Galápagos Central Islands & Inca Trail — Self-Launched
14 days · Ecuador & Peru
G Adventures charges £3,100
No-markup version: ~£1,100 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 14-day Quito-to-Cusco combo: land-based island-hopping in the Galápagos (Santa Cruz, Isabela or San Cristóbal with self-booked day boats and snorkelling trips), then the Andes — Sacred Valley, a self-booked 4-day Inca Trail trek or the cheaper Lares/alternative route, and Machu Picchu. You arrange flights, hostels, licensed Galápagos guides and a licensed trek operator yourself. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller rates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Quito — old town and altitude-less warm-up
Quito, Ecuador
Land at Mariscal Sucre airport (it's ~1hr from the centre). Take the Aeroservicios shuttle to the old airport area (~£7) then a taxi (~£4), or an official airport taxi (~£25). Base yourself in La Mariscal or the Centro Histórico. Afternoon wander through Plaza Grande, La Basílica and Calle La Ronda; evening in the Mariscal for cheap almuerzos (£3-5). Buy your Galápagos Transit Control Card online in advance if possible, and confirm your TCT/park fee cash (£80 park entry + £16 TCT) is ready in USD.
🚌Airport shuttle + taxi (~£11)
🛏Hostel dorm in La Mariscal or Centro Histórico (~£12/night)
- →Plaza Grande & Centro Histórico walk
- →La Ronda evening stroll
- →Teleférico (optional, ~£7)
Fly Quito → Baltra/Santa Cruz: giant tortoises in the highlands
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Cheap same-day flights Quito–Baltra (GPS) on LATAM/Avianca/Equair are often £180-260 return if booked 4-8 weeks out — book the earliest flight. Pay the £80 national park entry and £16 transit card in cash at Quito airport. Bus + ferry + bus from Baltra to Puerto Ayora (~£5). Afternoon: local bus or shared taxi up to El Chato / Rancho Primicias highlands reserve (~£5) to see wild giant tortoises — the same highlands visit the tour does, self-guided. Dinner on Avenida Charles Darwin.
🚌Flight Quito–Baltra (~£110 one-way share of return) + Baltra transfer (~£5)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£16/night)
- →El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve (~£5 entry)
- →Charles Darwin Research Station (free)
Day boat to Chinese Hat (Sombrero Chino) & snorkelling
Santa Cruz → Sombrero Chino
Book a licensed day-boat tour from Puerto Ayora the day before (many agencies on Av. Charles Darwin; £110-150 including guide, lunch and snorkel gear). These boats visit the central-island sites the yacht does — Sombrero Chino for sea lions and penguins, and often a second snorkel stop. Alternatively do the Bartolomé day trip (~£130) for the famous Pinnacle Rock viewpoint. Licensed naturalist guide on board is mandatory for Galápagos landings — make sure the operator provides one.
🚌Day boat (included in tour price)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£16/night)
- →Sombrero Chino snorkelling day trip (~£120)
- →Sea lion & penguin spotting
Black Turtle Cove or Isabela day trip
Santa Cruz / North Seymour
Option A: kayak or panga tour into Black Turtle Cove mangroves (~£60-80) for turtles, rays and sharks. Option B: North Seymour day boat (~£130) for frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies and land iguanas. Budget alternative: hire a kayak at Tortuga Bay (~£10) and walk the 2.5km boardwalk to the white-sand beach with marine iguanas — free. Evening: snorkel at Las Grietas lava crevice (~£3 water taxi).
🚌Local water taxi & walking
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£16/night)
- →Black Turtle Cove panga tour (~£70)
- →Tortuga Bay walk & kayak (~£10)
- →Las Grietas snorkel (~£3)
Ferry to Isabela — flamingos, tortoise breeding centre, Tintoreras
Puerto Villamil, Isabela
Public fast ferry Santa Cruz–Isabela (~£25, 2hrs, book a day ahead; seas can be rough — take tablets). Isabela is the cheapest and most laid-back island. Afternoon: walk to the flamingo lagoon and the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (free-£3), then the free beach at Puerto Villamil with sea lions. Optional late-afternoon Tintoreras islet boat trip (~£35) for white-tip sharks and penguins.
🚌Public ferry Santa Cruz–Isabela (~£25)
🛏Beach guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (~£14/night)
- →Flamingo lagoon & Tortoise Breeding Centre
- →Tintoreras islet boat trip (~£35)
- →Puerto Villamil beach
Los Túneles snorkel + fly back toward the mainland
Isabela → Baltra → Guayaquil/Quito
Morning Los Túneles snorkelling tour (~£75) — lava tunnels, seahorses, turtles and the best snorkelling in the central islands. Return ferry to Santa Cruz (~£25) and bus/ferry to Baltra for an evening flight to Guayaquil or Quito (cheapest fares usually Guayaquil, ~£90-130 one-way). Overnight near the airport or in Guayaquil city centre.
🚌Ferry (~£25) + Baltra flight (~£110)
🛏Budget hotel near Guayaquil/Quito airport (~£18/night)
- →Los Túneles snorkelling tour (~£75)
Fly to Lima — Miraflores and ceviche
Lima, Peru
Fly Guayaquil/Quito–Lima (LATAM/Sky/JetSMART, ~£110-160 booked ahead). Take the airport bus (Airport Express Lima, ~£6) or a taxi (~£12) to Miraflores. Afternoon walk the Malecón clifftop, watch paragliders over the Pacific, and eat ceviche at a mercado stall (~£5). Book your Cusco flight and Inca Trail permit/operator today if not already done.
