LAND BASED TOURS
ECUADOR TOUR EXTENSIONS
TRIPS BY ACTIVITY
CURRENT LOCAL WEATHER
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Galapagos Multisport Adventure, a diverse land-based tour including daily visits to various islands
Duration: 9 days
4-10 Travelers: $2,995 per person
3 Travelers: $3,450 per person
2 Travelers: $3,995 per person
For those wishing to experience the Galapagos Islands by land instead of by sea, we offer our Galapagos Multi-Sport Adventure. This diverse land-based Galapagos trip includes daily visits to the central and southern islands and overnights in hotels. You'll spend nine magical days observing the Islands' vast array of wildlife from the up-close perspective afforded by kayaking, snorkeling, mountain biking and trekking. This unique tour combines the best of Galapagos nature, wildlife, history and landscapes with adventure and sports activities.
Private Departures can be arranged for the Galapagos Multisport Adventure Tour. Please regarding details and private departure costs.
SCUBA Diving is available on this tour; please for more information.
Itinerary Details for Galapagos Multisport Adventure
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Day 1 (Sat) QUITO or GUAYAQUIL
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Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Upon early arrival, optional tours to museums or other Quito attractions can be arranged.
View Optional Pre-Itinerary Tour Extensions
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Day 2 (Sun) QUITO or GUAYAQUIL - SAN CRISTÓBAL (Hiking)
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The morning begins with a transfer to the airport for the flight to San Cristóbal Island. After arrival and check-in at a comfortable hotel, enjoy a welcome lunch and briefing. You’ll hike out of town to the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, for an overview of the island’s geology, evolution and natural history. From here take an invigorating hike to nearby Frigate Hill where you witness breathtaking views of the coastline and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the other side. This is an excellent bird watching spot where magnificent frigate birds, with wing spans of over six feet, soar above. The great frigates share the hill with blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and Darwin's finches. On the way back, you'll stop for a tropical swim along the white sands of Carola or Mann Beach. Spend the night at a charming San Cristóbal hotel. The remainder of the evening is free to explore this quaint island town. (B,L)
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Day 3 (Mon) SAN CRISTÓBAL (Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling)
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From the sparkling coast, slip into sleek ocean kayaks and spend the day paddling along the turquoise waters to Playa Ochoa, watching sea lions, marine turtles, blue-footed boobies and frigate birds from bays and coves along the way. You will stop in Darwin Bay, the first landing site of the MS Beagle. After reaching Playa Ochoa, you will continue to nearby Isla Lobos looking for marine iguanas and swimming with friendly sea lions. Enjoy a hearty lunch before paddling to Roca Leon Dormido, the jagged remains of an old tuff cone often covered with seabirds. The jutting rocks offer excellent snorkeling in the Galapagos. Here, marine life is abundant, with hammerheads, white-tipped sharks, eagle rays, golden rays, clams, starfish, marine invertebrates and dozens of tropical fish species swimming in and out of the rocky channels. Return to the hotel to relax for the evening. (B, L)
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Day 4 (Tue) SAN CRISTÓBAL - ISABELA ISLAND (Biking, Hiking & Snorkeling)
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In the morning, you take a short flight to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island, the largest island in the Galapagos. Isabela was formed by the merging of six shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra, and Wolf. All but one of these volcanoes is still active, making this island one of the Earth's most volcanically active places. Despite the island's potential for destruction, Isabela's wildlife is rich beyond comparison. We arrive and prepare to mountain bike the beautiful coastline, enjoying its scenery and ample wildlife. We first visit the Wall of Tears, a wall built from lava blocks by prisoners between 1946 and 1959 when Isabela was used as a penal colony. The wall was intended to keep prisoners busy and represents an interesting history of the island. We continue mountain biking along the coast exploring the white sand beaches, mangroves, and brackish lagoons. The area is filled with impressive birdlife, including herons, flamingos, finches, American oyster catchers, and many shore birds. Sea lions and marine iguanas can also be found. After returning for lunch, you hike and snorkel Tintoreras, a small set of wildlife-filled islets within the bay. Here you may be able to encounter the Galapagos Penguin, the only penguin that lives near the equator. Sharks, sea lions, illusive marine turtles and other wildlife abounds. Return to the hotel in the afternoon for a relaxing evening and dinner. (B,L,D)
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Day 5 (Wed) ISABELA ISLAND (Hiking)
