Itinerary and Prices Galapagos Unbound 2026

SKG Galapagos Unbound 2026 - Modified itinerary DAY 1: QUITO: Welcome to Ecuador

Upon arrival in Quito, a private hotel shuttle will be waiting to assist you with your luggage and transfer you comfortably to your hotel.

Meals included:
Accommodation: Wyndham Quito Airport

DAY 2: QUITO – GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS: Flight to San Cristóbal Island & Kayaking to Manglecito Eco-Lodge

The tour leader will meet the group in the hotel lobby for the transfer to the airport and your flight to San Cristóbal Island.

After completing check-in procedures, the group will gather in the airport VIP lounge, where you can complement your breakfast, meet your tour leader, and enjoy a brief orientation about the Galápagos adventure ahead.

San Cristóbal is one of the oldest islands in the archipelago, with deeply eroded volcanic formations and abundant vegetation. Upon arrival in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the island’s capital, we will test our kayaking equipment and enjoy a box lunch before loading our luggage onto the support boat.

We will then paddle from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno to Manglecito Beach, covering approximately 6 nautical miles over 2.5 to 3 hours. Along the way, we’ll pass near Lobos Island, where it is common to observe sea lions resting on the rocks, as well as blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, and marine iguanas. Kayaking also offers an excellent vantage point for spotting sea turtles surfacing to breathe—and with a bit of luck, even mating in the water.

Meals included: B,BL,D Accommodation: Camping Manglecito

DAY 3: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: Kayak to Puerto Grande - Snorkel at Kicker Rock

Our day will begin with a 3-hour kayaking session as we paddle along the coast toward Puerto Grande Beach. Once we arrive, and have had some time to explore this beautiful place, we will take a boat ride towards Kicker Rock, also known as León Dormido. Once we arrive, we will set out on an amazing and unique snorkeling experience! We may see Galapagos and white-tipped reef sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, hundreds of fish and sea stars. In the afternoon, we will return to Manglecito to relax and enjoy a very exclusive sunset and if clear skies allow, a starry last night.

Meals included: B,BL,D Accommodation: Camping Manglecito

DAY 4: SAN CRISTÓBAL ISLAND – ISABELA ISLAND: Boat Transfer – Flight to Isabela – Tortoise Breeding Center – Wetlands & Wall of Tears by Bike

We begin the day early with a boat ride back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. From there, we will transfer to the airport for our flight to Isabela Island, the largest island in the Galápagos archipelago.

Isabela was formed nearly one million years ago by the merging of six shield volcanoes and is home to an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. More wild giant tortoises live here than on all the other islands combined, roaming freely in the volcanic highlands.

Upon arrival in Puerto Villamil, we will enjoy breakfast and leave our luggage at the hotel. We will then visit the Tortoise Breeding Center, a key conservation project led by the Galápagos National Park.

Later, we’ll explore the wetlands (humedales) and walk along the beautiful white-sand beach of Puerto Villamil.
After lunch, we’ll bike from the hotel to the Wall of Tears, a historic site built by prisoners during the time when Isabela served as a penal colony. Local legends say the area still carries a heavy energy, and some even claim to hear distant cries.

Meals included: B,L,D Accommodation: Casa de Marita

DAY 5: ISABELA ISLAND: Sierra Negra Hike

The one-hour drive from Puerto Villamil to the highlands of Isabela is an entirely new version of the Galápagos experience. The difference in vegetation and weather is immediately noticeable fostered by the southeast trade winds that bring significant humidity to the southern side of the island. The lowland landscape of prickly pear and the endemic candelabra cactus that dominate the coastal areas gives way to more lush and diverse flora, including bromeliads and epiphytes. The path leads you to the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano, towering overhead at 4,888 feet (1,490 m). With its most recent eruption dating back to 2018—which deposited a dramatic new layer of volcanic lava on the landscape— Sierra Negra is still an active volcano.

As the volcano with one of the largest caldera in the world(spanning approximately six and a half miles), birdlife is abundant here—finches and flycatchers and the graceful Galápagos hawk dominate the skies while lava lizards scuttle down below. After following the path from the caldera’s rim, we will encounter Volcano Chico, with its gas and steam vents in the earth’s crust called fumaroles and some odd- looking lava formations—an arresting visual record of the Galápagos Islands’ rich geological history. The numerous volcanoes and islands nearby can be marvelled at from the uppermost vantage points.

While we learn about the Pahoehoe lava, we will feel the steam and vapour beneath our feet, and witness the miracle of the creation of life within one of the World’s most inhospitable environments. We will finish our day with a chance to explore and dine at a restaurant of your choice!

Meals included: B,L Accommodation: Casa de Marita

DAY 6: ISABELA ISLAND: Boat Ride to Los Tuneles & El Finado - Afternoon at leisure

From Puerto Villamil, we will take a boat ride for roughly an hour to a place traditionally used by fishermen and lately tourists known as Los Tuneles. It is the most curious and remarkable lava formation consisting of underwater arches and caves that were produced by the drastic change of temperature when lava met the ocean water about one million years ago. Upon entrance to the site, the boat goes by labyrinth of rocks and tunnels at a very slow and careful pace that will allow us to observe sea birds, eagle rays, and sharks.

We will disembark and take a short walk along the shore to see seabirds resting on the rocks

and admire a beautiful landscape dominated by opuntia and candelabra cactus as well as red mangroves. From here, we board the boat for 5-minute ride to a great snorkeling spot with crystal clear water for an unobstructed vision of the remarkable underwater world. From Los Tuneles, we will take a 10-minute boat ride towards another snorkeling site known as El Finado. It is a calm inlet of shallow water surrounded by lava rocks and red mangroves. Here we will snorkel in search of underwater caves where white tip reef sharks rest. While on it, it is also a great opportunity to see rays and rainbow wrasse fish.

