Land & Sea of the Galápagos & Guayaquil - 13 Days

Highlights

• See Galápagos tortoises on Isla Santa Cruz
• Go snorkeling and take boat tours at Isla San Cristóbal
• Visit uninhabited islands and hike up volcanoes
• Cycle around ecological reserves and go kayaking

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Guayaquil, City Tour

Welcome to Ecuador! This country abounds with natural wonders, including the Andes mountains, misty cloud forests, towering volcanoes, and tropical rainforests. Of course, you'll find its most famous ecosystem, 603 miles (972 km) off the coast at the Galápagos Islands. This volcanic archipelago comprises 13 major islands and is such a hotspot of biodiversity that it inspired Charles Darwin to formulate theories of evolution that he eventually published in the famous scientific work, "On the Origin of Species" (1859).

Before visiting the Galápagos, you'll arrive in the coastal city of Guayaquil, on mainland Ecuador. Known as the "Pearl of the Pacific," Ecuador's largest city lies on the estuary of the Río Guayas and is home to the country's main port. Upon arrival at the airport, a driver will pick you up for the ride to your hotel in the city.

Day 2: Fly to Isla San Cristóbal, Optional Activities

In the morning, your driver will transfer you to the airport in Guayaquil for the two-hour flight to Isla San Cristóbal, the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago. Upon arrival at the airport, you'll head to your hotel.

After getting settled, you can set out and explore. For an overview of the Galápagos, visit the Interpretation Center, a science hub that offers insight into these volcanic islands' unique ecosystems and natural history. For something more active, hike a couple of hours up to Tijeretas Hill, which is a nesting site for the Galápagos' famous frigatebirds. You'll also be treated to stunning views out over the coast to Kicker Rock and Wreck Bay, the main port in town. Fun fact: at Wreck Bay in 1835, a young English naturalist named Charles Darwin first landed in the Galápagos.

Day 3: Isla San Cristóbal Highland Tour

After breakfast, you'll meet a local guide and explore San Cristóbal's highland region. This day trip will take you across the length of the island to highlights like the giant tortoise reserve La Galapaguera and El Junco Lagoon, a volcanic crater lake. As you go, your guide will reveal interesting facts about the region's biodiversity and point out exotic flora and fauna. The tour ends with a visit to the beautiful white sands of Puerto Chino Beach, where you can take a dip in the turquoise waters. At the end of the day, you'll return to your hotel.

Day 4: Snorkel at Kicker Rock

Hop on a speedboat this morning for the 1.5-hour ride up the coast to Kicker Rock. This 500-foot (152 m) pair of volcanic islands may not look like a legendary dive site, but underneath the water's surface is a diverse ecosystem filled with exotic marine life. Once here, you'll strap on your snorkel, dive in, and swim alongside sea life like eagle rays, tropical fish, sea turtles, marine iguanas, and even hammerhead sharks. After a break for lunch on the boat, you'll spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at nearby white-sand beaches like Puerto Grande, Cerro Brujo, and Manglecito. 

Day 5: Transfer to Isla Santa Cruz, Afternoon Boat Tour

After breakfast, head to the port and board a ferry for the 2.5-hour ride west to Isla Santa Cruz. You'll arrive at the dock in the main town of Puerto Ayora and then transfer to your hotel. After checking in, you can take a stroll around town. There are plenty of colorful cafés you can visit for a coffee before continuing to the Samay Latin Art Gallery or the interactive Maprae Museum. The latter is the first museum of pre-Columbian art to utilize augmented reality in its exhibits.

In the afternoon, you'll board another boat for a tour of the Santa Cruz coast. First is a stop at La Lobería, a small islet named for its great colony of sea lions. Here, you can snorkel around these friendly animals as well as schools of tropical fish. Later, at Punta Estrada and Playa de Los Perros, you'll see famous Galápagos animals like blue-footed boobies, penguins, flightless cormorants, and marine iguanas. Throughout the tour, you'll learn all about this wildlife from your expert local guide. At the end of the day, you'll return to Puerto Ayora and your hotel.

Day 6: Highland Tour & Charles Darwin Station

Wake up early and meet your guide for a half-day nature excursion in the highlands of Santa Cruz. It's a great opportunity to spot giant tortoises roaming free in the wild. You'll see dozens of these animals (which can live over 150 years) and walk alongside them. Around midday, you'll enjoy a delicious lunch at a local farm before returning to Puerto Ayora. 

Later, you'll visit the famous Charles Darwin Station. Scientists from all over the world come to this nonprofit to meet and work together on environmental projects such as water analysis, animal protection, the effects of tourism on nature. It's also a center for conservation where Galápagos tortoises are raised before being released into the wild. A special part of the tour is visiting the breeding center, where you'll view live baby tortoises. There's also an educational aspect in which you'll learn how these animals have adapted to the environments of the various islands.

