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5 Day itinerary in Ecuador, South America

Galapagos Island Hopping Adventure 5D/4N

Discover the wonders of the Galapagos Islands with an unforgettable adventure that includes exploring pristine beaches, snorkeling with vibrant marine life, and visiting iconic landmarks like the Charles Darwin Station. This island-hopping journey offers unique encounters with diverse wildlife, from... Read More

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CeciliaAna MaríaSantiago

By Cecilia, Ana María and Santiago

Overview

Physical Difficulty

Easy
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Recommended Age

Everyone

Operated in

English

GUIDANCE

On Some Day Trips

starting point

Baltra

trip type

Private

trip attributes

Wildlife

Explorer Trips

Start

Night

End

Highlights

1

Relax on beautiful white sandy beaches

2

Go snorkeling among sea lions, rays and turtles

3

Spot blue footed boobies and frigate birds

4

Swim in crystalline turquoise waters

Itinerary

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Day 1

place Day 1: Baltra Island - Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador

Baltra Airport Pick-Up & Transfer to Santa Cruz Island

Upon arrival to the Baltra Island, you will get picked up from the airport and transferred to the harbour in Puerto Ayora. You will be met by your contact person who will explain the programme for the coming days and you will receive recommendations on restaurants and things to do on Santa Cruz. In the afternoon you have free time to explore different sites of Santa Cruz. You can walk through the beautiful dry tropical forest leading up to Tortuga Bay, visit the Charles Darwin Station to learn about the Galápagos’ ongoing conservation efforts, or rent a mountain bike to go up to the highlands of Santa Cruz on your own.

Day 2

place Day 2: Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador

Day Tour to a Nearby Island (Santa Fé, Plazas, Bartolome or North Seymour) (B/L)
Today is an early rise for a day tour of Santa Fé Island. Enjoy snorkeling among abundant marine life and relax on board the boat taking in the beautiful surrounding views. Explore the islands to try and spot land iguanas, and go bird watching. Your day tour includes a lunch on-board. Santa Fe Island has an interesting volcanic composition, where a forest of giant Opuntia Cactus grows over volcanic rocks. The island is located southeast of Santa Cruz and is an island with an area of 24 Km², with a maximum height of 259 meters. After a boat ride to the island, visit two snorkel sites around the coast of Santa Fe. They are generally great places to snorkel with the playful Galapagos sea lions. You can also see many reef fish, and sometimes turtles, reef sharks and rays. Then we will disembark and spend some time on the beach 'Playa Escondida'. If you're lucky you could spot some of the wildlife that inhabits Santa Fé: land iguanas, galapagos hawk, finches, doves, mockingbirds, endemic rice rat and the harmless Galapagos snake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3

place Day 3: Santa Cruz Island - San Cristobal Island, Ecuador

Ferry to San Cristobal Island (B)
You will have a free morning today. Take advantage of it to visit the sites of Santa Cruz that you did not visit on the first day. Then make your way to the harbour from where the ferry to San Cristobal Island leaves at 14:00 pm. You will arrive around 16:00 – 16:30 pm at San Cristobal where you will be met by your contact person at the harbour and will be taken to your accommodation. Your contact person will explain your programme on San Cristobal and you will receive recommendations on restaurants and things to do on San Cristobal. During the rest of the afternoon, you can stroll the boulevard and watch the many sea lions that sleep there or go relax on one of the nearby beaches.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4

place Day 4: San Cristobal Island, Ecuador

Day Tour to Isla Lobos or Kicker Rock (B/L)
Today you will go on a day tour to either Isla Lobos or Kicker Rock, depending on availability. Lunch is included on this day tour. Return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno at 16:00 pm.
Isla Lobos
You will have the opportunity to walk around this wonderful little island. There, marvel at the sea lion colonies, seabirds such as: blue footed boobies, migratory birds, frigates nesting or courting with that impressive red balloon, and nazca boobies also can be found. Go to Canal Lobos, a great place for snorkeling or swimming in turquoise waters with sea lions, tropical fish, rays, sea turtles. After this amazing experience, we sail to Playa Ochoa or Manglesito (according to the tide) where we have our box lunch and relax ourselves on a beautiful white sandy beach.
Kicker Rock
The boat will transport us to the beautiful rock in the middle of the ocean, which according to the “isleños” looks like a sleeping sea lion. The boat will take you around the rock to spot different nesting seabirds and will stop at the entrance of the canal from where you will snorkel. During this snorkel adventure you can spot sharks (white tipped, galapagos and hammerhead), sea turtles, rays and more. After this wonderful experience we sail to Playa Ochoa or Manglesito (according to the tide) where we have our box lunch and relax ourselves on a beautiful white sandy beach.


Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5

place Day 5: San Cristobal Island, Ecuador

San Cristobal Airport Drop-Off (B)
Enjoy your free morning before departing the Galapagos Islands. You will be transferred to the San Cristobal Airport 1.5 hours before departure. We wish you safe travels.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s Included

Meals expand_less

  • Breakfast (4)
  • Lunch (2)

Transport expand_less

  • Ferry Santa Cruz - San Cristobal
  • San Cristobal airport drop-off
  • Baltra airport pick-up
  • Airport pick-up/drop-off, tour transport
  • Transfers Between harbour and accommodation at different islands

Activities expand_less

  • Snorkelling & wildlife-spotting
  • Day tour of Isla Lobos or Kicker Rock
  • Day tour of Santa Fé Island, Plazas Island, Bartolomé Island or North Seymour Island

Extras expand_less

  • Basic snorkeling gear
  • English-speaking contact in Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Not Included expand_less

  • Personal Expenses
  • Tips
  • Other Meals & Drinks
  • Note: Please Plan Ahead as There are No ATMs on the Island
  • Flights
  • Galapagos Fees:
  • Optional Activities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Wetsuits (Bring Your Own or Rent in Puerto Ayora)
  • Small Taxi Boat Transfers Between Harbour and Ferry Boats (+/-$0.60 pp, Cash Only)

About Cecilia

TEAM LEAD

+2 Local experts

verified Baboo Certified

star_outline 5 (45 reviews)

Expertise: 

Cycling

Hiking

Rafting

Snorkeling/Diving

Visit markets

Meet local people

Indigenous culture

Rural home stays

Kayak & Canoe

Purposeful Travel

Nature & Wildlife

Water & Coastline

As a passionate traveler, my heart is in Ecuador. I've explored its hidden gems, discovering places of enchantment perfect for escaping routine. Sharing these treasures with fellow travelers isn't just my expertise – it's my calling. Let's embark on!

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By choosing to travel with us, you support local communities, wildlife, and the environment. We are dedicated to positively impacting the world through every journey we offer.

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