Galapagos Islands

Day 1:  Arrival in Quito
Day 2:  Fly to San Cristobal, bike to La Loberia, visit Interpretation center, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 3:  Puerto Baquerizo Moreno - Puerto Chino, 16 to 25 mi. (25 to 40 km)
Day 4:  Puerto Chino
Day 5:  Boat to Floreana and bike to highlands, 10 mi. (16 km)
Day 6: Boat to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island, 9 mi. (14 km)
Day 7: Sierra Negra Volcano, 13 to 19 mi. (20 to 30 km) 
Day 8:  Santa Cruz, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 9:  Charles Darwin Research Station. Fly to Quito. 
Day 10: Depart for home or arrange an extension

Day 1: Arrive in Quito
After your arrival in Quito, Ecuador and check-in at your first hotel, you can settle in, perhaps explore a bit and get ready for the evening tour briefing and group introduction normally scheduled at 6:30 pm at the hotel. Ask reception upon your arrival for details. Sitting at just over 9,000 feet above sea level, built on the ruins of an Inca city, Quito is a fascinating city. Perhaps you will want to arrive a day or two early and cycle down Cotopaxi Volcano. The Old Town showcases magnificent cathedrals and colonial architecture and is a 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 the New and Old Town 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. Pre-tour activities can be arranged for you if you would like. Just ask!  (D)

Day 2: Fly to San Cristobal Island and bike to La Loberia,  9 mi. (15 km)
Biking details: Easy, mostly level ground.
Activities: Visit Interpretation Center
After a short morning flight (included in your tour price) to one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos archipelago, San Cristobal, your adventure begins in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, a small town of around 6,000 people and the administrative capital of the Galapagos. After sampling some of the local cuisine, you will be fitted with a mountain bike and head off on a bike ride to La Loberia Beach, home to a large number of curious sea lions! Dress accordingly and be prepared for your first activity as sometimes you will not be able to check in to the hotel first.  You’ll have plenty of time to photograph them sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the water.  After a short ride around town, you will spend some time at the Interpretation Center, a visitor center just outside of town. Here you will learn about the interesting history of the archipelago, everything from mysterious deaths and penal colonies to the impact the islands had on Charles Darwin. As the sun sets, you will return by bike to town for a welcome dinner at a small local restaurant. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno - Puerto Chino, 16 to 25 mi. (25 - 40 km)
Biking details: Moderate-Difficult. Some lengthy uphill portions.
Activities: Visit a coffee farm and El Junco
Yesterday was just a warm-up. Today will be a challenge!  You will confront the rolling hills of San Cristobal Island. Puerto Chino, the day's destination and perhaps the most beautiful beach in the archipelago, will be your reward.  If there is time, a visit to a coffee farm can be scheduled. (Coffee is the largest export from the Galapagos Islands). At El Junco, the only freshwater lake in the Galapagos, you’ll have reached an elevation of 600 m. After a picnic lunch break and with the allure of soft, sandy beaches ahead your cycling journey presses on towards Puerto Chino. A break at Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado will signal that you're almost at your destination! This site is located only a few km from Puerto Chino and is home to giant tortoises and endemic plants of the Galapagos. Upon arrival at Puerto Chino, you’re free to relax on the beach or cool down and go swimming, before taking a relaxing truck ride back down to town. If interested, you have the option to cycle back to town at your own pace. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Puerto Chino, San Cristobal Island, Snorkel at Kicker Rock, Free time to explore the town
Activities: Snorkel at Kicker Route, option to dive may be possible. Please enquire in advance.
Today you will have a respite from the bike but a full day awaits. It will be a day of discovering the underwater wonders of the Galapagos Islands. By boat, you will navigate the coastline towards Frigatebird Hill, looking for sea birds including the Great Frigate and famous Blue-Footed Booby. Anchoring in some calm waters near the coast, you’ll get your fins wet in search of rays, damselfish, pufferfish, and, hopefully, curious sea lion pups. Marine iguanas are commonly seen here as well, sunning themselves on the lava rocks along the coast. From here, you continue to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) to explore the final remains of an impressive volcanic tuff cone that rises more than 143m out of the ocean! Along the edge and through a channel of this compacted ash formation, you’ll be on the lookout for sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, chocolate chip starfish, and, perhaps a Galapagos Shark or two. Each trip to Kicker Rock is different; other rare encounters travelers have enjoyed seeing out here include dolphins and hammerhead sharks!

