Galápagos Islands Highlights: Nature & Wildlife - 11 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Isla San Cristóbal, Explore

Welcome to the Galápagos Islands! Touchdown in Isla San Cristóbal, where you'll enter the Galápagos National Park, and your guide will transfer you to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day as you please; head out to explore the archipelago's easternmost island, comprised of four extinct fused volcanoes. The English naturalist, Charles Darwin, landed in Naufragio Bay in 1835 and compiled data that he later incorporated into his "On the Origin of Species" report. 

If you want to relax, spend the day on the beach at Playa Carola or Playa Mann. Sunbathe beside friendly sea lions and paddle in the warm ocean. If you're looking for something more active, arrange an excursion to Pitt Point, where you'll take a boat to a remote shore and hike on a trail among tough shrubs that manage to survive in this barren volcanic landscape. The reward is the magnificent viewpoints overlooking the beach. End with dinner at a popular beachside restaurant.  

Day 2: Isla Lobos Tour

Head out this morning to discover Isla Lobos, which is aptly named after the colonies of sea lions that you can see basking and playing along its rocky shoreline. Lobos also has a kaleidoscope of exotic birds, from pelicans to red-chested frigatebirds and yellow warblers. Hike around the island, stopping to look for animals along the shores of this wild island. The waters here are glass-clear, meaning you can easily spot sea turtles, stingrays, and even white-tipped sharks. 

In the afternoon, take a speedboat back to Isla Isla San Cristóbal, where you can stroll along the golden beach and enjoy a relaxing evening. 

Day 3: Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

Today you'll head to Kicker Rock, a nearly 500-foot (152 m) pair of volcanic islands connected by an underground channel. During the scenic speedboat ride along the San Cristóbal coast, look out for frigatebirds and two types of boobies.

Get your snorkeling gear on to explore the channel, which is the perfect habitat for Galápagos sharks, large rays, reef fish, sea turtles, and sea lions. Have lunch on the boat and spend a restful beach afternoon at either Puerto Grande, Cerro Brujo, or Manglecito. 

Day 4: Speedboat to Isla Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Station & Brewery

This morning, board a speedboat to Isla Santa Cruz, home to a dormant volcano that last erupted over 1.5 million years ago. Head for the lush highlands, where you'll see dozens of giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Continue to Puerto Ayora and check into your hotel.

After lunch, tour the Charles Darwin Research Station, where you'll see scientists working on environmental projects. End the day with a trip to the nearby Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, where protected Galápagos giant tortoises breed. The center is the best place on the islands to see and learn about different tortoise species.

End the day with a trip to the Santa Cruz Brewery Production Plant, where you'll tour the first craft brewery in the Galápagos. Learn about the brewery's history and the entire production process, including riding a bike used to grind coffee. End with a beer-tasting session before heading to the Santa Cruz Brewery Resto-Pub for food and more beers.  

Day 5: Kayak Tortuga Bay & Tour of Santa Cruz Bay

Today's kayaking adventure begins with a hike from Puerto Ayora to Tortuga Bay, loved for its soft coral sand and paradisiacal scenery. As you kayak, admire the coastline from a different perspective, observing colonies of marine birds, as well as mangroves, cacti forests, and fascinating flora. Pelicans and finches are local to the area, and you may spot flamingoes near the salt lagoon. Enjoy some beach time before returning to Puerto Ayora.

In the afternoon, take a boat tour of Santa Cruz Bay. First, stop at the tiny islet of La Lobería, where you can snorkel among sea lions and tropical fish. Afterward, head to Shark Channel, where you may spot harmless whitetip sharks and blue-footed boobies. You'll also pass through the Canal del Amor, where sea turtles and fish thrive. Take a short walk to a marine iguana site, where you'll observe the animals up close.

Day 6: Explore an Uninhabited Island

Today you'll explore one of the uninhabited islands in the Galápagos archipelago, which comprises 13 large islands and over 40 small islands and islets. Depending on the day, you'll sail out to either Santa Fé, Plaza Sur, Bartolomé, or Seymour Norte. Discover their wild volcanic landscapes and encounter species found nowhere else.

Look out for iguanas on the crescent-shaped Plaza Sur, wander through a vast cacti forest and spot sea lions on Santa Fé, and find lava lizards on Seymour Norte. If you dock on Bartolomé, hike among red craters shadowed by two volcanic cinder cones, spotting Galápagos penguins at Pinnacle Rock. You'll have a chance to relax on the beach and have a lunch break on the boat, returning to Puerto Ayora at the end of the day.

Day 7: Speedboat to Isla Isabela & Los Túneles Tour

Start the day with a speedboat ride to Isla Isabela, the largest island in the Galápagos archipelago. The seahorse-shaped island is famed for having the world's second-largest active crater: the Sierra Negra volcano. Isabela is also home to everything from flightless cormorants to penguins and iguanas.

Visit Isabela's Los Túneles, a geological wonder of rock arches and tunnels that wind above and below the ocean. These result in one of the island's most unique snorkeling spots. Get your gear ready and dive in to search for reef fish, rays, turtles, seahorses, and even whitetip reef sharks. Relax at your hotel and explore Isla Isabela's local eateries this evening.

Day 8: Hike the Sierra Negra Volcano

Today, take a hike on the crater of the Sierra Negra volcano. It's one of the largest shield volcanoes in the world with a distinctive low profile and a nearly 6-mile (10 km) diameter crater. Your six-hour roundtrip hike to the volcanic summit will begin from Puerto Villamil. As you approach the crater, explore its lava landscapes and soak up views of Fernandina and Isabela island's volcanoes. End your day with a rest on the beach or a snorkeling trip through Concha Perla's mangrove forests.

Day 9: Free Day on Isla Isabela

Enjoy a free day on Isla Isabela. Relax at your hotel or head to Concha Perla for sun-soaked beach time, complete with some swimming and snorkeling. If you're keen to explore farther, rent a bike for a leisurely cycle around the island, stopping at panoramic viewpoints. Be sure to visit the famous Wall of Tears, built with the forced labor of prisoners at the island's former penal colony.

Day 10: Explore the Tintoreras Islet

Today you'll visit the nearby Tintoreras Islet. Take a short, guided hike and check out a marine iguana nesting spot near the port before plunging into the crystal-clear waters. The Tintoreras Islet is named for its whitetip sharks, which you may spot during your visit, as well as sea lions, turtles, starfish, and rays. The creatures are most visible at low tide in the channels formed by ancient lava flows. In the late afternoon, catch a speedboat back to Santa Cruz, where you'll enjoy a farewell dinner by the sea.

Day 11: Transfer to Isla Baltra, Depart

Today your Galápagos Islands adventure comes to an end. After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Isla Baltra for your flight to the mainland, where you'll connect to your homebound flight. Safe travels!