Discovering Isabela – 5 days

Daily Tour

{:fr}Galapagos{:}{:es}Galápagos{:}{:gb}Galapagos{:} Tour Guide: Guide anglophone

Hotel stay with daily tours / Land Tour or Island Hopping / English-speaking guide
Regions visited: Galápagos

Isabela 5 Days Tour

Hotel stay with daily tours at Galapagos

Activities carried out:
Daytime sailing – Hiking – Snorkelling with fins, mask, and snorkel – Wildlife and flora discovery.

Level Easy * From 650 $

Itinerary

Important information:

Ideal for people who suffer from seasickness, this alternative will allow you to discover the wonders of the Galapagos while sleeping in the main towns…
However, please note: combined tours (day visits and overnight stays on land) are designed for active people, as there will be multiple activities: hikes, excursions, navigation, and of course snorkeling!
Compared to a cruise (with nighttime navigation allowing long distances to be covered), a combined tour does not allow you to see such a wide variety of landscapes and wildlife; navigation takes place during the day and does not allow you to travel as far from the main islands.
The guide accompanying you on the sites will be a local guide; it will not necessarily be the same one every day.

Program :

Day 1 – Santa Cruz / Isabela

The program begins at the port of Puerto Ayora.
At 3:00 pm, speedboat transfer from Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) to Puerto Villamil (Isabela).
Accommodation in a hotel (Coral Blanco or equivalent)

Day 2 – Lava Tunnels

The Tunnels – Snorkeling

This excursion begins with a 45-minute boat ride to Roca Union, where you will circle a pinnacle rock in the middle of the ocean. You will have the chance to see Nazca boobies and, with some luck, blue-footed boobies, iguanas and sea lions perched on the rock.
You will then continue your journey while keeping an eye out for giant manta rays. Dolphins and whales are occasionally spotted in this area.

The Tunnels owe their name to local fishermen who used to dive here in search of lobsters inside tunnels formed by underwater lava flows. Underwater, you will find lava arches and bridges created by ancient eruptions of the Cerro Azul volcano. You will have the opportunity to snorkel in this beautiful place and take a short walk on volcanic rocks.

Marine life is spectacular. With luck, you may spot white-tip reef sharks resting in caves nearby, in a place called Finado.

Duration: around 5 hours

Free time to explore the surroundings of the village on foot or by bike (Wall of Tears, flamingo lagoons, etc…)

Day 3 – Sierra Negra Volcano – Concha Perla

Sierra Negra Volcano – An adventure hike

This tour starts with a 40-minute drive from Puerto Villamil. Then the hike begins: during the first hour, the trail climbs gently until you reach the second largest volcanic crater in the world, 6 miles wide. The trek then continues across landscapes of solidified lava flows, giving the sensation of walking on the moon, until reaching Volcano Chico, where you can observe active fumaroles and fire-colored rocks.
This is a 16 km hike.

Duration: about 5–6 hours

Free time for a swim at the beach.

Day 4 – Tintoreras

2 options:

Option 1: Tintoreras – Snorkeling and walk

This small island is a unique and fragile environment made of lava and home to abundant wildlife. Your visit begins with a short boat ride to Tintoreras.
You will then enjoy an easy one-hour walk along a sandy trail, observing iguanas, seabirds, sea lions and white-tip sharks resting in a shaded crevice visible from land.

A boat tour will also be included to look for penguins, birds and other marine animals.
Snorkeling will depend on the tide: your captain and guide will take you either to La Calera or Lobería Chica. You may encounter many marine species such as sea turtles, rays, colorful reef fish, starfish… and even octopuses with some luck!

Duration: about 3 hours

Option 2: Kayak – Paddle to the penguins

This kayak excursion is one of the best ways to connect with nature and observe the behavior of penguins, sea lions, birds and various marine species.
Easy and fun for all ages! No motor, no noise — just nature.
Kayaks are doubles, so two people share each kayak.

Duration: 1 ½ to 2 hours + approx. 30 minutes of snorkeling

Day 5 – Isabela / Santa Cruz

At 6:00 am, speedboat transfer from Puerto Villamil (Isabela) to Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz).

Rates

Contact us:

The per-person rates decrease according to the number of people in your group.

Included :

4 hotel nights on Isabela Island (Hotel Coral Blanco or equivalent)
3 guided excursions: Lava Tunnels, Sierra Negra volcano, Tintoreras
Breakfasts and two picnic lunches (Tunnels and Sierra Negra)
Boat transfer Puerto Ayora – Isabela – Puerto Ayora

Not included :

Los vuelos a Galápagos, la entrada al Parque Nacional Galápagos y la tarjeta migratoria
El transporte desde Baltra hasta Puerto Ayora
Tasa en el puerto de Isabela: 10 USD
Taxi acuático en Puerto Ayora e Isabela (costo entre 0,50 y 1 USD)
Bebidas gaseosas y bebidas alcohólicas
Propinas
Las comidas no mencionadas
Alquiler de bicicletas
Suplemento por hotel de categoría superior (consultarnos)

Offers

We can complete the program with full-day excursions (navigable tours) on Santa Cruz Island before or after the stay on Isabela Island.

Give us your possible date range and we will check the current offers for the navigable tours.

Advices

Distant, alone. Unique.

Some instructions to follow

You don’t go to the Galápagos to sunbathe and relax, but to enjoy nature and learn from it. In just a few days, you will witness scenes of wildlife that are normally reserved for researchers who have spent many years observing animals — and all of it just a few steps away!
Take advantage of this trip to share unique sensations, but don’t forget to respect certain rules. None of them is arbitrary. The islands now exist in a fragile balance and need all our attention and protection.

The visit to these islands is strictly regulated to avoid, as much as possible, the impact of tourism. Be aware that you cannot remain in an area belonging to the national park without a guide, nor transport food or smoke. On the last point, don’t worry — even compulsive smokers say they forget cigarettes when they see the animals!

On the islands, you may only walk on marked trails, but there is already so much to see — such as birds nesting right on the path, for example. Other basic rules apply: do not touch the animals, do not litter, do not take sand or plants

IMPORTANT NOTE

Guides:
We work with local guides, meaning a different guide for each island and for a specific duration. The guide accompanies the excursions at the visitor sites, provides explanations, shares knowledge about the islands, wildlife and vegetation, and coordinates the activities for the following day.

Regarding lunches and dinners, the guide will indicate the selected places. You will need to go to these locations on your own after the guide has dropped you off at your hotel. Distances are short since the islands have few residents. It is very safe to walk around at any time of day.

The guide will not accompany you on the inter-island speedboats.