The boat will then head over to Puerto Grande, where you’ll enjoy a boxed lunch meal on the boat (food is not allowed onshore). After eating, jump in the water for a swim or wander around the beautiful beach. Sometimes sea lions and marine iguanas are found along here, while other times an impromptu game of beach volleyball has been known to happen. Upon returning to Puerto Chino, you are free to explore and have dinner on your own! Suggestions will be provided. (B,L)

Day 5: Boat to Floreana and Snorkel and bike to Highlands, Visit Giant Tortoises and Pirate Caves, 10 mi. (16 km)
Biking details: Moderate-difficult. Some lengthy uphill portions.
After breakfast, you’ll depart by boat for Floreana Island, which has a population of fewer than 150 people. Be sure to be looking for dolphins, whales or the waved albatross during this crossing.  Snorkeling is on the agenda and you may see sea lions or penguins! Puerto Velasco Ibarra is a sleepy little town with plenty of mystery and fascinating history. After lunch, you’ll have a bit of time to relax on the black sand beach looking for marine iguanas before you clip yourself in for a ride into the highlands towards the Asylum of Peace. You can expect a mostly gradual ascent to around 400 m, passing by farms and shrublands before arriving in the often misty highlands. From here you’ll visit the Pirate Caves and a Giant Tortoise visitor site. It’s back to town by bike for sunset and a relaxed dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Boat to Isabela Island and bike to Wall of Tears, Visit Tortoise Breeding Center, 9 mi. (14 km)
Biking details: Easy-moderate. Mainly flat with some sandy portions.
Activities: Vist the Tortoise Breeding Center
A morning speedboat ride transfers you to Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos. After arriving at the pretty town of Puerto Villamil, your cycling adventure begins. Biking to the Wall of Tears is a journey that will take you past some scenic points along the coast on a flat, sandy road. The Wall of Tears was built by prisoners here many decades ago and it is said that thousands of people died building it. Afterward, you’ll head to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where you’ll see giant tortoises in all stages of development. Almost 1000 tortoises are here, ranging from new hatchlings to 70+-year-old giants.  (B, L, D)

Day 7: Sierra Negra Volcano Hike, Downhill Biking from Highlands,  13 to 19 mi. (20 to 30 km) 
Biking details: Easy-moderate. Mostly downhill, some rough road.
Activities: Sierra Negra Volcano Hike
Today you’ll need both your hiking boots and biking shoes, as the second-largest volcanic caldera in the world is waiting.  A van will transfer the group and bikes up to Sierra Negra Volcano, which last erupted in October 2005. From the starting point, it is a good hike to get to the immense crater and you can be watching for birds only found in the highlands, including the Vermillion Flycatcher and the short-eared owl. There is a stark contrast in the vegetation here compared to back in town. The cool, misty highlands are perfect for the bike ride back to town. On the way, you’ll explore the highlands and possibly make a stop for lunch at a remote farm or restaurant. Back in Puerto Villamil, the rest of the day is free for you to cycle around town, check out the mangrove wetlands and wildlife or enjoy some drinks at a beach bar. (B, L)

Day 8: Morning walk, boat to Santa Cruz, highlands bike tour to Lava Tunnel, 16 mi. (25 km)
Biking details:  Easy-Moderate. Mostly downhill, some rough road patches.
After an optional morning walk and swim to look for marine iguanas around Concha de Perla, it’s off to Santa Cruz Island. After lunch in town, you’ll head into the Highlands, for a scenic bike ride and a bit of immersion into the Galapagos rural way of living. Your final bike ride is done at a fairly leisurely pace and you’ll visit a giant lava tunnel as well as some off-the-beaten-path places. Wild tortoises may be encountered on your ride. Enjoy some free time before dinner to shop for souvenirs or wander around Puerto Ayora. (B, L, D)

