Biking climbing rafting Galapagos and jungle tours in Ecuador, South America.

Galapagos Islands Land Based Tours

We would like to introduce you to a new way to visit the Enchanted Islands. This is a great option for people who do not like to sail and for those that become sea sick after prolonged journeys at sea. On this tour all sea travel is by speedboat and for relatively short periods.

Accommodation is based on three islands, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal or Isabela to provide you with an exceptional experience, and permit you to visit sites unavailable to those on the boat cruises.

Whilst staying on the islands, guided land tours are organized, as are short journeys by “lancha” (speed boat) to facilitate access to other nearby islands of interest.


Land Tours on the Galapagos Islands

Baltra - Santa Cruz - Isabela - Baltra 5D / 4N

Day 1:

We fly from Quito or Guayaquil to the Island of Baltra. At the airport in Baltra we will be met by our English speaking guide who will take us to the port of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island) for lunch.

After lunch, we will take our speed boat to Isabela where we arrive to San Vicente Hotel. Later and after a quick rest at the hotel, we will visit the Flamingo Lagoon; this place is the largest coastal lagoon found in Galapagos and is one of the main reproductive sites for the grater Flamingos. Dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 2:

Early in the morning after breakfast, we will have a full day tour to the Sierra Negra Volcano including box lunch. This volcano is located 13 miles from Puerto Villamil and boasts the world’s second largest volcanic crater, measuring 6 miles in diameter and 300 feet deep, hence we will uses horses during the visit.

This special place has three visitors’ sites: La Bocanilla, Volcan Chico, Volcan de Azufre and of course, we visit all of them.

In the afternoon we will return to the hotel and later we will have the opportunity to do kayak around Playa Grande which is located in Puerto Villamil or the option of snorkelling in Concha Perla. Dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 3:

After breakfast we will go to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we will visit “The Wall of Tears”; from 1946 to 1959 Isabela was designated a penal colony by the Ecuadorian government. Prisoners were obligated to build a wall with enormous blocks of lava. Due to the arduous labour and harsh conditions in which the prisoners lived, this site is known as “El Muro de las Lagrimas”.

Additionally we will visit a small lava tunnel, and another Flamingo lagoon, when we will return to the hotel to have lunch. In the afternoon we will sail to “Islote Tintoreras” so called due to a large crevice with very clear, calm water in which white-tip sharks also called “tintoreras” come daily to rest on the bottom.

We can also see penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas and snorkel with sharks and colourful tropical fish, or simply relax and enjoy the beaches of Isabela. Dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 4:

Early in the morning and after breakfast, we will take our speed boat to Puerto Ayora, there the guide will be waiting for us in order to go to the hotel to check in. Immediately, afterwards we will begin our visit to the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island. In this place we can enjoy a wonderful visit to see the Giant Turtles in their natural habitat. After lunch in the Highlands, we will return to Puerto Ayora town and go to the Charles Darwin Research Station and its Interpretation Center; here we will have the big opportunity to see Lonesome George who is the last Galápagos Turtle of its species. Optional: you may visit the town again at night for dancing and entertainment. Dinner and accommodations San Vicente Hotel or similar.

Day 5:

Breakfast. We will travel to Baltra Airport, and during the route we will visit “The Twins, or “Los Gemelos”; they are similar to volcano craters but were formed by the Earth collapsing following lava flows. We then depart to Baltra airport to take our flight to Quito.

Price starts at US$630.00 per person with a tourist class hotel based on double occupancy.

The Galapagos Land Tour includes:

Accommodation in a nice and charming hotel in Santa Cruz, breakfast, lunch and dinner as detailed in the program, speed boat, bilingual English speaking naturalist guide (local guides) during the excursions, land transportation, snorkel equipment, check in assistance at Quito airport.

The Galapagos Land Tour does not include:

Airfare round trip (though we can organize this for you), entrance fee Galapagos National Park (US$100), transit control card (US$10), Isabela departure tax (US$5) any unspecified meals, wet suit, personal expenses, tips and local taxes.