Island Hopping in the Galapagos

Welcome to Ecuador! There's plenty of adventure on your trip, but today's all about settling into the hotel. There are free transfers available for all clients today – make sure to check the Joining Instructions for further details. A local guide will welcome you to Quito and explain the schedule for the next few days. Stay: Hotel Wyndham (or similar).

We leave very early this morning, taking a box breakfast with us, for our transfer to Quito Airport. After our flight to San Cristóbal in the Galapagos Islands, our Galapagos guide will meet us at the airport to take us to the hotel for check-in and our first briefing about our time in the archipelago. We have time to explore the town and enjoy a restaurant lunch before our visit to La Lobería, a wonderful place surrounded by mangroves, volcanic rocks and sea lion colonies. It's a perfect spot to snorkel, enjoy time on the beach, or have a short walk along the shore. Stay: Hotel Paraiso Insular (or similar).

Start your day with an exciting tour to Isla Lobos, a small island near San Cristóbal. This excursion will take you by boat to one of the best spots for observing sea lions in their natural habitat. Isla Lobos is also an excellent location for birdwatching, including frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies. You'll have the opportunity to snorkel in the clear waters around the island, swimming with marine turtles, rays, and occasionally, white-tip reef sharks. After exploring Isla Lobos, return to San Cristóbal for lunch.

In the afternoon, head to Playa Ochoa, a beautiful white-sand beach with turquoise waters, ideal for relaxing and enjoying a breathtaking natural setting. Playa Ochoa is known for its tranquility and beauty, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, or simply taking in the scenery. The beach also offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching and snorkelling in the nearby waters. At the end of the day, return to your accommodation in San Cristóbal, where you can relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the island. Stay: Hotel Paraiso Insular (or similar) (B/L).

A three-hour navigation by motorboat takes us to Floreana Island, one of the first Galapagos islands to be inhabited. En route, we may see whales, dolphins and sea birds. After lunch, we visit the highlands, where one of the few sources of freshwater in the entire archipelago exists. We also visit lava caves once used by pirates and see a large enclosure of Galapagos giant tortoises.

In the afternoon, we'll transfer to Isabela Island by speedboat (approximately 2. 5 or 3 hours). Stay: San Vicente Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

We spend the morning sailing to the islets and lava channels of Las Tintoreras, one of the best places in the islands to see white-tipped reef sharks, penguins and sea lions, with time for snorkelling. On this morning's excursion, we may be lucky enough to spot the endangered Chatham mockingbird.

This afternoon, we visit the Wall of Tears, a sad reminder of Isabela's very different past when it was used as a penal colony. Between 1946 and 1959, convicts were forced to build this wall from huge blocks of lava as a form of punishment, which, combined with the harsh conditions, led to many deaths. Stay: San Vicente Hotel (or similar) (B).

Navigate by motorboat to Santa Cruz very early this morning.

Upon arrival in Santa Cruz we visit Tortuga Bay, a 3,280ft (1,000m) stretch of white sand regarded as one of the best beaches in the Galapagos. The trail leading to the beach is paved and takes between 45 minutes to one hour, with possibilities to observe Galapagos finches and lizards along the way. The beach is scattered with marine iguanas, who lay among the clusters of black rocks or stroll along the sand. In the water, turtles can sometimes be seen, though swimming is not recommended here due to the strong currents.

In the afternoon, we have the option of visiting the Charles Darwin Research Centre, home to the headquarters of the Charles Darwin Foundation. This is the main research centre on the islands and scientists come from all over the world to study the flora and fauna. There is also the chance to visit the lively fish market, where we can see the daily catch and sample some of the freshest seafood you've ever tasted. Stay: Grand Hotel León Marino (or similar) (B).

Visit either Bartolomé Island, South Plaza Island, Santa Fe Island or North Seymour (depending on the national park restrictions). South Plaza Island has a remarkable vegetation of succulents and cacti that provide a unique habitat for land iguanas. The iguanas form small colonies at the base of the tall opuntia cacti, waiting for their flowers and dead pads to fall to the ground so they can feed on them. The island rocks are home to swallowtail gulls, shearwaters and sea lions. North Seymour is a flat, boulder-strewn island and a major nesting site for frigatebirds.

It's also a good place to see blue-footed boobies performing courtship rituals and sea lions playing in the powerful surf. Bartolomé is a spectacular scene of dramatic lava cones, clear seas and affords perhaps the most famous view of the Galapagos Islands, looking across the red cinder cones to the recent black lava fields on James Island. If possible, we snorkel today (usually around Bartolomé) where the water is calm. Stay: Grand Hotel León Marino (or similar) (B/L).

After a few days following the footsteps of Darwin, Cousteau and world-renowned scientists, it is time to say goodbye to the Enchanted Islands. After breakfast this morning, we drive to the airport at Baltra and fly to Quito where we have a final night. Stay: Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar) (B).

Our adventure ends after breakfast this morning and we begin our return journeys home. If you'd prefer a little time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Quito (B).