Day 9: Charles Darwin Research Station. Flight to Quito
Activities: Charles Darwin Research Station
Depending on flight times, you could enjoy a final hike or head to the Charles Darwin Research Station, home to numerous Giant Tortoises Species as well as some Galapagos Land Iguanas. Before his death in June 2012, this is where Lonesome George lived, the last giant tortoise of his species. His death represented the extinction of a creature.  Flights back to Quito (included) will be early afternoon. There will be an optional final dinner out to say farewell to your new friends. (B, L, D)

Day 10: Quito and departure.
Transfer to airport (for flights that depart before noon) or extension of stay. Please ask us about the day tours that are available including city tours, Bellavista Cloud Forest, Cotopaxi Biking and more!

Day 1: Quito 
Day 2: San Cristobal Island 
Day 3: Interpretation Center
Day 4: Floreana Island
Day 5: Isabela 
Day 6: Isabela 
Day 7: Isabela 
Day 8: Charles Darwin Research Center 
Day 9: Santa Cruz Highlands 
Day 10: Departure

Day 1: Quito 
Arrive in Quito, Ecuador any time 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. If you arrive early, you can use your free time to get aquatinted 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 the New and Old Town 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. (D)

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 enquire 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 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 and what makes it so special. There’s a short hike to Tijeretas, a panoramic lookout over the town and Kicker Rock, for those that are interested.

To culminate the educational afternoon, pick a spot at nearby Playa Mann, or Mann Beach, 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 
Activities: Boat to Isabela, kayak in the bay,
This morning you’ll have a chance to go for one last walk along Floreana’s coast before embarking for Isabela, the largest island in the archipelago. Once you arrive in Puerto Villamil, you will check-in, have lunch and then head off for a kayak around the sheltered bay area of Puerto Villamil. Galapagos penguins (the only penguin found north of the equator), sea turtles, and rays frequent these shallow waters and blue-footed boobies, frigate birds and pelicans may be seen resting along the shore and in some nearby mangrove trees.

There is a nice mangrove-lined boardwalk path that brings us back to town from the center. Many birds, including flamingoes, call this area home. There are many bars and restaurants along the waterfront in Puerto Villamil where we can enjoy a drink or watch the sunset in the distance. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Isabela 
Activities: Hike Sierra Negra Volcano, Visit Volcan Chico Lava Fields
Lace-up your hiking boots, you are heading up a volcano!  Sierra Negra Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Galapagos; its last eruption was in October 2005.  As you hike to the perimeter of the caldera, be on the lookout for bird species found only in the highlands, like the bright red Vermillion Flycatcher and the elusive short-eared owl.  Once you reach the rim, you will be rewarded with a nine-kilometer view that stretches across one the most active calderas in the world.  We’ll continue on to traverse the vast lava fields of Volcan Chico in route for a lookout that boasts breathtaking views reaching to the north of Isabela.  After enjoying a hearty sense of accomplishment, you will make your way back to town by late afternoon for some free time to curl up with a book or venture down to the water for a relaxing swim before dinner. (B, L)

If you think sleeping sharks, sea horses, sea turtles, and strange lava tunnel formations sound intriguing then you’re going to need your mask, snorkel and flippers, because you get all that and more at Los Tuneles.

Also called Cabo Rosa, this area about one hour from town was created when lava flows reached the ocean, forming tunnels, arches and sheltered bays perfect for snorkeling. They also happen to be perfect feeding grounds for sea turtles and resting places for other species like the Galapagos sharks! Even the cute Galapagos penguins have been known to visit this area at times. It is one of the most diverse snorkel spots in the entire archipelago, and also home to some birds, such as nesting blue-footed boobies.

The ride to get here can be a bit rough, and because of the lava formations, safe access is only possible at certain tides. If you want to maximize the time you spend in the water in the Galapagos, Los Tuneles should be on your list! Not to mention that sea lions, eagle rays, octopus, and plenty of tropical fish, sea stars, and sea urchins are also spotted in these often crystal clear waters!

Day 7: Isabela 
Activities: Free afternoon or hike and snorkel at Tuneles (extra cost), Visit Tortoise Breeding Center

On your final day on Isabela island, you get to choose how you’d like to spend your morning. Relax and explore the beach or take the optional snorkel tour to Los Tuneles. Isabela boasts a wide range of restaurants, and you willl enjoy a typical Ecuadorian lunch today, while everyone plans out their afternoon adventures.