Day 7: Day Trip to an Uninhabited Island

Today will be a highlight of your trip as you leave on a full-day boat tour to visit one of the uninhabited islands around Santa Cruz. Depending on the permit granted by the park authorities, you'll get to visit either Santa Fé, Plaza Sur, Plaza Norte, Seymour Norte, or Bartolomé. To experience one of these isles in their unspoiled state, home only to endemic wildlife, you'll see the Galápagos the same way Darwin did on his arrival in 1835. After exploring some wildlife habitats, you'll enjoy lunch on the boat's deck and then cruise back to Puerto Ayora.   

Day 8: Transfer to Isla Isabela, Wildlife Tour

Meet your guide at the marina in Puerto Ayora this morning and hop on a speedboat for the two-hour ride west to Isabela, the largest island in the Galápagos. You'll arrive in the port village of Puerto Villamil, where you'll check in to your hotel. If you like, you can head to the Flamingo Lagoon or the Tortoise Breeding Center to learn about the local wildlife.

After lunch, you'll embark on a tour of the nearby Tintoreras Islet for a short hike and snorkeling. As you swim along natural channels formed by lava flows, you'll see Humboldt penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions, and whitetip reef sharks resting in the natural channels formed by lava flows. At the end of the experience, you'll return to your hotel in Puerto Villamil.

Day 9: Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano

Leave early from Puerto Villamil for today's excursion to the Sierra Negra volcano, located in the south of Isabela. At 3,687 feet (1,124 m), this is one of the largest active shield volcanoes in the world—and today, you'll get to hike it. Upon arrival at the trailhead, you'll embark on a six-hour roundtrip guided hike to the summit. Here, you'll be treated to incredible views of the expansive crater, nearly 6 miles (10 km) in diameter. At this altitude, you'll also be able to see out to volcanic peaks on adjacent Isla Fernandina. After hiking back down, you end the day with a snorkeling tour of the mangrove forests at Concha Perla.

Day 10: Los Túneles Snorkeling Tour

After an early breakfast, get ready for more wildlife encounters with a thrilling excursion to Los Túneles, one of the best snorkeling spots on Isabela. From the dock at Puerto Villamil, you'll board a speedboat for the one-hour ride along the coast to the Cabo Rosa lava tunnels, locally known as Los Túneles. The unique geological formations at this coastal site result from lava flows that have created natural archways and tunnels both underneath and above the water.

Upon arrival, you'll put on your snorkeling equipment and swim through this network of channels, a haven for exotic marine life. In the shallow waters here, you can spot tropical fish, rays, turtles, seahorses, and whitetip reef sharks. Also, keep an eye out for penguins and blue-footed boobies hanging out on the rocks. At the end of the experience, you'll return to your hotel.

Day 11: Isla Isabela Wetlands Tour, Transfer to Isla Santa Cruz & Brewery

In the morning, leave Puerto Villamil on an easy hike to the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center. The short trail to get there is lovely in its own right and passes wetland scenery and prickly pear cactus fields. Once at the breeding center, you'll see significant populations of Galápagos tortoises that have been bred and raised on-site. Around 330 juvenile and adult tortoises are here, comprising five different subspecies. All species are native to Isabela but have had their habitats threatened by volcanic eruptions and other animals. The breeding center ensures their survival. 

Next, you'll walk around Isabela's famous humedales (wetlands), a mere 30-minute hike from the breeding center. This habitat is one of the only places where you can see all four Galápagos mangrove species, which play a vital role in preserving the coastline and protecting marine ecosystems. Besides visiting the mangroves, other tour highlights include walks along the coast to see exotic birds like flamingoes and finches.

Afterward, you'll head to the dock and board a boat for the 2.5-hour ride back to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. Upon arrival, you'll check in to your hotel and then meet your driver for a ride to the Santa Cruz Brewery. This is a real treat, as here you'll get to sample the first-ever craft beer brewed in the Galápagos. On a tour of the facilities, you'll learn about the brewery's history, followed by a tasting and a heated game of beer pong. Enjoy some appetizers and more beers at the on-site pub before returning to your hotel.

Day 12: Santa Cruz Cycle & Kayak

Head out for a full day of activities around Santa Cruz. First, enjoy a bike ride around the Cerro Mesa Ecological Reserve, a natural habitat for Galápagos tortoises. Also, the reserve's location on a hill at 1,607 feet (490 m) above sea level offers some incredible viewpoints over the coast.

Then you'll ride down to the lovely Garrapatero Beach and enjoy a picnic lunch on the white sands. After eating, take a kayak ride along the coastal mangroves. Keep an eye out for exotic birds like flamingoes and mallards. At the end of the day, you'll return to your hotel in Puerto Ayora.

Day 13: Transfer to Isla Baltra, Depart

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and perhaps do some last-minute souvenir shopping. Your driver will pick you up at the designated time, and you'll transfer north to the Itabaca Channel, which you'll cross by ferry to reach the airport on Isla Baltra. Say your goodbyes to the Galápagos and catch your departing flight. See you next time! 

More Great Galápagos Islands Itineraries