Galapagos Tortoise Path 11 Days 10 Nights program offers an authentic way to explore the archipelagos. The Galapagos is a unique place on earth, there are no other places in the whole world that allow you to see the wildest animals and landscapes. This personalized trip takes in the natural wonders of nine and more islands (Santa Cruz, Pinzon, Santa Fe, Plazas, Isabela, Bartolome, San Cristobal, and others). Each island is the peak of an underwater volcano and the home of many never seen species. But the iconic species will enchant you, especially the giant tortoises, playful boobies and frigate birds, yellow and land iguanas, a variety of sharks including hammerheads, and Galapagos Penguins. You are also treated to some of the most memorable sunsets, extreme landscapes and pristine beaches across the whole archipelago, making this Galapagos land-based excursion just too good to miss. 

Monday: AM: Arrival in Baltra Island

At the Baltra Airport Galapagos Path’s staff is going to welcome you, he is going to be waiting with the paper signboard at the passenger principle hall meeting. Our staff is going to assist you at the Baltra and Itabaca Channel. The, your will ride a comfortable transportation in order to explore the highland. 

PM: The Twins + Giant turtle + Lava tunnels – Hotel

Teeming wildlife and greenest will be found in Santa Cruz Island highland, your first spot is at Los Gemelos – or “The Twins” in English – which are often mistaken for volcanic craters, those are actually sinkholes. When the volcanoes on the islands were still active, lava flows would roll down the hills to get to the sea. So, the lava run at different speeds under the ground for several days becoming big lava tunnels and magma chambers. The outer lava cools faster than the middle and starts to dry, allowing for the formation of lava walls that enclose the hotter lava within. These geological formations remain underground for thousands of years until their roofs collapse due to erosion, which is the case with Los Gemelos. Then, you will wonder visiting a reserve where it is possible a healthy short trail surrounded by the endemic tropical forest and they can observe closely exotic giant turtles on natural state, also our guests will take a trip under the lava tunnels always assisted by our experimented tour guide. At the end of this authentic excursion, you will ride your comfortable transportation to the hotel. 

Include 

Transportation: shared bus at Baltra & speed boat at Itabaca channel

Meals: lunch

Guide: accredited guide at the reserve/ranch

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast & dinner

Drinks: Alcohol   beverage

Personal gratitude: Tips

The departure is going to be at 8:00 am from Puerto Ayora Pier where our guests will embark on an amazing marine wildlife expedition on Pinzon Island. First, our guests spot at No Name Rock –“Roca Sin Nombre in Spanish”– where it is possible to enjoy a wonderful view of the blue footed boobies, pelicans, marines birds, sea lions, and marine iguanas. The epic spot is at Penguin Bay –“Bahía Pingüino in Spanish” – this site gives to the travelers a great opportunity to practice snorkeling and swim next to the colony of sea lions, turtles, reef sharks, rays, fish and sometimes even the Penguins the bay is named for. As the tour is run by fisherman there is a short fishing time, and any fish caught are served as fresh sushini. The beach and whitest sand time is going to be at Palmita or La Fe (it depends the captain), both places offer beautiful rest and walking time. Hot and luscious lunch will be served in the boat cabin. Around 3:30pm departure to Puerto Ayora Pier. 

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature because it falls under 20ºC from September to December and it is up of 27ºC from January to August. 

Include 

Meals: lunch (aboard)

Transportation: comfortable speed boat

Guide: naturalist tour guide accredited by GPS National Park

Gear: wetsuit, mask, tube & flipper

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast & dinner

Drinks: alcohol beverage

Personal gratitude: tips

Charles Darwin Excursion

The morning allows you to explore the Charles Darwin Station, a non-profit institution that dedicates itself to studying and protecting the flora and fauna of the Galapagos. This is one of the best places to see land tortoises, including Lonesome George museum.

Then you’ll visit the station’s Tortoise Rearing Center. Here you can find baby, hand-sized tortoises, between the ages of one and five, and marvel at how they achieve such large sizes as adults (500 lbs. or more!). Galapagos tortoises are believed to have a lifespan of over 100 years, so the young ones have a long life ahead of them as long as they receive the protection they need.

