Duration: 8 Days
How deep is your love of adventure? Is it deep enough to follow the course of Charles Darwin to discover your own love affair with the wildlife paradise of the Galápagos Islands? If so, this Independence by Globus holiday in Ecuador is pointing you in the right direction. Begin by exploring the historic heart of Quito and depart for parts unknown where blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, and diving iguanas of the Galápagos give new meaning to mind-blowing discoveries. You’ll stay at the award-winning Finch Bay Eco Hotel on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos, offering a private, seaside location to kayak, snorkel, bike, and take boat excursions to the various Galápagos Islands with expert Naturalists. Sail upon pristine waters to discover the perfectly evolved creatures who thrive on this volcanic archipelago. Stroll the sand where sea lions bask and albatross brace against the updrafts above the cliffs. Sail, snorkel, and simply stay in a state of astonishment through the sanctuaries of spectacular species on North Seymour, and South Plaza Island, and Santa Cruz Islands. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station where conservationists work to protect the gentle giants for which the islands are named. You’ll also find the I-time you deserve to fall in love with adventure again!
Traveller Notes
- Transportation: As outlined in the day-by-day itinerary below and private airport transfers to/from intra-holiday flights; Galápagos intra-holiday flights and taxes are included.
- Guides: In Quito; Naturalist in the Galápagos
- Maximum enjoyment of this holiday requires walking on uneven pathways and climbing stairs. Elevations exceeding 8,000 feet can make even modest exertion a challenge. Maximum elevation on this tour is 9,350 ft. In the Galápagos, there will be “wet landings” meaning guests will need to be able to jump in the water, out of the boats/zodiacs and walk a couple of meters to the beaches. Terrain is rocky and uneven.
- Galápagos Islands itineraries are fully subject to change.
- Maximum elevation on tour is 9,350 ft. in Quito.
Please note: Itinerary is based on 2024, and is subject to change. Full details will be confirmed in 2024.
Welcome to Quito, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Your included private city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvellous stained-glass windows. (B)
Fly to Baltra in the Galápagos.
Upon arrival, board a yacht bound for North Seymour, an island teeming with life. You might have to give way to a passing sea lion, marine iguana, or blue-footed boobies that nest here. As you walk along the shore, see large flocks of pelicans in a dive-bomb feeding-frenzy, and one of the Galápagos' largest nesting sites of the magnificent frigatebird. In the bushes you can see the males up close with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacs.
Return to the yacht and continue to the Finch Bay Hotel. (B,L,D)
Transfer to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz to a farming area called El Manzanillo on the edge of the Giant Tortoise Reserve. Here, tortoises can be seen grazing year-round, along with woodpecker finches, mockingbirds, and flycatchers.
After lunch, visit a local farm, where coffee, sugar cane, and cocoa beans are grown, harvested, and prepared.
Return to the hotel and perhaps spend time on the private beach. (B,L,D)
This morning, travel to Punta Carrion on Santa Cruz Island for some time to snorkel. The shallow reefs and mangroves make this an ideal site to snorkel with plenty of reef fish as well as occasional sea lions and sharks.
Next, sail to South Plaza Island, a small island full of fascinating wildlife, both along its shore and along its dramatic, wind-swept cliffs. Here you will see large, yellow land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, masked and blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and much more during your guided walk.
Return to the hotel this afternoon. (B,L,D)
Today's adventure takes you to wildlife-rich Divine Bay on Santa Cruz Island. Marine iguanas, herons, noddy terns, blue-footed boobies, and tropicbirds are commonly seen here. You may explore by boat or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can take to the sea by kayak. Keep an eye out for sea turtles, rays, and reef sharks as you cruise the tranquil waters.
Return to the hotel for lunch, followed by an afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, established to help conserve the Galápagos' natural habitats and protect the area's famous giant tortoises. (B,L,D)
Depart the hotel this morning for the airport in Baltra. Then, fly to Guayaquil on Ecuador's Pacific coast and transfer to the hotel for your final night in Ecuador. (B)
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
