7-DAY GALAPAGOS ESSENTIALS
Transportation
Private and comfortable land transportation.
Accommodation
Accommodation based on double occupancy
Meals
6 breakfasts and 3 lunches.
Outdoor Gear
Top-tier gear for the activities described in the Itinerary
Activities
Activities described in the itinerary
AJ Expert
Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure
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TRIP ACTIVITIES
TRIP OVERVIEW
Experience the Galapagos Islands from the comfort of a land-based expedition! The islands offer endless opportunities to witness a unique abundance of wildlife in a setting unlike any other on the planet. This is one of the few places on earth that allows such close and intimate contact with wildlife. The Galapagos form a natural sanctuary that preserves species, allowing them to evolve their unique features over countless millennia. This vacation also provides flexible time to spend on your own and explore the sandy beaches, trails in the Galapagos forest, and wildlife. The tour also offers many benefits for local communities and is socially and environmentally responsible. Be part of an educational and inspirational journey of a lifetime in one of the most fiercely protected marine wildernesses in the world!
Unique Experiences:
- Enjoy real-time encounters with the most amazing wildlife at your fingertips and discover the power of nature with the evolutionary changes of such unique animals.
- Snorkel with sea turtles, seahorses, sea lions, and sharks.
ITINERARY
Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city in America – declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Considered the Cultural Capital of South America, it’s located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the old town of Quito and surrounding areas. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help organize a day trip (please request in advance). In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel lobby at 18:00 for a welcome briefing. We’ll go over all the adventure details and answer your questions. This day is for acclimatization and information.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: None.
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. On arrival, you will be picked up and transferred to Santa Cruz, a nearby island, crossing the narrow Itabaca Channel by ferry. From here, we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. You will visit a private ranch where lunch will be served before heading out for a walk in search of these gentle giants. During the visit, you’ll also explore lava tubes—natural formations created by flowing lava beneath hardened surfaces. After this tour, you’ll continue by private vehicle to your hotel. In the evening, meet your local guide who will go over the itinerary for the next day. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure as you settle into this incredible island environment.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: La Isla or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Today after breakfast you will enjoy a half-day tour of Academy Bay. Be sure to pack everything you need for this trip. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it. During the tour, you will take a boat to Academy Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are very curious animals and like to swim next to you underwater. Here you can also see the sought after blue-footed boobies. Afterward, climb to a nearby viewpoint, and if you are lucky, you can see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below. Afterwards, take a walk along the Playa de los Perros, where many sea iguanas are found basking in the sun. The enormous cacti, the deep, red color of the rocks and the turquoise, sparkling ocean make for great photo opportunities.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: La Isla or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
In the morning we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands. In the afternoon, you will travel by speedboat to San Cristobal Island. Once we arrive, we will check in at the hotel.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Casa Opuntia or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast.
Today after breakfast you will be met and transferred to a dock where you will take a quick boat ride to the nearby Isla Lobos. During this boat trip, observe many marine animals before even setting foot on the island. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided tour where you will have the chance to observe frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, manta, sea lions, and sometimes sharks that all inhabit the island and its surrounding waters. The white coral beaches of San Cristóbal are great to walk around, relax and swim in before you return back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Casa Opuntia or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Enjoy some more free time this morning before transferring to the airport of San Cristóbal. From here, you will take a flight back to Ecuador’s mainland. Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for one more evening at leisure before saying goodbye.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast.
Today our trip will end and you will have your International departures. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast.
Inclusions
What’s Included?
- Transportation: Speed boat Santa Cruz – San Cristobal, comfortable land transportation.
- Accommodation based on double occupancy: 5* hotel in Quito, 3* hotels in Galapagos.
- Meals: 6 breakfasts and 3 lunches.
- Activities: Hiking in Santa Cruz highlands, Snorkeling, Isla Lobos, Academy Bay day tour.
- Gear: Snorkeling mask and fins, life vest.
- Trip Leader: Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure leader and naturalist local guides in Galapagos National Park.
What is not included?
- My Own Room supplement.
- Airfare International flights.
- Airport transfer (international flights).
- Airfare Quito – Galapagos – Quito round trip.
- Travel insurance (suggested).
- Meals not described in the itinerary.
- INGALA transit card: USD $20 per person, cash only (subject to change).
- Galapagos National Park fee: USD $200 per person, cash only (subject to change).
