Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure

Your trip begins in Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. If you’re flying in early today, you’ll have a chance to journey to the city from the airport (or your hotel) to explore the beautiful town squares, quaint cafés and colonial architecture. Quito sits in a beautiful valley surrounded by towering volcanoes just 22 kilometres (14 miles) from the equator, giving it a mild, spring-like climate year round. In the evening, you’ll meet your trip leader and the rest of your group back at the joining hotel, for a full briefing and our first dinner together. Hotel EB, Quito (Dinner)

This morning we’ll take a short flight to San Cristobal, the easternmost island of the Galapagos Islands chain and home of the provincial capital, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. After lunch, we’ll head to the town of La Soledad to bike down through the lush highland cloud forest that blankets the top of the island. With stunning views of the coast, we’ll ride to La Loberia, a beach that is home to a large sea lion colony and nursery. This evening, we’ll dine on local produce and fresh fish.Casa Blanca or Blue Marlin or similar, San Cristobal (All meals)Biking Distance: 14.5 kilometres (9 miles), 2 hours, flat (vehicle supported)

Today we’ll cruise to Kicker Rock off the coast of San Cristobal, where we’ll don wet suits, snorkels and masks (and tanks for the divers – diving option add US$250) and explore around the remains of an underwater volcano with a rock face rising 150 metres (500 feet) above the surface of the water.Your trip leader will give you a full briefing and then we’ll take to the water to explore the walls of the volcano. There will be chances to see beautiful tropical fish, turtles and sharks as they skirt the edges of Kicker Rock! Afterwards we’ll visit a picturesque bay to have lunch and a rest before returning to port. Then it’s off to the interpretation centre to learn a little about the history and biology of the islands. Later there will be an optional hike to Frigate Hill Lookout to see the acrobatics of the local frigate birds as they dart around the cliff tops stealing the catch from other birds.Casa Blanca or Blue Marlin or similar, San Cristobal (Breakfast, Lunch)Kicker Rock: 1 or 2 snorkels, 1.5 hours totalORKicker Rock: 2 dives, 30-45 minutes each