7 Day Galapagos Island Hopping Budget

It is recommended to book flights with an early arrival time to Baltra airport to make sure you can enjoy all of the activities of the tour. Option 1: Itinerary for flights arriving at Baltra before 12:00 PM At Baltra airport, an English speaking guide will pick you up to go to the port of Puerto Ayora (about 1 hour) where you can enjoy your lunch. Around 03:00 PM, you’ll take the small public speedboat to Isabela Island (about 2,5 hours). This can be a bumpy, wet ride so provide yourself a waterproof jacket and motion sickness medication if necessary. Upon arrival on Isabela Island, a driver will pick you up and you’ll visit the Flamingo Lagoon (short visit). After that, your driver will drop you off at your hotel. Accommodation in Hotel San Vicente or similar. Option 2: Itinerary for flights arriving at Baltra after 12:00 PM If your flight is scheduled to arrive after 12:00 PM, you’ll stay at Santa Cruz Island on the first day because the last speedboat to Isabela Island leaves around 03:00 PM. Please note that you won’t have lunch if you arrive after 02:00 PM. If you have time you have an activity, either Tortuga Bay or Charles Darwin Station. The rest of the tour usually looks like this: Day 2: Santa Fe, Day 3 Bahia half day tour & Tortuga Bay / Charles Darwin Station, Day 4 Santa Cruz highlands, afternoon boat to Isabela, Day 5 Wetlands & Tintoreras, Day 6 Los Tuneles, Day 7 morning boat to Santa Cruz and transfer out. Accommodation in Hotel Fernandina or similar. Note: Please note that the activity sequence depend on the availabilities of the different tours and transportation and your flight schedule. The sequence of your complete tour might change but you won’t miss any tours if you have an afternoon flight back to Ecuador on the last day.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will have a tour to The Wetlands. Here you will visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, where you will spot small and giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The next activity is a visit to The Wall of Tears. From 1946 to 1959, Isabela was designated as a penal colony by the Ecuadorian government and prisoners were obligated to build a wall with enormous blocks of solid lava. Due to the arduous labor and hard conditions prisoners lived in, this site is known as El Muro de Lagrimas (The Wall of Tears). Additionally, you will visit a small lava tunnel. Tunel del Estero, a 75m path with adequate lava plates ending in a staircase inside a lava tunnel. Above the tunnel you can see the intertidal landscape that offers a tapestry of Galapagos Sesuvium between El Túnel del Estero and Love Beach. * Please have in mind that the total length of the walk in The Wetlands area is approximately 3 to 4 hours. After lunch you will have a little break and then you will visit Tintoreras Islet. It is called like this due to a large crack, in which white-tip sharks known as Tintoreras come daily to rest at the bottom. You will have a transport which will take you to the pier of Puerto Villamil, here you will board a boat for 10 minutes to cross to the islet which is located across the bay. It will be necessary for passengers to use walking shoes or sneakers (closed shoes) to cross the volcanic rocks. You can also observe penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas and you can go snorkeling with colorful tropical fish while enjoying the beaches of Isabela. Accommodation in Hotel San Vicente or similar.

Early in the morning, you will go on a 30 to 40 minute boat ride from Puerto Villamil. The max group size is 10 participants per guide. You will explore the brilliant scenery in Los Tuneles which is considered the most beautiful place to snorkel in Isabela Island. Around the Los Tuneles you will find a highly contrasted color for snorkeling with clear, calm water. Additionally, the lava flows that passed through this area had formed unique geological formation and, of course, shaped like tunnels. You will get the chance to spot large quantities of seabirds such as the Albatros, Flamingos, Blue Footed Boobies and the magnificent frigatebird. Besides, you can find species feedings such as tortoises, swimming iguanas, sea lions, manta rays, Galapagos penguins, lobsters, and sea snakes. This exciting activity takes approximately about 6 hours including the boat rides and a snack before a short hike. The snorkeling area is about 800 meters and the average water temperature is 20 degrees Celsius. The departure time is between 7:00 AM and 11:30 AM and depends on availability and National Park regulations. So, depending on when you will go to Los Tuneles, you can choose to explore Concha Perla by yourself before or after this, since it is very close to the dock. If you would like to do the optional snorkeling there, you can get the snorkel equipment from your hotel and get to chance to spot even more animals. Accommodation in Hotel San Vicente or similar