Meals: Meals are not “a la carte”, but menus. Please let us know, if you have any allergy or special diet. Typical meal is soup, main plate with vegetables and rice, fresh made juice and a dessert. Coffee and alcoholic drinks are not included.
Water: You can fill up water bottles in all the hotels each morning before going on the tour. Tap water is not drinkable!
Transportation: Is made by small speedboats between islands. Navigation times can take up to 3 hours due to the distance between islands and currents. We cannot control the ocean, if a swell comes in the ride can be bumpy, especially during the Garúa season (see below).
This is a pretty active tour; you need to be fit (be used to hiking and swimming). Specifically, the volcano hike is demanding and the group cannot wait too long for slow hikers. If you have doubts that you cannot follow the volcano hike we recommend you to book the alternative Cabo Rosa tour. The issue is that you cannot be left behind on the tour to the volcano due to the National Park restrictions; the group has to be always accompanied by the guide.
To make most out of the time spent on the Galapagos Islands, early wake ups are scheduled.
On tours to Kicker Rock, Lobos Island, Española, Cabo Rosa, Seymour and Bartolome you will be joining a day tour excursion with different guides than the rest of the tour.
IMPORTANT
The program and activities can be changed without prior notice if the National park closes a site for research or maintenance or if meteorological conditions require it.
FLIGHTS
The flight IN must be to San Cristobal Island (code SCY). Airlines flying to this island are either LATAM, AVIANCA or TAME.
The flight OUT must be out of BALTRA (code GPS). Departures from this island are operated either by LATAM, AVIANCA or TAME.- Please choose the latest flight leaving around 1PM (not before or you would be missing the tunnel activity).
DAY 1: SAN CRISTÓBAL. –
We will pick you up on arrival at the airport of San Cristobal Island and take you to the hotel. After a nice Ecuadorian lunch with the guide, you will visit Loberia: a beautiful beach with a great snorkeling spot! During the snorkel you may find sea turtles, rays, sea lions and many species of colorful fishes. After that you will do a nice hike to a cliff where you can observe many marine iguanas and birds such as blue footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and frigate birds. In the afternoon you go back to the hotel and get ready for dinner.
Meals included: lunch and dinner
Difficulty: EASY
DAY 2: ESPAÑOLA.-
Departure by boat to Española island. The boat ride takes 1h30 each way approx. At arrival you will disembark at Punta Suarez where you will begin a hike, looking for Nazca and blue footed boobies. After the hike you will go back on board for lunch and then reach a snorkel spot where those who want can enjoy a snorkel session and look for tropical fishes, rays. Back to San Cristobal port in the end of the afternoon. Please note: Albatrosses are not on the island from late December to beginning of April approx. Still you have a lot of wildlife to see. After the tour you have a bit of free time and then you will meet with the whole group for dinner where the guide will give you the details for the next day.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
DIFFICULTY: EASY
DAY 3: SAN CRISTÓBAL – FLOREANA – ISABELA.-
Breakfast will be served in your hotel. Then you will be picked-up to go to the pier where you depart around 7AM to Floreana island. The private boat rides last for about 2,5 hours. Upon arrival, you will visit the highlands, a place called Peace Asylum, where the first colonists of the islands settled – the guide will tell you all about the mysteries. During the short hike you will be able to spot Galapagos giant tortoises. After lunch in the small village “Puerto Velasco Ibarra” you will go snorkeling at a beautiful, black sanded beach nearby the pier. Afterwards you will continue on the boat to Isabela Island (approximately 1,5 hour ride). Isabela is one of the youngest islands which still has moderate volcanic activity. It’s a beautiful island with a long white sandy beach and a clear bay located near to the pier. Upon arrival you will be driven in a taxi, bus or chiva to the Flamingo Lagoon to spot these beautiful animals (if time allows, otherwise it will be re-scheduled throughout the stay in Isabela). After that, you will get a transfer to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 4: ISABELA. –
Today you must choose upon booking between the Volcano (trekking tour) and Cabo Rosa (snorkeling tour as a supplement)!
Option 1 – VOLCANO HIKE (included in the price)
Early in the morning you will be picked-up and driven towards the highlands: You will start a 16km trekking (6 hours!) to the Sierra Negra and Chico volcano. The first stop on the hike is the Sierra Negra Volcano, which has the second largest active crater in the world of 10km diameter. The second part of the hike takes you to Chico, a cone of Sierra Negra with moon-like sceneries. This gives you an idea of ho w the islands looked at their creation. After you’re returned from the volcano, you will be transported to a local farm where lunch will be served. Back at the hotel around 3:30 PM.
Difficulty: MEDIUM
Option 2 – CABO ROSA TUNNELS: THIS OPTION HAS AN EXTRA COST!
If you prefer snorkeling over hiking this is a great opportunity. You can take the excursion to Cabo Rosa (45 mn boat ride each way), where lava has flowed into the ocean and formed beautiful lava tunnels. There you may see penguins, blue-footed boobies and sea turtles. However, the Highlight is snorkeling. You have the chance to see sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, rays, seahorses and many tropical fish. The tour to Cabo Rosa takes about 5 hours.
The rest of the day is at leisure. You can enjoy the beautiful beach in Isabela or you can snorkel in the Concha de Perla Lagoon.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 5: ISABELA – SANTA CRUZ. –
In the morning you will visit the Tintoreras Islet near the pier, where you have a short hike and snorkel. There you can spot small Galapagos penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies and often you can even spot white-tipped sharks in one of the channels. Afterwards you will continue with our private boat to Santa Cruz (2 hours). Upon arrival you will be transferred to the hotel to get ready for lunch and change for the afternoon program. Once finished with lunch you will take a boat to the Tortuga Bay beach (20min ride), where spot a huge marine iguana colony and enjoy a last swim into the Galapagos waters. On the return from Tortuga Bay you will walk 3 km back to Puerto Ayora, passing through a giant endemic cactus forest.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 6: SANTA CRUZ – BALTRA AIRPORT. –
In the morning you will reach the airport with a stop to visit a lava tunnel. Sometimes you can spot a Galapagos owl. You will be accompanied until the check- in point where your program ends with your return flight to the mainland. Baltra is the world’s first green airport!
Meals included: breakfast
Departures for this program are twice a month, on Tuesdays
