5 - 14 guests
Activity Level 3
Step It Up
I love an active vacation. Engaging in a challenging activity with a difficult goal, such as reaching a summit, is exactly what I need to unwind in the evenings.
Read more about the Active Range
Price
USD $5999/per adult
Next available departure
23 Jun - 2 Jul
Activity Level 1
What's The Rush?
I'm active and in decent shape and not looking to experience a place just through a bus window. I'm happy to slow down on the trail, soak it in and breathe in the fresh air.
Walking: 2-3 hours per day on gentle-gradient trails.
Other activities: On these trips, you'll be taking part in a range of other activities that focus less on building up a sweat and more on enjoying the finer things in life.
Activity Level 2
On the Move
Sure, I own some hiking boots, they're even worn in, but they don't go on long trips. I like my creature comforts and I like to give a range of activities a go.
Walking: 2-4 hours per day on gentle to moderate gradient trails. No multi-day hikes.
Biking: 1-3 hours, cruisy rides achievable by anyone, even first-timers. Kayaking: 1-3 hours, entry-level sea kayaking with specialist guides and stable boats.
Other activities (i.e. snorkeling): Always optional and very little exertion required. A highlight for many!
Activity Level 3
Step It Up
I love an active vacation. Engaging in a challenging activity with a difficult goal, such as reaching a summit, is exactly what I need to unwind in the evenings.
Hiking: Typically, 3-6 hours per day on well-formed backcountry trails. Expect some significant gradient inclines and declines.
Altitude: Your trip may include some moderate altitude areas, though these don't form the focus of the trip and are generally manageable.
Biking: 1-3 hours on well-formed paths or roads where you can expect some hills with moderate climbs and descents.
Kayaking: 1-3 hours, entry-level sea kayaking with specialist guides and stable boats.
Other activities (i.e. caving): Always optional and very little exertion required. A highlight for many!
Activity Level 4
Challenge Accepted
I'll let my trusty guides sweat the small things, so I can focus on my goal. Getting to the top, reaching the end, achieving my dreams! Sure, it'll be tough, but the views will be worth it.
Hiking / Trekking: Typically, 4–6-hour hikes with options for more, sometimes with limited or no vehicle support and nearly always with ascents and descents.
Altitude: Some trips at this level will reach a significant altitude. We are here to help you manage that and make your experience one to cherish for a lifetime.
Biking & Kayaking: If one, or both, of these activities are 'your thing,' there are trip options in this range, allowing you to be on two wheels or with a paddle in your hand for most of the day.
Activity Level 5
The Upper Limit
I'm ready to put in the hard work to reap the rewards. I'm a seasoned adventurer, not afraid to get my boots wet.
Trekking & Altitude: This is classic trekking, at altitude. Some might even call it 'expedition-style.' We've had folks from all walks of life achieve their dreams on our grade 5 trips, so if you're in for a challenge get in touch to find out if this is for you.
Hike, cycle, snorkel and swim in the most incredible locations you can imagine on our 10-day Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure. Forget spending your entire trip on a boat and missing out on the incredible culture and wildlife of the different islands. By joining this land-based tour, you'll cruise between a multitude of stunning islands in our comfortable chartered boat, while staying on dry land each night. Starting with a short flight to San Cristobal Island, highlights of this incredible trip include snorkeling with turtles, rays and tame reef sharks at Kicker Rock, kayaking in the beautifully calm Isabela Bay and hiking up Sierra Negra volcano to witness one of the largest active calderas in the world. You'll get up close to some of the most intriguing and docile wildlife on the planet, with visits to tortoise breeding grounds and iguana colonies and even sharing the beach with curious sea lions. We explore amazing lava tunnels, cycle through local townships and learn the mysterious history of Floreana Island, all onboard our Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure.
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Sierra Negra volcano
Hiking
Santa Cruz Island
Hiking
San Cristobal Island
Biking
Kicker Rock Snorkel OR Dive
Plus ...
Floreana Island Snorkeling
Plus ...
Lava tunnels
Plus ...
Floreana Island Pirate caves
Plus ...
Tortoises and iguanas
Plus ...
Snorkel "the tunnels" Option
Plus ...
rustic, charming, locally run & spectacular location
1564 Reviews
Activity Level 3
Step It Up
I love an active vacation. Engaging in a challenging activity with a difficult goal, such as reaching a summit, is exactly what I need to unwind in the evenings.
