7 days of low-cost travel to the Galápagos Islands, in San Cristóbal.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Quito

  

  Welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador! You will arrive at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), where your driver will greet you and transfer you to your accommodation in the city center, a one-hour drive. The city of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and stands at an altitude of 2,850 meters (9,350 feet). It welcomes visitors with its picturesque squares nestled between mountain peaks. The city is full of market stalls, shamanic healers, and fourth-generation hat makers, as well as a vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene. Overnight: Quito Meals included: None Group type: Private

• day 2

  San Cristóbal Island - Interpretation Center - Tijeretas Hill - La Lobería

  

  Welcome to the magnificent Galápagos Islands! After checking in at your hotel in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you will first visit the interpretation center with your guide, where you will learn all about the history and future of the Galápagos. Next, you will take a short walk to Tijeretas Hill, where frigatebirds nest and from where you will have a spectacular view of the island. To top off this day, you will have the chance to visit La Lobería, a beach that is home to a colony of sea lions. For the evening and night, you will return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch Group type: Private group

• day 3

  Free day on San Cristóbal Island

  

  Enjoy a free day on San Cristobal Island! If you want to relax a bit, you can spend the day at Playa Carola or Playa Mann. Soak up the sun next to friendly sea lions, play in the water, and enjoy island life. If you're looking for something a bit more active, go on an excursion to Pitt Point or Witch Hill, which will give you access to some of San Cristobal's amazing natural landscapes. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: Self-guided

• day 4

  The treasure of the Galápagos: snorkeling at Kicker Rock

  

  An exciting day awaits you. After an early breakfast, on the program: a full-day excursion to Kicker Rock, one of the most iconic sites in the Galápagos. A fast and comfortable boat sails along the coast of San Cristobal until we arrive at Kicker Rock. It is made up of compacted volcanic ash, not rock. Its towers rise nearly 500 ft / 150 m from the ocean floor, splitting into two structures above the surface, but they are connected below the surface, with a channel running between them. It is home to many birds: you may spot Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and tropicbirds. The underwater world will make this day even more memorable, as it is a true "hot spot" for marine wildlife! Since Kicker Rock is a snorkeling site, get ready for a wet landing! You will enter the water directly to discover everything Kicker Rock has to offer. After lunch on the boat, head to a beautiful pristine beach, where you can relax and warm up in the sun before returning to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno in the afternoon. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch Group type: Small group

• day 5

  Day trip to Española Island

  

  Departure in the morning by boat to Española Island. The boat trip takes about 1h30 each way. Upon arrival, you will disembark at Suarez Point where you will begin a hike in search of Nazca boobies and blue-footed boobies. After the hike, you will return on board for lunch, then head to a snorkeling site where those who wish can enjoy a snorkeling session and look for tropical fish, rays, etc. You will be back at the port of San Cristobal in the late afternoon. Note: Albatrosses are not present on the island from late December to early April approximately. You will still have plenty of wildlife to see. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch Group type: Small group

• day 6

  Transfer to San Cristóbal airport for a return flight to the mainland.

  

  In the morning, after breakfast, you will be taken to San Cristobal airport, where you will take your return flight to mainland Ecuador. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: Private group

• day 7

  Departure from Quito

  

  Today, you are free to explore Quito at your leisure before being picked up for your transfer to the airport. Visit the impressive Saint Francis Monastery on San Francisco Square, and have a drink on the square's terrace – one of the few in the historic center. This is the oldest and most important religious site in Ecuador, with a vast complex including 13 cloisters, three churches, more than 3,500 works of religious art, and a library containing thousands of books and historical documents. Enjoy a panoramic view from El Panecillo hill, where the Virgin of El Panecillo stands. The Madonna is a 45 m high monument, made up of 7,000 pieces of aluminum. At the scheduled time, meet your driver at the hotel and head to the airport for your return flight. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: Self-guided