Experience the beauty of Ecuador’s remarkable archipelago on this 6-day Galápagos land tour! Island hopping allows you to explore Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristóbal, with all included inter-island transport via a speedboat and a scenic small-plane flight. The diverse itinerary features a variety of activities to highlight the region’s abundant natural richness, perfect for travelers looking for real adventure.
You will kayak the calm waters of Playa Mansa, hike the rugged volcanic trails of Sierra Negra, and ride a bike to see the resting sea lions at La Lobería. Thrilling snorkeling awaits at Los Túneles and Kicker Rock, where you can swim alongside sea turtles, rays, and reef sharks. On solid ground, you will quietly observe giant tortoises roaming freely throughout the Santa Cruz highlands.
During the trip, your accommodation spans three different towns: Puerto Ayora, Puerto Villamil, and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Most of these locally owned hotels are located close to the beach, allowing for an even deeper immersion into the beautiful landscapes of Galápagos. Staying here ensures your trip directly benefits island families while providing warm, authentic hospitality.
Full itinerary: giant tortoises and lava tunnels in the Santa Cruz highlands, a walk to Tortuga Bay, sea kayaking at Playa Mansa, the boat to Isabela, snorkeling at Los Túneles, the Isabela wetlands and tortoise breeding center, the Sierra Negra volcano hike, a small-plane flight to San Cristóbal, a bike ride to La Lobería, snorkeling at Kicker Rock, the Interpretation Center, and Tijeretas Hill.
Two snorkel trips in two days: the lava arches of Los Túneles on Isabela, then the channel between the twin cliffs of Kicker Rock, with sea turtles, rays, and reef sharks.
Giant tortoises twice: wild in a private highland reserve on Santa Cruz, then young and adult tortoises at the Arnaldo Tupiza breeding center on Isabela.
Hike up Sierra Negra, a volcano that last erupted in 2018, to the edge of a caldera nearly 9 km (5.6 mi) across.
Galápagos island hopping by public boat and by small plane: Santa Cruz to Isabela across the open sea, then a low flight over lava fields to San Cristóbal.
Five nights in small, family-run hotels, most of them close to the beach, so your spending stays with island families.
Activities guided by an English-speaking local naturalist guide authorized by the Galápagos National Park, the same guide all week, plus an activity assistant in larger groups.
All-inclusive experience: flights (Quito ⇄ Galápagos and Isabela → San Cristóbal), all transport in the islands, 5 hotel nights, all meals, activity fees, kayaks, bikes, snorkel gear with wetsuits, and an English-speaking naturalist guide.
Please note: This is a sample plan. Inter-island flights, boat transfers, and snorkeling locations are subject to ocean conditions, weather, and Galápagos National Park regulations, allowing your guide to adjust the sequence or substitute sites as needed. Every activity is optional.
Itinerary
Day 1
Flight from Quito / Santa Cruz Highlands / Giant Tortoises / Lava Tunnels
FlightQuito (UIO) → Baltra (GPS) · ~50 min to Guayaquil + ~2 h to the islands
Giant tortoises· Private reserve in the Santa Cruz highlands
Lava tunnels· Short walk underground, lit inside
OvernightPuerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Our local staff meets you inside the domestic terminal at Quito airport, usually between 6 and 8 AM depending on the flight, and helps you check in for the morning flight. The plane usually touches down in Guayaquil for under an hour, with everyone staying on board, before flying on to Baltra, a small island just off Santa Cruz.
Pay the park entrance fee in cash, collect your bags, and meet your guide outside the terminal for a welcome briefing. After a short crossing to Santa Cruz, the road climbs into the green highlands. At a private reserve, giant tortoises graze and soak in mud pools in the open. Nearby, you can walk through tunnels left by old lava flows.
Lunch is in the highlands. In the afternoon, drive down to Puerto Ayora, check in to your hotel, and share a first dinner with the group. Your 6-day Galápagos land tour has started before you even unpack!
Meals included: Lunch / Dinner
Day 2
Walk to Tortuga Bay / Sea Kayaking at Playa Mansa / Boat to Isabela
WalkPuerto Ayora → Tortuga Bay · ~45 min on a paved trail
Sea kayaking· Playa Mansa, no experience needed
Public boatSanta Cruz → Isabela · ~2 h
OvernightPuerto Villamil, Isabela
A trail of about 45 minutes leads from town to Tortuga Bay, past lava lizards, native birds and plants found only on these islands. The first beach, Playa Brava, is great for surfers. At its far end lies Playa Mansa, a calm bay ringed by mangroves.
Kayaks wait on the sand. In the shallow water below, look for sea turtles, rays, and white-tipped reef sharks. This is a beginner-friendly experience, as the bay is sheltered and the paddling is easy.
