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Explore the Galapagos with this 6-day program that covers the highlights of the two islands Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. The program includes must do excursions to the most astonishing dive sites as well as instructions for self-guided activities during your free time. It’s designed to discover as much incredible Galapagos wildlife – both on land as under water at spectacular dive sites – as possible, without having to worry about your accommodation and finding your way around.
Day 1 – Arrival, Twin Craters, Giant Tortoise Reserve and Charles Darwin Station (L)
Upon arrival at Baltra airport you will be met with our English speaking guide. At the airport you will first take a shuttle transfer to the Itabaca Channel. A short ferry ride will get you to the other side of the channel in a couple of minutes. From here you will be brought in private transportation to Puerto Ayora, the town of Santa Cruz island.
On the way you will make a short stop at the Twin Craters, a pair of collapsed craters that were formed when the land sunk down into empty magma chambers from ancient volcanoes. You might also encounter some birdlife here. Afterwards you will visit the El Chato Reserve where you can observe the giant tortoises in the wild that are endemic to the Galapagos. Near the ranch you will also have the opportunity to see a lava tunnel from inside. These tunnels were formed as the outer skin of molten lava solidified while the liquid magma continued flowing during a volcanic eruption many years ago. You will have lunch on the private ranch in the El Chato Reserve, before continuing the drive to the town Puerto Ayora. During a guided visit at the Charles Darwin Research Station you can observe more giant tortoises and a couple of yellow land iguana in captivation and you will learn more about the islands’ conservation efforts.
In the late afternoon you are expected at the office of the dive tour operator for a equipment check and briefing for the upcoming dive tours.
Day 2 – Dive excursion from Santa Cruz (B,L)
Today you will go on a full day dive excursion. See the table below for the different destinations per day. The tour includes a check dive and 2 full immersions, the full equipment, lunch and English speaking dive master. Please note that the destinations in the table can vary as the permits for each Galapagos visitor site is being renewed every 1st of April.
DAY | DIVE BOAT 1 | DIVE BOAT 2 |
MONDAY | GORDON ROCKS* / NORTH MOSQUERA | FLOREANA |
TUESDAY | SEYMOUR CHANNEL / DAPHNE | GORDON ROCKS* |
WEDNESDAY | SOUTH MOSQUERA / NORTH MOSQUERA | SEYMOUR CHANNEL / NORTH MOSQUERA |
THURSDAY | SEYMOUR POINT / GORDON ROCKS* | BARTOLOME/ COUSINS |
FRIDAY | DAPHNE / GUY FAWKES | SEYMOUR POINT / SEYMOUR CHANNEL |
SATURDAY | PLAZAS / GORDON ROCKS* | SOUTH MOSQUERA / DAPHNE |
SUNDAY | SOUTH MOSQUERA / SEYMOUR CHANNEL | SEYMOUR CHANNEL / GORDON ROCKS* |
* MINIMUM OF 25 LOGGED DIVES REQUIRED |
Read more about the different dive sites.
Day 3 – Dive excursion from Santa Cruz (B,L)
Today you will go on another full day dive excursion. See the description of this tour above.
Day 4 – Tortuga Bay or Las Grietas and speedboat to San Cristobal (B)
This morning you will have time off to spend on your own. We highly recommend a visit to Tortuga Bay. This white-sand beach gets its name from the black sea turtles that lay their eggs here. Marine iguanas, crabs and birds can also be spotted here and it is an excellent site to enjoy a relaxing swim. It takes about an hour to walk from the main port on the boulevard in Puerto Ayora to get to Tortuga Bay.
Another option is to take a water taxi from the port and visit Las Grietas, a narrow crack between tall lava rock walls where you can take a swim. The path that leads you to up to Las Grietas passes by the small white sand beach Playa de los Alemanes, a salt lake and interesting cacti. To reach the trail you will first have to take a short water taxi ride from the port in town. Once back in Puerto Ayora you’ll have time to check out the little fish market on the boulevard, where fishmongers cut and sell their wares. Chances are that you’ll see pelicans and sea lions here hoping to catch a free fishy snack.
