Company : G Adventures
Duration: 1 week to 2 weeks
Approx Costs: 750 to 1000 £ Pound (UK)
The Galápagos Islands isn’t just all about cruising – try a camping experience on for size!
This one-week trip keeps you close to the action – and trust us, there’s always plenty of action on the archipelago – while keeping costs lower than you’d expect for a sweet island adventure. Plus, there’ll be no lack of activities to keep you moving, with everything from snorkelling to a volcano hike in Sierra Negra to exploring lava tunnels. At the end of the day, you’ll camp out surrounded by the sounds of island wildlife, giving new meaning to the word “paradise.”
Day 1 Quito
Arrive at any time.
Day 2-3 Floreana
Fly to the Galápagos Islands and transfer to Puerto Ayora. Free time to explore the town before taking a speedboat to Floreana Island in the afternoon. Get settled into camp and opt to swim, rent kayaks, or relax. Included snorkelling in Loberia and visit to the highlands.
Day 4-5 Isabela
Take a boat over to Isabela Island, and enjoy visits to Flamingo Lagoon and the Tortoise Breeding Centre. The next morning, hike the Sierra Negra Volcano for views from above, then enjoy some free time. Opt to go snorkelling, surfing or hit the beach.
Day 6-7 Santa Cruz
Transfer by speedboat back to Santa Cruz Island, where home is a camp in the highlands. Enjoy an included visit to Charles Darwin Station. Hike to beautiful Tortuga Bay, and opt to go kayaking or just lounge on the beach. Visit the lava tunnels and see giant tortoises in the highlands. Enjoy an evening in town with the group.
Day 8 Quito
Say goodbye to the Galápagos Islands, and take a morning flight back to Quito. Enjoy a final night out in Quito.
Day 9 Quito
Depart at any time.
My best friend and I signed up for this tour targeted towards 18-35 year olds. We were a bit nervous that we'd the old fogies of the group and while we were the oldest, we didn't feel that way at all. Our group of 16 was absolutely fabulous and our guide, Danilo, worked very hard to ensure we had a great time. Originally, we picked the camping tour because it was quite a bit cheaper than the cruise tours offered, but I felt that we really got to experience more of life in the Galápagos than we could have sleeping on a cruise ship. While every day was amazing, I really enjoyed staying on Floreana.
Our accommodations there were wonderful and it was so peaceful. With only around 100 people living in the town of Puerto Velasquez Ibarra, there's hardly any motor vehicles on the road. Playa Negra right in town offers a quiet beach with some snorkeling and a small bar for a refreshing beverage right on the sand. A 20 minute walk from town takes you to La Lobería where we swam with sea turtles while snorkeling. Every meal was eaten at a different restaurant in town, helping support local families. In the bathroom of our guesthouse was a sign that mentioned freshwater is brought in once a week and to conserve it as much as possible. It really helped me to understand what life is like on Floreana and throughout the Galápagos.
Connecting to communities and countries outside of the US is one of my favorite things about traveling. On Isabella, we saw all kinds of wildlife including Galápagos penguins, white tipped sharks, stingrays, blue footed boobies, marine iguanas, flamingos, tortoises, and more. It was everything I wanted and more!