After lunch in Puerto Ayora, board the public boat to Isabela, the largest island of the archipelago. The open-sea crossing takes about 2 hours and offers good chances to see dolphins, whales, and seabirds. In the evening, walk through the small town of Puerto Villamil and watch the sunset from the beach.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 3
Snorkeling at Los Túneles / Isabela Wetlands / Tortoise Breeding Center
BoatPuerto Villamil ⇄ Los Túneles · ~45 min each way
SnorkelingLos Túneles · 60–90 minutes in the water
Wetlands walk· Lagoons and mangroves to the breeding center
OvernightPuerto Villamil, Isabela
The Isabela Island tour starts with a boat ride of about 45 minutes to Los Túneles, where old lava cooled into arches, tunnels, and clear, sheltered pools. Snorkel for 60 to 90 minutes in shallow, tranquil waters home to sea lions, reef fish, sea turtles, rays, white-tipped sharks, and the occasional seahorse.
In the afternoon, a flat trail runs through the Isabela wetlands, where flamingos feed in the lagoons and marine iguanas rest on the rocks. The path finishes at Isabela’s giant tortoise breeding center, named after Arnaldo Tupiza, which raises young tortoises to restock the island.
Since dinner is not included, this is your chance to explore Puerto Villamil’s food scene.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
Day 4
Sierra Negra Volcano Hike / Flight to San Cristóbal / Bike to La Lobería
HikeSierra Negra caldera rim · 3 to 4 h in total, ~45 min uphill
Small-plane flightIsabela → San Cristóbal · 45 min or less
Bike rideto La Lobería · Sea lion beach
OvernightPuerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal
The morning hike climbs through the highlands of Sierra Negra, where you may spot a vermilion flycatcher or a short-eared owl. After about 45 minutes of steady uphill walking, reach the rim of a caldera nearly 9 km (5.6 mi) wide, one of the largest on Earth. The trail is wide and non-technical, with stops along the way.
In the afternoon, a 6- or 9-seat plane flies low over lava channels and coastline to San Cristóbal, the oldest island in the group. After check-in, ride a bike to La Lobería, a beach where a colony of sea lions sleeps on the sand. You can swim with them if you like.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
Day 5
Snorkeling at Kicker Rock / Boat-Only Beach / Interpretation Center / Tijeretas Hill
Boat dayKicker Rock · ~6 h
Snorkelingalong the walls and through the channel of Kicker Rock
Tijeretas Hill loop· 2 km, paved, with lookouts
OvernightPuerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal
A boat takes you to Kicker Rock, two sheer volcanic cliffs that rise from the ocean with a narrow channel between them. Snorkel along the rock walls and through the channel, among sea turtles, rays, starfish, and reef fish and, with luck, a Galápagos shark or a hammerhead far below.
Lunch is served on board, then the boat anchors off a beach you can reach only from the sea, with Kicker Rock in view, for a swim and a rest.
Back on land, the Galápagos Interpretation Center covers the natural and human history of the islands. A paved loop then climbs Tijeretas Hill to lookouts over the coast. The evening ends with a farewell dinner at an open-air restaurant.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 6
Free Morning in San Cristóbal / Flight to Quito
Free morning· Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
FlightSan Cristóbal (SCY) → Quito (UIO) · Early afternoon
The morning is yours. Walk the waterfront, buy a souvenir, or take a last swim. The Interpretation Center opens at 6 AM if you want a second visit.
After lunch, a transfer takes you to the airport for the early-afternoon flight to the mainland. Land in Quito in the late afternoon, where your 6-day Galápagos tour ends. Make sure to retain your Transit Control Card stub, as it must be presented upon departing the islands.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
What is Included
Flights to and from the Galápagos: Quito → Baltra on Day 1 and San Cristóbal → Quito on Day 6
Help with check-in for the Galápagos flight at Quito airport
All land, air, and sea transport in the Galápagos: crossing to Santa Cruz, public boat to Isabela, small-plane flight Isabela → San Cristóbal, boats for the snorkel trips and road transfers
5-night stay at small, locally owned hotels with private bathrooms: 1 night in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), 2 in Puerto Villamil (Isabela), 2 in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal)
All meals (as listed in the itinerary)
Drinking water
Sea kayaks, bikes, and snorkel gear (mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, or rash guard)
All activity fees
Tips for the local support crew: hotel staff, boat crews, and drivers
Guided tours (Giant Tortoise Reserve and lava tunnels, Tortuga Bay, sea kayaking, Los Túneles snorkel, Isabela wetlands and breeding center, Sierra Negra hike, La Lobería, Kicker Rock snorkel, Interpretation Center, and Tijeretas Hill)
English-speaking naturalist guide authorized by the Galápagos National Park for the whole tour, with an activity assistant in groups of more than about 6 guests
Not included
Flight tickets (international flights to and from Quito)
Galápagos National Park entrance fee: USD 200 per person, in cash, on arrival in the islands
Transit Control Card (INGALA): USD 20 per person, in cash, at Quito airport
Dinner on Days 3 and 4
Drinks other than water
Tip for your naturalist guide
Single room
Diving (optional, book in advance)
Airport transfers and hotel nights in Quito before or after the tour
Excess baggage on the inter-island flight (USD 2 per lb)
Travel insurance (mandatory)
The 6-day Galápagos land tour includes accommodation in three different towns (Puerto Ayora, Puerto Villamil, and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno), in small hotels owned and operated by local families, most of them close to the beach. Every room has a private bathroom, and each town is small enough to explore on foot in the evening. Most hotels have Wi-Fi, many of them via Starlink, though the signal can be slow or drop at times.