Read more about the Active Range
Day 1
Your trip begins in Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. If you’re flying in early today, you’ll have a chance to journey to the city from the airport (or your hotel) to explore the beautiful town squares, quaint cafés and colonial architecture. Quito sits in a beautiful valley surrounded by towering volcanoes just 22 kilometers (14 miles) from the equator, giving it a mild, spring-like climate year-round. In the evening, you’ll meet your trip leader and the rest of your group back at the joining hotel, for a full briefing and our first dinner together.
Hotel EB, Quito (Dinner)
Day 2
This morning we’ll take a short flight to San Cristobal, the easternmost island of the Galapagos Islands chain and home of the provincial capital, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. After lunch, we’ll head to the town of La Soledad to bike down through the lush highland cloud forest that blankets the top of the island. With stunning views of the coast, we’ll ride to La Loberia, a beach that is home to a large sea lion colony and nursery. This evening, we’ll dine on local produce and fresh fish.
Casa Blanca or Blue Marlin or similar, San Cristobal (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Biking: 14.5 kilometers (9 miles), 2 hours, flat (vehicle supported)
Day 3
Today we’ll cruise to Kicker Rock off the coast of San Cristobal, where we’ll don wet suits, snorkels, and masks (and tanks for the divers – diving option extra fees apply) and explore around the remains of an underwater volcano with a rock face rising 150 meters (500 feet) above the surface of the water. Your trip leader will give you a full briefing and then we’ll take to the water to explore the walls of the volcano. There will be chances to see beautiful tropical fish, turtles and sharks as they skirt the edges of Kicker Rock! Afterwards, we’ll visit a picturesque bay to have lunch and a rest before returning to port. Then it’s off to the interpretation center to learn a little about the history and biology of the islands. Later there will be an optional hike to Frigate Hill Lookout to see the acrobatics of the local frigate birds as they dart around the cliff tops stealing the catch from other birds.
Casa Blanca or Blue Marlin or similar, San Cristobal (Breakfast, Lunch)
Diving/Snorkeling: Kicker Rock: 1 or 2 snorkels, 1.5 hours total
Diving/Snorkeling: Kicker Rock: 2 dives, 30 - 45 minutes each
Notes: Optional Kicker Rock diving experience (additional cost applies): You can opt to swap the snorkel for a dive if you wish. This option must be selected at the time of booking.
Day 4
After an early breakfast, our boat will take us away from San Cristobal Island towards the magnificent Floreana Island. Floreana is the sixth largest island in the Galapagos chain and one of the least inhabited (by humans at least!). With a population of around 120, this place has a pretty relaxed atmosphere. On the way, we’re often visited by friendly dolphins, so keep an eye out! And later, we’ll hike into the highlands of Floreana, where we’ll learn about the mysterious history of the islands as we visit the pirate caves and the area where the first inhabitants once lived. Then it’s back down to our accommodation in the tiny port of Puerto Velasco Ibarra – a fantastic hideaway lodge with incredible sea views and a great sunset!
Hotel Wittmer or similar, Floreana Island (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Hiking: 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles), 1 - 2 hours, elevation +/- 100 meters (328 feet)
Cruise: Boat to Floeana Island: 2 - 3 hours
Diving/Snorkeling: Snorkel Floreana Island: 30 mins
Day 5
This morning we’ll head to Isabela Island, the largest of all the islands in the Galapagos archipelago. we’ll start with an early morning kayak in the calm waters of Isabela Bay. Here we’ll have the chance to see some of the Island’s most amazing wildlife up close. Marine iguanas bask in the sun, blue-footed boobies sit in pairs on the rock tops, and Sally Lightfoot crabs scurry out of our way along the water’s edge. In the clear waters below us, rays gracefully swim by and turtles pop up for a breath of air. After lunch, we’ll hop out for a short walk at Tintoreras or Shark Alley, an isolated islet and popular iguana-nesting site that’s home to hundreds of marine iguanas. Afterward, you can test the waters for a snorkel in a calm inlet that’s home to a variety of colorful fish and green sea turtles who like to rest on the calm, sandy bottom.
Hotel Albemarle or similar, Isabela Island (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Kayaking: 1 hour
Cruise: Boat to Isabela Island: 2-3 hours
Day 6
Our hike today will take us to the summit of Sierra Negra volcano. See the lowland vegetation change before your eyes as we ascend through a lunar-like landscape on our way to the top. It’s a challenging hike to the top of the volcano, and the views across the seven-mile wide crater and surrounding coastline are well worth the climb! This is one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world, and one of the most active. As we hike, we might be lucky enough to see Galapagos hawks, short-eared owls, finches and fly-catchers that inhabit this region. We’ll continue to traverse the vast lava fields of Volcan Chico en route for a lookout that boasts breathtaking views reaching to the north of Isabela. After enjoying a hearty sense of accomplishment, we’ll make our way back to town late afternoon for some free time to curl up with a book or venture down to the water for a relaxing swim before dinner.
