Galapagos Island Hopping
Overview
Take a 6-night trip to Ecuador and visit the Galapagos Islands. Fly to Guayaquil, where you stay a night, before flying the next day to Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands. Island hop from Santa Cruz to Floreana and to Isabela, with hotel stays on each island. Excursions from the islands include visits to the highlands of Santa Cruz, a sea lion breeding area, Charles Darwin Station's tortoise breeding center, and Sierra Negra Volcano, and opportunities to snorkel and see the flora and fauna of the Galapagos. Finally, return to Guayaquil for your international flight. Starting from ₹332,171, including air, with departures from Miami every Saturday.
Facilities
Tour Features
- Round trip international airfare via Avianca Airlines coach class from Miami
- Round trip domestic airfare, coach class, from Guayaquil
- Round trip airport transfers
- 1 night stay in a double occupancy room in Guayaquil and Floreana
- 2 nights stay in a double occupancy room in Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora) and Isabela
- Hotel taxes and service charges
- Extensive sightseeing tours and excursions in each location as per itinerary; opportunities for swimming and snorkeling
- Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 1 dinner
- Airline fuel surcharge (subject to change) and government taxes and fees
Rates do not include
- Any expenses of personal nature such as tips, laundry, table drinks, telephone calls, etc.
- Optional Travel Insurance
- Any item not mentioned above
Remarks
- Hotels (Standard): Wyndham Garden (Guayaquil), Fiesta (Santa Cruz), Santa Maria (Floreana), Volcano (Isabela)
- Hotels (First Class): Wyndam Garden (Guayaquil), Acacia (Santa Cruz), Santa Maria (Floreana), Casa de Marita (Isabela)
- If above hotels or Avianca Airlines is not available at the time of reservation, alternative hotels at the same category or airlines could be used. Prices may differ.
- During trade fairs' season and during Christmas and New Year’s Days, some hotels may require surcharges. The prices may increase.
- Ticket(s) must be issued and full payment must be received 90 days prior to departure
- Major credit cards accepted; credit card authorization required
- Change and cancellation penalties (₹20,985-₹50,364 per person) apply once ticketed; Triwalk Tours’ general cancellation policy applies
- Hotel upgrades, air upgrades, additional hotel nights, extensions to all other destinations, and add-on air fares from various US cities are available
Itinerary
Day 1, Saturday - Miami/Guayaquil
Depart Miami via Avianca Airlines flight to Guayaquil. On arrival, transfer to hotel. (Wyndham Garden)
Day 2 – Sunday - Guayaquil/Santa Cruz, Galapagos
Today, transfer to airport for flight to the Galapagos Islands. Arrive in Baltra and take a shuttle to Santa Cruz island, journeying across the island into the highlands. Beginning at the coast and traveling north along the road to Puerto Ayora, the road climbs through the agricultural zone and into the mist-covered forests of the highlands. Santa Cruz possesses all of the various life zones present on the archipelago, with wonderful birding opportunities. Whether it's the bright red feathers of a vermilion flycatcher or one of Darwin’s finches, almost every land bird present on the islands can be found here. Stop at one of the ranches for lunch and to explore the grounds in search of tortoises. After lunch, continue to Puerto Ayora for some leisure time this afternoon. (Fiesta/Acacia) (B/L)
Day 3, Monday – Santa Cruz/Floreana
After breakfast, take a speed boat to Floreana island (about 2-1/2 hours). Floreana was the first island to be colonized by Ecuadorians in 1832. Arriving on the island, visit a local farm and learn about the Floreana lifestyle. Also, visit a lagoon where it is possible to observe frigate birds. After lunch, prepared with foods harvested from the farm, continue to Asilo de la Paz, a 45-minute ride from town, where you can view a pirates’ cave and the fresh water spring. Along the path, see giant tortoises, a species that has been recently re-introduced after being considered extinct. This evening have a barbecue on the beach and enjoy the peacefulness of Floreana. (Santa Maria) (B/L/D)
Day 4, Tuesday – Floreana/Isabela
Begin the day with an excursion to La Loberia, a sea lion breeding area. Take a short walk along the shore after the interpretation and view the landscape of this visitor’s site. Then start a marine excursion in the bright turquoise water, where you might be able to swim with sea lions, sea turtles, manta rays and a variety of colorful coral fish. After lunch, take the speed boat to Isabela island (about 2-1/2 hours) and have a chance to enjoy the island on your own. (Volcano/Casa de Marita) (B/L)
Day 5, Wednesday - Isabela
After breakfast, travel by car to the mountainsides of Sierra Negra Volcano. Then walk (about 2 hours) to reach the crater of the volcano, where you may see the Galapagos sparrow hawk. Become familiar with the geology of the volcano. After a box lunch, return to the town. Afternoon, visit the Tintoreras Islet, a short distance from Puerto Villamil, home to a great variety of wildlife. Its waters are inhabited by white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos penguins, marine turtles and sea lions. One of its beaches, surrounded by mangroves, is one of the few sites where marine iguanas can reproduce successfully. (B/L)
Day 6, Thursday – Isabela/Santa Cruz
After breakfast, start out for the Flamingo Lagoon. Along the trail (about 1.2 miles), learn about the vegetation and geology of Isabela island. Arriving at the lagoon, you may see flamingos feeding in the lake. Continue on to visit the Tortoise Breeding Center, where you learn more about the reproduction and breeding of the tortoises. Back at Puerto Villamil, take a boat to Santa Cruz Island. On arrival, head to the Charles Darwin Station. The center is a fount of information on habitats and local conservation. At the Tortoise Breeding Center, it is possible to view tortoises of different shapes and sizes. Travelers here can freely walk and get their pictures taken with the tortoises. (Fiesta/Acacia) (B)
Day 7, Friday – Santa Cruz/Guayaquil/Miami
After breakfast, briefly visit Los Gemelos, two large pit craters along the road from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. Afterward, transfer to the airport for your international flight back to Miami via Guayaquil. (B)