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After breakfast, travel to Santo Tomas, where the road ends in the highlands. The day's explorations are through a world of recent geological history still in the making. We hike dirt trails to reach the rim of volcano Sierra Negra which possesses the second largest caldera in the world. From this high vantage point, the views of the five by six-mile wide caldera and Perry Isthmus are astonishing. Sierra Negra is an active volcano that last erupted in October 2005. Following a satisfying lunch, you can chose to continue on the optional trek to Volcano Chico, an impressive area offering fumaroles and extraordinary lava formations. This site is a natural museum containing examples of the geologic occurrences that have created the Galapagos Islands. In the late afternoon, return to Puerto Villamil for our last afternoon on its exotic white beaches and to stay overnight at the hotel. (B, L,D)
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Day 6 (Thu) ISABELA - SANTA CRUZ (Hiking)
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This morning, you take a fast 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. You'll explore unique volcanic tunnel formations in lava caves, and if the weather is clear, be able to see Media Luna, an ancient collapsed crater at the top of the island. We’ll continue to Los Gemelos, two volcanic craters near the top of the island and hike around through a beautiful Scalesia forest. This is the habitat for the short eared owl, one of two owl species on Santa Cruz. In the afternoon we return you to your hotel in Puerto Ayora. (B,L)
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Day 7 (Fri) SANTA CRUZ (Sea Kayak and Hike)
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After breakfast, you will slip into kayaks and paddle through the calm turquoise waters of Divine Bay and Punta Estrada, winding through high-walled lava channels home to white-tipped sharks and rays. Above, colonies of blue-footed boobies, tropic birds, herons, crabs and marine iguanas perch along the cliffs. Making the relaxing paddle back to Puerto Ayora, you hike to Tortuga Bay, one of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the archipelago and nesting site of thousands of marine turtles. This four mile loop is on trails through dry forest habitat home to hundreds of iguanas. You'll return to your hotel in the afternoon and have the evening free to sample the cuisine and nightlife. (B, L)
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Day 8 (Sat) SANTA CRUZ (Darwin Station) - BALTRA - QUITO or GUAYAQUIL
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The morning, you'll visit famed Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about Galapagos conservation and wildlife management efforts. Here you meet Lonesome George, the last giant tortoise of his species. After exploring the Research Station, you transfer by bus to Baltra Island for the return flight to Quito. Arrive in the late afternoon and transfer to your comfortable Quito hotel. (B)
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Day 9 (Sun) QUITO or GUAYAQUIL
Transfer to the airport for the international departure home, the end of Southern Explorations services. If you are interested in more Galapagos tours, trip extensions to other regions or extra days in Quito, we would be happy to arrange them. (B)
View Optional Post-Itinerary Tour Extensions
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Key:
(B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner
ARTICLES & INFORMATION ABOUT GALAPAGOS
TOURS AND TRAVEL
CONTACT US
CALL
1.877.784.5400
TOLL FREE
OUTSIDE
THE U.S.A. CALL
1.206.784.8111
2012 SCHEDULED TRIP DATES
Saturday Departures
2 person minimum / 10 maximum
May
Jun
09-17 6 spaces left
Jul
14-22
Aug
11-19 2 spaces left
Sep
08-16
Oct
13-21
Nov
17-25 8 spaces left
Dec*
22-30 SOLD OUT!
22-30 5 spaces left
*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 tourist superior hotels (on a twin share basis) *including continental breakfasts - upgrades to first class hotels available.
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All meals as noted
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Snorkeling gear
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Sea kayaking gear
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Mountain bicycling gear
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International and domestic transfers
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Local Quito representative
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Southern Explorations pre-departure information
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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 to Difficult
GALAPAGOS ACCOMMODATION
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Galapagos Multisport Adventure:
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8 nights hotels
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
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Additional $495
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Single Supplement is the additional cost of a single traveler not sharing a room in double occupancy. You will match you with another same gender traveler unless you request single accommodations.
Prices based on 3.5% cash discount