9 Day Colonial Quito & Galapagos Island Hopping

Highlights

Los TunelesSnorkel in the clear waters and swim with a lot of different unique animal species.
Santa Cruz HighlandsYou will be surrounded by impressive flora and fauna including giant tortoises in their natural habitat and unique volcanic features.
Old Town QuitoQuito has the biggest and the best-preserved historical center in South America.
Tintoreras IsletA place where white-tip sharks known as Tintoreras come daily to rest at the bottom.
Concha PerlaThe perfect place to spot several, colorful fish, playful sea lions, sea urchins, starfishes and occasionally Galapagos penguins.
Charles Darwin StationKnown for its amazing turtles, born from 3 inches to 4 feet long, you can also see the memorial site of Lonely George.
The WetlandsMountain biking next to giant turtles and long white beaches.

Map

Itinerary

DAY 1 QUITO ARRIVAL
Today, you will be picked up from the Quito Airport by an English speaking driver. Then, you will be taken to your hotel.
- TransportCar.
- AccommodationsHotel Ikala Quito or similar.
DAY 2 QUITO CITY & EQUATOR TOUR
After breakfast, our guide pick you up to do a City tour in the historical centre of Quito (part of the UNESCO World Heritage list), the Pululahua Crater and to the Equator museum (Inti Nan). You will have a local lunch in the historical center of Quito.
- ActivityExploring, Sightseeing..
- TransportCar.
- MealBreakfast, Lunch.
- AccommodationsHotel Ikala Quito or similar.
DAY 3 QUITO – BALTRA – SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS
In the morning, our driver will drop you off at Quito Airport from where you will fly to Baltra Island. At Baltra Airport, you will meet up with your English speaking guide who will take you in direction to the port of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island). On the way, you will stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz to visit a farm where you can see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. You will have a local lunch there (only if you arrive before 2:00 PM). Afterwards, you will be dropped off in your hotel in Puerto Ayora.
- ActivityExploring, Wildlife Watching.
- TransportAirplane, Boat, Bus, Car.
- MealBreakfast, Lunch.
- AccommodationsHotel Fiesta or similar.
DAY 4 CHARLES DARWIN’S STATION – ISABELA – FLAMINGO LAGOON
After breakfast you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. It is known for its amazing turtles, born from only 3 inches to 4 feet long. These species of turtles tend to interact with each other and also with humans, showing their head for a pet. The new hatchlings are kept until they are approximately four years old and strong enough to survive on their own. After lunch you will go to Isabela Island by public speedboat (2,5 hours). Upon arrival you have a quick visit to the Flamingo Lagoon.
- ActivitySightseeing, Wildlife Watching.
- TransportBoat, Car.
- MealBreakfast, Lunch.
- AccommodationsHotel Volcano or similar.
DAY 5 TINTORERAS – WETLANDS
Tintoreras Islet is where white-tip sharks known as Tintoreras come daily to rest at the bottom. You will have a transport which will take you to the pier of Puerto Villamil, here you will board a boat for 10 minutes to cross to the islet which is located across the bay. It will be necessary for passengers to use walking shoes or sneakers (closed shoes) to cross the volcanic rocks. You can also observe penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas and you can go snorkeling with colourful tropical fish while enjoying the beaches of Isabela. After lunch you will have a little break and then you will have a tour to The Wetlands, here you will visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, where you will spot small and giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The next activity is a visit to The Wall of Tears.

Please have in mind that the total length of the walk in The Wetlands area is approximately 3 to 4 hours.
- ActivityHiking, Sightseeing, Wildlife Watching
- TransportBoat, Car.
- MealBreakfast, Lunch.
- AccommodationsHotel Volcano or similar.
DAY 6 SNORKELING IN LOS TUNELES
In the morning, you will go on a 30 to 40 minute boat ride from Puerto Villamil. The max group size is 10 participants per guide. You will explore the brilliant scenery in Los Tuneles where you will get the chance to spot large quantities of seabirds. This exciting activity takes approximately about 6 hours including the boat rides and a snack before a short hike. The departure time is between 7:00 AM and 11:30 AM and depends on availability and National Park regulations. So, depending on when you will go to Los Tuneles, you can choose to explore Concha Perla by yourself before or after this, since it is very close to the dock. If you would like to do the optional snorkeling there, you can get the snorkel equipment from your hotel and get to chance to spot even more animals.
- ActivityExploring, Hiking, Snorkeling, Wildlife Watching.
- TransportBoat, Car.
- MealBreakfast, Snack.
- AccommodationsHotel Volcano or similar.
DAY 7 FREE DAY ISABELA – PM BOAT SANTA CRUZ
Today you can relax at Isabela island before you take the public speedboat at 2:00 PM back to Santa Cruz where you will spend the night.
- ActivityRelaxing.
- TransportBoat.
- MealBreakfast.
- AccommodationsHotel Fiesta or similar.
DAY 8 BALTRA – QUITO
After breakfast you will travel to Baltra Airport, and afterwards you take a flight back to Quito where you will be picked up by an English speaking driver/guide at the airport.
- TransportAirplane, Boat, Bus, Car.
- MealBreakfast.
- AccommodationsHotel Ikala Quito or similar.
DAY 9 TRANSFER OUT
After breakfast you will be taken to the airport where your Colonial Quito & Galapagos tour ends.
- TransportCar.
- MealBreakfast.

Inclusions

Meals as described in the itinerary.
Accommodation in a single, double or triple room.
Round trip flights between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
Airport pickup and drop off at Baltra and Quito Airports at your arrival/departure times.
Transportation on and between the Islands as described in the itinerary.
Transportation between Baltra Airport – Itabaca Channel.
Local naturalist guide (English & Spanish speaking).
All activities as described in the itinerary.
Snorkeling equipment: mask, snorkel, fins and life vest.
24/7 assistance in English, Dutch and Spanish.
Exclusions

+ Food & drinks that are not mentioned in the itinerary.
+ Entrance fee for the Galapagos National Park: $ 100 p.p. (cash only).
+ Migratory Control Card / INGALA Transit Card $ 20 p.p. (cash only).
+ Isabela dock fee $ 10 p.p. (cash only).
+ Water Taxi (small boat that takes you from the speedboat to the harbor and back).
+ Personal travel & health insurance.
+ For rent: wetsuit (recommended between May – November).
+ Optional tips for the guide.

Additional information

TOUR SUMMARY

With this 9 day program your whole trip is arranged, from your Quito airport pick up up to your Quito airport drop off. Flights from and to the Galapagos Islands are included. You stay in a tourist superior-class hotel in Quito and the Galapagos and tours and activities are included as well. After 9 days you will have had a great experience at the Galapagos Islands with the highlights of the Colonial capital of Quito.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For children under the age of 12, there is a 10% discount.
Single travelers have a private room with a private bathroom.
There are no guides on the transportation by public speedboat between islands.
Try to only bring small baggage/bags since public transportation on the Galapagos Islands is quite small.
Tap water on the Galapagos Islands might contain bacteria and should not be consumed, not even for brushing your teeth. Bottled or purified water is always recommended.
Inform yourself about food safety when traveling to tropical countries. Take the necessary precaution to avoid food poisoning (always wash your hands before eating, don’t eat ‘street food’, only eat peeled fruits, etc.).
It is important to have valid travel and medical insurance. Please inform us of any known medical conditions you have.
Rebecca Adventure Travel reserves the right to change the itinerary without previous notice due to weather conditions, availabilities, National Park regulations or notifications, and unforeseeable circumstances.