Island hopping in the Galapagos

Island Adventure

Relaxed Galapagos Island Hopping

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A More Relaxed Way to Enjoy the Galapagos

8 day island-hopping holiday for £3595pp

If you have the time, then this fabulous 8-day island hopping holiday in the Galapagos is possibly the most relaxed way possible to enjoy everything the Galapagos Islands have to offer.

With two nights on Floreana and a full three nights on Isabela as well as plenty of time on Santa Cruz, this holiday allows you to have an unrivalled in-depth experience of the Galapagos Islands.

Outline Itinerary

  • Day One: Arrival and Tour of Tortuga Bay
  • Day Two: Santa Cruz and Floreana
  • Day Three: Cerro Allieri and La Loberia
  • Day Four: On to Isabela
  • Day Five: Sierra Negra and Campo Duro
  • Day Six: Los Tuneles
  • Day Seven: Return to Santa Cruz
  • Day Eight: Back to the Mainland

"I would like to say we had a marvellous holiday and I am still smiling whenever i think about our experience."

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Detailed Itinerary

Day One – Start of Your Island-Hopping Holiday

Your flight from the mainland will touch down on the island of Baltra this morning, and we will pick you up and take you across the Itabaca Strait to Santa Cruz. First of all, we will take you to the secluded and lovely Red Mangrove Aventura Lodge, where you can refresh yourselves and drop your luggage. Then, in the afternoon we will take you by boat out into Academy Bay and La Loberia, where you can swim and snorkel with sea-lions. From here we will travel around the coast to Tortuga Bay, where we can see baby reef sharks and stingrays. (Lunch and Dinner Included)

Day Two - Santa Cruz and Floreana

After breakfast this morning, we will go for a short trek up into the highlands of Santa Cruz, to explore the lava craters and see some of the wild giant tortoises. We will head back to the lodge for lunch, and then in the afternoon we will head by boat to the island of Floreana. First up is the secluded Luz del Dia cove, where we can see penguins and sea-lions on the rocky shore, and rays and bright tropical fish in the clear waters. We will then travel around the coast to our dock on the island, and head to the Floreana lodge, located right on the beach so all you have to do is unpack and relax! (B/L/D)

Day Three - Cerro Allieri and La Loberia

After breakfast this morning we will take a walk up to the top of Cerro Allieri, which is one of the highest points in Floreana. It will take us about an hour to reach the top, but from the summit we can enjoy superb views over the island’s different landscapes and we will be able to see some of the unique vegetation and animals which live here, including the endangered medium tree finch. After returning to the lodge for lunch, this afternoon we will enjoy some relaxation time at La Loberia, which is one of Floreana’s most beautiful spots. Here we can swim and snorkel, relax on the beach, or enjoy watching the large sea-lion colony. (B/L/D)

Day Four - On to Isabela

This morning we will explore the island, including the tortoise reserve, Pirate’s cave, and seeing the endemic Floreana finches which make their home on Cerro Pajas. At around 11am we will get back on-board our boat for the short trip across to the island of Isabela, where we will arrive just in time for lunch. In the afternoon we will head back out to sea as we cruise around the coast, keeping an eye out for blue-footed boobies and penguins, before docking for a short walk up through one of Isabela’s huge lava fields, passing colonies of marine iguanas on our way to a natural viewpoint with stunning views of Isabela’s volcanoes, the green coastal mangroves, and the emerald seas beyond. We will then return to Isabela lodge, where you can relax on the beach, or swim and snorkel. (B/L/D)

Day Five - Sierra Negra and Campo Duro

After breakfast this morning we will head away from the lodge and up through the highlands of Isabela, to the slopes of the Sierra Negra volcano. We will then have to leave our vehicles and trek up to the volcano crater. At over 4 miles across, this is the second largest crater in the world, and the views are absolutely stunning. We will walk along the caldera edge for a few kilometres to enjoy some more spectacular views. Those who wish can also enjoy an additional trek up to Volcan Chico where you can see still-active fumaroles.