Hotel Albemarle or similar, Isabela Island (Breakfast, Lunch)
Hiking: 16 kilometers (10 miles), 4 - 6 hours, elevation +/- 130 meters (426 feet)
Day 7
This is our last day on Isabela Island, and we get to choose how to spend our morning; relax and explore the beach or take the optional snorkel tour to Los Tuneles. After lunch, we’ll take a short walk to a nearby wetland home to pink flamingos and pintail ducks. This mangrove-lined path will lead us to Isabela’s Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we’ll meet these majestic prehistoric creatures in all stages of development. The center has almost a thousand giant tortoises training for life on their own!
Hotel Albemarle or similar, Isabela Island (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Notes: Optional: Snorkel "the tunnels" (extra fees apply): If you think sleeping sharks, seahorses, sea turtles, and strange lava tunnel formations sound intriguing then you’re going to need your mask, snorkel, and flippers, because you get all that and more at Los Tuneles. Also called Cabo Rosa, this area is about one hour from town was created when lava flows reached the ocean, forming tunnels, arches, and sheltered bays perfect for snorkeling. We’ll take a boat ride to the tunnels, where you’ll see an intricate network of arches and islets all formed from past lava eruptions. There are a few spots to walk on the rocks, though the main activity is snorkeling to explore the water channels, where you’ll see sleeping reef sharks, hungry sea turtles, colorful starfish, and tiny seahorses! In terms of biodiversity, this is one of the very best spots in the Galapagos Islands. This option must be selected at the time of booking only.
Day 8
We’ll depart Isabela Island early this morning bound for Santa Cruz Island, where we’ll hike into the amazing cloud forest highlands. Once there, we’ll have our only chance to see giant tortoises in their natural environment, along with intriguing birdlife like the vermillion flycatcher, and we’ll take a look inside the lava tunnels scattered throughout the highlands. These tunnels were formed by molten lava flowing beneath the surface, which left behind large tube-like caves, some almost a mile long! This afternoon we’ll visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the breeding programs that are saving vulnerable species of tortoises and land iguanas. Also, there will be a chance to see different types of carapaces that help differentiate the tortoise species.
Hotel Solymar or similar, Santa Cruz Island (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Hiking: 2 kilometers (1.2 miles), 1 - 2 hours, flat
Cruise: Boat to Santa Cruz Island: 2 hours
Day 9
This morning we’ll visit Los Gemelos on the Island; twin craters that are sinkholes created when the volcanic roof of empty magma chambers collapsed from tectonic shifts and erosion over time. This area has a very different climate from other parts of the island and is surrounded by scalesia (scalesia pedunculata) forests, or “broccoli trees”. It is also the habitat for bromeliads, orchids, mosses, lichens and many birds such as the 8 species of Charles Darwin finches. Afterward, we’ll take a short flight back to Quito on the mainland. This evening, we’ll share our final celebratory dinner together in Ecuador.
Hotel EB, Quito (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 10
Today is the last day of your Galapagos trip. We’ll make sure you return home relaxed and refreshed from all the great activities, fine food and friendly people you will have met while traveling with us in the Galapagos Islands.
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By paying in full we are able to pass on savings to our guests, but please note that by opting for this payment plan, your booking becomes non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-changeable.
We highly recommend that you purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. We recommend Redpoint Insurance – you can find details here.
T+Cs Apply.
You’ll be inspired and exhilarated, enjoying mind-blowing scenery on foot, in a sea kayak, or by bike - all at your own pace. Get ready for the trip of a lifetime.
We're proud of our Kiwi roots and you’ll love our professional, warm and relaxed style of hosting. Plus, we’re always here to help with planning, travel, bookings... even hiking boot recommendations!
As soon as your trip starts, we've got everything covered – top notch meals, comfortable transport, superb accommodation, amazing guides and INCREDIBLE service.
With our small groups of typically no more than 14 (up to 18 max), you'll get to know our team, your fellow travellers, and have the flexibility and freedom to do as much (or as little!) as you like. It’s all about going at your own pace.
All our carefully selected guides are highly experienced and have deep personal connections to nature and culture. You’ll enjoy a special experience, authentic local knowledge and an adventure like no other.
We could hang around all day telling you how wonderful our trips are... but the best people to hear it from are our guests themselves.
