Amazing Ecuador & Galapagos Islands Hopping

9 Days/ 8 Nights

DAY 1: Transfer in. Quito M

DAY 2: City tour Historic Center & Middle of the World M

DAY 3: Transfer out. BALTRA Arrival at airport – SANTA CRUZ Highlands & Twin Craters

DAY 4: SANTA CRUZ: Charles Darwin Research Station – Tortuga Bay V

DAY 5: SANTA CRUZ :Diving tour South Mosquera & Daphne

DAY 6: SANTA CRUZ :Diving tour Seymour Channel & Gordon***

DAY 7: SANTA CRUZ :Diving tour Floreana

DAY 8: SANTA CRUZ :Day tour South Plazas

DAY 9: SANTA CRUZ: Transfer out to the airport. Connection to international flight.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

– The Galapagos itineraries are subject to change due to climatic, logistical or security reasons or due to decisions of the National Park etc.

-All prices are subject to change without previous notice due to fuel surcharges or taxes. -Please note that similar hotels of the same category may be used in case one cannot be confirmed

Included

Transfer in / out Quito
Transfer in/out Galápagos
Food according to the description: B: breakfast; L: lunch; BL: box -lunch; D: Dinner
Accommodation in Superior Tourist Hotels in Quito & Galapagos.
Excursions and transfers according to the description of the program
Naturalist guide certified by the Galapagos National Park (Spanish / English)
National guide certified.
Navigations according to itinerary

Not Included

Admission to the Galapagos National Park: USD 100 per person (to be paid in cash at Baltra airport)
Transit Control Card: USD 20 per person.
Drinks and meals not mentioned in the itinerary
Tips
Extras
Travel insurance

Day 1

Individual arrival to Quito and transfer to the hotel. Overnight.

Day 2

Breakfast. In the morning you will have a walking tour in the old town of Quito’s city, one of the most beautiful and preserved old towns of South America and declared as a “Cultural Heritage Site” by UNESCO, where you visit the Main Square, The Compañia of Jesus Church, and San Francisco Church, after that you will go to Panecillo’s hill, which is a beautiful view point of Quito’s city. Then you will go to the Middle of the world where you visit the Intiñan Museum, it is an Interactive museum where you understand what happen in the equator line, and visit the Middle of the world city, where we have the monument established by French Geodesic mission.
In the morning visit Las Grietas are part of a volcanic fracture, here you can bathe in its waters. In the afternoon, we went on a public boat to Isabela Island, the largest island in the Galapagos. After about two hours you will arrive at Puerto Villamil, you will make a tour to the breeding center of Tortugas and the Laguna de los Flamingos.
Lodging at the selected hotel.

Day 3

Flight to Baltra airport. Your guide will take you to explore the natural habitat of the giant Galapagos turtles in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. On the way to the highlands the vegetation changes considerably and turns humid and green. You will visit Primicias Ranch, a reserve for turtles where you will observe the animals in their natural habitat and also have a beautiful view over the island. In the volcanic formation of the highlands you will also discover ancient lava tunnels and the Twin Craters. Lunch and transfer to the hotel in Puerto Ayora. Overnight

Day 4

In the morning, visit of the Charles Darwin Research Station, which gives you information about the evolution of the islands and hosts a breeding center of giant turtles. You can see different generations of turtles.
In the afternoon you will visit Tortuga Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches of Galapagos where marine iguanas, pelicans and sea lions can be observed. After a small walk through a forest of Opuntia cactus you can take a refreshing bath in the ocean. Overnight. Dinner.

Day 5

In the morning we go to Daphne, that is in the north of Santa Cruz Island, an exposed rock, one dive site located 30 minutes from Itabaca Channel (North side of Santa Cruz Island). here we find a small cave (this is NOT a cave dive) where white tip ref, sharks rest, additionally there is a pinnacle where we find a diversity of rays, Galápagos shark, turtles, coral reef fishes, barracudas, black coral walls and variety of invertebrates.
after lunch we will dive in Mosquera (north), this is an islet that emerges from the sea (sand bar), one dive site located 25 minutes from Itabaca Channel (North side of Santa Cruz island). Hammer head sharks, Galapagos shark, black tip reef shark, white tip reef shark, sea lions, turtles, barracudas, reef fishes, sting rays, eagle rays, mobulas, Galápagos eel, variety of invertebrates.

Day 6

After breakfast pick up, to start diving in Seymour Channel, cleaning station, sea lions, Galapagos sharks, white/ black tip reef shark, hammerhead shark, mobulas, turtles, reef fishes, sting rays, eagle rays, Galapagos eel, barracudas, variety of invertebrates.
After the box lunch, we will do diving in Gordon Rocks for this the mínimum experience to participate: 25 logged dives or the previous evaluation of our dive guides at another site.
This rock formation is a world renowned site, for intermediate and advanced divers due to the strong currents and surge. Here we see, Hammerhead shark, cleaning station, Galapagos sharks, white tip reef shark, mobulas, turtles, reef fishes, sting rays, eagle rays, Galapagos eel, barracudas, variety of invertebrates.

Day 7

loreana is located in South of Santa Cruz Island. Normally this site does not present strong currents. This is a reef dive site where corals and sponges can be found.
Here we can see a cleaning station, sea lions, Galapagos sharks, white tip reef shark, turtles, reef fishes, sting rays, eagle rays, barracudas, variety of invertebrates.

Day 8

Breakfast. Visit to the island Plazas Sur begins with a dry landing. The rocky path circumnavigates the island showing the combination of dry and coastal vegetation. The island in the home of the enormous Chumbera and the endemic sesuviana succulent. South Plaza has one of the main populations of land iguanas in the Galapagos Islands.