After our hike we will return to our vehicles and then drive on to the Campo Duro organic farm, where we will enjoy a delicious lunch on the farm’s lava rock-grill and then take a walk among the fruit trails or a nap in one of the farm’s hammock. You can also see the giant tortoises who live on the farm before we return to the lodge to enjoy some free time snorkelling or swimming. (B/L/D)

Day Six - Los Tuneles

Today we will travel by speedboat to Los Tuneles, which is one of the most exciting places to snorkel in the whole of the Galapagos. The water here is shallow, clear and calm, and a series of lava flows have produced a number of arches and tunnels both above and below water which now provide homes for a huge variety of marine life, such as rays, sea turtles, sea turtles and Galapagos penguins. After a full morning enjoying Los Tuneles we will return to the lodge for a late lunch and some relaxation time. (B/L/D)

Day Seven - Return to Santa Cruz

This morning we will drive out from Isabela lodge along what is generally acknowledged to be the most beautiful beach in the Galapagos – Long Beach. Over 3km of pristine white sand and the contrast with the turquoise seas make this an amazing photograph. If you can get one of the local giant tortoises or marine iguanas in the shot – so much the better! After an afternoon exploring the beach and the nearby tortoise reserve, we will head back to the lodge and board our boat for the trip back to Santa Cruz, where we will have a short visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and then some free time for you to relax and enjoy your final afternoon in the Galapagos. (B/L/D)

Day Eight – Back to Ecuador

After breakfast this morning, we will travel back across Santa Cruz to Baltra, where our flight will take us back across the Pacific to Quito. (B)

Galapagos Holiday Options

Galapagos Dive Tour

Diving at Gordon Rocks - Day Tours from £175pp

Gordon Rocks may very well be the best dive site in the Galapagos. It is home to just about every underwater species found in the region, but the real highlight here that you might not see on other Galapagos dives is the hammerhead shark. This site is intermediate to advanced due to the strong currents (the area is nicknamed the washing machine), and the average depth is between 60 and 80 feet. Apart from the fascinating hammerheads, you can expect to see Eagle Rays, Stingrays, Marbled Rays, Mantas, White-Tipped Reef Sharks, Galapagos Sharks, Turtles, Flag Cabrillas, Blennies, Wrasse, King Angelfish, Sea Lions, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, King Angelfish, Barracudas, and more. This is not a dive to be missed if you’re in the Galapagos!

Ecuador Tours

Ecuador Mainland - Packages from £635pp

The Galapagos attracts tourists from around the world, but there are no direct flights to the Islands, so at some point you’ll be stopping off on the Ecuadorean mainland. Our Ecuador Mainland option includes all of your transfers in Quito, your flights between the mainland and the Galapagos, and two nights hotel accommodation in Quito at either end of your Galapagos itinerary, so you can relax safe in the knowledge that everything is organised from end to end.

Ecuador Tours

Enhanced Ecuador Mainland - from £800pp

While the Galapagos is one of the most stunning places in the natural world, what’s the rush? Mainland Ecuador has plenty to offer, and this option has everything on our ‘Ecuador Mainland’ option plus two extra nights in Quito, a tour of Quito’s beautiful colonial centre, and a full day tour of the beautiful Cotopaxi National Park and its snow-capped volcanoes. You’ll see some of the absolute stand-out sights in South America, and you only need to add two more days to your holiday!

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What's Included?

Our standard price for this Galapagos Island-hopping holiday is £3595 per person, which is based on two sharing a double or twin standard room in our chosen lodges.

That price includes all your accommodation and transport in the Galapagos Islands, flights to/from the mainland, all tours and guides, and all the indicated meals. It does not include the US$100 Galapaos National Park fee, or any services on the mainland, although we would be delighted to provide those for you as well.

Services on the Mainland

So with the exception of the National Parks fee, everything in the Galapagos Islands is included. What we don't include as standard are services on the mainland and your international flights, because for both you have a huge range of options.

On the Ecuadorean mainland, you will almost certainly need at least one or two night's accommodation in either Quito or Guayaquil, even if you're not planning to see some more of Ecuador while you are in South America. You will also probably need transfers on the mainland to get to and from the airports. Click the 'Options' tab above for a hassle-free way to include all this.

International Flights

We can organise our island-hopping holidays for any days or dates you like, and so with the international flights you will have a huge range of options depending on the date you want to travel, the route you want to fly, and your preferred departure airport in the UK.

We aren't tied to any particular airline, and we will be delighted to discuss all options with you, or you can even book the flights yourself if you prefer: it's totally up to you.

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