Optional: Snorkel at Los Tuneles
If you think sleeping sharks, seahorses, sea turtles and strange lava tunnel formations sound intriguing then you’re going to need your mask, snorkel and flippers, because you get all that and more at Los Tuneles. Also called Cabo Rosa, this area about one hour from town was created when lava flows reached the ocean, forming tunnels, arches and sheltered bays perfect for snorkeling. They also happen to be perfect feeding grounds for sea turtles and resting places for other species like Galapagos sharks! Even the cute Galapagos penguins have been known to visit this area at times. It is one of the most diverse snorkel spots in the entire archipelago, and also home to some birds, such as nesting blue-footed boobies. The ride to get here can be a bit rough, and because of the lava formations, safe access is only possible at certain tides. If you want to maximize the time you spend in the water in the Galapagos, Los Tuneles should be on your list! Sea lions, eagle rays, octopus and plenty of tropical fish, sea stars and sea urchins are also spotted in these often crystal clear waters! After lunch, enjoy a short walk to a nearby wetland that is home to pink flamingos and pintail ducks. This mangrove-lined path leads to Isabela’s Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we’ll see giant tortoises in all stages of development. The center has almost a thousand giant tortoises training for life on their own!

Tonight you will meet back up for a well-deserved feast as it’s our last night in Isabela. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Charles Darwin Research Center 
Activities: Boat to Santa Cruz, visit tortoises in the highlands, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, optional visit to Tortuga Bay
You will wave goodbye to Isabela this morning as we depart for Santa Cruz. After arrival, the first highlight of the day will be heading into the highlands to a private reserve where giant tortoises roam free. Expect to get some great photos of tortoises wallowing in mud pools, munching on vegetation, or even "running" across the fields in the highlands at full speed. The highland areas you like to visit often have lava tunnels as well, which you can walk through - some of them are quite large!

After lunch in the highlands, you will head back into town for a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. We’ll learn about the station's successes in repopulating the islands with the once endangered land iguana and several species of Giant Tortoise. From the collection of the eggs to the age of release, you will observe how the giant tortoises are raised and readied for life on their own. 

Next, you have options. Puerto Ayora is the biggest town in the Galapagos, so you may want to explore the shops, restaurants, and waterfront on your own. Alternatively, an optional visit to Tortuga Bay is highly recommended. Featuring a gorgeous beach accessible only by foot you can swim, sunbath, bodysurf, kayak, or snorkel around this popular area. A leisurely 45-minute path leads to the beach area and along the way you may spot lava lizards and birds in the surrounding trees.

Upon arrival at the first soft, white sandy beach, you'll be greeted by some rough surf that is perfect for surfing. Further along, you can reach Tortuga Bay, a calm bay that is sheltered by mangroves and perfect for swimming. There’s a nice walk through a cactus forest for those that want one more chance at spotting nesting blue-footed boobies or massive marine iguanas.

After fun in the sun, make your way back to town for your farewell dinner in the Enchanted Islands. (B, L, D)

Day 9: Santa Cruz Highlands 
Enjoy a bit of free time before your morning flight to the mainland. Baltra airport is on another island, which requires a cross-island taxi ride on Santa Cruz, followed by a ferry and a bus ride that can take up to two hours of travel time in total.

On the way to the airport, shout if you want coffee and, time permitting, you may make a pit stop at a local distributor for a bag of fresh ground Galapagos Coffee, the only thing exported from the islands. Further along, there may be time to make a stop in the highlands at Los Gemelos. This interesting site features some unique craters unlike anything else you'll have seen in the Galapagos. Again, everything is dependent on how early your flights are today. As you head across the channel to Baltra, enjoy one last look at the turquoise waters before flying back to Quito for your final dinner this evening.

Day 10: Departure or arrange a day tour of the city
Today is the last day of the tour and you will be transferred to the airport. Perhaps you will have time before your flight to explore a bit more. We can provide suggestions for day tours if you would like.   (B)

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