Galapagos Islands

Day 1: Fly to San Cristobal, Bike to La Loberia, Visit Interpretation Center, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Bike to Puerto Chino, Visit a Coffee Farm and El Junco, 16-25 mi. (25-40 km)
Day 3: Snorkel at Kicker Rock, Free time in town
Day 4: Fly to Isabela, Walk and Snorkel Tintoreras, Bike to Wall of Tears, Visit Tortoise Breeding Center, 9 mi. (14 km)
Day 5: Sierra Negra Volcano Hike, Downhill Biking from Highlands, 13-19 mi. (20-30 km)
Day 6: Boat to Santa Cruz, Highlands Bike Tour to Lava Tunnel, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 7: Final Day, Head Home or Arrange Day Tours in Quito

Day 1: Fly to San Cristobal, Bike to La Loberia, Visit Interpretation Center (9 mi. / 15 km)

Biking details: Easy, mostly level ground
Activities: Visit Interpretation Center

Arrive on San Cristobal Island and land in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the administrative capital of Galapagos. After a local lunch, get fitted with a mountain bike and cycle to La Loberia Beach, home to a large sea lion colony. After your sea lion encounter, explore the town by bike and visit the Interpretation Center to learn about the Galapagos' fascinating history. Return to town for a welcome dinner. (L, D)

Day 2: Bike to Puerto Chino, Visit a Coffee Farm and El Junco (16-25 mi. / 25-40 km)

Biking details: Moderate-Difficult, some lengthy uphill portions
Activities: Visit a coffee farm and El Junco

Cycle through the rolling hills of San Cristobal, stopping at a coffee farm and El Junco, the only freshwater lake in the Galapagos. Continue to Puerto Chino, a stunning beach where you can relax and swim. Return to town by truck or cycle back at your own pace. (B, L)

Day 3: Snorkel at Kicker Rock, Free Time in Town

Activities: Snorkeling, optional diving

Cruise along the coastline, spotting seabirds like the Great Frigate and Blue-Footed Booby. Snorkel near Frigatebird Hill, encountering rays, pufferfish, and sea lions. Continue to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), where you may see sea turtles, eagle rays, and Galapagos sharks. After lunch on the boat, relax at Puerto Grande Beach before returning to town for a free evening. (B, L)

Day 4: Fly to Isabela, Walk and Snorkel Tintoreras, Bike to Wall of Tears, Visit Tortoise Breeding Center (9 mi. / 14 km)

Biking details: Easy-Moderate, mostly flat with some sandy portions
Activities: Visit the Tortoise Breeding Center

Fly to Isabela Island and explore Tintoreras, an islet home to marine iguanas and Galapagos Penguins. Snorkel in a calm inlet before biking to the historic Wall of Tears. Visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center to see tortoises at various life stages. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Sierra Negra Volcano Hike, Downhill Biking from Highlands (13-19 mi. / 20-30 km)

Biking details: Easy-Moderate, mostly downhill with some rough patches
Activities: Sierra Negra Volcano Hike

Hike to the rim of Sierra Negra, one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world. Look for highland bird species before biking downhill back to town. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, exploring mangrove wetlands or relaxing at a beach bar. (B, L)

Day 6: Boat to Santa Cruz, Highlands Bike Tour to Lava Tunnel (16 mi. / 25 km)

Biking details: Easy-Moderate, mostly downhill with some rough patches
Activities: Visit a lava tunnel

Take a morning boat to Santa Cruz Island and bike through the highlands, where you may encounter wild tortoises. Explore a massive lava tunnel before returning to Puerto Ayora for some free time before dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Final Day, Head Home or Arrange Day Tours in Quito

Transfer to Baltra Island for your return flight to Quito. If you plan to extend your stay in Ecuador, consider booking a day tour to explore another region. (B)

Day 1 (Friday): Arrive in Quito, Welcome Briefing and Dinner
Day 2 (Saturday): Fly to San Cristobal, Downhill Bike Ride, Visit La Loberia
Day 3 (Sunday): Snorkel at Kicker Rock, Visit Interpretation Center
Day 4 (Monday): Visit Floreana Island, Snorkel, Visit Highlands
Day 5 (Tuesday): Boat to Isabela, Kayak in Bay, Walk and Snorkel Tintoreras
Day 6 (Wednesday): Hike Sierra Negra Volcano, Visit Volcan Chico Lava Fields
Day 7 (Thursday): Free Morning (Optional Snorkel Trip to Los Tuneles $), Visit Giant Tortoise Breeding Center
Day 8 (Friday): Boat to Santa Cruz, Visit Tortoises in Highlands, Charles Darwin Research Station, Optional Tortuga Bay Visit
Day 9 (Saturday): Free Morning, Depart for Quito, Farewell Dinner
Day 10 (Sunday): Final Day, Depart for Home or Arrange a Day Tour