Prices are per person sharing a double or triple room. We usually use the small, family-run hotels named below for this Galápagos land tour, but similar accommodation in the same town may be booked if needed—mostly due to availability.
Seaside
In San Cristóbal, at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. A beachfront hotel a few steps from Playa Mann, with an outdoor pool, a garden, and a terrace.
Albermale
In Isabela, at Puerto Villamil. A small boutique hotel whose front door opens onto the sand and the palm trees of Puerto Villamil’s beach.
Solymar
In Santa Cruz, at Puerto Ayora. A Mediterranean-style hotel on Pelican Bay in central Puerto Ayora, with a bar and an outdoor pool. The Charles Darwin Research Station is a few minutes away.
As a full board experience, the 6-day Galápagos land tour provides Ecuadorian food in local restaurants, a different one each day. Lunch on Day 1 is in the Santa Cruz highlands, lunch on Day 5 is served on board at Kicker Rock, and the Day 5 farewell dinner is at an open-air restaurant.
Dinner on Days 3 and 4 is on your own. A simple local meal costs about USD 8 to 15, and a more upscale restaurant USD 20 to 40. Drinking water is included; other drinks are not (a beer costs about USD 3 to 5, and a soda USD 1 to 2). Restaurant bills usually add a 10% service charge.
Dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, or allergy-related needs, can usually be accommodated when you tell us at booking.
FAQ
Reviews
“If the Galapagos is on your "Bucket list" and you enjoy getting some exercise, this is the perfect trip. The agency team is as good as it gets, with customer service and logistics that were impeccable. We were lucky enough to have Pablo as our guide. He seems to know everyone on the islands and is hands down the best guide I’ve seen. His knowledge of the archipelago’s animals, plants, and geology was stunning. He’s also a great storyteller and his excitement is infectious. We hit the jackpot when it came to seeing wildlife. The highlights included an up-close look at two baby blue-footed boobies, a family of Orcas, eagle rays, hammerhead sharks, and a huge pod of dolphins. The food was delicious everywhere we went and the portions were generous. As we noted in the title of this review, it was the trip of a lifetime and worth every penny!”
— James
“We just returned from an incredible 6-day Galapagos tour, and it was absolutely AMAZING! The accommodations were beautiful, the food was fantastic, and the wildlife—wow! We saw everything: sea lions, turtles, penguins, sharks, iguanas, blue-footed boobies—you name it, it was there. Our guide, Pepo, was outstanding. He shared so much fascinating background information and made the entire experience fun and engaging. He knew exactly where to go to spot all the animals! The agency was also incredibly responsive and supportive. When my daughter's flight was canceled at the last minute, causing her to arrive a day late, they stepped in immediately. I called Karen, who had organized our trip, and she reassured me not to worry—they adjusted my daughter's itinerary so she could meet up with the group seamlessly. They even sent someone to meet her at the airport to ensure everything went smoothly. They truly saved our trip and helped make it the adventure of a lifetime. It’s no wonder they have so many glowing reviews—they genuinely go above and beyond. Look no further—highly, highly recommend. What a trip!”
— Debbie W
“Each part of the trip...from the planning and reservation process, throughout the entire itinerary, to our return home went flawlessly, thanks to their vast experience, local expertise, and patience. Each of our days were filled with fun and engaging activities (without being overwhelming) due in large part to our amazing guide, Martin. Our accommodations were clean and comfortable, our meals were fresh and delicious, and all of our transportation ran smoothly. The agency staff were kind, helpful, and knowledgeable; they made sure that we were prepared and informed both prior to our departure and for each day's events while on the trip. I will absolutely travel with them again!”
— Kelly D
“I went on the 6 day land based Galapagos trip in Jan 2024 and had an absolutely fantastic and unforgettable experience. Our guide Pepo was very knowledgeable and did a superb job of ensuring our holiday was even better than I ever expected (and I already had very high expectations of Galapagos!). It was a perfect mix of active days and relaxing evenings to recharge the batteries for the next day of snorkeling/hiking/biking or whatever other fun activity planned. For me the 6 day land based trip was ideal as I was limited in how much time off I could take so most cruises took too long and I loved how the money I spent was going to the locals in Galapagos rather than a big international cruise company. I also loved the freedom of staying in the lovely hotels on the islands. It was a trip of a lifetime that surpassed all expectations and I will treasure the wonderful memories.”
