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7 Days from$1896 p/p in USD -
DeparturesYear Round
Destinations
Ecuador, Galapagos,
Tour Type
Guided, Small Group
Safari Standard
Mid Range
Tour Overview
Experience the Galapagos Islands from the comfort of a land-based expedition! The islands offer endless opportunities to witness a unique abundance of wildlife in a setting unlike any other on the planet. This is one of the few places on earth that allows such close and intimate contact with wildlife. The Galapagos form a natural sanctuary that preserves species, and this allowed them to evolve their unique features for countless millennia. This trip also provides flexible time to spend on your own and explore the sand beaches, trails in the Galapagos forest, and wildlife. The tour also provides many benefits to local communities and is socially and environmentally responsible. Be part of an educational and inspirational journey of a lifetime in one of the most fiercely protected marine wilderness in the world!
General Information
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Safari types:Birding Safari, Coastal Safari, Family Safari, Guided Safari, Wildlife Safari
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Activities:Hiking, Snorkelling, Swimming, UNESCO Site
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Getting around:Transfer Vehicle, Motor Boat, Domestic Flight
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Start/end:Start in Quito, end in Quito
Price Per Person – USD
From USD 1,896 per person
What's Included
- Transportation: Speed boat Santa Cruz – San Cristobal, comfortable land transportation
- Accommodation based on double occupancy: 5* hotel in Quito, 3+ star hotels in Galapagos
- Meals: 6 breakfasts and 3 lunches
- Activities: Hiking in Santa Cruz highlands, Snorkeling, Isla Lobos, Academy Bay day tour
- Gear: Snorkeling mask and fins, life vest
- Trip Leader: Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure leader and naturalist local guides in Galapagos National Park
What's Excluded
- Airfare international flights
- Airport transfer (international flights)
- Airfare Quito – Galapagos – Quito round trip – estimated budget USD $535
- Meals not described in the itinerary – estimated budget USD $180
- INGALA transit card: USD $20 per person, cash only (subject to change)
- Galapagos National Park fee: USD $100 per person, cash only (subject to change)
- Wetsuit for rent: USD $10
- Tips for guides and drivers – estimated budget USD $120
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- My Own Room supplement: USD $587
Disclaimer
- This itinerary is owned and delivered by ‘Adventure Journeys‘
- All prices are ‘From’ and may vary at the time of booking
- Display price is usually based on two people sharing
- ‘Adventure Journeys‘ reserves the right to change the content and price of the itinerary
- All itineraries and services are subject to availability
Day by Day Overview
Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city in America, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on your arrival time, you can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help you to organize a day trip (please request in advance). In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel’s lobby for a welcome briefing at 18:00 hours. At this time we will discuss the details and questions you may have regarding the adventure. Our first day is an acclimation and information day.
Accommodation: Sheraton Quito or similar
Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. On arrival you will be picked up and transferred to Santa Cruz, a nearby island, crossing the narrow Itabaca channel by ferry. From here, we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. Here, you will visit a private ranch where you will enjoy lunch before heading out for a walk in search of the giant tortoises. During this visit, you will also visit some lava tubes, which are formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies. After this tour, you will continue by private vehicle to your hotel. Here, you will have a meet and greet with your local guide, who will explain the following day’s itinerary to you. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure to relax and introduce yourself to this beautiful island.
Accommodation: La Isla or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, you will enjoy a half-day tour of Academy Bay. Be sure to pack everything you need for this trip. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it. During the tour, you will take a boat to Academy Bay, where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are very curious animals and like to swim next to you underwater. Here you can also see the sought-after blue-footed boobies. Afterward, climb to a nearby viewpoint, and if you are lucky, you can see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below. Afterward, take a walk along the Playa de los Perros, where many sea iguanas are found basking in the sun. The enormous cacti, the deep, red color of the rocks, and the turquoise, sparkling ocean make for great photo opportunities.
Accommodation: La Isla or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands.
In the afternoon, you will travel by speedboat to San Cristobal Island. Once we arrive, we will check in at the hotel.
Accommodation: Blue Marlin or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Today, after breakfast, you will be met and transferred to a dock, where you will take a quick boat ride to the nearby Isla Lobos. During this boat trip, observe many marine animals before even setting foot on the island. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided tour where you will have the chance to observe frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, manta, sea lions, and sometimes sharks that all inhabit the island and its surrounding waters. The white coral beaches of San Cristóbal are great to walk around, relax and swim in before you return back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Accommodation: Blue Marlin or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy some more free time this morning before transferring to the airport of San Cristóbal. From here, you will take a flight back to Ecuador’s mainland. Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for one more evening of leisure before saying goodbye.
Accommodation: Sheraton Quito or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Today, our trip ends, and you will have your International departures. Take your memories and photos with you and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!
Meals: Breakfast