In the afternoon you will take the speedboat to San Cristobal island, which takes about 2,5 hours. Upon arrival in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, chances are high that you will be welcomed by many sea lions that are resting on a small part of the beach right next to the port. After checking in at your hotel, you are expected at the office of the dive tour operator for a equipment check and briefing for the upcoming dive tour.
Day 5 – Dive excursion to Kicker Rock (B,L)
Today you will go on a full day dive excursion to Kicker Rock. The tour includes a check dive and 2 full immersions, the full equipment, lunch and an English speaking dive master. Please note that there will be both snorkelers as divers aboard on this tour. The group will split at the water activities. Kicker Rock is a striking rock formation and is located a couple hours off the western shore of San Cristobal. Jutting out of the water, the rocks stand vertically at hundreds of feet above the ocean divided by a small channel. Blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and frigate birds often rest here. It’s also the perfect snorkel and dive spot as you could encounter different sharks, tropical fish, turtles, manta rays and sometimes even hammerhead sharks here. After the dive activity you will visit one of the nearby beautiful remote beaches before heading back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. A box lunch will be served on board.
Depending the time at which you will be back in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you will have some free time in the (late) afternoon to spend on your own. We recommend a visit to the very interesting Interpretation Center, where you can learn about the geological and natural history of the Galapagos islands, as well as the efforts to protect its uniqueness. Other options to visit are Playa Mann, Playa Punta Carola and Cerro Tijeretas.
Day 6 – Departure (B)
Enjoy your last morning on the Galapagos Islands strolling around the boulevard or nearby beach Playa Mann. You will be picked up from your hotel and brought to the San Cristobal airport, from where you will fly back to the mainland of Ecuador.
Prices 2025
Price per person (2 passengers) |
|
Budget accommodation | $1667 |
Standard accommodation | $1854 |
Comfort accommodation | $2229 |
Luxury accommodation | $3748 |
Price per person (1 passenger) |
|
Budget accommodation | $1915 |
Standard accommodation | $2212 |
Comfort accommodation | $3013 |
Luxury accommodation | $5602 |
Take a look at our Budget, Standard, Comfort and Luxury accommodations.
Make sure to buy a flight on the first day that flies into Baltra Island (GPS) and flies out of San Cristobal Island (SCY). Your arrival flight can arrive any time, but it’s recommended to book a flight that arrives between 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM at Baltra Island to enjoy the activities on the first day on a nice pace. Your departure flight can leave any time of the day, but it’s recommended to book a flight that leaves a little later in the morning / afternoon, to enjoy your last morning on the Galapagos.
This is a partially Shared Tour / Group Tour and partially Private Tour. This means that there will be other people besides yourself (or your travel party) taking part in most of the excursions of this program. As every traveler is following their own itinerary on the Galapagos the group composition during your excursions can vary from day to day. Your airport transfers on the islands will always be on a private basis for you (or your travel party) only.
Day 1 – Arrival, Twin Craters, Giant Tortoise Reserve and Charles Darwin Station (L)
Upon arrival at Baltra airport you will be met with our English speaking guide. At the airport you will first take a shuttle transfer to the Itabaca Channel. A short ferry ride will get you to the other side of the channel in a couple of minutes. From here you will be brought in private transportation to Puerto Ayora, the town of Santa Cruz island.
On the way you will make a short stop at the Twin Craters, a pair of collapsed craters that were formed when the land sunk down into empty magma chambers from ancient volcanoes. You might also encounter some birdlife here. Afterwards you will visit the El Chato Reserve where you can observe the giant tortoises in the wild that are endemic to the Galapagos. Near the ranch you will also have the opportunity to see a lava tunnel from inside. These tunnels were formed as the outer skin of molten lava solidified while the liquid magma continued flowing during a volcanic eruption many years ago. You will have lunch on the private ranch in the El Chato Reserve, before continuing the drive to the town Puerto Ayora. During a guided visit at the Charles Darwin Research Station you can observe more giant tortoises and a couple of yellow land iguana in captivation and you will learn more about the islands’ conservation efforts.
In the late afternoon you are expected at the office of the dive tour operator for a equipment check and briefing for the upcoming dive tours.
Day 2 – Dive excursion from Santa Cruz (B,L)
Today you will go on a full day dive excursion. See the table below for the different destinations per day. The tour includes a check dive and 2 full immersions, the full equipment, lunch and English speaking dive master. Please note that the destinations in the table can vary as the permits for each Galapagos visitor site is being renewed every 1st of April.
