Overview

This is the combination of Isabela and Santa Cruz. We will experience Galapagos on its best behavior starting with the highlights of Santa Cruz, We will be able to see the baby sharks in the harbor and also the sealions resting on the benches and interesting bird and marine life of Santa Cruz, don’t forget to top this off with the mystical island of Floreana.

Then we take a 2-hour boat ride to the biggest Island here, Isabela. It will feel a bit like going to the South Pacific Island, and here that means living next to the nicest and most accessible beach in Galapagos. We will also have the chance to see the world’s second biggest volcano crater, Sierra Negra. We will again see the marine life with rays, sealions, sea-turtles, sharks and the northern most penguins in the world, the Humboldt penguins. The relaxed atmosphere on the island will make you sorry you didn’t stay longer…

6 Nights 7 Days Available on request
Inclusions/Exclusions
What we'll give. What we won't

What is included in the tour

  • Tourguide English/Spanish speaking
  • Hotel in Puerto Ayora (3n) 
  • Hotel in Puerto Villamil (3n) 
  • Breakfast (6 mornings)
  • Hike to Tortuga Bay // Half day tour with guide
  • Bay Tour by boat// Half day tour with guide
  • Walking tour to Flamingo Lake and Turtle Center / Half day tour with guide
  • Snorkeling Tour - Concha y Perla // Half day tour with guide
  • Boat tour to Tintoreras, Isabela// approx. 5 hours.
  • Speedboat: Puerto Ayora - Isabela - Puerto Ayora
  • Transfer in and out to Baltra Airport

What is NOT included in the tour

  • Air Ticket Quito/Guayaquil to Baltra Galapagos (can be booked in stage 3)

  • Entrance fees Galapagos National Park 100.00 USD+ TRANSIT CARD 20.00 USD+ ISABELA Entrance fee 10.00 USD. To be paid upon arrival.

  • Snorkeling Tour – Los Tuneles // Aprox. 6 hours, with guide, (can be booked in stage 3)
  • Any meals/services not mentioned in the inclusions
  • Alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc.
  • Personal expenses like tips, telephone calls, laundry, etc.
  • Boat trip to Floreana // Full day, with guide, (can be booked in stage 3)
Highlights
What makes this tour special
  • Stunning South Pacific Beaches
  • The worlds second largest volcano crater
  • Amazing snorkling
  • The most northern living penguins in the world
  • The most "modern" part of Galapagos
  • Wild land tortes on the way from the airport
Itinerary

Day 1. Santa Cruz               Arrival to Baltra and afternoon excursion

When you land in Baltra we will meet you and take you across this little island and take you to the main island, Santa Cruz, where we go by bus to the main city of Puerto Ayora. Here we will take you to your hotel of choice.

PM: We walk the trail to Tortuga Bay, a footpath of cobbled trail through Cacti, Palo Santo, and Matasarno trees. A 45-minute walk is rewarded with a spectacular white sandy beach. At Tortuga Bay beach we can relax on the beach, swim or take a walk and look for the fearless wildlife near the shoreline. There is a lot to discover. The hike back to the city starts at 16:30, the park closes at 18:00. Once back, we relax at the hotel. (Optional boat ride back to town $10 USD). The evening is free to spend in town. 

Day 2. Santa Cruz day off.  Optional excursion

AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Free time to explore the town on your own.  Or why not tag along on an optional excursion in this amazing archipelago?  

Optional: Boat trip to Floreana (90 USD): Breakfast at the hotel, a short walk to the harbor to embark on a speedboat for a two-hour crossing over the open sea, to the mysterious island of Floreana. In Floreana, a Chiva bus will take us to the highlands. One of the very few springs of freshwater around the Galapagos. Our guide will tell us the thrilling story of the first inhabitants of Floreana. We return from the mountains to the village for lunch. After lunch, walk to La Loberia, for snorkeling and/or swim among turtles and sea lions. Quite often at this site, we have seen 15-20 sea turtles feeding.  After a lovely afternoon, we return to Puerto Ayora by speedboat, another 2-hour navigation back to town in Santa Cruz. 

Day 3. Bay tour by Boat 

AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Today's schedule includes a little bit of everything when it comes to Galapagos. This excursion in the bay near Puerto Ayora will be nice, easy, and interesting. 

