Others

All activities as described in the itinerary. Snorkeling equipment: mask, snorkel, fins, and life vest. 24/7 assistance in English, Dutch, and Spanish.

Transport

Airport pickup and drop off at Baltra Airport at your arrival/departure time. Bus Transportation on and between the Islands as described in the itinerary. Bus Transportation between Baltra Airport – Itabaca Channel each way.

Accommodation

Accommodation in a single, double or triple room x7 Nights.

Meals

Breakfast x7 Lunch x6 Snack

Guide

Local naturalist guide (English & Spanish speaking).

Not included:

Insurance

Personal travel & health insurance.

Flights

Round trip flights between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

Others

Food & drinks that are not mentioned in the itinerary. Entrance fee for the Galapagos National Park: $ 100 p.p. cash only. Migratory Control Card / Ingala Transit Card: $ 20 p.p. cash only. Isabela dock fee: $ 10 p.p. cash only. Water Taxi (a small boat that takes you from the speedboat to the harbor and back). For rent: wetsuit (recommended between May – November). Optional tips for the guide.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Baltra – Santa Cruz Island – Isabela Island – Flamingo Lagoon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Baltra – Santa Cruz Island – Isabela Island – Flamingo Lagoon

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 Galapagos Islands Budget 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 Puerto Ayora to enjoy your lunch. After lunch, you’ll take the speedboat to Isabela Island. This can be a bumpy 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. After that, your driver will drop you off at your hotel.

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. You won’t have lunch in this case. The rest of the tour usually looks like this: Day 2: Santa Fe, Day 3 Tortuga Bay & Charles Darwin Station, Day 4 Santa Cruz highlands, Bahia bay tour, Day 5 morning boat to Isabela, Wetlands & Tintoreras, Day 6 Los Tuneles, Day 7 kayak in Puerto Villamil, visit Isabela highlands, Day 8 morning boat to Santa Cruz and transfer out.
Day 2 Day 2: Kayak In Puerto Villamil – Isabela Island Highlands
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Kayak In Puerto Villamil – Isabela Island Highlands

After breakfast your guide will accompany you for a relaxing and beautiful kayak excursion in the bay of Puerto Villamil. Here you will be able to spot various endemic animals such as marine iguanas, sea lions, and penguins. After this, you will return to the hotel for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon, you will make your way to the Highlands of Isabela and visit La Cueva de Sucre, The Mango viewpoint, and Campo Duro, which is another place of giant tortoises.
Day 3 Day 3: Tintoreras And Wetlands
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Tintoreras And Wetlands

In the morning, you will have a tour of The Wetlands where you will visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center to spot small and giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The next activity is a visit to The Wall of Tears. Additionally, you will visit a small 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, where white-tip sharks known as Tintoreras come daily to rest at the bottom. You will go to the pier of Puerto Villamil, to board a boat 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.
Day 4 Day 4: Snorkeling In Los Tuneles
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Snorkeling In Los Tuneles

Early in the morning, on the fourth day of your Galapagos Islands Budget tour, you will go on a boat ride from Puerto Villamil. You will explore the brilliant scenery in Los Tuneles which is considered the most beautiful place to snorkel on Isabela Island. Around the Los Tuneles, you will find a highly contrasting color for snorkeling with clear, calm water. You will get the chance to spot large quantities of seabirds and species feeding 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.
Day 5 Day 5: Charles Darwin Research Station – Tortuga Bay
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Charles Darwin Research Station – Tortuga Bay

At 06:00 AM you will take the speedboat to Santa Cruz Island where you’ll have breakfast. Then you’ll go to the Charles Darwin Research Station where the guides will explain more about the famous giant tortoises. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit Tortuga Bay. Think white sand, captivating blue water, and observing marine iguanas, pelicans, and flamingos. It is a 2.5 km (30-45 minutes) walk over a paved path from Puerto Ayora. You can swim here. It’s possible to return from Tortuga Bay to Puerto Ayora by boat. This costs $ 10 p.p. + $ 10 for the boat ride with the guide. The departure time is at 05:30 PM.
Day 6 Day 6: Santa Fe Island
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Santa Fe Island

After breakfast, and to continue your Galapagos Islands Budget tour, you will travel to Santa Fe Island which is a small island that lies in the center of the Galapagos archipelago. Among animals, Santa Fe is home to endemic species such as the Barrington Land Iguana (Conolophus pallidum). After a 45-minute boat ride, you will arrive at the bay of Santa Fe. There you will have a very nice snorkeling activity, if you are lucky, you can spot some birds on the rocks. After snorkeling, you will go to Playa Escondida or Garrapatero in Santa Cruz island and have a wet landing there, where you will discover the beach.

* This day includes an activity called “Pesca Vivencial” which means that you might be able to experience a fishing demonstration depending to the weather and park regulations.

* Wet landing means that the boat gets close to the beach and from there you will disembark in the sea, it is recommended that you bring extra clothing, as you might get wet.
Day 7 Day 7: Bahia & Santa Cruz Highlands Tour
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Bahia & Santa Cruz Highlands Tour

With the Bay Tour, you visit the highlights around Puerto Ayora by boat. The first destination will be La Loberia where you find sea lions. Next you will go to Punta Camaño Islet. Here you will snorkel with sea lions and a large variety of fish. Your next activity will be a visit to the Channel of Love. This is another formation by a fissure that results in a beautiful sleepy water channel with excellent scenic beauty. Finally Playa de Los Perros, a 15-minute walk until you reach the beach. In the afternoon you visit the highlands of Santa Cruz with the giant tortoises. You will do a small hike on a privately owned ranch and you can see the big tortoises in their natural habitat.
Day 8 Day 8: Transfer Out – Baltra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Transfer Out – Baltra

Today your Galapagos Islands Budget Tour comes to an end. After breakfast, you will travel to Baltra Airport with a Spanish-speaking driver, where you will depart to Quito or Guayaquil.

8 days tour

8-Day Galapagos Island Hopping

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip 8-Day Galapagos Island Hopping

Day 1: Baltra – Santa Cruz Island – Isabela Island – Flamingo Lagoon

Day 2: Kayak In Puerto Villamil – Isabela Island Highlands

Day 3: Tintoreras And Wetlands

Day 4: Snorkeling In Los Tuneles

Day 5: Charles Darwin Research Station – Tortuga Bay

Day 6: Santa Fe Island

Day 7: Bahia & Santa Cruz Highlands Tour

Day 8: Transfer Out – Baltra

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