10 Days | Take an adventure to the natural wonderland of the Galapagos Islands
Amazing wildlife, both on land and underwater, is the drawcard of the remote Galapagos Islands. Tour the Galapagos' outstanding natural beauty and interesting history by foot and boat on this active adventure. Trace Darwin's theory of evolution, spot colourful, bizarre and beautiful creatures and have an experience that is completely out of this world as you discover the incredible Galapagos Islands.
Trip overview
- Start
- Quito, Ecuador
- Finish
- Quito, Ecuador
- Theme
- Wildlife
- Destinations
- Ecuador
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- GGTF
- Explore the islands on this in-depth adventure, coming face-to-face with some of the most extraordinary wildlife on earth.
- Get your blood pumping as you scale a volcano on Isabela Island.
- Acquaint yourself with the beautiful churches and graceful boulevards of Quito, Ecuador's capital.
- Get up close and personal with giant tortoises on Santa Cruz Island. These nearly extinct creatures are one of the greatest drawcards to the Galapagos.
- This is a land based Galapagos trip, meaning you'll use locally owned hotels on the islands and have more opportunities to interact with the locals as opposed to staying on a boat.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, The Galapagos Conservancy. Donations support their Women in Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WISE) program, providing capital for sustainability initiatives and empowering female entrepreneurs in the Galápagos.
- This trip involves a lot of travel by speed boat between the various Galapagos Islands, the rides can be quite bumpy at times. The good news is that seasickness can often be managed with medication. Consult a health professional before your trip.
- This trip includes a 17 km hike (approximately 6 to 7 hours) on rocky terrain. It's recommended you bring comfortable walking shoes that offer good support.
- The sun in the Galapagos islands is incredibly strong due to its close proximity to the equator, ensure you are well prepared with sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses and a rash guard if desired.
- This trip does include snorkelling on multiple days throughout the itinerary. Confident swimming skills are required to take part in this tour.
- This trip visits Quito which is at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information.
- The Galapagos is a great place to switch off and take a break from your phone, as internet access can be patchy, and Wi-Fi is not always available or reliable.
- Hot water can be sporadic in some parts of the Galapagos, so there may be a few cold showers on the trip.
Itinerary
Inclusions
8 breakfasts, 4 lunches
Plane, Speed Boat, Private Vehicle, Taxi, Public bus
Hotel ( 9 nights)
- Quito - Historic District Walking Tour
- Isla San Cristobal- Snorkeling in La Loberia (1.5 Hours)
- San Cristobal - Excursion to Leon Dormido or Lobos Islands
- Isla San Cristobal - Interpretation Center (45 minutes)
- Isla San Cristobal - Cerro Tijeretas View Point (1 Hour)
- Floreana - Snorkeling
- Isla Isabela -Tintoreras or Shark Alley (2.5 Hours)
- Isla Isabela - Flamingo lagoon visit (30 Minutes)
- Isla Isabela - Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (1 Hour)
- Isla Isabela - Kayaking
- Isla Isabela - Sierra Negra Volcano Hike (5-6 Hours)
- Santa Cruz Highlands Visit (3 Hours)
- Santa Cruz – Organic Farm Tour
- Santa Cruz – Encebollado Cooking Class
- Isla Santa Cruz - Tortuga Bay walk
- Isla Santa Cruz - The Galapagos Conservancy visit
- Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Centre
- Quilotoa - Quilotoa Lagoon (Full day) - USD100
- Quito - Papallacta Hot Springs (Full day) - USD70
- Cotopaxi - National Park Hiking Tour - USD95
- Quito - Urban Adventures: Legends and Culture Tour - USD50
- Wetsuit (shortsleeve) hire for 5 days - USD60
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking. Please ensure all your details are correct and that they match your passport. The passport you travel with must match the booking details provided to us, otherwise, it could cause issues with your transit card and internal flights, resulting in purchasing a new card and flights at your own expense. This information is also necessary to purchase entry permits to certain sites. Please note that delays in providing this information could result in additional booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
2. At the Welcome Meeting on Day 1, you will need to pay your Leader $20 USD in cash for your Galapagos Transit Control Card.
3. Before you board your flight to the islands, at either Quito or Guayaquil Airports, you will have to check your luggage at the SICGAL counter, where they seal your checked bags; then proceed to the check-in counter of your respective airline.
4. The Galapagos park fee (US$100) and Isabela Port fee (US$10) are payable upon arrival to the islands (cash only). These amounts are in addition to your trip payment.
From the 1st of August 2024 the Galapagos Islands National Park fee will be increasing from USD100 to USD200
5. Please be advised that for the internal flights on this tour, the airline only provides a small snack. You may wish to take your own snacks as it is a long travel day.
6. Strict rules apply in the Galapagos Islands aimed at protecting and preserving its unique biodiversity. Intrepid strongly agrees and supports these rules, which range from times of the day that a destination can be visited to the distance kept between people and wildlife and especially not removing anything from the environment ( shells and corals, for example) – all these rules will be explained in more detail by your Leader on the ground. Not adhering to these rules can lead to hefty fines for travellers and can result in Intrepid losing the license to operate in the Galapagos Islands – these rules must be adhered to by all, without exception. Failure to adhere to the rules can result in being removed from the trip without a refund.
For more information, please follow this link: http://www.galapagos.org/travel/travel/park-rules/
7. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
8. Intrepid offers a shorter version of this tour (search trip code GGTG), which doesn't include flights to and from Quito and starts in the Galapagos.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
Read Essential Trip InformationReviews
Filter by rating