LAND BASED TOURS
ECUADOR TOUR EXTENSIONS
TRIPS BY ACTIVITY
CURRENT LOCAL WEATHER
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Galapagos Hiking Adventure, a Unique Galapagos Islands Land-Based Hiking Tour
Duration: 9 days
4-10 Travelers: $3,175 per person
3 Travelers: $3,475 per person
2 Travelers: $4,075 per person
This land-based option of our Galapagos Island tours explores pristine areas of three southern islands and eight islets usually limited to boat itineraries. This unique Galapagos trip allows you to walk off the beaten path along lava trails in search of diverse wildlife, spend time swimming and snorkeling with friendly marine life in untouched bays and coves as well as learn about and support the local communities. You'll stay in the best accommodations available on the Islands and be accompanied by a knowledgeable bilingual naturalist-guide. Extensions to suit your interests may be arranged. With easy to moderate hikes averaging two to four hours a day, this Galapagos tour is suitable for the whole family and active travelers of all ages.
If you would like to arrange a private departure for the Galapagos Hiking Adventure, please regarding details and costs.
SCUBA Diving is available on this tour; please for more information.
Galapagos Hiking Adventure Tour Itinerary
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Day 1 (Sat) QUITO or GUAYAQUIL
View Quito accommodations picture gallery
Arrival in Quito and transfer to your hotel. Upon early arrival, optional tours to museums or other of the Capital's sights can be arranged.
View Optional Pre-Itinerary Tour Extensions
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Day 2 (Sun) TRANSFER TO SAN CRISTÓBAL - INTERPRETATION CENTER - HIKE IN FRIGATE HILL
View San Cristóbal accommodations picture gallery
Morning flight to San Cristóbal Island. After hotel check-in, you'll have a brief lunch and a pre-trip briefing. After lunch, your adventure begins with a hike to the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, where you'll learn about the volcanic formation of the Galápagos archipelago and the evolution of life on the islands. Your hike continues towards Frigate Hill along trails of lava rock featuring splendid views of the coastline and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, through dry forest where you'll observe cacti, acacia, palo santo, Galápagos cotton, and other endemic vegetation. Frigate Hill is often visited by Galápagos species such as the magnificent and great frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, gulls, herons, and numerous other land birds, including Darwin finches, warblers, and mockingbirds. On the way back you can stop for a refreshing swim at Carola Beach or Mann Beach. The evening is free to explore the tranquil port town of San Cristóbal before spending the night there. (B, L)
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Day 3 (Mon) SAN CRISTÓBAL: ISLA LOBOS, LEON DORMIDO AND HIKE SAN CRISTÓBAL HIGHLANDS
View San Cristóbal accommodations picture gallery
After spending the morning enjoying a coast boat ride, you'll reach Isla Lobos on the lookout for marine iguanas and sea lions. This is a fantastic snorkeling site with one of the best opportunities for sea lion encounters in the entire archipelago. You'll then continue to Leon Dormido, the jagged remains of an old tuff cone that is home to thousands of sea birds. Leon Dormido offers excellent snorkeling as well as a good chance of seeing hammerhead and white tipped sharks, eagle and golden rays, and dozens of species of tropical fish, clams, starfish and marine invertebrates. After snorkelling, at midday you'll return to the hotel to get ready to explore the San Cristóbal highlands. The first stop is El Junco Lagoon, a freshwater lake located in a collapsed caldera at 2,300 feet above sea level. The lake and its surroundings comprise a beautiful Miconia forest landscape, where frigatebirds, Darwin’s finches, and mocking birds are found. You continue on to the semi-natural Galapaguera, a new facility operated by the National Park Service to breed and protect the subspecies of giant turtles endemic to San Cristóbal (Geochelone chathamensis). On the way back, you'll visit El Cafetal, an historic hacienda that has grown a special class of coffee bean named Bourbon since 1875. In the afternoon you return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno to spend the night. (B,L)
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Day 4 (Tue) SAN CRISTÓBAL - HIKE AND EXPLORATION IN ISABELA
View Isabela accommodations picture gallery
Today you board a small plane for Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago, formed by the merging of six shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf. All still active but one, these volcanoes make the island one of the most volcanically-active places on Earth. At the Isabela Breeding Center, you'll learn about tortoise development and conservation, taking this knowledge home from your Galapagos tours. Explore the bay in search of the unique Galapagos penguin and follow a coastline trail to observe dramatic lava formations and a large colony of sea lions. The mangroves and salty lagoons here support mangrove finches, American oyster catchers, herons, American flamingos and many other shore species. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon on exotic white sand beaches and spend the evening in the tranquil port town of Puerto Villamil. (B,L,D)
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Day 5 (Wed) SIERRA NEGRA HIKE
View Isabela accommodations picture gallery
From Puerto Villamil, hike into the highlands to the rim of the Sierra Negra Volcano where it's possible to see the entire five by six-mile caldera (a large crater which is the second largest in the world), the other volcanoes and the Perry Isthmus beyond. From here hike to Chico Volcano, with its puffing fumaroles and striking lava formations, examples of the geological events that have formed the Galapagos Islands over millennia. In the late afternoon, return to Puerto Villamil for a last evening at the Casa de Marita on these Enchanted Islands. (B,L,D)
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Day 6 (Thu) ISABELA - SANTA CRUZ HIKE – DARWIN STATION
View Santa Cruz accommodations picture gallery
This morning, you take a speed boat to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island and visit the El Chato Reserve, a natural habitat of the Galapagos tortoise, where pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches and frigatebirds may be seen bathing in fresh water lakes. While there, explore some fascinating volcanic tunnel formations in the lava caves. You will also visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about Galapagos conservation efforts. Here, you will observe the famous Galapagos giant tortoises that give the archipelago its name. The station is a tortoise breeding and rearing center, providing excellent opportunities to photograph this legendary species. Accommodations in Santa Cruz. (B,L)
