7 Days – The Best of Galapagos (Self-Launched)
7 days · Galapagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador
Adventure Journeys charges £1,925
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Adventure Journeys' 7-day "Best of Galapagos" loop: Quito → Isabela Island → Santa Cruz → Quito. You book your own Quito–Galápagos flights (the biggest single cost — often £250-350 return if booked early), hop between islands on the public speedboat ferries, and book locally-run snorkelling, volcano hiking and kayaking trips directly or via GetYourGuide once you arrive. Expect the same wildlife (sea lions, marine iguanas, giant tortoises, reef sharks, blue-footed boobies) at roughly half the tour price. Note: Galápagos park entry ($200), Isabela dock fee, and the TCT transit card are paid on arrival and are extra in both versions.
Day-by-day
Arrive Quito – old town & briefing-free evening
Quito
Fly into Quito (Mariscal Sucre, UIO) and check into a hostel or guesthouse in the La Mariscal or Centro Histórico area. Instead of a group briefing, spend the late afternoon wandering the UNESCO-listed Old Town: Plaza Grande, La Compañía de Jesús church, and the Basílica del Voto Nacional tower climb (~£3). Eat at a local mercado or set-lunch spot. Buy your Galápagos flights today if you haven't already — book directly with LATAM/Avianca via Baltra (GPS) rather than paying an operator markup.
🚌Airport bus or taxi from UIO to centre (~£2-6)
🛏Hostel private double / budget guesthouse, La Mariscal (£18-25pp)
- →Quito Old Town self-walk (Plaza Grande, La Compañía, Basílica tower)
- →Book Galápagos flights and speedboat tickets
- →Mercado Central food stalls
Quito → Baltra → Isabela Island
Isabela Island
Early morning flight Quito to Baltra (GPS). Take the free airline shuttle to the Itabaca Channel, the public ferry across (£1-2), then a bus or shared pickup to Puerto Ayora (~£2). From Puerto Ayora take the public speedboat to Isabela (Puerto Villamil) — roughly 2-2.5 hours, ~£25-30 each way, book at the dock or through your guesthouse a day ahead. Afternoon free: walk the long white-sand beach where sea lions and marine iguanas lie about, and watch the sunset from the muelle (pier).
🚌Flight Quito–Baltra ~£250-320 return (book ahead); ferry + bus ~£4; speedboat Santa Cruz–Isabela ~£27
🛏Beachfront budget guesthouse/hostel, Puerto Villamil (£15-22pp)
- →Itabaca Channel ferry crossing
- →Public inter-island speedboat to Isabela
- →Puerto Villamil beach and pier wildlife spotting
Los Túneles snorkelling (self-booked tour)
Isabela Island
Book the Los Túneles snorkelling day trip directly with one of the small local operators in Puerto Villamil the day before (~£70-85 including lunch and gear — cheaper than via international platforms). You get the same two ~1-hour snorkel sessions among lava arches, plus the boat ride out (about an hour each way). Expect white-tipped reef sharks, green sea turtles, seahorses, rays and huge schools of fish. Afternoon: walk 20 minutes to the Centro de Crianza giant tortoise breeding centre (free/donation) and the nearby flamingo lagoon.
🚌Walk or bike to tour departure point (£3 bike hire)
🛏Beachfront budget guesthouse/hostel, Puerto Villamil (£15-22pp)
- →Los Túneles snorkelling tour (2 sessions, lunch included)
- →Giant tortoise breeding centre
- →Flamingo lagoon
Sierra Negra volcano hike & Tintoreras kayak
Isabela Island
Morning self-guided or locally-guided hike up Sierra Negra volcano — one of the world's largest calderas. It's a 6-mile / ~4-hour round trip with ~290m of elevation gain; the national park entry for this trail is paid at the trailhead (~£8-10). You can walk it independently (the path is obvious) or join a local guide group (~£25) if you want the Volcán Chico extension. Afternoon: rent a kayak at Tintoreras bay (~£15-20 for 2 hours) and snorkel Concha y Perla lagoon with sea lions and turtles — gear hire ~£5-8. Bring water and sunscreen; there is no shade on the volcano trail.
🚌Walk / bike to trailhead; local pickup taxi to trailhead ~£3-5
🛏Beachfront budget guesthouse/hostel, Puerto Villamil (£15-22pp)
- →Sierra Negra volcano hike (Volcán Chico optional)
- →Kayaking Tintoreras bay
- →Snorkelling Concha y Perla
Isabela → Santa Cruz: Darwin Station & Highlands
Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora)
Sunrise speedboat back to Santa Cruz (~£27, 2-2.5 hrs). Check into a hostel in Puerto Ayora. In the afternoon, walk to the free Charles Darwin Research Station (giant tortoise breeding programme, Lonesome George's legacy) and then take a local bus or shared taxi up to the Santa Cruz highlands (~£2-8) to see wild giant tortoises — the Primicias / El Chato ranch charges a small entry (~£4-5) and you can walk the lava tunnels there. Evening: Tortuga Bay is free — a 20-minute walk plus 2.5km boardwalk, though it closes at sunset.
🚌Speedboat Isabela–Santa Cruz ~£27; local bus to highlands ~£2-4
🛏Hostel private double, Puerto Ayora (£18-25pp)
- →Charles Darwin Research Station
- →Highlands giant tortoise ranch (Primicias/El Chato)
- →Lava tunnels walk
Santa Cruz free day, then fly Baltra → Quito
Santa Cruz / Quito
Morning at your own pace: snorkel or swim at Tortuga Bay (free), or add a Las Grietas swim (~£3 water taxi) or a half-day Bartolomé/island day trip if budget allows (~£90-120). Alternatively hire a bike (~£8) and ride to Playa Garrapatero. Mid-afternoon transfer to Baltra (bus ~£2 + ferry ~£2), fly back to Quito, and check into a hostel near the airport or in Mariscal.
🚌Bus + ferry to Baltra ~£4; flight Baltra–Quito (return leg); airport transfer ~£6
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Quito centre or airport (£20-28pp)
- →Tortuga Bay beach (free)
- →Las Grietas swim or Playa Garrapatero cycling
- →Optional Bartolomé day trip
Quito departure or optional day trip
Quito
Breakfast, then either fly home or add a self-booked day trip: the TelefériQo cable car up Volcán Pichincha (~£8), the Mitad del Mundo / Intiñán equator museum (~£8 entry + £3-4 bus), or a Cotopaxi day tour booked via GetYourGuide (~£45-60). Leave luggage at the hostel and take a taxi or the Aeroservicios airport bus (~£2) for your international flight.
🚌Airport bus ~£2 or taxi ~£8
🛏—
- →TelefériQo cable car
- →Intiñán equator museum
- →Optional Cotopaxi day tour
Self-launched vs. Adventure Journeys
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Adventure Journeys | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,925 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,180 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Adventure Journeys-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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 7 Days – The Best of Galapagos (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 7 days in Galapagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador. 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 Adventure Journeys?+
Yes — Adventure Journeys charges around £1,925 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £1,180 (61%) per person.
How long is the Galapagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Galapagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador.
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, wildlife, backpacker trip through Galapagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador, 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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