🚌Flight to Lima (~£135) + airport bus (~£6)
🛏Hostel dorm in Miraflores or Barranco (~£12/night)
- →Malecón & Miraflores walk
- →Barranco street art
- →Mercado ceviche lunch
Fly to Cusco — acclimatise and book your trek
Cusco, Peru
Morning flight Lima–Cusco (~£60-90, book early; Sky/LATAM). Take it very easy on arrival — you're at 3,400m. Check in with your trek operator (book a licensed Inca Trail agency 3-4 months ahead in high season; permits sell out — official portal is the Ministerio de Cultura, but agencies handle it, ~£400-480 for a 4-day group trek with porters, cook, guide and Machu Picchu entry). Buy a Boleto Turístico (~£10) if you want the city ruins. Coca tea, light dinner, early night. Optional coca-leaf cooking class (~£20).
🚌Flight Lima–Cusco (~£75) + taxi (~£3)
🛏Hostel in Cusco centro (~£12/night)
- →San Blas & Plaza de Armas wander
- →Trek briefing with operator
- →Cusco cooking class (optional ~£20)
Sacred Valley by collectivo — Pisac, Ollantaytambo
Cusco → Ollantaytambo
Public collectivo Cusco–Pisac (~£2) for the Sunday/highland market and Pisac ruins, then collectivo to Urubamba (~£2) and Ollantaytambo (~£1.50). Visit the Ollantaytambo fortress and the hillside storehouses (qolqas) on the free trail behind town, and try chicha at a local chichería (~£1). Fair-trade weaving co-ops in Chinchero or the Ccaccaccollo area can be visited by taxi/collectivo (~£6) if you want the community-weaving stop the tour includes. Sleep low-altitude Ollantaytambo (2,800m) to help acclimatisation.
🚌Collectivos (~£8 total)
🛏Hostel in Ollantaytambo (~£12/night)
- →Pisac market & ruins
- →Ollantaytambo fortress & storehouse hike
- →Community weaving co-op visit (~£6)
Inca Trail day 1: km 82 → Wayllabamba
Inca Trail
Van from Ollantaytambo to km 82 (~£6 shared, arranged by operator). Trek checkpoint at Piscacucho, then an easy first day along the Urubamba river past Llactapata ruins to Wayllabamba camp (~12km, 6hrs). Carry a 40-50L pack; hire a sleeping bag (~£10) and walking poles (~£7) in Cusco. Rentals and trek cost are bundled into the operator fee already booked; bring cash for tips for porters/cook (~£25-35 total) and snacks/water (~£10).
🚌Shared van to km 82 (~£6)
🛏Camping (operator tents)
- →Inca Trail trek day 1
- →Llactapata ruins
Inca Trail day 2: Dead Woman's Pass (4,198m)
Inca Trail
Early start for the long climb over Warmiwañusca / Dead Woman's Pass at 4,198m — the hardest day. Descend to Pacaymayo camp (~11km, 7-8hrs). Pace yourself, drink water, and remember altitude hits everyone differently. Canteen meals cooked by the trek cook are included in the operator fee.
🚌On foot
🛏Camping (Pacaymayo)
- →Dead Woman's Pass summit (4,198m)
Inca Trail day 3: Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Wiñay Wayna
Inca Trail
Cross Runkurakay pass (~3,950m) with views of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, climb through cloud forest past Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca ('town above the clouds', 3,650m), then descend to Wiñay Wayna camp (2,650m). Long but spectacular day (~16km).
🚌On foot
🛏Camping (Wiñay Wayna)
- →Runkurakay pass
- →Sayacmarca & Phuyupatamarca ruins
- →Wiñay Wayna
Sunrise at Machu Picchu, then back to Cusco
Machu Picchu → Cusco
Pre-dawn start through Inti Punku (Sun Gate) for the classic first view of Machu Picchu from above, then a 2-hour guided tour with your trek guide (included in operator fee). Afternoon bus down to Aguas Calientes (~£9) and the Expedition/Vistadome-type train back to Ollantaytambo/Poroy (~£55-70, book via PeruRail/Inca Rail) plus collectivo to Cusco (~£2). Note: you can skip the trek and instead take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (~£60 return) and a bus up — cheaper but far less atmospheric.
🚌Bus down (~£9) + train (~£60) + collectivo (~£2)
🛏Hostel in Cusco (~£12/night)
- →Sun Gate sunrise
- →Guided Machu Picchu tour
- →Optional Huayna Picchu climb (book ahead, ~£12)
Cusco farewell — fly out or extend
Cusco, Peru
Morning at San Pedro market for souvenirs and a fresh juice, last wander around Qorikancha, then airport for onward/return flights. If you have time, add a Rainbow Mountain day trip (~£30 with transport) or a few days in the Amazon or Arequipa.
🚌Taxi to airport (~£3)
🛏—
- →San Pedro Market
- →Qorikancha (optional ~£4)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,100 | £3,100 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,000 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,100
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Galápagos Central Islands & Inca Trail — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,100 per person for 14 days in Ecuador & Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,100 — a saving of roughly £2,000 (65%) per person.
How long is the Ecuador & Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Ecuador & Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, wildlife trip through Ecuador & Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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