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Day 7 (Fri) SANTA CRUZ - CERRO CROCKER AND TORTUGA BAY HIKES
View Santa Cruz accommodations picture gallery
In the morning hike into the scenic cloud forest highlands to the summit of Cerro Crocker, the highest point of Santa Cruz Island. There you'll see Media Luna, an ancient collapsed volcanic crater, and have another chance to see giant tortoises in their natural environment as well as intriguing vegetation and panoramic views down to the coastline. Then, it's on to an afternoon of scenic Galapagos birdwatching on an easy hike to peaceful Tortuga Bay, so named because it is here that the sea turtles come to lay their eggs. The white sand beach is considered the most beautiful of the archipelago and is one of the more relaxing spots on Galapagos tours. Pelicans, Darwin's finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, doves, marine iguanas and migratory shore birds are also found here. Accommodations in Santa Cruz. (B,L)
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Day 8 (Sat) SANTA CRUZ - QUITO or GUAYAQUIL
Transfer to the Baltra airport for the flight back to Quito. In Quito, transfer to your hotel. (B)
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Day 9 (Sun) QUITO or GUAYAQUIL - HOME
Transfer to the airport for the international departure home, marking the end of Southern Explorations' services. It is possible to arrange other Galapagos tours, trip extensions to other regions, or extra days in Quito if you have the time. (B)
View Optional Post-Itinerary Tour Extensions
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Key:
(B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner
CONTACT US
CALL
1.877.784.5400
TOLL FREE
OUTSIDE
THE U.S.A. CALL
1.206.784.8111
2013 SCHEDULED TRIP DATES
Saturday Departures
2 person minimum / 10 maximum
May
11-19
Jun
08-16
Jul
13-21 8 spaces left
Aug
08/24-09/01
Sep
08/24-09/01
21-29
Oct
19-27
Nov
16-24
Dec*
07-15
*December departures operate with a maximum of 12 passengers
Private Departures can be arranged. Please regarding private departure costs.
INCLUSIONS / EXCLUSIONS
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Included in tour cost
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Bilingual english speaking naturalist guide
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All land and sea transportation during the itinerary
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All hotel accommodations in first class and tourist superior hotels *including continental breakfasts (on a twin share basis)
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All meals as noted
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Snorkeling gear
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Sea transportation
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Excluded in tour cost
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International round-trip airfare travel to and from Ecuador
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Domestic Airfare:
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Quito / Galapagos / Quito: $460/$505
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Guayaquil / Galapagos / Guayaquil: $415/$460
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Low Season: Jan 16 - June 15 / Sept 15 - Nov 30
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High Season: June 16 - Sept 14 / Dec 1 - Jan 15
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Entrance fee to Galapagos National Park (100 USD)
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Hiking boots and other necessary sports gear
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Wetsuit rental $5 per day, recommended May - November
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Lunches and dinners in the cities (unless otherwise specified)
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Personal expenses (tips and gratuities, alcoholic beverages, medical or travel insurance, laundry, airport taxes, etc.).
PHYSICAL RATING
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Moderate
GALAPAGOS ACCOMMODATION
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Galapagos Hiking Adventure:
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8 nights hotels
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
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Additional $515
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Single Supplement is the additional cost of a single traveler not sharing a room in double occupancy. We will match you with another same gender traveler unless you request single accommodations.
Prices based on 3.5% cash discount
Duration: 9 days
Today you board a small plane for Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago, formed by the merging of six shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf. All still active but one, these volcanoes make the island one of the most volcanically-active places on Earth. At the Isabela Breeding Center, you'll learn about tortoise development and conservation, taking this knowledge home from your Galapagos tours. Explore the bay in search of the unique Galapagos penguin and follow a coastline trail to observe dramatic lava formations and a large colony of sea lions. The mangroves and salty lagoons here support mangrove finches, American oyster catchers, herons, American flamingos and many other shore species. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon on exotic white sand beaches and spend the evening in the tranquil port town of Puerto Villamil. (B,L,D)
This morning, you take a speed boat to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island and visit the El Chato Reserve, a natural habitat of the Galapagos tortoise, where pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches and frigatebirds may be seen bathing in fresh water lakes. While there, explore some fascinating volcanic tunnel formations in the lava caves. You will also visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about Galapagos conservation efforts. Here, you will observe the famous Galapagos giant tortoises that give the archipelago its name. The station is a tortoise breeding and rearing center, providing excellent opportunities to photograph this legendary species. Accommodations in Santa Cruz. (B,L)
