to miss. Giant turtles, monitor lizards and blue-footed birds, they all have one thing in common here on the Galapagos Islands. Because of their remote location, far out in the Pacific Ocean, the wildlife on the island has hardly evolved. There are no natural predators on the islands and the animals here have lived undisturbed for centuries. They’re not (yet) fearful of humans and won’t shy away. Nowhere else in the world can you see such a unique ecosystem and get so close to the wild animals. They seem completely unperturbed by your presence and will pose patiently for you as you snap away. A rare glimpse into the far end of the world, or as Charles Darwin described it: ‘a little world within itself’.During your Galapagos Islands travel, you’ll travel by boat as part of a small international group, visiting the most interesting Galapagos islands. You’ll go on land in small groups; walk among the giant turtles on Santa Cruz, snorkel with the seals at Isla Plata and spot your first blue footed booby on Santa Fe. We’ve selected our tourist superior boats based on the best nature guides, the most interesting route (southern route past the islands) and the best value for money. The prices for Galapagos tours are kept artificially high in order to protect the incredibly fragile flora and fauna of the islands. |
| Duration |
5 days / 4 nights Departure daily, subject to availability |
Accommodation |
4 nights on board boat in double cabin, tourist superior class |
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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 |
Boat transfers on the Golondrina |
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 - arrivalTo get to the Galapagos Islands from Peru, you’ll first fly to Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador where you can catch a connecting flight to the Galapagos. As you step off the plane at Balta airport, you’re immediately greeted by a warm, sunny climate. Wipe your feet on the disinfectant mat (no smuggling rare bacteria into the archipelago!). All visitors to the Galapagos Islands need to pay their entrance fee on arrival. The Galapagos archipelago is a National Park and to limit the number of visitors the entrance fee is kept artificially high at US $100 per person. The fee can be paid in cash only so make sure you have enough dollars on you.Outside the arrivals hall, you’ll find the minibus waiting to take you to Puerto Ayora, the first stop on your Galapagos Islands travel. On the way to the harbour, the minibus will make a short stop at land turtle reserve. Swap your shoes for rubber wellies (it’s swampy) and keep your camera ready. After this first glimpse of the Galapagos wildlife, you’ll drive on to the harbour where you’ll board the boat. Your exact route and itinerary depends on which boat you’ll be sailing on, and, of course, the weather conditions and any orders from the authorities regarding sailing routes. Our daily itinerary as described is a good indication of what to expect, though not necessarily in this order and its always subject to change. |
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Day 2 Visit to one of the Galapagos islands, e.g. FloreanaOn the first morning of your Galapagos Islands travel module, the boat has dropped anchor at the island of Floreana, so its time to get out the snorkel and flippers. You might have had a rocky first night on the boat as you’ve covered quite a lot of distance during the night. Around Devil’s Crown, a volcanic rock formation jutting out of the sea, there’s an underwater world just waiting to be explored. If you’re lucky you might spot the Moorish Idol, one of the most beautiful fish in the Galapagos and, chances are you’ll be joined in the water by a playful young sea lion.There’s plenty to see above water as well. If you really want to impress the folks back home, make sure you have a letter or a postcard with you to post at the Post Office Bay, with one of the most remote (and rare!) stamps in the world. The first whalers on the islands put a letter box here so they could leave messages for other ships visiting the islands and send letters home. That said, you didn’t come here for remote letter boxes and rare stamps; at Punta Cormorant you can spot some unique species of birds. This small slither of land, with beaches surrounding a small lagoon, is home to a large colony of flamingos and you can also spot sea turtles and stingrays basking in the warm shallow waters. In the afternoon, chill out on the sundeck back on the boat as you sail on to the next island. Don’t forget to peer over the railing every now and then; we were joined by a large group of dolphins that followed our boat for miles. |
Day 3 Visit to next island, e.g. EspanolaOn every morning of your Galapagos Islands trip, you’re greeted by a new view from your cabin window when you wake up. This morning, it’s the coast of Espanola, the next island on your five day Galapagos tour. After breakfast, you’ll climb into the small dingy and step ashore at Punta Suarez. Follow the trail across the solidified lava, past the sea lions frolicking in the waves. Beside the giant albatross, you’ll also see the rather amusing blue footed boobies that look like they’ve had their feet dunked in a can of bright turquoise paint.The trail leads up to a fantastic viewpoint, overlooking a spectacular blow-hole in the rocks; these holes are like a natural fountain, shooting water high into the air whenever a large wave crashes in. Punta Suarez is generally regarded as less spectacular than Gardner Bay, further along the island but we beg to differ. Punta Suarez also has a long, wide-swept beach where you can see lots of mockingbirds. We sat down in the soft white sand and let the curious little birds get very close. |
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Day 4 Visit to third island, e.g. Santa FeOn day four of your Galapagos Islands tour, you’ll be visiting two islands, located between the larger islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. In the morning, you’ll step ashore at Santa Fe. This island is the only place in the world, even the only island in the archipelago, where you can find the huge land iguana.During lunch, the captain will set sail for the Plaza islands. There’s two of them; north and south Plaza. The northern island is closed for visitors so you’ll be visiting south Plaza. The Plazas are known for their large population of multi-coloured iguanas, cacti and soft white beaches. There’s a huge colony of noisy sea lions spread out across the smooth rocks along the shore. Clinging to the steep rock face you can spot pelicans, Audobon shearwaters and blue-footed gannets. |
Day 5 Return to Santa Cruz - departureToday is your last chance to admire all these amazing animals up close as you slowly set course for Baltra, the final destination of your Galapagos Islands adventure. The island of North Seymour is just north of Baltra, which is why it’s often used as a last stop on the Galapagos tour. This is where you can admire more of the blue-footed gannets and frigate birds. The male frigate birds have a red gular pouch that they can blow up like a big red balloon to impress the ladies. On your walk across the island, you might be treated to an acrobatic airshow as a frigate bird pulls out all the stops to steal a fresh catch from a rival seagull. Back on the boat, it’s time for a final lunch so you’ll be back at Baltra with a full stomach ready to catch your flight back to the mainland. The minibus is waiting to take you back to the airport, but before you check in for your flight, pop into one of the small shops to get a Galapagos stamp in your passport, proof you’ve actually been there. Your Galapagos Islands travel ends at Baltra airport. If you’d like to stick around in this remote piece of paradise a little longer, we can book an extra night in Puerto Ayora for you. Just let us know on your Quote Request Form. |
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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. Boat The boats can carry up to 16 passengers and have 8 double cabins (bunk beds) or a suite or single cabin. Each cabin has a private bathroom with toilet, shower, hot running water and A/C. There is a professional on-board crew of 6-7 plus English-speaking nature guides. The route described is only an example and may differ from the actual route you take, subject to availability and departure date of the boats. Tipping We’d like to advise you that it’s customary to tip the guide and boat crew at the end of your Galapagos Islands travel module. Generally $8-$10 per day for your guide and $12-$18 per day for the crew. You’ll find more details in the instruction booklet in your cabin. The suggested amounts are quite considerable so please feel free to give whatever amount you feel comfortable with. You could also give the tip with the entire group, in which case everyone can include their contribution in an envelope and the individual amounts remain anonymous. |
Our fleet of Galapagos cruise boats
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Return to the overview of our Galapagos tours
Or check out our Peru holidays
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