DAY | DIVE BOAT 1 | DIVE BOAT 2 |
MONDAY | GORDON ROCKS* / NORTH MOSQUERA | FLOREANA |
TUESDAY | SEYMOUR CHANNEL / DAPHNE | GORDON ROCKS* |
WEDNESDAY | SOUTH MOSQUERA / NORTH MOSQUERA | SEYMOUR CHANNEL / NORTH MOSQUERA |
THURSDAY | SEYMOUR POINT / GORDON ROCKS* | BARTOLOME/ COUSINS |
FRIDAY | DAPHNE / GUY FAWKES | SEYMOUR POINT / SEYMOUR CHANNEL |
SATURDAY | PLAZAS / GORDON ROCKS* | SOUTH MOSQUERA / DAPHNE |
SUNDAY | SOUTH MOSQUERA / SEYMOUR CHANNEL | SEYMOUR CHANNEL / GORDON ROCKS* |
* MINIMUM OF 25 LOGGED DIVES REQUIRED |
Read more about the different dive sites.
Day 3 – Dive excursion from Santa Cruz (B,L)
Today you will go on another full day dive excursion. See the description of this tour above.
Day 4 – Tortuga Bay or Las Grietas and speedboat to San Cristobal (B)
This morning you will have time off to spend on your own. We highly recommend a visit to Tortuga Bay. This white-sand beach gets its name from the black sea turtles that lay their eggs here. Marine iguanas, crabs and birds can also be spotted here and it is an excellent site to enjoy a relaxing swim. It takes about an hour to walk from the main port on the boulevard in Puerto Ayora to get to Tortuga Bay.
Another option is to take a water taxi from the port and visit Las Grietas, a narrow crack between tall lava rock walls where you can take a swim. The path that leads you to up to Las Grietas passes by the small white sand beach Playa de los Alemanes, a salt lake and interesting cacti. To reach the trail you will first have to take a short water taxi ride from the port in town. Once back in Puerto Ayora you’ll have time to check out the little fish market on the boulevard, where fishmongers cut and sell their wares. Chances are that you’ll see pelicans and sea lions here hoping to catch a free fishy snack.
In the afternoon you will take the speedboat to San Cristobal island, which takes about 2,5 hours. Upon arrival in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, chances are high that you will be welcomed by many sea lions that are resting on a small part of the beach right next to the port. After checking in at your hotel, you are expected at the office of the dive tour operator for a equipment check and briefing for the upcoming dive tour.
Day 5 – Dive excursion to Kicker Rock (B,L)
Today you will go on a full day dive excursion to Kicker Rock. The tour includes a check dive and 2 full immersions, the full equipment, lunch and an English speaking dive master. Please note that there will be both snorkelers as divers aboard on this tour. The group will split at the water activities. Kicker Rock is a striking rock formation and is located a couple hours off the western shore of San Cristobal. Jutting out of the water, the rocks stand vertically at hundreds of feet above the ocean divided by a small channel. Blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and frigate birds often rest here. It’s also the perfect snorkel and dive spot as you could encounter different sharks, tropical fish, turtles, manta rays and sometimes even hammerhead sharks here. After the dive activity you will visit one of the nearby beautiful remote beaches before heading back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. A box lunch will be served on board.
Depending the time at which you will be back in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you will have some free time in the (late) afternoon to spend on your own. We recommend a visit to the very interesting Interpretation Center, where you can learn about the geological and natural history of the Galapagos islands, as well as the efforts to protect its uniqueness. Other options to visit are Playa Mann, Playa Punta Carola and Cerro Tijeretas.
Day 6 – Departure (B)
Enjoy your last morning on the Galapagos Islands strolling around the boulevard or nearby beach Playa Mann. You will be picked up from your hotel and brought to the San Cristobal airport, from where you will fly back to the mainland of Ecuador.
Prices 2025
Price per person (2 passengers) |
|
Budget accommodation | $1667 |
Standard accommodation | $1854 |
Comfort accommodation | $2229 |
Luxury accommodation | $3748 |
Price per person (1 passenger) |
|
Budget accommodation | $1915 |
Standard accommodation | $2212 |
Comfort accommodation | $3013 |
Luxury accommodation | $5602 |
Take a look at our Budget, Standard, Comfort and Luxury accommodations.