Day 1: Quito
Arrive in Quito, Ecuador, anytime and check into your hotel. This evening, you will be met by a representative for a briefing about your upcoming adventure and an opportunity to get to know your new travel companions before your first dinner together. The briefing is scheduled for 6:30 pm. (D)

If you arrive early, you can use your free time to get acquainted with one of the highest capitals in the world, sitting at just over 9,000 feet above sea level. The city is nestled in a long, narrow valley of the Andes and flanked by the Pichincha Volcano to the west. For a great view and a little exercise, Pichincha is easily accessible for a day trip. If you’re in a cultural mood, head to the Old Town to stroll through the magnificent cathedrals and take in the colonial architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. El Panecillo or 'the Little Bread Loaf,' is located high atop a hill in the Old Town and is a major Quito attraction boasting a panoramic view of the city. Museums are scattered throughout both the New and Old Towns, as well as local artisan markets that are great for picking up souvenirs. The New Town is teeming with cafes and restaurants and is a vibrant mix of locals, ex-pats, and fellow travelers. New Town and Old Town are easily accessible by trolley or taxi. If you’d prefer, we’d be happy to help arrange these pre-tour activities for you. We can also assist in booking any accommodation you may need if arriving earlier or staying later in Quito.

Note: Like most major cities, Quito is not without its pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Leave your valuables and passports in your room or hotel safe and only carry what you need just to be safe.

Day 2: San Cristobal Island

Activities: Bike ride, swimming at La Loberia

This morning, you will take a short flight to one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos archipelago, San Cristobal. You will land in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, a coastal town and the administrative capital of the islands. After sampling some of the local cuisine, you will head up into the highlands for a scenic downhill bike ride. Starting at a panoramic viewpoint called La Soledad, you will bike through the tiny town of El Progreso and five different vegetation zones until you reach the beach, La Loberia. You will be able to watch sea lions sunbathing, playing, and vying for attention. If you can’t wait to get in the water, this is your first opportunity. As the sun sets, you will bike back to town and get ready for a welcome dinner of fresh fish and island cuisine at a small local restaurant. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Interpretation Center

Activities: Snorkel at Kicker Rock, boat ride, Playa Mann or Mann Beach. Option for diving may be available. Please inquire in advance.

Today, you take to the water to get a glimpse of the underwater world of Galapagos. First, you will cruise along the coast identifying shorebirds like the Great Frigate and the famous Blue-Footed Booby. You will then anchor in calm waters and go in search of damselfish, pufferfish, and, hopefully, curious sea lion pups. You then continue to Kicker Rock or Leon Dormido, as it’s known by the locals, to explore the final remains of a tuff cone rising over 143 meters out of the ocean. If Kicker Rock were a building, it would have almost 50 floors! Along the edge and through a channel of this drastic compact ash formation, you will be on the hunt for sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, chocolate chip starfish, and with any luck, a Galapagos Shark or two. Don’t worry; they won’t be as interested in you as you are in them.

A beautiful beach accessible only by boat will be the final stop for the day. After lunch on board, feel free to spend your time swimming in the turquoise water or snapping photos of Kicker Rock in the distance.

You will head back to town late afternoon to visit the Interpretation Center, where you will learn about the history and mystery of the archipelago, from its discovery to Charles Darwin’s visit and the present-day efforts to protect this amazing World Heritage Site. There’s a short hike to Tijeretas, a panoramic lookout over the town and Kicker Rock, for those interested.

