9 days tour

Essential Galapagos

Essential Galapagos

This tour includes:

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Meals

5 breakfasts

Others

Isla San Cristobal - Interpretation Center (45 minutes) Isla San Cristobal -Snorkelling in Tijeretas hill Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (3 hours) - Dry Landing Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Centre (45 Minutes) Isla Isabela- Sierra Negra Volcano Hike (5-6 Hours) Isla Isabela - Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (1 Hour)

Transport

Plane,Speed boat,Private Vehicle,Public bus

Accommodation

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT NOT AVAILABLE: Due to hotel availability a single supplement is not available on this trip. Hostel (2 nts),Hotel (6 nts)

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Flights

International flights not included.

Others

Other activities and services not included

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Essential Galapagos

  • Day 1 Day 1: Quito
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Quito

      Bienvenidos! Welcome to Ecuador. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 5 or 6 pm. Sitting at an altitude of 2850 metres above sea level and under the gaze of Volcan Pichincha, Quito is one of the most attractive cities in South America. Long and incredibly thin, the city stretches along a central valley formed by the east and west ranges of the Andes. Although compact, Quitoโ€™s Old Town is full of historic buildings โ€“ there are more than 30 churches to explore, not to mention the fascinating museums.

  • Day 2 Day 2: Isla San Cristobal
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Isla San Cristobal

      Welcome to San Cristobal! Today youโ€™ll be joining with other travellers arriving from Quito. Once arrived, take an included visit to the San Cristobal Interpretation Center and learn about the natural history of, and human impact on, the Galapagos. Afterwards, youโ€™ll have time to explore on your own. Perhaps take a hike up to Frigatebird Hill or head to Mann Beach to spot some sea lions lazing on the shore. If you hit the water for a spot of snorkelling, be sure to keep an eye out for sea turtles, an array of colourful fish and even the odd sea lion coming up to swim with you!

  • Day 3 Day 3: Isla San Cristobal
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Isla San Cristobal

      Today is free for you to continue to explore the wildlife-rich and naturally beautiful Isla San Cristobal. There are a range of optional activities that are available to you today โ€“ your group leader will be able to recommend some and help book them. You might like to take an optional boat ride to Kicker Rock โ€“ an incredible rock island that is home to some of the most interesting snorkelling in the islands. Otherwise, you could book a visit to Isla Lobos, which is known for its populations of blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and sea lions. Consider taking a walk down Ochoa Beach on Lobos and soaking up this wildlife paradise.

  • Day 4 Day 4: Isla Santa Cruz
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Isla Santa Cruz

      Early in the morning, take a 2.5-hour public speedboat ride to Isla Santa Cruz. Once in Santa Cruz, have some breakfast and settle into the hotel. In the midmorning, continue onwards to the Charles Darwin Research Station. The visitor centre and museum exhibits house a whole range of information about the islands and the conservation efforts being made to preserve the unique ecosystem here. This station is also an ideal place to meet the Galapagos tortoise. Later in the afternoon, continue your search for tortoises when you and your group head to the higher part of the island to observe these ancient giants roaming in their natural habitat. Tonight, join your leader and discover the best food in Puerto Ayora, and possibly even in the Galรกpagos, at a bustling row of restaurants and stalls with tables spilling into the road. The eateries here may not have the polish of the restaurants along Avenida Charles Darwin, but the food is exponentially cheaper and always fresh, and the lively atmosphere is what makes Los Kioskos more than just a place to eat.

  • Day 5 Day 5: Isla Isabela
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Isla Isabela

      Rise and shine again early this morning to travel to Isla Isabela. Check in to the hotel and enjoy breakfast with your group. Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos and one of the most volcanically active places on earth. A worthwhile optional activity today is an excursion to Las Tintoreras โ€“ home to the rare Galapagos penguin as well as other unique Galapagos wildlife. The excursion will then take you to โ€˜shark alleyโ€™, where white-tipped sharks rest during the day. This is also a popular nesting site for the endemic marine iguanas.

  • Day 6 Day 6: Isla Isabela
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Isla Isabela

      Start the day with a visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre for a close encounter with these placid giants. Here you can see tortoises in different stages of development as well as learn about the preservation program of this unique species. Afterwards, take a bus to the highest part of Isabela where Sierra Negra Volcano is located. Weather permitting, go for a hike up to the crater to enjoy spectacular views and the possibility of sighting the rare vermillion flycatcher. The challenging 17-kilometre hike takes between 5-6 hours, and at the top youโ€™ll be able to enjoy spectacular views. After the hike, make your way back to town in the late afternoon for some free time to relax up with a book or venture down to the water for a swim before dinner.

  • Day 7 Day 7: Isla Santa Cruz
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Isla Santa Cruz

      Travel back to Isla Santa Cruz in the morning, where youโ€™ll enjoy breakfast on arrival. Then, jump aboard a water taxi for a short trip to Punta Estrada we youโ€™ll make your way to Las Grietas. Literally meaning โ€˜The Cracksโ€™ in Spanish, itโ€™s a narrow, rocky crevasse where the earth seems to have split in two, creating a crystal clear swimming hole running more than 100m through the stone. This is undoubtably one of the most unique places to swim or snorkel in the Galรกpagos, and it is easily accessible from Puerto Ayora. This afternoon, youโ€™ll have the chance to take part in some optional activities, such as an excursion to Tortuga Bay โ€“ an immaculate natural paradise where you can go kayaking, observe marine iguanas and birds or swim with harmless sharks in a cove. Or you may like to rent some snorkelling gear and discover a whole other world underwater. This afternoon you can choose your own adventure, so ask your knowledgeable group leader for their recommendations.

  • Day 8 Day 8: Quito
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: Quito

      Bid farewell to the Galapagos Islands and all its inhabitants and head to the airport for a flight back to Quito. Upon arrival in Quito Airport, youโ€™ll be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay. Hit the streets in Quito with some of your travel crew and find a place for some dinner and drinks โ€“ you might like to knock back a couple of canelazos (a spiced cinnamon and rum drink)!

      Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

  • Day 9 Day 9: Quito
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 9: Quito

      After breakfast, there are no activities planned, so you are free to leave the accommodation at any time, provided you comply with the hotelโ€™s check-out policy. That doesnโ€™t mean your adventure has to come to an end! If you would like to spend more time in Ecuadorโ€™s capital, weโ€™ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Challenging

Long and challenging experience. Youโ€™ll be required to have good physical fitness to go on it. In some of these activities you'll need previous experience on similar activities.

Age range

Age range

Min: 18 / Max: 29

Age range allowed for this experience.

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