In the afternoon, we will have some free time to relax before dinner. Dinner will be in a local restaurant right next to the hotel. Weather permitting, it will be a BBQ dinner on the beach, giving us the chance to enjoy the astonishing Galapagos sunset.

Meals included: B,BL,D Accommodation: Casa de Marita

DAY 7: ISABELA ISLAND – SANTA CRUZ ISLAND: Speedboat to Santa Cruz – Tortuga Bay Beach – Afternoon at Leisure or Charles Darwin Research Station

Our day will begin with a speedboat ride towards Santa Cruz Island. Santa Cruz, also called Indefatigable Island, is located in the center of the Galapagos Islands archipelago. It is also the center of human activity in the Galapagos Islands, since the National Park Headquarters, the Darwin Research Station, and the largest settlement in the Galapagos Islands, Puerto Ayora. Santa Cruz is the only island having a road that crosses its interior (running from Puerto Ayora in the south to the Itabaca Channel crossing in the north).

Once we arrive, we will leave our luggage at the hotel and get ready to visit Tortuga Bay. We’ll hike along a 1.86-mile paved trail to reach this stunning beach. The walk is easy and takes us through a landscape filled with prickly pear cacti (Opuntia), Matazarno, and Palo Santo trees, where mockingbirds and finches are commonly seen.

At Tortuga Bay, we’ll find a pristine white sand beach where we’ll enjoy some relaxing time and observe the local wildlife. We'll walk along the entire stretch of the beach until we reach a calm cove, ideal for swimming, kayaking, or snorkeling. These activities are purely recreational and self-guided.

To make the most of our time at the beach, we will enjoy a box lunch on-site before heading back to town later in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, the group will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about ongoing conservation efforts and the scientific work being carried out in the Galápagos.

Guests who prefer to enjoy free time may choose to explore Puerto Ayora on their own, relax at the hotel, or shop for souvenirs at their own pace.

Meals included: B,BL
Accommodation: Angermeyer Waterfront Inn

DAY 8: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND: Trapiche Sugar Mill - Visit to the Highlands - Kayak

After breakfast, we will take a scenic drive towards El Trapiche Sugar Mill. We will pass through Bellavista town, and have the chance to visit a farm that still processes sugar the old fashioned way. The local property owners produce sugar cane and Galapagos coffee, which they then process both in a very traditional manner. One of the family members, who will act as our guide and informant will demonstrate the farming process of coffee and sugar cane and feature the extraction of the sugar cane juice. We will learn of the distillation process

until the final product of “Galapagos Moonshine”, and even more exciting, a look and taste of the fruit of the coffee plant in its natural state.

Afterrward, we will head to the highlands of Santa Cruz in order to get up close and personal with the giant Galapagos Tortoise where farms conserve pristine, native, and endemic vegetation for the habitat of these magnificent creatures. As we follow the trail winding through this landscape, you’ll get plenty of chances to marvel at the Galapagos Tortoise in its entire splendor—just don’t forget your camera! These majestic giant tortoises of Santa Cruz —part of a family best known for their dome-shaped shell and gigantic form—are often found partly submerged in mud ponds to combat skin parasites or to regulate their body temperature on warm and sunny days. After becoming acquainted with your new hard- backed friends, continue to explore the volcanic origins of the island by journeying through the intriguing Lava Tunel.

In the afternoon, we will kayak for one hour and a half in a calm shallow lagoon where rays, mullets, and sharks can be seen while kayaking along the rocky coastline. In the evening, at to top of our day, we will have a special farewell dinner.

*Note: The kayak activity could vary depending on tides.

Meals included: B,L,D
Accommodation: Angermeyer Waterfront Inn

DAY 9: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND – BALTRA – QUITO: Transfer to Baltra Airport & Flight to Quito

In the morning, we will drive across Santa Cruz Island to Baltra Airport. Baltra once served as a U.S. naval base during World War II, though the original runway has since been relocated.

We will board our flight back to Quito, bringing our Galápagos adventure to a close.

Meals included: B Accommodation:

COSTS:

Price

NET PRICES IN USD PER PERSON (BASED ON DOUBLE ACCOMMODATION)

Regular Season

DESCRIPTION

11 - 12 GUESTS $4130

8 - 10 GUESTS $4677

6 - 7 GUESTS $4959

5 GUESTS $5132

4 GUESTS $5693

Single Sup. $860

9 Days / 8 Nights

Applies only to a passenger who requests a single room.

Peak Season

DESCRIPTION

11 - 12 GUESTS $4508

8 - 10 GUESTS $4990

6 - 7 GUESTS $5362

5 GUESTS $5362

4 GUESTS $5990

Single Sup.

9 Days / 8 Nights

Applies only to a passenger who requests a single room.

What IS included?

What is NOT included?

Activities as per itinerary
Accommodation based on double or triple occupancy rooms
Transportation as per itinerary
Meals as per itinerary
Alcoholic beverages at the campsite.
Tour Leader & Galapagos Naturalist Guide Isabela Island Entrance Fee
Wetsuits for navigable tours.
Sea Kayaking and camping equipment. Snacks and purified water
Galapagos Carbon Footprint Charge

Air ticket Guayaquil / Galapagos / Guayaquil + Transit Control Card.
Inter-Island Flights.
Carbon Footprint Charge for international flights.

Insurance of any type.
Alcoholic beverages.
Tips for Tour Leader (to be given directly by guest)
Tips for naturalist guides & staff
Additional Services
International Flights

*The funds raised from the Carbon Footprint Charge will be used for the purchase of primary forest in Ecuador to preserve its biodiversity and prevent further deforestation due to cattle ranching in the country.