trip specifics

price

The Galapagos Multisport Adventure takes you on an active and exhilarating tour of the Galapagos Islands. Utilizing adventurous activities such as day cruises, guided hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, and easy mountain biking to explore the Galapagos Islands in a way no other trip will.

By combining activity with exploration, you'll get to see the Galapagos from an exciting new perspective while learning all about and experiencing the wonders of the Enchanted Islands. Each day your naturalist guides will introduce you to a new activity and a new natural wonder. Snorkel with sea lions, hike through a lava tube, bike to bird rookeries and kayak rocky shores where you only company are the marine iguanas.

Each night retire to a unique and comfortable lodge on the inhabited islands of Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela and San Cristobal. Enjoy a hot shower, a beautiful Galapagos sunset and delicious local cuisine before a restful night on the islands. Awake each morning ready for the next day’s exploration. The Galapagos Multisport Adventure can be as active or easy as you wish and is available to depart on any day (space available).

Most Galapagos travelers will require pre- and post-cruise accommodations in Ecuador, round-trip flights, National Park entrance fees & transit cards etc. Choose our Galapagos Cruise Package or work with our experts on a custom Galapagos tour. See trip notes for more details.

Day 1 - Quito to Santa Cruz

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra - Galapagos, where you'll be assisted and transferred via ferry and bus to the town of Puerto Ayora, in Santa Cruz Island. Check in at Santa Cruz Aventura Lodge and have lunch.

After lunch depart to Garrapatero beach, a 25 minutes bus ride to the right spot were an easy trail start to lead you to the beach in only 15 more minutes. This beautiful white sandy beach is known for its flamingos and finches and a place where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. You can also find marine iguanas, shrimp, Galapagos penguins, oystercatchers, and patillos amongst the white sands and clear blue water. There's also a freshwater lake nearby that is home to even more tropical animals, such as herons, grebes, and many of shore birds. Briefing and Dinner at Aventura lodge.

Accommodations: Red Mangrove Aventura Lodge
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - Santa Cruz - Floreana

After breakfast, this mornings adventure starts with a trip to "Los Gemelos" (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers, a wonderful introduction to the majestic power of nature and the great biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands. This short, easy hike to each of the twins is swarming with endemic flora and fauna, including a remnant of Scalesia Forest, draped in liverwort, lichens and mosses, where is easy to spot some Darwin finches and perhaps the short eared owls. After "Los Gemelos", a short bus ride will take us to a 600-acre private reserve where the giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze, and sleep. Sometimes it's a bit muddy here, so before setting out, we will provide a selection of field boots (Wellington boots) to choose from, including large sizes for men. After visiting these prehistoric creatures on their natural habitat, we'll take a 5-minute ride to the entrance of a 450-meter (1350 feet) illuminated lava tunnel. With a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, this is an incredible opportunity see lava stalagmites, stalactites, sulfur, mineral-colored walls, and the rippled floor formed from lava along this unique lava formations.

After lunch at the lodge, depart to Floreana. Our navigation will take about 2 hours depending on sea conditions. Upon arrival, and before check in, visit Black Beach, a black sand beach where you can swim, snorkel, or simply relax watching a beautiful sunset at great scenery. Dinner at Local Family House, briefing and overnight at the Lodge.

Accommodations: Floreana Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - Floreana

Breakfast at a local family's house. This is a great way to share the insights of Galapagos with a local family. After breakfast take a 20 minutes bus ride in a traditional bus called "chiva" (without windows and doors) until the entrance of Cerro Allieri one of the highest points in Floreana (340m) from you can enjoy an overwhelming view of different landscapes and the town of Puerto Velasco Ibarra. The hike around Cerro Allieri takes around two hours round trip. One of the main attractions of Cerro Alieri is its unique vegetation. This is also a good spot to find Darwin finches, and among them, the medium tree finch, a species also consider critically endangered. Return to town and typical lunch with a local family.

After lunch, enjoy an exciting walk to La Loberia, one of the most beautiful spots in Floreana where you can swim and snorkel, or just take some time to explore the little town of Puerto Velasco Ibarra, and be ready to capture the beauty of the islands as a reminder of this memorable experience. Dinner at Local Family House, briefing and overnight at the Lodge.

