Fully discover the splendor of the Galapagos Islands with this intimate all-inclusive Galapagos Islands cruise and tour. An 8-day luxury cruise takes you to stunning outlying islands, where seabirds nest in the millions and sea lions cover surreal lava flows. Then settle onto Isabela Island for three days of mystical volcanoes and marine worlds. Seductive, surreal, sublime... this tour package unveils the eclectic splendor of nature's great oasis in the Pacific Ocean.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Quito – Spa Welcomes in Quito
Quito provides a gentle introduction to Ecuador, the capital city elegantly stretching out across a volcano-clad valley. An overnight on the mainland is inevitable, as domestic flights to the islands leave early in the morning. It's an easy layover; city lights glisten from your five-star hotel on the hill, a traditional Ecuadorian dinner is served in the hotel's restaurant, and there's a spa to soothe any travel aches. You'll be picked up at the airport and transferred to a hotel on the edge of the city. Rest and Relax. The Galapagos adventure starts tomorrow. Consider learning more about your Galapagos travel agencies that will help you craft your personally memorable and perfect itinerary.
What's Included:
Day 2
Galapagos Cruise – Sea Life and Snorkeling
Day 3
Galapagos Cruise – The Boobies of Punta Pitt
Day 4
Galapagos Cruise – The History of Floreana
Day 5
Galapagos Cruise – Red Volcanic Island
Day 6
Galapagos Cruise – Birds on Genovesa Island
Day 7
Galapagos Cruise – Santiago Island
Day 8
Galapagos Cruise – The Tortoises of Santa Cruz
Day 9
Isabela – Settling in on Isabela Island
Day 10
Isabela – Hiking the World's Second Largest Volcanic Crater
Day 11
Isabela – Wildlife at Lava Arches
Day 12
Isabela – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Fully explore the eclectic natural wonder of the Galapagos by spending 11 days in the archipelago
- Spend eight days cruising to distant islands on a luxury 20-person yacht
- Complete the itinerary with three all-inclusive nights on volcanic Isabela Island, with trips to craters and lava arches, revealing an untouched realm
- Enjoy all-inclusive service from start to finish, including three sumptuous meals a day, sunset drinks, and all the naturalist activities
- Discover the most important of the Galapagos' evolutionary sites, including the wildlife sites on Floreana, Genovesa, and San Cristobal islands
- Marvel at spectacular seabirds as you visit the mass breeding grounds of red-footed boobies and magnificent frigates
- Snorkel and swim into a dazzling marine world that allows safe encounters with reef sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles
- Lose count of how many times you encounter a colony of playful sea lions
Detailed Description
The Galapagos archipelago unveils nature at its most untamed and unadulterated, a series of rugged volcanic islands standing isolated amidst Pacific waves. They're raw and mystical, constantly providing surprises and breathtaking sites; the breeding grounds for a million seabirds, sea lions bathing on white sand, whales cruising past penguins. As the natural history cascades across volcanic cliffs, there's sometimes too much to take in. Stop. Relax. Take your time. With an all-inclusive Galapagos Islands cruise and tour, you only need to focus on the wildlife and wild sights; everything else is arranged by a discreet and experienced team of local experts. This Galapagos vacations arrangement includes all the activities and excursions, transfers, meals, and many drinks. And these aren’t cold buffets and mass group excursions. Chefs concoct sumptuous a la carte menus; excursions offer near-exclusive access to stunning wildlife sites, and there's always a private place to watch the islands lazily drift by.
After a night in Quito, the Galapagos itinerary starts with eight days of all-inclusive cruising on a small luxury yacht. You'll visit the south, central, and northern parts of the archipelago, including world-renowned sites like Genovesa, North Seymour, and Punta Cormorant. Varied excursions add further angles to the immersion experience, allowing you to kayak with sea lions, walk across red volcanic remnants, and safely snorkel into a marine world of reef sharks and manta rays. Sip drinks as sunsets paint the sky, and lounge in tranquility as you cruise through the Pacific. For these eight days, there's hardly another boat in sight and your small group has private access to each of the phenomenal wildlife sites. With a capacity of just 20, the yacht ensures an intimate experience with all of the extravagant extras.
Swap the sea legs for land legs by completing the all-inclusive tour with three nights on Isabela Island in the Western Galapagos. A beautiful ecolodge stands above white sand and calm waters, offering continual views of playful sea lions and diving sea birds. Rest on your balcony and spend three elegant days in this remote corner of the archipelago. Like the cruise, all meals are included and you enjoy morning coffee with views of the migration routes of whales. Daily activities showcase the youthful volcanic splendor of Isabela, including a hike to the world's second largest crater and a journey to the magnificent lava arches of Tintoreras. This is a fully all-inclusive tour, allowing you to revel in the diversity of the Galapagos, discover all four regions of the archipelago, and experience the many ways in which it can be explored. So just sit back and enjoy the show.
Starting Price
$14,700 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.89 stars based on 251 reviews.
Overall, the trip was outstanding. It was on our bucket list for a long time and it lived up to all expectations. Zicasso's tour company and travel agent were very knowledgeable and helped plan all the details. As with all travel, there were a few small things that came up, but they resolved the issues quickly and effectively. I would highly recommend this travel agency.
Reviewed By Jesse D.
Zicasso's travel expert did an excellent job coordinating all the details of our side trip to the Amazon and on to the Galápagos. This was our third trip arranged by Zicasso. Having the ability to talk with someone in the travel location about our interests and getting recommendations is a great experience.
Reviewed By Edward C.
Our trip from start to finish was absolutely fantastic. The Amazon jungle was a blast. I paid for an extra full-day excursion to fish for piranhas, which was definitely a great decision and one of the highlights of our trip (we had the piranhas for lunch, and they were delicious).
The Sacred Valley, Cusco, and Machu Picchu were fabulous. And then, the Galápagos were extraordinary, from the unexpected serenity of the place to the crew of the boat, and, of course, the proximity to wildlife, including snorkeling with sea lions. It was especially meaningful to be in these places with our entire family (10 of us). Everyone understood how special it was and we will all cherish the experience all of our lives.
The Zicasso travel company was fantastic from start to finish. Our travel specialist went far beyond the call of duty to help us, especially when one family members could not make the trip. He helped us with replacing that person with another. He was remarkably prompt, clear, and informative in all communications, both in planning the trip and during it. He has a very kind heart and is a great human being. I cannot say enough positive things about him.
Reviewed By bradley P.
The trip was amazing and exceeded our expectations! We loved everything about it. Working with Zicasso's travel specialists was so great. The team was so fast responding on everything and so helpful during the planning stage, preparation stage, and even while we were in Ecuador. We could not have asked for a better partner!
Reviewed By Wendy+Andrew S.
Zicasso's trip planner is excellent! She planned a personalized itinerary for me and my family, with activities for all different ages in our travel group. We truly enjoyed our experience in Quito and the Galápagos Islands.
Our tour guide did a wonderful job taking us around Quito and ensuring we got to fully experience the city (including historical landmarks and local spots). In addition, one of our family members had altitude sickness and he put a lot of effort into helping her get assistance and even medical care in the airport.
Five stars for our agent and our guide.
Reviewed By Usha R.
Our trip was beyond awesome. We made memories for a lifetime in Peru and the Galápagos Islands. Standing on the equator in Quito and the different experiments on the equator were a hit with kids and adults alike. There was excellent planning and execution by our Zicasso travel specialists. All the guides and excursions were great and we made good friends with them. They went above and beyond to recover our (lost/forgotten) items in a hotel and plane. Two thumbs up.
Reviewed By Uday P.