Make sure to buy a flight on the first day that flies into Baltra Island (GPS) and flies out of San Cristobal Island (SCY). Your arrival flight can arrive any time, but it’s recommended to book a flight that arrives between 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM at Baltra Island to enjoy the activities on the first day on a nice pace. Your departure flight can leave any time of the day, but it’s recommended to book a flight that leaves a little later in the morning / afternoon, to enjoy your last morning on the Galapagos.
This is a partially Shared Tour / Group Tour and partially Private Tour. This means that there will be other people besides yourself (or your travel party) taking part in most of the excursions of this program. As every traveler is following their own itinerary on the Galapagos the group composition during your excursions can vary from day to day. Your airport transfers on the islands will always be on a private basis for you (or your travel party) only.
Geert A27 October 2023Verified Well-organised, smooth 3-week trip through beautiful Ecuador Excellent service for our (= couple in their sixties) three-week trip through Ecuador: good preparation (several offers given and compared), very responsive when asked questions (about safety, local costs, etc.), instant support with (minor; there were no major) issues during the trip (delayed drivers, small misunderstandings at hotels that were reserved,...), overall good deal price/quality. Of course it also helped that we did not have a single issue with safety, crime (theft, harrassment),... even though we also visited the larger cities of Quito and Guayaquil (of course, taking into account all suggested precautions: don't go looking for trouble in dangerous areas, stay off the streets at night, don't walk around like a tourist with a sign on his forehead "please rob me",...). In conclusion, unforgettable trip in a country with a lot of variation within reasonable distances (rain forest, Andes, coast, cities,...), and organized very well by Adore Travel. Raymond v18 October 2023Verified Top travel agency ! Een must voor een bezoek aan Ecuador - Galapagos Geweldige service , goede hulp, snel en adequaat contact, absolute aanrader Reis op maat klopte van A tot Z , elke dag was een nieuw avontuur ! Nanja en Bas O15 September 2023Verified Fijn contact en deskundig reisbureau voor Ecuador Al vrij snel na ons eerste contact met Adore Ecuador (Margot) ontvingen we een volledig reisschema, in ons geval voor een Amazone-tour en een week op de Galápagos. Beide waren fantastisch. Het schema was goed doordacht en we hadden mooie overnachtingsplekken. Tijdens onze reis was Margot heel goed bereikbaar en reageerde ze snel op vragen van ons. We kunnen het iedereen aanbevelen om bij Adore Ecuador te boeken om het land op z'n best te beleven! wimweerd8 September 2023Verified Betrouwbaar en alles waarmaken wat ze beloven. Adore is een reisbureau in Ecuador die meeleven en meedenken met de mensen uit Ecuador met toch ook een Nederlands tintje. Ook die afspraken nakomen en alles goed regelen. Ed4 September 2023Verified Perfectly organized trip through Ecuador We asked Adore to put together a tailor-made trip. Very well helped by Jessica and always an immediate response to our questions and wishes. A trip perfectly organized according to our wishes. Nice, mostly small-scale, comfortable hotels. We traveled with private drivers, but public transport is also possible. We received an extensive travel plan per day with daily activities, but also enough space for free interpretation. Drivers were always present at the agreed time, with spacious comfortable minivans (we traveled with four). There was also room to plan the route in such a way that there was still plenty to see or do along the way. Although everything goes by email, you have personal contact and a fantastic and unique journey is ensured. Wendy B1 September 2023Verified Adore the Galapagos experience Highly recommended! I did some research about Travel Agencies and reached out to two, Adore Ecuador replied in a more personalized manner, inquiring more about my expectations and dive experience. Their response was way more engaging and showed a desire to understand what I wanted to see. Jessica was my main point of contact, she guided me through the entire process. We started with the 6 Day Galapagos Island Hopping Dive tour, adding more days and an additional Island: Isabela, for a chance to swim with Penguins. For each tour, they manage base packages with 3 levels of accommodations(Budget, Standard & Comfort) and the option to customize it even further. If you care about accommodations, take a look at their