Galapagos Island Hopping
Ecuador
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Amazing wildlife, both on land and under the water, is the main drawcard of the remote Galapagos Islands. On this eight-day trip, you’ll explore this otherworldly archipelago on foot and by boat with an expert naturalist guide to lead the way. Swim with sea turtles, see giant tortoises up close, watch sea lions lounge around town and discover fascinating, varied landscapes. Learn about the conservation efforts on Isla Santa Cruz, take a cooking class to make a famed Ecuadorian soup and enjoy multiple snorkelling opportunities, as well as a full-day hike to the second-largest volcanic crater in the world! This trip will have you cruising and exploring by day and relaxing on land by night, with all the logistics taken care of for you.
Availability
From 17/04/2024 to 04/01/2026
Departure dates & prices
Dates
Availability
Price
What's included
Learn about the unique habits of the marine iguana with your expert naturalist guide.
This dinosaur-like creature has an iridescent sheen and is only found on the Galapagos Islands.
Snorkel the incredible waters of Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) – an eroded volcanic cone where sea turtles, rays and colourful fish call home.
See the giant tortoises that freely roam the islands.
Many visitors come to Isla Santa Cruz just to see these enormous creatures in their natural habitat!.
Watch the aerobatic routines of blue-footed boobies and the death-defying stunts of the frigate birds as they whizz through the air.
Calling all avid birdwatchers!.
Start and end your trip in the Galapagos (as opposed to mainland Ecuador) – this means it’s easy to stay longer if you fall in love with the archipelago.
Breakfasts Included: 7.
Lunches Included: 4.
Hotel (7 nights).
Boat,Public bus,Speed Boat,Private Vehicle.
Age: min 15.
Group Size: 1 - 16.
Isla San Cristobal- Snorkeling in La Loberia (1.
5 Hours).
San Cristobal - Excursion to Leon Dormido or Lobos Islands.
Isla San Cristobal - Interpretation Center (45 minutes).
Isla San Cristobal - Cerro Tijeretas View Point (1 Hour).
Floreana - Snorkeling.
Isla Isabela -Tintoreras or Shark Alley (2.
5 Hours).
Isla Isabela - Flamingo lagoon visit (30 Minutes).
Isla Isabela - Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (1 Hour).
Isla Isabela - Kayaking.
Isla Isabela - Sierra Negra Volcano Hike (5-6 Hours).
Santa Cruz Highlands Visit (3 Hours).
Santa Cruz – Organic Farm Tour.
Santa Cruz – Encebollado Cooking Class.
Isla Santa Cruz - Tortuga Bay walk.
Isla Santa Cruz - The Galapagos Conservancy visit.
Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Centre.
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Itinerary
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1 - Isla San Cristobal, Galapagos Bienvenidos! Welcome to San Cristobal in the Galapagos Islands. After joining up with your fellow travellers and your local naturalist guide, you'll head to La Loberia and put on your snorkelling gear for the first time. Go for a swim among the sea lions and maybe even spot sea turtles, too! After, you'll return to town, where you have a free evening to head out with the group and get to know each other better. Maybe find some fresh seafood to enjoy or wander the shores at your own pace.
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2 - Isla San Cristobal Take a boat ride to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) today. On the way, you might be able to spot nesting frigates and blue-footed boobies. You might even get the chance to swim among the sea lions again. At Leon Dormido, you can snorkel and look for sea turtles, manta rays and maybe the harmless Galapagos shark. Eat lunch on the boat, then head to the Interpretation Center. Learn the history of the 'Enchanted Islands' and about the conservation projects that seek to preserve them. Continue to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) - it's quite a climb to the top but well worth the amazing views of the bay. Later, return to town in the afternoon for a free evening.
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3 - Isla Floreana Take an early morning boat ride towards Isla Floreana this morning. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, including dolphins and whales. Snorkel in the clear blue waters and then break for lunch. After, venture to a black-sand beach belonging to the Witmers - descendants of some of the first settlers on the Galapagos. The town here - Puerto Velasco Ibarra - has about 150 residents and an intriguing history involving deaths, disappearances and murders. Later in the afternoon, wave goodbye to Floreana and continue to Isla Isabela, where you'll spend the night.
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4 - Isla Isabela This morning, you'll hop on a small Zodiac boat and cruise to Las Tintoreras (Shark Alley), looking out for blue-footed boobies and the famous Galapagos penguin. Take a short walk on this isolated islet and popular iguana nesting site, then snorkel in a calm inlet with colourful fish and winding underground lava tubes. This area is also frequented by green sea turtles that like to rest on the calm, sandy bottom. Return to Isla Isabela and visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center, where you'll observe giant tortoises in all stages of development. After learning about the thousand turtles that are preparing for life here, you'll head to a brackish lagoon to observe flamingos. Later today, take a kayak around the island before finding your sandy resting spot and soaking in your first Isabela sunset - arguably the most beautiful of all the islands!
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5 - Isla Isabela Start your last day on Isla Isabela by heading towards the Sierra Negra Volcano - one of the Galapagos' most active volcanoes and the world's second-largest crater! Weather permitting, you'll take a challenging hike of around 17 km up the rocky mountain. After, make your way back to town for some free time to curl up with a book, soak your tired muscles or venture down to the water for a relaxing swim before dinner.
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6 - Isla Isabela Jump aboard a private speedboat this morning and head to Isla Santa Cruz. When you arrive, leave your bags at the hotel and head to the Santa Cruz Highlands. Your first stop is a local farm, where giant tortoises roam the grounds freely. Here, you'll meet with an expert chef for a cooking class to make the famed encebollado - a local tuna soup that's widely considered one of the best in the world! This hearty dish uses slow-cooked albacore tuna and a savoury broth made of onions, cilantro and spices. The dish is traditionally served with yuca (a starchy root vegetable) and garnished with lime and green onions. Enjoy the soups of your labour for lunch, then wander the grounds with the slow-paced residents. After lunch, you'll visit an organic sugar cane farm run by a local family for a tour of their trapiche (a sugar cane mill used in artisanal sugar production). See how the family harvests and processes sugar cane and cacao and how they work with the local community.
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7 - Isla Santa Cruz Take a morning walk in Tortuga Bay after breakfast. Along the way, keep an eye out for eagle rays, sea turtles and blue-footed boobies. Later, you'll head to the local fish market for a dose of local life on the way to The Galapagos Conservancy, who help protect the Galapagos' unique biodiversity. Learn how The Intrepid Foundation supports the Galapagos Conservancy Women in Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WISE) program, which provides critical capital for sustainability initiatives and builds the entrepreneurial capacity of Galapagos women. After, head to the Charles Darwin Research Station - an international non-profit organisation that's dedicated to the scientific research and conservation of the archipelago's environment and biodiversity.
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8 - Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos Your trip comes to an end this morning after breakfast. If you need to book a connecting flight out of the Galapagos, or if you'd like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time. Departure flights should be booked from Baltra Airport, which you can get to via taxi, ferry and bus.
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