Galapagos Island Hopping Adventure
6 Days - Departs - Daily
from AUD $2422pp
Home » Galapagos Loop Island Hopping
Itinerary Highlights
- A great land-based option to see the Galapagos Islands!
- Visit a Giant Tortoise Reserve and observe them in their natural habitat
- Get the opportunity to snorkel with amazing sea lions
- Encounter many species including the white tip shark, sea tortoises, marine iguanas, crabs, pelicans and other marine birds
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Arrive in Galapagos & Tour of Highlands & Charles Darwin Station (arrive before 10am).
- Day 2: Navigable tour of Floreana, Seymour-Bachas or Plazas and Punta Carrion
- Day 3: Speedboat to Isabela Island & Snorkelling near Tintoreras Islet
- Day 4: Sierra Negra Volcano Tour
- Day 5:Wetlands, Flamingo Lake and Tortoise Breeding Station & Return to Baltra by speedboat
- Day 6: Return to airport via Los Gemelos & depart Galapagos
Tailor-made Suggestions
- Spend a few more days visiting the nearby Isabela Island, known for its huge volcanoes and unique wildlife
- Extend your trip to explore the astounding biodiversity of Ecuador between Quito and Guayaquil through the land of volcanoes and the Amazon: Complete Ecuador
- Tick the impressive Machu Picchu off your bucket list with our classic 9-day Inca Trail tour
Baltra Airport - Highlands & Charles Darwin Station - Hotel
Today you will fly to Galapagos and arrive before 10am. Arriving to Baltra we will take a shuttle thought out Santa Cruz Island where we will reach the highlands of the Islands with its green vegetation where we will stop to visit a Ranch, here we will be able to see Giant Turtles in their natural habitat, lunch at the ranch. After, we will head to the Charles Darwin Station. The center is a reservoir of information on habitats and local conservation, as well as other fascinating relevant statistics. The most striking attraction of this station is certainly the Tortoise Breeding Center, where it is possible to view tortoises of varied sizes and shapes. Travelers here can freely walk and get their photos clicked with the tortoises. Among other inhabitants at the center, you can see the land and marine iguanas and different species of birds.
After this visit we will head to Puerto Ayora to check-in to your hotel.
Lunch included.
Boat Excursion - Various options
Today you have a full day navigable tour. the site of the visit depends on the day of departure and availability.
The options are:
Floreana
Your tour begins with pickup from your hotel on Santa Cruz Island in time for a 7.30am departure. After a short transfer to the port at Puerto Ayora, meet your guide and a small group of up to 10 people and hop aboard for the boat ride to Floreana Island. Enjoy the views from the deck on the around 1-hour 45-minute cruise, then head ashore to take in the island’s many highlights. Explore the wild landscapes of the Galapagos National Park, peek into a historic pirate’s cave, take in the views from the hills of Asilo de la Paz, and spot wildlife in the Scalesia forest. Continue to the Black Beach, where you’ll have the chance to see more exotic wildlife including iguanas, Galapagos sea turtles, and giant rays. You can also dive into swim and snorkel amid schools of tropical fish. Finish your island tour with a delicious lunch, before setting sail on the return journey. Back in Santa Cruz, your tour ends in Puerto Ayora.
Seymour-Bachas
From: 8:00 AM. To 5:00 PM.
In the morning your driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the “Canal de Itabaca” to board the yacht that will lead you to North Seymour Island, a spectacular place to hike, swim and enjoy the snorkeling. On this island, you can see palo santo trees, colonies of blue-footed boobies performing their mating dance in the open areas of the island. Sometimes boobies nest right on the tourist trail, so you have to be a little careful not to step on them when walking around. You can closely observe the nests of many of these species including gulls y frigates . Most birds in the Galapagos are completely fearless and not afraid to approach humans. Across the island and while the waves crash on the rocks, you will also appreciate the mischievous sea lions playing and surfing in the waves. North Seymour is mostly flat and arid, with some vegetation including cactus, palo santo and salt bushes. The area of the islands is about 1.9 square kilometers and has a maximum altitude of 28 meters. North Seymour Island is located near Isla Baltra (this is the island where you arrive and leave the Galapagos). North Seymour was formed by a lifting of the lava rock base under the ocean. Seymour Island is separated from Baltra Island by a small canal. The island is best known as "Seymour Norte", while the Isla Baltra Island is also known as "Seymour South". There is a circular path for visitors on North Seymour Island about 2 kilometers long that crosses the interior of the island and takes you to explore the rocky coast path. This trail will take you through some of the largest seabird colonies in the Galapagos Islands. Once all the activities are done, you will be dropped off at Puerto Ayora.
Plazas and Punta Carrion
From: 8:00 AM. To: 5:00 PM.