website, it gives you a good idea about what to expect. I had the chance to select my accommodations, and with an extra fee, I enjoyed their Panoramic View Suite in one of the hotels, which I absolutely loved! Jessica's answers were always timely and informative, giving me options and guidance. She was very patient and replied to all my questions. After we formalized the itinerary, she sent me a detailed travel proposal. I had the option to cover the Payment in electronic fashion; then she solidified the reservations and took care of all the details, all my transfers, stays, guides for the protected areas, dive tours, snorkel tours and more. The Travel itinerary that she sent me had clear instructions for each activity, specifying what was covered, and what additional fees/services were needed at my own expense (such the Galapagos National Park entrance fee, Transit Control Card, taxis) with an estimated price (which was very accurate). I had the time of my life in Galapagos, every island had its own magic. In Santa Cruz I dove with one of the best Dive agencies that I have been diving with!. Some were very challenging dives, but I felt safe with them. We saw sea lions underwater & many turtles. The vibe in the town is very chill and relaxed. While on that island I saw the giant tortoises, sea lions by the fisherman dock and the beaches, swimming iguanas and more. In Isabella, I had the best snorkeling experience, we did see penguins and swam around them! lots and lots of turtles(the highest number that I have seen snorkeling), rays, sea lions and more. interesting marine creatures, tortoises and birds! This island felt less urbanized…more pristine. In San Cristobal, the town felt more developed, but I had a great dive experience seeing an innumerable amount of Salema, and some sea lions and sharks swimming around, breaking their “formation”. San Cristobal has the largest colony of Sea Lions in the Galapagos, I enjoyed chilling and swimming with them a lot. Once you know how to move around Galapagos, it can be simple, but it was my first time and not enough time to do a lot of research, so I really appreciated all the guidance and help…especially with the transfers between islands. I witnessed very unfortunate circumstances, other tourists lost their transfer as their name was not in the boarding list and the boats were full. I felt bad for them, and also grateful that Jessica had a lot of attention to detail. I am very happy with the service and guidance provided by Jessica and the Adore Ecuador team. If you are thinking about Galapagos and don’t know where to start, they can offer some guidance and information about what to expect in each island. Galapagos is a destination that you will never forget and Adore Ecuador will help you to adore the experience! Sandra v25 August 2023Verified Roadtrip Ecuador Our roadtrip through Ecuador was amazing and very well organized by Adore Ecuador travel agency. We have done and seen so much. Visited some cities and learned a lot about the culture. Spend several days in nature: vulcano area, lakes, Tena Jungle and Galapagos. darlin v16 August 2023Verified Thanks Adore Ecuador Travel What a travel it was ! The organisation and program made by Margot and her team were perfect. A tailormade program, no worries and always reachable ! Lovely hotels, lovely places, lovely people. I recommend them all the way ! Lidwien B10 August 2023Verified Adoremos Ecauador Mijn dochter en ik hadden een geweldige reis in Ecuador. Adore Ecuador had alles tot in de puntjes geregeld: de hotels, de chauffeurs en de gidsen, de informatie over de plekken die we bezochten. Ecuador is een prachtig land. We hebben hoog op de Cotopaxi vulkaan gestaan, een wandeling in het nevelwoud bij Mindo gemaakt, gedobberd in het thermale bad in Banos, meegedanst bij een optreden voor de kathedraal in Cuena en onze ogen uitgekeken op de markt in Otavalo en Guamote. Heerlijk afwisselend gegeten (van sommige vruchten wist ik niet dat ze bestonden). We troffen overal vriendelijke mensen, we hebben ons geen moment onveilig gevoeld. Hartelijk dank aan Adore Ecuador voor deze geweldige reis. Ingrid10 August 2023Verified In een woord fantastisch! Wat hebben we genoten van deze mooie reis, en wat was alles goed geregeld door Adore Ecuador travel. Anouk en Margot zijn zeer goed bereikbaar en reageren snel. Een voordeel dat ze in Ecuador gevestigd zijn = geen tijdverschil :). Prima accommodaties, fijne privé chauffeurs.
Edificio Argentina Plaza – Office 802
Juan Severino E8-38 y Av. 6 de Diciembre
Quito – Ecuador
Office hours: Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (GMT-5).
Tourism Registry Number: 1792773474001.001.9003713