- Wetsuit for rent: USD $10.
- Tips for guides and drivers.
Calendar & Price
Experience the Galapagos Islands from the comfort of a land-based expedition! The islands offer endless opportunities to witness a unique abundance of wildlife in a setting unlike any other on the planet. This is one of the few places on earth that allows such close and intimate contact with wildlife. The Galapagos form a natural sanctuary that preserves species, allowing them to evolve their unique features over countless millennia. This vacation also provides flexible time to spend on your own and explore the sandy beaches, trails in the Galapagos forest, and wildlife. The tour also offers many benefits for local communities and is socially and environmentally responsible. Be part of an educational and inspirational journey of a lifetime in one of the most fiercely protected marine wildernesses in the world!
Unique Experiences:
- Enjoy real-time encounters with the most amazing wildlife at your fingertips and discover the power of nature with the evolutionary changes of such unique animals.
- Snorkel with sea turtles, seahorses, sea lions, and sharks.
Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city in America – declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Considered the Cultural Capital of South America, it’s located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the old town of Quito and surrounding areas. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help organize a day trip (please request in advance). In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel lobby at 18:00 for a welcome briefing. We’ll go over all the adventure details and answer your questions. This day is for acclimatization and information.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: None.
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. On arrival, you will be picked up and transferred to Santa Cruz, a nearby island, crossing the narrow Itabaca Channel by ferry. From here, we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. You will visit a private ranch where lunch will be served before heading out for a walk in search of these gentle giants. During the visit, you’ll also explore lava tubes—natural formations created by flowing lava beneath hardened surfaces. After this tour, you’ll continue by private vehicle to your hotel. In the evening, meet your local guide who will go over the itinerary for the next day. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure as you settle into this incredible island environment.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: La Isla or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Today after breakfast you will enjoy a half-day tour of Academy Bay. Be sure to pack everything you need for this trip. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it. During the tour, you will take a boat to Academy Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are very curious animals and like to swim next to you underwater. Here you can also see the sought after blue-footed boobies. Afterward, climb to a nearby viewpoint, and if you are lucky, you can see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below. Afterwards, take a walk along the Playa de los Perros, where many sea iguanas are found basking in the sun. The enormous cacti, the deep, red color of the rocks and the turquoise, sparkling ocean make for great photo opportunities.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: La Isla or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
In the morning we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands. In the afternoon, you will travel by speedboat to San Cristobal Island. Once we arrive, we will check in at the hotel.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Casa Opuntia or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast.
Today after breakfast you will be met and transferred to a dock where you will take a quick boat ride to the nearby Isla Lobos. During this boat trip, observe many marine animals before even setting foot on the island. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided tour where you will have the chance to observe frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, manta, sea lions, and sometimes sharks that all inhabit the island and its surrounding waters. The white coral beaches of San Cristóbal are great to walk around, relax and swim in before you return back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Casa Opuntia or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Enjoy some more free time this morning before transferring to the airport of San Cristóbal. From here, you will take a flight back to Ecuador’s mainland. Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for one more evening at leisure before saying goodbye.
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🏨 Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar.
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast.
Today our trip will end and you will have your International departures. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!
SERVICES INCLUDED
- 🍽️ Meals included: Breakfast.
What’s Included?
- Transportation: Speed boat Santa Cruz – San Cristobal, comfortable land transportation.
- Accommodation based on double occupancy: 5* hotel in Quito, 3* hotels in Galapagos.
- Meals: 6 breakfasts and 3 lunches.
- Activities: Hiking in Santa Cruz highlands, Snorkeling, Isla Lobos, Academy Bay day tour.
- Gear: Snorkeling mask and fins, life vest.
- Trip Leader: Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure leader and naturalist local guides in Galapagos National Park.
What is not included?
- My Own Room supplement.
- Airfare International flights.
- Airport transfer (international flights).
- Airfare Quito – Galapagos – Quito round trip.
- Travel insurance (suggested).
- Meals not described in the itinerary.
- INGALA transit card: USD $20 per person, cash only (subject to change).
- Galapagos National Park fee: USD $200 per person, cash only (subject to change).
- Wetsuit for rent: USD $10.
- Tips for guides and drivers.
Calendar & Price
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Would you like a quote for this tour?
Let me turn your travel dreams into unforgettable adventures.