Navigation to Plaza Island. Sometimes hard disembark on the landing site, we will observe enormous prickly pear cactus and the endemic succulent sesuvium. Land iguanas huge colony in Galapagos we will see the yellow-brown land iguanas feeding on the fruit and pads of the prickly pear cactus, also marine iguanas living along the coast and a hybrid iguana between male marine iguanas and females land iguanas. Lunch aboard. Navigation to Punta Carrión: great snorkel to see a variety of fish, rays, and if lucky the white tip sharks. From Punta Carrion we navigate a short distance through the beautiful Itabaca Channel with its turquoise waters, return to Puerto Ayora.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Hotel to Puerto Ayora Dock (Private)
At the scheduled time today you will be met at your hotel and transferred to Puerto Ayora dock.
Puerto Ayora to Isabela Island by Speedboat
At the scheduled time today you will be transferred by speedboat from Puerto Ayora to Isabela Island, a journey taking 2 hours.
Arrive on Isabela Island
Welcome to what most people deem to be the jewel of Galapagos: Isabela Island. Arriving in the turquoise bay, surrounded by white beaches, you will truly feel like in paradise. Isabela has fewer tourists than Santa Cruz and you can feel a Caribbean flair when you walk the sandy paths along the main street towards your hotel. Or you take one of the taxis waiting at the port and enjoy the ride.
Snorkelling near Tintoreras Islet
You will be picked up at your hotel and equipped in a nearby agency for your first snorkel-trip on Isabela – get ready for entering the waters surrounding one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Galapagos penguins, marine turtles, and colorful fish, not to forget the playful sea lions will be swimming with you at the snorkeling spot Tintoreras. On top of that, you will also explore Tintoreras on a guided walk, seeing masses of black iguanas, Lightfoot crabs, and blue-footed boobies. Return to the hotel in the mid to late afternoon.
Sierra Negra Volcano Tour
After breakfast, your guide will come to pick you up in the morning and gives you a briefing together with the group that will climb Sierra Negra Volcano together with you today. That’s a great chance to meet other travellers and exchange some tips and advice.
On the 40-minute bus ride, you will see some of the countryside of Isabela, before you reach the impressive volcano that has shown activities just recently this summer. All the eruptions took place on the other side of the crater, where lava still exits on the flank and you will be perfectly safe. Slowly climbing the path, you will see a lot of vegetation, until you reach the crater, where former eruptions have occurred some years ago. Now it has already cooled off and the black lava looks mesmerizing in the sunlight and you can enjoy your lunch at the edge of the huge hole.
Return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Please note this walk is around 16km return.
Lunch included.
Wetlands, Flamingo Lake and Tortoise Breeding Station
After breakfast, the guide will pick you up to take you to The Wetlands of Isabela Island which are located just outside of Puerto Villamil. The Wetlands consist of lagoons, swamps, and mangroves and are home to a variety of unique bird species such as common stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintails, and gallinules. The Wetlands can be visited on foot via a path that winds through the swamps. Then we head to the west of Puerto Villamil, there are various salt and brackish lagoons which house an impressive variety of coastal and sea birds. Here, visitors can also find the largest concentration of flamingos in Galapagos. After lunch we visit the Tortoise Breeding Station was created to protect animals in their first years of life. Giant tortoise eggs are collected and brought to the center where they are hatched and kept for five years before being released to their natural environment.
Hotel to Port
A representative will collect and transfer you to the port.
Isabela Island to Puerto Ayora by Speedboat
At the scheduled time today you will take a speedboat transfer from Isabela Island to Puerto Ayora.
Port to Hotel (Private)
You will be met at the port by our representative and transferred to your hotel.
Breakfast included.
Return to airport via Los Gemelos
On the way to the airport we visit the twin craters of 'Los Gemelos'. These giant sink holes were formed by collapsing underground lava tunnels and are now home to a variety of native birdlife including Mockingbirds, Darwin Finches and Galapagos Doves.
In the afternoon you will board your departure flight.
Breakfast included.
Departs - Daily
Season | Type | From | Special Offer |
---|---|---|---|
01 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024 | AUD $2422pp | ||
Comfort | AUD $2422pp | Contact us | |
Superior | AUD $2782pp | Contact us | |
Deluxe | AUD $3275pp | Contact us | |
01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025 | AUD $2665pp | ||
Comfort | AUD $2665pp | Contact us | |
Superior | AUD $3060pp | Contact us | |
Deluxe | AUD $3602pp | Contact us |
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Comfort
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Hotel Fiesta
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Hotel Cally
Superior
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Hotel Galapagos Suites
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Hotel Casita de la Playa
Deluxe
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - Iguana Crossing
Whats included?
- Accommodation
- Hotel taxes
- Transfers
- English-speaking guided tours
- Meals as specified
- Snorkelling mask and fins
What’s not included?
- International and internal airfares
- Arrival/departure taxes or reciprocity fees, visa fees where applicable
- Travel insurance
- Galapagos national park fee - US100 per person
- Transit control card - US$20 per person
- Gratuities
- Wetsuit
- Any items not mentioned as included
Notes
- Please note this tour doesn't include flights to/from Galapagos. Speak to our consultants to arrange these and pre/post nights in Ecuador.
- Hotel rates are based on double/twin share lead-in rooms. Other room types and hotels are available.
- Rates are subject to change and different rates may apply during holiday seasons and special events.