Accommodations: Floreana Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Floreana - Isabela

After breakfast, departure in a chiva to the highlands of Floreana. At 450m high, we reach 'Asilo de la Paz'(Peace Asylum), just behind Cerro Las Pajas (Straw Hill) in the agricultural area of the island. The main attractions are of an historic type: one is the cave of pirates and the other is the freshwater spring. The cave of the pirates has its history since it was the home of the first settlers of the island, while the spring found in Asilo de la Paz provides water to the entire population of Floreana (130 people approx). Back to town for our trip to Isabela, at around 11H00. Our navigation will take about 2 hours depending on sea conditions. Check into the Red Mangrove Isabela Lodge and have a hot, wholesome lunch.

After lunch, departure to "Las Tintoreras" and Bay Tour for an intriguing walk through a jagged lava field, passing abundant colonies of marine iguanas and sea lions, to see a small canal of shallow waters, full of resting white-tipped reef sharks. and spectacular views. After the walk, you can snorkel in this warm, shallow bay surrounded by mangroves, for an opportunity to see white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, and, of course, the mystery of the mangrove below the surface. Don't worry, white-tipped reef sharks are not aggressive, but merely fascinating. Once we return to the lodge, we'll have a bit of time to relax and shower before briefing and dinner. Overnight at Isabela Lodge.

Accommodations: Isabela Del Mar Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Isabela

Breakfast at the lodge, then depart for the Sierra Negra Tour. Vehicles of local providers will drive us up through the humid highlands to the slopes of Volcan Sierra Negra. Hike to arrive at the caldera (crater) of Sierra Negra. With 4 miles across, it is the second largest in the world. The views are breathtaking! Relax a bit and have a snack on the edge of the caldera (crater). For the hardiest of the group, there is the option to continue on an especially difficult one hour walk to Volcan Chico, where fumarole activity is abundant, and again, the views are spectacular. This is not an easy hike, however, because it is mostly across sloping lava fields.

After returning from Sierra Negra, have lunch at Campo Duro. Campo Duro is a beautiful an organic farm whose food is prepared with their local production and a lava rock-grill, have a sight to the fruit trail and eat some of them, also have a rest in one of their hammocks and breath the clean air above a big "Mango tree". This property also takes care of giants' tortoises in liaison with the Galapagos National Park. Once you had rest, then prepare for the action to downhill in a bike from Campo Duro to the Lodge, it is a 7 Kilometers ride approximately with a full view of the town, lava fields, nature, birds, etc. Dinner at the lodge.

Accommodations: Isabela Del Mar Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - Isabela

Breakfast at the Lodge, departure to Los Tuneles Tour. From Puerto Villamil it will take just an hour to get to Los Tuneles. On this trip you will enjoy seeing the beautiful Galapagos wildlife-giant mantas on the surface, sea turtles, and more as we sail out from the majestic Sierra Negra Volcano. Experience close encounters snorkeling with many types of tropical fish and penguins! Only in this piece of paradise are you able to snorkel with penguins, tropical fish, and sea lions. (This activity and time schedule may change according to sea conditions). Finish the afternoon with a late lunch at Isabela Lodge followed with some time to relax and discover Isabela on your own.

Accommodations: Isabela Del Mar Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - Isabela - Santa Cruz

After breakfast depart to the "Humedales" (Wetlands) Tour. We begin with a drive out of town along the beautiful white sand palm lined beach of Villami, one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Galapagos. This beach, straight from the cover of a travel magazine, stretches on for 3 kilometers before the National Park boundaries, where we will walk up the trail to the summit of Cerro Orchilla, for an astounding view from the top. Then, visit the "Muro de las Lagrimas" (Wall of Tears), a unique construction built by the backbreaking labor of prisoners of a penal colony centuries earlier. Lunch at Isabela Lodge.

This afternoon head to Santa Cruz. Our navigation will take about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on sea conditions. Arrival and check in at Santa Cruz Aventura Lodge. Then, enjoy a guided tour to the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station where you can learn about one of the most successful reptile breeding programs in the world and perhaps, meet the most famous giant tortoise: Lonesome George, also known as the world's rarest creature. Discovered in 1971 on Pinta Island, he is the very last of his kind. Founded in 1964 the Charles Darwin Research Station is supported by over 100 scientists and researchers from around the world, with the unique purpose to study, support and instrument the conservation efforts of the islands. Dinner and overnight at Aventura Lodge.