EXCELLENT
Based on 552 reviews
Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Suzanne GVerified
Amazing 10 day Ecuador land trip with Alfonzo We had a wonderful 10 day trip exploring Ecuador with our guide, Alfonzo. He was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and fun. We learned about the history and culture of Ecuador and heard personal stories about Alfonzo’s family and life in Ecuador and the Galapagos. We hiked mountains, visited historic sites, hot springs and the Amazon and ate local food (including grubs!). We lucked out and our friends and us (4 people) were the only partipants on our tour so we got extra attention and could help shape our experience more. Also, Alfonzo’s knowledge of the English language is impressive. He even got our jokes and joined in. I would strongly recommend using Adventure Journeys and ask for Alfonzo for your Ecuador land tour.Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Jan LVerified
Wonderful Quito visit Sol our guide gave us a wonderful taste of Quito and the surrounding area. We visited a biscotti making business, the equator solar museum, a colourful market in an Andean town, another town that sold leather and finally visited a waterfall On a second day we had a walking tour of historic Quito. She was an excellent guide with great humour and very friendly and helpful to all our group
Owner's reply
Hey there!We're thrilled that you enjoyed your journey through Quito. Hope you're planning your next adventure with us soon so that you can build even more memorable moments. Keep on enjoyingTake care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Nicky SVerified
Excellent Tour Guide Alfonso from Adventure Journeys was an amazing tour guide. He went above and beyond to make sure our experience was exceptional. I highly recommend him.
Owner's reply
Hey there!Wow, we're thrilled that you found your travel experience with us so compelling. We're always glad to offer unforgettable experiences to our dear guests. Hope to see you back here for another adventure soon.Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Alexander SVerified
Alfonso: the Best Guide in Ecuador Alfonso is the best! He made the trip absolutely incredible! He is so knowledgeable and really went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience possible.
Owner's reply
Hey there!Thank you for telling us how great your experience was. We really appreciate the feedback and kind words of our guests. We hope to see you here back soon for another adventure.Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
tony mVerified
Ecuador Is Incredible. Such a great trip! Alfonso was our guide -- he is fantastic. The itinerary gives you a pretty good overview of Ecuador. My favorite days were those we spent in the Amazonian forest near Tena, hiking on Chimborazo, and exploring Cuenca. We were able to stay in a couple of haciendas -- those were wonderful.
Owner's reply
Hey there!Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. We appreciate being part of such moments, and would love to show you even more the next time.Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Jane BVerified
Once in a lifetime trip Fantastic trip Leo our guide was amazing and our driver. Knowledgeable and always felt safe. Full on and I felt I saw everything I had wanted to see and more.
Owner's reply
Hey there!Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We'd love to have you here soon for another experience. Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
EMRANA AVerified
Bucket list experience! 5 days in galapagos seeing the giant tortoises snorkelling and hiking the islands. Jose was a superb guide who shared his knowledge freely and made every experience delightful.
Owner's reply
Hey there!Thanks for sharing your experience; we really appreciate your feedback. We'll wait to see you back here soon enough for another adventure.Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
Andrew TVerified
David was an excellent tour guide in Quito. He was very attentive,knowledgeable and always willing to help everyone. His Enthusiasm ,professionalism made our trip enjoyable and memorable. Thanks to his hard work and thoughtful arrangements, had a wonderful and pleasant experience throughout the tour. We truly appreciate everything he did for us and highly recommend him to other travelers.
Owner's reply
Hey there! We're thrilled that you enjoyed your time with us this much. Hope to see you back soon so that you can enjoy even more memorable experiences.Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
James PattersonVerified
Quito City Tour with Wellington The while trip was amazing and gave us great insights of Quito.
Owner's reply
Hey there!Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us; we really appreciate it. Hope to see you back here soon.Take care!Posted on Tripadvisor![]()
kari sVerified
An Unforgettable Journey Ecuador is a wonderful place. It is a land of breathtaking contrasts. I discovered its charms thanks to David, who is the best guide I have ever encountered in my many travels. He has expert knowledge, which he shares in a way that is both interesting and engaging. Additionally, he takes excellent care of the entire group, ensuring no one is overlooked. You can really tell he loves what he does
Owner's reply
Hey there!We're thrilled about your wonderful experience here. We'll prepare something special for your next visit. Thank you for your feedback and kind thoughts.Take care!Showing only 4-5 star reviews
Galapagos Cruises
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