PM: Free / Tortuga bay Beach (Optional)

Afternoon, you are free in order to enjoy Tortuga Bay Beach by yourself which is stunning sand beach, located a healthy 40 minutes walking among the giant cacti forest before being rewarded with a magnificent view of this jaw-dropping slice of coast. The beach is ranked among the world´s top beaches over the course of recent years. This wide stretch of open, immaculate beach is, simply put, spectacular. Adventures can opt to head down the entire stretch of Tortuga Bay, they will be treated to a second and smaller secluded beach at the end that`s surrounded by mangroves and, occasionally, curious marine iguanas, sea lions, and tropical birds. Never, the naturalist guide is going to leave to our guests alone, he is always ready to take care, explain, and answer any questions about this gorgeous place. 

Include 

Guide: naturalist tour guide accredited by GPS National Park

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Drinks: alcohol beverage

Personal gratitude: tips

AM: Santa Fe Island 

Santa Fe Island -or “Barrington Island” in English- is an ideal place in order to enjoy the last paradise wildlife, its location is southeast of Santa Cruz island. The island shows white sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies thought the island path. A short trekking takes to our guests to one of the teeming forest of opuntia cactus in the island to look out for land iguanas. This island is habitat for number of species, including the Galápagos hawk, Galápagos snakes, rice rats (one of the few endemic Galápagos rodents), a variety of finches and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago, and of course it is also home of the blue footed boobies, frigate birds, Galápagos gulls and home of the Santa Fe land or marine iguanas (the largest in the islands). Ending the pleasant trail adventurers will plunge into the salty sea and snorkel in the company of sealions, lion fish and green turtles. Lunch is served aboard.

PM: South Plaza Island 

South Plaza Islands is for our guests who prefer to enjoy a pleasant journey watching unique changing landscape and colonies of land red and yellow iguanas. This magic place consists of two islets (north and south) located east coast of Santa Cruz. So, you be taken on a 40-minute bus ride from the comfortable hotel, followed by a 1-hour boat ride. On the northern part of the islet, excursionists begin the journey in fantastic cactus forest where sometimes trekking is difficult due to the amount of yellow and red land iguanas stretched along the rocky ground. During the dry season they survive on fruits and flowers of the opuntia cacti. Our guests will be amazed at the wild hybrid iguanas (mix between sea and land ones) and colony of sea lions while the trail forwards to a cliff top walk where swallow tailed gulls and tropicbirds nest. It is a heaven for the red billed tropic birds, magnificent frigates, pelicans, and Audubon´s shearwaters. Travelers will return to Puerto Ayora pier approximately 5:00 pm.  

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature, because it falls below 20ºC from June to November and it is up to 27ºC from December to May. 

Include 

Transportation: comfortable yacht & shared bus

Meals: lunch & snack (aboard)

Guide: naturalist tour guide accredited by GPS National Park

Gear: wetsuit, mask, tube, flipper & towel

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast & dinner

Drinks: alcohol beverage

Personal gratitude: tips

AM: Ferry: Santa Cruz – Isabela Island

At 6:20 AM, our guests are going to be pick up at hotel in order to go to Puerto Ayora Pier to get the comfortable speed boat in order to departure from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island. The navigation trip takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, adventurers with back or neck injuries are not advised to take this journey. 

PM: Snorkeling at Tintoreras Islets 

Our staff will pick you up at your hotel at 2:00 PM, time to start to explore a unique penguin and white tip shark home, Las Tintoreras. At the islet called Tintoreras, the excursion stars with a short long trail which allow you to discover big white tip shark resting in channel of crystal water. And the second part allows you to practice snorkeling next wildest sharks and other pelagic animals. This small bay is also where the Galapagos penguins like to frequent as well. It is also possible to observe playful lava heron and gulls. This place is magical for snorkeling, but the adventurers have to be quick to get a glimpse of the penguins underwater. The biggest island journey offers the opportunity to watch closely several species of finches.

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature, because it falls below 20ºC from June to November and it is up to 27ºC from December to May. 