Accommodations: Red Mangrove Aventura Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Baltra to Quito

This morning transfer by bus and ferry to board your flight back to the Ecuador mainland. Services end upon arrival to Quito, unless you have chosen to book onto our exclusive package which includes transfers and a hotel night.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

GALAPAGOS CRUISE INCLUSIVE PACKAGE: For your convenience we offer an Inclusive Package with three nights hotel accommodations in Quito or Guayaquil, all airport/hotel transfers, Galapagos flights, Galapagos National Park entrance fees and taxes, Galapagos migration card and your Galapagos cruise. View details of our Galapagos Cruise Inclusive Package.

Travelers not interested in our inclusive package must purchase Galapagos flights in conjunction with their Galapagos cruise.

GALAPAGOS CRUISE CUSTOM PACKAGE: If you are booking a cruise-only program our experts can assist with hotels, transfers, flights and tours. Contact AdventureSmith Explorations about customizing your tour or the possibilities of combining this trip with our Mainland Ecuador and Peru: Machu Picchu extensions. We are Galapagos cruise and Ecuador travel experts and our staff can help you customize the perfect Galapagos cruise or Ecuador tour package.

Itinerary Notes: Use the itinerary as a guide only. Itineraries may be altered due to weather, wildlife, National Park regulation or at the captain's discretion. The ability to be flexible makes this type of adventure travel unique.

Included: 7 nights Galapagos lodge accommodations including all meals specified and soft drinks during meals, land tours with an experienced English-speaking Galapagos Islands naturalist guide, 10% service charge per Ecuadorian law, free use of bicycles in Puerto Ayora and Isabela, snorkeling gear, diving equipment (except dive computers, which can be rented).

Exclusions: Air transportation to/from Galapagos, transit control card, Galapagos National Park entrance fee, gratuities, alcoholic beverages, items of a personal nature, luggage fees or insurance of any kind. For an additional $30 per night, unlimited domestic alcoholic drinks are available. 10% surcharge for December 2013 departures.

Families & Children: Children under 10 years old receive a 50% discount when sharing with two adults.

Arrival & Departure: Most flights to the Galapagos will depart Quito or Guayaquil between 7:00am-9:00am on day 1 and return between 2:00pm-5:00pm on the final day. We highly recommend travelers arrive Ecuador 2 days prior to their Galapagos Multisport Adventure. Galapagos flights must be purchased in conjunction with this trip.

Payment & Cancellation: In order to confirm this trip, a deposit of $300 is required at the time of booking. A Reservation Form, which includes a release of liability, must be completed and signed by all travelers. The balance of the trip price is due 90 days before the departure date. Guests who must cancel their trip for any reason must do so in writing. Cancellations are subject to the following per-person fees, based on number of days prior to departure:
Up to 90 days - deposit refunded
89 to 45 days - 50% of deposit
44 to 21 days - 100% of deposit
20 to 0 days - 100% of total trip cost

Terms & Conditions: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list and extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation.

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with travel insurance. Please note that you must purchase your travel insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions. Click the link below for a selection of policies from our partners at Travelex.



Activities: This trip is fully customizable with a variety of options like scuba diving, health and fitness, extended explorations or even replacing the boat trips with flights to gain a different perspective on the islands. Each option can enhance your experience, so call for more information to find a the package that is right for you. Due to the ideal locations of these Galapagos lodges you may use any free time to enjoy unguided additional activities such as hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and swimming. Easy-to-use, sit-on-top kayaks are available.

Qualifications: The Galapagos Multisport Adventure lodge-based trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Daily excursions from the day boat to the islands will be made. Trip members will hike from the landing point to specific areas for wildlife observation. Hiking time for most landings will be a couple of hours roundtrip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Some landings are dry but many are "wet," requiring cautious footing on slippery rocks. The boat staff will be on hand to assist.


return to top of page

AdventureSmith Explorations

Travel Specialists  |  Contact Us