This relaxing 4-hour tour will take us to different places in the bay of Puerto Ayora. Our first stop 2 miles out will be “La Loberia” where we can find friendly sea lions. We then slowly return to Santa Cruz and embark to make a small hike to Playa de Los Perros where we will find colonies of Marine Iguanas. The last stop will be a short hike to Las Grietas, where we can see finches, shorebirds, and endemic vegetation. At Las Grietas we have a chance to snorkel in the channels of the lava formations, the water here is less salty, a rare thing in the Galapagos. After an interesting visit, we walk back to the boat and get back to Puerto Ayora. The rest of the day is free to enjoy. 

Day 4            Transfer to Isabela

We wake up in the morning for breakfast. We have the morning free depending on the hour of our transport. 

PM: 2 o clock we embark on a speedboat to continue with a 2-hour boat ride to Isabela. A short walk from the dock to the hotel. After check-in, our guide will take us for a walk around the village so we can identify shops and places to eat. Dinner in the village and then relax and sleep at your hotel. 

Day 5. Walking tour to the Giant Tortoise Breading Center. Snorkeling in the bay 

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will do two half-day tours to make up an interesting full day. In the morning we go for a walk to find Flamingos. Giant Tortoise Breeding Center in the afternoon, end the day with a snorkel in the bay. 

AM: From the hotel, we walk along the picture-perfect beach over the paths and bridges to the marshlands, the locals call it Flamingo Lake. Along the way, we expect to see many seabirds, such as flamingos, ibis, shorebirds, and also marine iguanas resting in the brackish water. We later reach the "Centro de Crianza Tortugas Gigantes", a research station that breeds giant tortoises. Isabela is home to 5 different species of Tortoises, as we see them at different stages we will have a chance to learn how some of them are on the verge of extinction, after an interesting visit, we slowly walk back to the town where we can have lunch (not included) or maybe have a quick siesta. 

PM: Snorkeling day for beginners and tourists. We walk towards El Embarcadero, a beautiful walk through a mangrove area that takes us to a shallow bay perfect for swimming and/or snorkeling. In this bay, it is common to find schools of fish, playful sea lions, and the occasional Galapagos penguin. If lucky eagle rays are known to rest at this place.  We slowly return to the hotel in town, thinking once again about how interesting and full of life this place is.

Day 6. Boat tour to Tintoreras 

AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Today we have a half-day boat tour of one of the marine highlights of Isabela. We leave the port in a smaller boat to explore Tintoreras, a set of small islets within Villamil's bay. We first have a long ride along the coast where we will be looking for the Galapagos penguins, the only tropical penguin that nest in the northern hemisphere. The Galapagos Islands are the northernmost point where you can find wild penguins. After the ride, we disembark into an almost barren lava landscape to go back in time, to the early processes of how life really started on the planet.  Depending on the season the lava will be inhabited by big male marine iguanas that are displaying their beautiful colors to attract females. To end the tour, we get into the water for a long snorkel where we will encounter a very diverse set of marine wildlife, of course once again the playful sea lions, sea turtles, and various species of rays. Tintoreras is a much-appreciated trip, definitely a highlight. 

Day 7. Transfer out    Transfer to Santa Cruz-Guayaquil-Quito 

AM: Early wake up to catch the speed boat and return to Santa Cruz, no time for breakfast, the hotels will provide lunch boxes to eat at the speedboat.  Our transport will pick up us at around 04:30 am to go to the pier. The boat trip takes about 2 hours and it’s still a bumpy ride. After a short rest in Puerto Ayora, we continue to the airport in Baltra depending on your flight times and programs. 

Transfers: Book them separately when you make your booking. Transfers from Guayaquil/Quito include airfare with one checked-in bag.

Note: There is a 1-dollar boat-taxi ride to and from the marina to embarking on the speedboat. And in Isabela it’s a 10$US port tax to be paid upon arrival. Not included. Have them available in cash.

Hotels
Where will we stay?

On this tour you will stay in the following hotels:

STANDARD

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz.      Hotel Ninfa Suites 3n

Puerto Vilamil, Isabela            Hotel Iguana 3 n.

SUPERIOR

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz.      Hotel Ninfa Suites// Deluxe Suites 3n

Puerto Vilamil, Isabela            Hotel La Laguna  3 n.