To culminate the educational afternoon, pick a spot at nearby Playa Mann with the playful sea lions or grab a front-row seat at Casa Blanca to toast in the sunset. Dinner is on your own tonight, and we’ll be sure to offer you plenty of suggestions. (B, L)

Day 4: Floreana Island

Activities: Visit Floreana Island, Snorkel, visit the Highlands

After breakfast, you depart by boat for the least inhabited of the main islands, Floreana. En route, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, whales, and the waved albatross. You will have a pre-lunch snorkel before going ashore to a black sand beach at the home of the Witmer’s, one of the island's first settlers. With a population of fewer than 150 people, Puerto Velasco Ibarra is a sleepy little town but not without its secrets. You can read up on how life came to be on Floreana and how some lives mysteriously ended. After lunch, take a siesta while listening to the waves or walk along the coast in search of sunbathing iguanas. In the afternoon, you will bus up to the highlands to visit the Pirate and Whaler Caves from long ago. Once you return to town and to your beachside accommodation, there will be time to enjoy the day’s last light before heading to dinner. After dinner on the way back to the hotel, be sure to spend a few moments looking up—Floreana is one of the best places for stargazing! (B, L, D)

Note: Because of the small nature of the hotel and lack of availability, sometimes we are unable to stay and must continue on to Isabela.

Day 5: Isabela Island

Activities: Boat to Isabela, kayak in the bay, walk and snorkel at Tintoreras

This morning, you will have a chance to go for one last walk along Floreana’s coast before embarking for Isabela, the largest island in the archipelago. Upon arrival in Puerto Villamil, you will check in, have lunch, and then set out for a kayaking adventure around the sheltered bay area. You will have the opportunity to see Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and rays in these shallow waters.

A guided walk on Tintoreras Island will introduce you to marine iguanas and unique lava formations before finishing the day with a snorkeling excursion where you can observe reef sharks, sea stars, and tropical fish up close. Enjoy some free time before dinner, perhaps taking a stroll along the beach or relaxing with a book. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Isabela Island

Activities: Hike Sierra Negra Volcano, visit Volcan Chico lava fields

Lace up your hiking boots—you’re heading up a volcano! Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos, last erupting in June 2018. As you hike to the perimeter of the caldera, keep an eye out for bird species found only in the highlands, such as the bright red Vermillion Flycatcher and the elusive short-eared owl.

At the rim, you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of one of the largest volcanic craters in the world. The hike continues across the dramatic lava fields of Volcan Chico, where you can see the island’s powerful geological activity up close. After a well-earned rest, you will return to town in the late afternoon, with free time to relax before dinner. (B, L)

Day 7: Isabela Island

Activities: Free morning or optional snorkel at Los Tuneles, visit Giant Tortoise Breeding Center

On your final day in Isabela, you can choose how to spend your morning. Relax on the beach, explore town, or opt for a snorkeling excursion at Los Tuneles (extra cost). This unique area was formed when lava flows reached the ocean, creating a stunning underwater landscape of tunnels and arches. The calm waters here are home to sea turtles, sharks, sea horses, and even Galapagos penguins.

After lunch, take a short walk along a mangrove-lined path to Isabela’s Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, where you’ll see hundreds of giant tortoises in various stages of development. Learn about the conservation efforts that help these gentle creatures return to the wild. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner on Isabela. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Santa Cruz Island

Activities: Boat to Santa Cruz, visit tortoises in the highlands, Charles Darwin Research Station, optional visit to Tortuga Bay

You will wave goodbye to Isabela this morning as you depart for Santa Cruz. Upon arrival, your first stop will be a private reserve in the highlands, where giant tortoises roam freely. These slow-moving giants wallow in mud pools, munch on vegetation, and can be seen “running” at their own pace.

After lunch, you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, where you’ll learn about ongoing conservation efforts and see giant tortoises being raised for release into the wild. From here, you can choose to explore the town of Puerto Ayora or take an optional visit to Tortuga Bay. This pristine white sand beach, accessible via a scenic 45-minute walk, offers swimming, kayaking, or sunbathing opportunities.

After a full day of adventure, return to town for your final dinner in the Galapagos. (B, L, D)

Day 9: Departure from the Galapagos – Return to Quito

Enjoy a relaxed morning before heading to Baltra Airport for your flight back to Quito. Your journey back includes a cross-island taxi ride, a ferry, and a bus—so be sure to plan accordingly.

Time permitting, a stop may be made at Los Gemelos, twin craters formed by the collapse of underground lava chambers. If you’re a coffee lover, you may also have a chance to purchase fresh-ground Galapagos coffee, one of the islands’ only exports.

Once back in Quito, you will enjoy a final dinner together and reflect on your Galapagos adventure. (B, D)

Day 10: Quito – Departure or Optional City Tour

Today marks the final day of your tour. You will be transferred to the airport for your departure or, if you have extra time, you may choose to explore more of Quito. We can arrange optional tours if you’d like to see more of the city before heading home. (B)

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