Island hopping – Santa Cruz and Isabela 5 days.
Price per person from: $ 1050 :-
The Galapagos Islands is a famous national park. On this tour you get to visit the two most well-known islands. Santa Cruz and Isabela. The tour starts with a visit to Santa Cruz and it’s highlands where you can study the famous giant torties way up close. We then visit Loberia and Tintoreras to experience the wonderful animal life in this park. We study the endemic spices that reside here such as Galapagos penguin, marine iguanas and white nosed sharks. There is also time to relax and enjoy the island of Isabela. Welcome to a biological paradise!
This is included:
Arrival and departure transfer.
Public speedboat Santa Cruz – Isabela – Santa Cruz.
Transfer during excursions.
English speaking guide.
4 nights in a shared double room. Choose between tourist, superior or first class.
Meals according to program.
Excursions according to program.
Snorkel equipment.
Travel guarantee via Swedish Kammarkollegiet.
Day to day presentation:
(B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
Day 1: Arrival to Santa Cruz – Highlands tour.
Upon arrival to Baltra airport, you will be transfer in to Santa Cruz Island, (45 minutes trip aprox.) but before we will make a visit the Highlands where you will hike through natural lava tunnels formations to realize the volcanic formations of the archipelago. Your nice walk will lead you to the amazing tortoise reserve where you will be able to admire the giant Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat as well as the bird life and endemic vegetation. Lunch at Ranch. Overnight at the hotel. (L)
Day 2: Bay Tour.
Breakfast. The tour starts in the morning until noon. The bay tour consists of visiting 5 sites. The Loberia is a small island about 10 minutes into the bay where there is a large colony of sea lions. It provides an excellent environment to swim with the babies and playful youngsters. Shark Channel and Lovers Channel are both lovely snorkeling sites and also beautiful places to take in the blue footed boobies who are regularly seen resting on the cliffs close by. Dog’s beach gives you opportunity to get off the boat and walk through cactus forests to a remote beach where you will almost definitely encounter a marine iguana or many, and turtles are often seen feeding just off the shore. The last site is Las Grietas, a water filled crevice in the rocks. The water is cool and clear and great for snorkeling, and if you dare you can join the locals in scaling the vertical walls and plunge gracefully or clumsily if it may be, into the water below. Return to Santa Cruz. The rest of the day is free to spend on your own.
For those who wish you can book an optional tour to Seymore, Batolome eller Plazas. Contact us for price suggestions. (B,L)
Day 3: Santa Cruz – Isabela – Tintoreras – Isabela.
Breakfast. Pick you up from the hotel to transfer to the Puerto Ayora pier and take the public speed boat to Isabela, the trip takes about 2 hours and half. Arrive at the magnificent village of Puerto Villamil, an Assistance will be waiting for you to the pier to transfer to the hotel. Check in to the hotel and then start the tour to Tintoreras.
Las Tintoreras is one of the most well-known places of Isabela Island. This small islet receives its name from the reef sharks also known as white-tip sharks that can be seen swimming along with fish and sea lions in the channels when the tide is low. To get there we will need to navigate approximately 10 minutes from the port. The islet is mainly formed by lava rocks. We will leave Puerto Villamil Pier heading south for a short sail towards the group of islets known as Las Tintoreras. This site, full of great biodiversity, is home to the famous white tip sharks, sea lions, turtles, iguanas, and many other species. For us to have enough time to try out the snorkeling equipment, it is important to be at the meeting point 20 minutes before the tour begins (which will be determined uponconfirmation of the tour). Once we have our equipment, we will depart from the Puerto Villamil Pier for a 20-minute sail to the Tintoreras Islet. At this snorkeling site, it is possible to see sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, zayapas, sea turtles, starfish, tropical fish, rays, sharks, pelicans and Galapagos penguins. This place is also a site for marine iguanas’ nesting, allowing for close encounters with these animals. Return to Villamil. Accommodation in Isabela. (B,L)
Day 4: Isabela.
The day is free to spend on your own. (B)
For those who wish you can book one of below optional tours. Please let us know in advance.
Option 1: Sierra Negra volcano. Breakfast. Today we go by car until we reach the mountainsides of the Sierra Negra Volcano. This volcano is considered as one of the oldest of Isabela. We will walk about 40 minutes and then continue our way our way on foot until the crater of the volcano. With a little bit of luck, we will be able to see the sparrow hawk of the Galapagos Islands. We will get to know the geology of the Sierra Negra Volcano. Most of this island was formed by AA lava. After a Box-Lunch return to hotel for accommodation. Price per person: 65 dollars. (L)
Option 2: The tunnels. After breakfast we will visit a unique place of the islands, “Los Tuneles” (The Tunnels). We will go on a speedboat and drive for 45 minutes. Our experienced captain will securely lead us across the waves that normally hide this treasure. The Tunnels were formed millions year ago when rivers of liquid lava ran across the island reaching the coast shore. The cold water froze their superficial layer isolating the interior while liquid lava kept flowing into the sea. When the eruption finished, a hollow structure was formed and its wall later broke, allowing water to come inside and creating a tunnel. Our guide will lead us along hundreds of these tunnels while we will snorkel and discover the marine life such as sharks, lobsters, penguins, sea lions, boobies, marine turtles among other endemic species from the Galapagos Islands. A snack will be served on board of our boat. If we are lucky enough, we will have the chance to witness giant manta rays feeding in open waters. Back to Isabela. Accommodation. Price per person: 171 dollars. (L)
Day 5: Departure.
After breakfast you are transferred to the harbour to take the speedboat back to Santa Cruz. You are then transferred to the airport for you flight back to Quite or Gayaquil. This ends our visit to the national park. (B)
Tip! You can get a discount if you are 4 persons or more travelling together.
Tip! This tour is easily combined with a roundtrip in Ecuador, Peru or other South American countries. You can also prolong the tour with more days at Santa Cruz or take a few days beach stay along Ecuadors western coast.
This is not included:
International flight and flight to Galapagos (can be booked on your own or via us.)
Entrance fee to the Galapagos national park (about $ 100 which is to be paid in cash at arrival)
Transit control card (about $ 20 which is to be paid in cash at arrival)
Docking fee at the Isabela island.
Meals not mentioned in the program.
Drinks.
Optional tours.
Tip.
Wetsuit.
Personal expenses.
Travel insurance.
Please observe! The Galapagos Islands are a national park and consideration is shown to the animals and their movements. Changes can occur in the programs not to disturb the animal’s natural habitats. Should any visit during the tour not be possible to execute you will be offered another visit.
Price is based on the lowest season and is per person in a shared double room.
