Explore The Galapagos Islands

Upon your arrival in Quito, we’ll be waiting to transfer you to your selected hotel in the city. You will have time to settle in and prepare for the start of your incredible trip.

The next day, after a relaxed breakfast, it’s time to tour this unique high-altitude capital city of Ecuador. Ecuador itself has a rich historical tapestry, with fascinating indigenous cultures; as well as highly varied geography, with slow winding rivers and lush tropical forests, spectacular snowcapped volcanoes and some of the most exciting wildlife on earth. Your tour of the capital city starts at the ‘Mitad del Mundo’; a site located just 30-45 minutes north of Quito, where a monument marks the equator at its closest point to the city. Archaeological evidence shows that both pre-Inca and Inca civilizations recognized and celebrated the equinox, the day the sun is directly over the equator.

Later we will visit the “Ciudad Mitad del Mundo” a group of buildings designed to explain the significance of the site, as well as the Ethnographic or Intiñan Museum, located right on the Equator. Here you will have the chance to plant your feet in two hemispheres at the same time. Back in Quito, after lunch we will visit the city’s impressive colonial center, the reason Quito was the first city to be named a world heritage site by the United Nations. First on the agenda is a walk through the main plaza, the ‘Plaza de la Independencia’, where you will see the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries, including the San Francisco Monastery, a building begun only 5 days after the founding of the city.

Lunch is included.

Today you will board an early plane to the Galapagos, where your yacht awaits! The cruise operator’s team will meet you at the airport to help you with the boarding procedure.

For this part of your trip we can book you onto any yacht you like, we have our preferred options based on our collective experience and feedback from our customers, but if you find one that you particularly like then we will gladly help you book it at a discounted rate and take care of all the logistics for you.

For this itinerary, in this price bracket, our yachts of choice are the MV Legend and the MY Coral I & II yachts, which in our experience offer excellent value for money considering the level of service and quality of the fittings, tours and activities that you will enjoy while on their vessels.

What follows below is a 4 day example of one of their popular cruise itineraries on the MV Legend (there are 8 itineraries to choose from for each vessel, with 4, 5, 8, 10 & 14 day options).

The cruises are full board, with all meals, tours and activities included. Throughout the year, this cruise operator even has special offers which include free Galapagos flights & free cabin upgrades. Ask our ‘cruise connoisseurs’ for more info!

After being briefed by the embarkation team and boarding your yacht, you will travel to Bartolome Island – which is considered to have one of the most iconic landscapes of the entire archipelago; overlooking the famous Pinnacle Rock and the austere Santiago Island beyond, the view from the top of is well worth the climb up the wooden boardwalk. This volcanic scene has often been likened to a lunar landscape. After soaking in the view you’ll have the opportunity to come face to face with Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions during your first snorkeling session.

• Difficulty level: moderate
• Type of terrain: trail made of 372 steps.
• Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling
• Dry or wet landing available.

AM – South Plaza Islet

Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and land iguanas will all be present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent plants studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, we’ll spend time watching birds fly past at eye level in the updraughts. Frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and of particular note: red-billed tropicbirds will be on display. Back at sea level, we once again encounter land iguanas, some of which have hybridized with their resident marine cousins.

• Difficulty level: moderate
• Type of terrain: rocky
• Duration: 2 hour walk
• Dry landing.

PM – North Seymour Island

This flat, uplifted, island is an important spot to see frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their grossly inflated, bright red gular pouch. We will also likely see courting blue-footed boobies displaying their unique feet while ‘dancing’ to a prospective mate. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands help top off a unforgettable day.

• Difficulty level: intermediate
• Type of terrain: rocky
• Duration: 2 hour walk, 30  minutes snorkelling
• Dry landing.

AM – Pitt Point & Islet

Sea lions will greet us as we land on the beach and prepare for our climb to a high point on the steep eroded tuff cone. This is the only place on the islands where we will enjoy the chance to see all three of the booby species in the same place. The red-foots will be perched on the Cordia lutea and small trees, the Nazca’s on the ground near the cliff edge while the bluefoots will be a little further inland. Frigatebirds will be all around also… and the views are breathtaking.

• Difficulty level: demanding
• Type of terrain: rocky
• Duration: 2.5 hour walk, 40 minutes snorkeling or kayaking
• Wet landing.

PM – Cerro Brujo

From the motor boat, as you head towards the shore, you’ll feel humbled by the immensity of the stunning cliffs of ‘Sorcerer’s Hill’. Once on land you can enjoy sharing the beach with sea lions, or go snorkeling around the shore, or take a walk to a hidden lagoon where you might spot black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels and white-cheeked pintails.

• Difficulty level: easy
• Type of terrain: sandy
• Duration: 1 hour walk, 1 hour snorkeling
• Wet landing.

AM – Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristobal Island)

In the moist highlands of San Cristobal we will visit the giant tortoise breeding center ‘La Galapaguera’ to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in its various life stages. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself for good photographic opportunities. The aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise back into the wild. Later, you’ll walk into the town, where there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.

• Difficulty level: moderate
• Type of terrain: sandy
• Duration: 40 minute bus drive to the reserve, 1 hour visit approx.
• Dry landing.

You will then transfer to the airport for your flight back to mainland Ecuador – either Guayaquil or Quito, depending on which works best for your international flights. A great extension for this tour would be a trip through the Ecuadorian highlands to the beautiful colonial city of Cuenca, and from there you can visit the Amazon rainforest (you could do this while you’re in Peru, also!). There are so many excellent options to chose from in this region of South America … the possibilities are practically limitless!