— Melanie E
“Traveling with Martin and Paolo my guides - they are charismatic, knowledgeable, and accommodating. We were part of a 7 day trip around 3 islands. They were very organized with a daily plan that was communicated clearly to set expectations for the group. Every detail was taken care of and they made everyone on the trip feel special.”
— Frank
“The agency is the way to Go-lapagos! Super organized, anticipating every move and connection in a well choreographed professional manner. Great gear was at our disposal, excellent food served by all of their partner restaurants and caterers. Pepo and Paulo were excellent local guides that we all felt lucky to have lead our adventure, They provided clear insight on the fragile ecosystems that are the gems of the Galapagos and explained Ecuador's cautious development of sustainable tourism in the region. Special visits to the Tree House, meeting their moms and Tim's kids on the last day made it a truly special visit.”
— Heidi Mc
“Ours was a land-based 6-day tour of Galapagos Islands. And we are so glad that we did it this way--and not the way of the boat--since land-based certainly is the best way to get in touch with the people and culture of these magical islands. We've had the best seafood to eat and very nice hotels to stay at land. The moment we set foot in Santa Cruz and met our guide Pepo at the airport, we knew we were in good hands. Born and raised in San Cristobal Pepo was such a fine, friendly, educated, well spoken, and kind gentleman. We as a family throughly enjoyed his refreshing and knowledgable company throughout this trip. In Santa Cruz we visited the highlands to see the giant tortoises, Tortuga Bay to see iguanas, swam in the nearby lagoon, and visited the mausoleum of Lonesome George at Charles Darwin Research Station--a must see place. In Isabela we hiked to awesome Sierra Negra, kayaked in the protected bay, and snorkeled twice to see some mind blowing underwater world. In San Cristobal, we visited Pepo's dad's famous house, which is a must see for all visitors--it's an official tourist's attraction of San Cristobal. At the front courtyard of the house, perched on top of a giant tree is the world's most amazing treehouse, not to mention the secret cave under the roots of this very tree, and then the orange colored metallic boathouse on top of another tree, within an actual boat, with a queen sized mattress and a functioning toilet. We were just so happy to be with Pepo's family--his parents and two beautiful daughters 4 and 10--that we forgot all about our trip. Next day we went to the Kicker Rock for the best snorkeling experience of our lives. We saw sharks, hammerheads, sea turtles, stingrays, sea lions, and many wonderful fish. In the end we all wished we had more time. The agency Adventures as a company truly exceeded our expectations from all angles. The trip was planned with much care and superb attention to details--hats off to all those who planned this trip behind the scenes. Special thanks to Luara for doing all the pre-trip work. The way everyone in the company looked after us is just so uncommon in today's fast paced world. Don't think twice about it.”
— Ahmed A
“We have just returned from the trip of a lifetime after being on a tour around the Galapagos Islands with our tour guide Pablo and a wonderful group of people. Each island is so special, with its fascinating history and the flora and fauna. Our tour guide Pablo, was so inspiring, his knowledge and love for the Galapagos is next to none. The highlight for us were all the snorkelling trips, the sea life we saw was expectational, nothing like we have seen before. The two boat trips between islands; I've never seen so many dolphins and we were lucky enough to spot a very shy whale. You won't regret it.”
— Nicola&Matt Adventures
“Just spent a week in the Galapagos with active adventure/gala kiwi touring group on the tour called Tortuga. From the start to the finish it was incredible. Tour guides were so knowledgeable, so warm and caring. The accommodations, transport and meals were great. Experiences on water and land, simply superb. Our head guide Zambo was the ideal guide. He offered a plethora of information regarding each island, all the mammals,fish , reptiles and birds that we encountered. He was delightful. His cohort Paolo was also so helpful and kind as well. The trip went off without a hitch. The best experience one could ask for!”
— Susan M
“My husband and I just enjoyed an amazing five day tour with Pepo, Paulo and Anthony. My husband is paralyzed on one side, and they showed us and helped us to do things we did not think possible: strolling on the beach, snorkeling, riding to Kicker Rock, getting to the top of very steep paths. . . They also showed us some tamer but remarkable-to-us things: wildlife viewing, eating in great restaurants, enjoying the one-of-a-kind treehouse, seeing the very special Galapagos. We booked a (very affordable) four-day tour with them, and each day was action-packed but never hurried.Pepo is extraordinary -- knowledgable, concerned, intrepid. We enjoyed every minute of our adventure.”