Include 

Meals: basic snack

Transportation: comfortable speed boat

Guide: naturalist tour guide accredited by GPS National Park

Gear: wetsuit, mask, tube & flipper

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Isabela   entrance fee: USD 10.00 per person

Water taxi fee: USD 1 at each pier

Pier using fee: USD 1.00 at each island

Personal gratitude: tips

The Tunnels Trip (snorkeling & trail)

Early in the morning, at 07:00 or11:00 am, after wondering a delicious breakfast, you will embark on a must-do day trip to one of the most biodiverse sites in the Galapagos, Los Tuneles -or The Tunnels in English- also known as Cabo Rosa. They are unique geological formations, a series of arcs and tunnels underneath and above the water, located 1 hour riding from Puerto Villamil Pier. The first spot is in Roca Union a small islet located in the open sea were watching majestic pelicans, blue footed boobies and Nazca Boobies and, occasionally, sea lions resting on the rocks makes your terrific journey. This site is an ideal place for snorkeling due to its crystal-clear and shallow waters, so there is possible to swim next to sea turtles, white-tipped sharks, trumpetfish and surgeon fish. It is also able to see eagle and golden rays. The second and principle spot is in Los Tuneles where you will be allowed to do more snorkeling and enjoy some short trail observing the landscape and teeming wildlife. Cabo Rosa is heaven to sea turtles, albatrosses, flamingos, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue footed boobies, royal frigate, eagle rays, penguins, lobsters, sea snakes, a variety of birds, among other species. Hot box lunch will be served aboard. 

Tortuga Island Discovering Day Tour (snorkeling)

Your snorkeling journey is starting at 7:00 am. So, you will be pick up at the hotel, then you are going to enjoy 40 minutes riding a comfortable speed boat until Tortuga Island. Keep an eye out for the birds of the islet as you approach. Try your hand at fishing with a trawling fishing rod before ending the boat tour with 60 - 90 minutes of snorkeling. In the clear waters of the turtle islet, you might spot sharks, sea turtles, corals, starfish and more. The panoramic view will engage you to observe iconic collapsed volcano that is a nesting location for a variety of seabirds such as Frigatebirds and the elusive Red-Billed Tropicbird, among others. After 1 hour watching time, your second snorkeling allow you to discover hammerhead (60 feet deep) and black tip sharks, eagle rays, rays and sea lions. This excursion is shared between snorkelers and divers, so it means that while divers are practicing scuba diving, snorkelers are practicing snorkeling on the superficial. Tasty box lunch is served aboard. 1:30 pm, you are back at your hotel.   

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature, because it falls below 20ºC from June to November and it is up to 27ºC from December to May. 

Include 

Transportation:   comfortable speed boat

Meals: box lunch (aboard)

Guide: tour guide English speaker

Gear: wetsuit, mask, tube & flipper

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include   

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Drinks: alcohol beverage

Personal gratitude: tips

AM: Sierra Negra Volcano Trail (hiking)

Your mountain tour guide will pick you up at your hotel at 7:00 am, then you will ride a shared land transportation around 40 minutes to the foothills of the Sierra Negra Volcano, site located at 800 over the sea which is the starting point. The healthy trail starts here to the top of the volcano, 6.21 mi (10 km) crater, and it is cover by solidified lava. The rocky path is not so inclined, it allows you to get with no much difficult to the top, so you just need to be strength to walk around 4 hours up and back. At the top you will explore the crater by the rocky trail in order to discover closely the lava formation. The next spot will be the Chico Volcano which gives you a unique view to the Darwin volcano, Santiago, Pinzon and Fernandina islands. You will wonder feeling hot rocky paths at some points. An experience absolutely authentic, you will feel as you are exploring another planet. You will be back around 1:30 pm. 

PM: Ferry: Isabela – Santa Cruz

Our guests are going to take a comfortable speed boat back to Santa Cruz island from Puerto Villamil Pier at 2:20 pm. The navigation trip takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, adventurers with back or neck injuries are not advised to take this journey.

Include 

Meals: box lunch (basic)

Transportation: comfortable shared bus & speed boat

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals:   breakfast, lunch & dinner

Water taxi fee: USD 1 at each pier

Pier using fee: USD 1.00 at each island

Bartolome will welcome our guests to the incredible natural wealth of teeming Galapagos wildlife where they will be amazed with the dramatic views of the luscious landscape. It is a fantastic spot to take personal and group pictures and it is a jewel-toned setting for charismatic penguins, skittering crabs and marine iguanas. At the sandy cove the adventurers will start to snorkel with the speedy Galapagos penguins. Also, hundreds of colorful reef fish, sea turtles and rays are surrounding the island. At the shade of the Pinnacle Rock our excursionist will have the best place to snorkel and to take photograph of the endemic penguins and the rock looks out across pale beaches and blue-green water, their colors offset by the coal-black lava flow at Sullivan Bay. A hot lunch and refreshments are provided on the boat. At the end of the journey the boat will come back to Santa Cruz, after that a bus will take you to the most comfortable and environmentally friendly lodge.

