Science comes alive in Charles Darwin’s living laboratory. Revel in nature as you hop from island-to-island, experiencing close encounters with wild animals – some found only on the Galapagos Islands.
Included
Not Included
Arrive in the enchanting seaside city of Guayaquil. We meet you at the airport and accompany you to the hotel to help you check in.
Relax at the hotel or explore the Malecon that fronts the Guayas River.
Get your first glimpse of iguanas at a local park in the heart of the city.
Note: You may also arrive in Quito, if that is more convenient.
Hotel: Casa Garcia in Guayaquil (or similar) or Casa Ilayaku in Quito (or similar)
After a short flight to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands, travel to the lush, green highlands of Santa Cruz Island, home of the Galapagos Tortoise. Look for these free roaming, almost too-big-to-believe tortoises in the tall grass or partially submerged in a mud pond.
Explore the volcanic origins of the island by journeying through a 400-meter ancient lava tunnel.
Hotel: Angermeyer Waterfront (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Meet with a local fisherman, who has abandoned his fishing career in order to help protect the marine wildlife unique to the Galapagos. Listen to his stories of the typical fisherman’s life.
Snorkel with sea lions, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and sting rays in the crystal clear waters of the Bahia Ballena.
Depending on conditions, practice catch-and-release fishing to get a glimpse of the incredible fish that populate the rich ecosystem of the Galapagos.
Hotel: Angermeyer Waterfront (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Start your day, swimming and snorkeling at Tortuga Bay, voted one of the top 25 beaches in the world on TripAdvisor.
Then, take a speed boat to Isabela Island.
Hotel: Casa de Marita (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Pack your lunch and head to Sierra Negra for a hike that takes you from the lush slopes of the volcano into its petrified lava fields.
Enjoy spectacular views of the ocean and surrounding islands.
Keep your eyes peeled for a variety of birds, including finches, flycatchers, and if you are lucky, the Galapagos hawk.
Return to the hotel and cool off with a swim.
Enjoy a BBQ dinner on the beach (weather permitting).
Hotel: Casa de Marita (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Take an hour-long boat ride to Los Tunneles, a lava formation consisting of arches and caves.
Walk along the shore or snorkel in the crystal clear waters to get a glimpse of the underwater world.
Take a short hike to El Finado, an inlet that local fishermen have used for many years as a resting place.
Snorkel with white-tipped reef sharks, colorful tropical fish, and stingrays.
Look for parrotfish, hogfish, and wrasses in the shallow waters of the nearby mangroves.
In the afternoon, partake in a friendly game of soccer with the local community.
Hotel: Casa de Marita (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Visit the Tortoise Breeding Center, an initiative of the National Park for the conservation of Isabela’s tortoises.
Explore the marshlands, where elevated walkways take you over tidal lagoons that include four mangrove species and provide a habitat for flamingos and numerous migratory birds.
Stroll along the beautiful white-sand beach of Puerto Villamil.
Hop on a short flight to San Cristobal Island.
Then, visit a project that protects sharks and teaches kids about the environmental impact of climate change.
Hotel: Casa Opuntia (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Grab your snorkel gear for a trip to Kicker Rock. Swim with sharks, sea turtles, and sea lions.
Return to town and wander its tranquil streets, as you literally trip over lounging sea lions.
Hike to the spot where Charles Darwin’s HMS Beagle landed on the islands for the first time in 1835. During the walk, learn about Darwin’s theories and findings from his five-week exploration of the archipelago.
From the top of Frigatebird Hill, watch the sun set over the breathtaking coastal views.
Hotel: Casa Opuntia (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, and dinner
Before you bid the Galapagos Islands adieu, you visit a sea lion haven, La Loberia.
Then, you catch your flight back to Ecuador’s mainland.
Meals: Breakfast at your hotel
All of the guides were incredible. Augusto, Ruben, and Patricia are the best guides I have ever worked with from any country. On a scale of 1-to-10, it was a 15! It was a life changing trip for me.
We loved the whole thing; so difficult to choose what was the best!
Wow. This trip has been truly life changing for me. Thank you so much for crafting such an excellent taste of the Galapagos. This experience and you have been so inspirational to me. I am so grateful to have shared this experience with you.
Because this is a private trip, you get to decide when you will go, with one caveat.
This trip must begin on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Weird, I know.
But the Galapagos are highly regulated, which is good news/bad news.
The good news is that it means everyone is not at the exact same snorkeling spot at the exact same time. Madness!
The bad news is that the start day is determined by the Galapagos National Park and can’t be changed.
That said, as long as we have enough notice, we can get you in on pretty much any Tuesday or Wednesday of the year.
At one time, cruises were the only way to see the Galapagos Islands.
But our land-based adventures have a number of advantages over a cruise.
While cruises are abundant, hotels on the Galapagos Islands are not.
Also, the best guides (the ones we work with) book out well in advance.
So while you are welcome to reach out to us at anytime, booking 6 months in advance is highly recommended.
As long as you cancel 89 days before the start of the trip (119 days before December 15th through January 10th), no problem.
However, if you need to cancel at the last minute, we won’t be able to issue a refund because we have to pay for your trip in advance.
However, we’ll provide you with all the paperwork you need from us to help you with your travel insurance claim.
Depending on the coverage you purchased, you may be able to get a full or partial refund.
We strongly recommend that you buy travel insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason.
Absolutely!
But you must request a change 89 days before your departure date (119 days before December 15th through January 10th) for us to be able to accommodate you.
This is why we strongly recommend that you buy travel insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason as soon as you book your trip.