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature, because it falls below 20ºC from June to November and it is up to 27ºC from December to May.

Include 

Transportation: comfortable yacht & shared bus

Meals: lunch & snack (aboard)

Guide: naturalist tour guide accredited by GPS National Park

Gear: wetsuit, mask, tube, flipper & towel

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast & dinner

Drinks: alcohol beverage

Personal gratitude: tips

AM: Ferry: Santa Cruz – San Cristobal

At 6:15 AM, our guests are going to be pick up at hotel in order to go to Puerto Ayora Pier to get the comfortable speed boat in order to departure from Santa Cristobal Island to Isabela Island. The navigation trip takes approximately 2 hours, adventurers with back or neck injuries are not advised to take this journey.  

PM: Free / San Cristobal Highland (Optional) 

Cerro Tijeretas (or called Frigate Bird Hill) trail: The trail is pathed the entire way and leads you through a lava and cactus field. Every so often, there is a break in the trees to offer views of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and out to sea. Our adventurers will take the path to the left in order to hike Frigate Bird Hill. This site allows you to enjoy a great look at the frigate birds, Darwin’s Cove so keep an eye out for turtles and sea lions floating about. Frigate birds and blue footed boobies love to nest in this rocky cliff. Between the bright blue feet and funny looking heads, they are just designed to brighten your day! La Loberia beach snorkeling: At the end of your excursion, you will discover La Loberia beach which has coral-tinted sands and is home to many sea lions. Other fauna you will spot are the iguanas, lava lizards, yellow warblers and frigates. It is ideal place to practice snorkeling next to the sea lions, school of fishes, marine iguanas, mantarays, and crafs. El Junco sweet water lake visiting: Your excursion will engage you to the greenest and lush site called El junco lake. El junco is the only significant natural source of freshwater. Reaching about 10 minutes you will have a lovely 360 grades view around the island and the Pacific Ocean. The lake is loved by seabirds. Gulls and frigate birds can often be seen swooping down and dipping into the lake to wash the salt from their feathers.

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature, because it falls below 20ºC from June to November and it is up to 27ºC from December to May.

Include 

Transportation: comfortable speed boat

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Water taxi fee: USD 1 at each pier

Pier using fee: USD 1.00 at each island

San Cristobal island gives another magic trip, 360º San Cristobal which is the most complete excursion surrounding the island by comfortable speed boat. The first spot will be at the Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido). This highlight of Galápagos is offering excursionist unique wildlife in the whole world. Around the rock you can swim next to the hammerhead sharks and with the colorful reef fishes. Then, our guests will go to the Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo), on this place they are going to have walking under the lava tunnel where travelers can watch many other exotic species. Later, travelers will visit Sardine Bay (Bahía Sardina) in order to enjoy the shadowed areas and they can swim and snorkel next the wildlife richness. Your excursion keeps to enjoy Punta Pitt where they will fish, and over their heads red-footed boobies are going to fly. The last spot will be the White Rose Bay (Bahía Rosa Blanca) which is so unique place where travelers going to have a privilege to snorkeling on the crystalline water, they can see colorful fishes, rays, sharks, seahorses, and many other species. With this tour you are going to see an enjoy the all jewels that San Cristobal island has, just in one single day. 

It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature because it falls under 20ºC from September to December and it is up of 27ºC from January to August. 

Clarification: Each day Galapagos National Park gives different authorization, so the tour could star from the north side or south side of the Santa Cruz Island. 

Include 

Meals: breakfast & lunch (aboard)

Transportation: comfortable speed boat

Guide: naturalist tour guide accredited by GPS National Park

Gear: wetsuit, mask, tube & flipper

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: dinner

Drinks: alcohol beverage

Personal gratitude: tips

Thursday: Transfer out: Hotel – San Cristobal Airport

Time to say good bay to the sea lions’ island and time to say see you next time to the Galapagos Islands. You are going to ride a comfortable private transportation from your hotel to the San Cristobal Airport, you will be assisted by our staff. Your Galapagos Tortoise Path 11 Days & 10 Nights ends at San Cristobal Airport. 

Include 

Transportation: private   taxi

Assistance: in person help

Doesn’t include 

Accommodation: hostel/hotel

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner