Active Galapagos: Trails & Marine Life — Self-Launched

Fly into Quito (Mariscal Sucre Airport, UIO) and make your own way to a budget hotel in the La Mariscal or Old Town area — book an airport taxi (~£20-25) or a shared shuttle. Take it easy on arrival as Quito sits at 2,850m; drink plenty of water. Spend the evening acclimatising and grabbing an inexpensive set-menu dinner (almuerzo, ~£3-4) nearby.

🚌Airport taxi to hotel ~£20-25; or airport shuttle ~£8

🛏Hostal/budget hotel in La Mariscal or Old Town, e.g. Hostal Quito Cultural or similar (~£25-35/night double)

• →Arrive and acclimatise
• →Evening wander in La Mariscal

Explore Quito's UNESCO colonial centre on foot or via a free/pay-what-you-wish walking tour (bookable on GetYourGuide/GuruWalk, ~£0-10 tip-based). See Plaza Grande, La Compañía church (small entry fee) and the Basílica. In the afternoon, take a local bus or taxi north to the Intiñan Equator Museum (~£5 entry). Keep activity light to continue altitude acclimatisation.

🚌Walking; taxi to Mitad del Mundo area ~£10 each way

🛏Same budget hotel in Quito (~£25-35/night)

• →Old Town walking tour
• →La Compañía church
• →Intiñan Equator Museum (optional)

Fly Quito to San Cristóbal (SCY) — book direct with Avianca/LATAM well in advance (~£180-280 return). On arrival pay the Galapagos National Park entry (~US$100/£80) and Transit Control Card (~US$20/£16) at the airport. Settle into a guesthouse, then walk (~5km) to Las Tijeretas cliffs for frigatebird colonies and a snorkel near a sea lion colony. Visit the free Galapagos Interpretation Center.

🚌Domestic flight Quito–San Cristóbal (~£180-280 return)

🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, e.g. Hotel Paraiso Insular equivalent (~£30-40/night double)

• →Galapagos Interpretation Center
• →Las Tijeretas walk & snorkel
• →Frigatebird colony

Book a licensed Kicker Rock (León Dormido) snorkel day tour locally or via GetYourGuide (~£90-120, includes boat, guide, gear and lunch). Snorkel the deep water for eagle rays, turtles, hammerhead sharks and reef fish, then continue to a white-sand beach — Playa Ochoa, Playa Manglecito or Cerro Brujo — for a walk among sea lions and marine iguanas.

🚌Tour motorboat (included in day tour)

🛏Same Puerto Baquerizo Moreno guesthouse (~£30-40/night)

• →Kicker Rock snorkel tour
• →Beach walk (Playa Ochoa / Manglecito / Cerro Brujo)

Join a local highlands tour (or take a taxi ~£20 return) to El Junco Lake for a one-hour walk with panoramic views, then visit a giant tortoise reserve (~£5 entry). Lunch at a local restaurant, then head to La Loberia sea lion nursery for an afternoon snorkel among sea lions and marine iguanas.

🚌Local taxi/shared tour to highlands ~£15-25

🛏Same Puerto Baquerizo Moreno guesthouse (~£30-40/night)

• →El Junco Lake walk
• →Giant tortoise reserve
• →La Loberia snorkel

Take the public inter-island speedboat from San Cristóbal to Floreana (~2.5-3 hrs, book in town ~£60-70). Keep watch for dolphins and whales en route. Floreana is barely developed — lunch at one of the few local eateries. In the afternoon hike to the highlands for pirate lava caves and a giant tortoise enclosure. Stay at a simple lodge.

🚌Inter-island speedboat San Cristóbal–Floreana ~£60-70

🛏Lava Lodge or similar basic lodge on Floreana (~£35-45/night)

• →Floreana highlands walk
• →Pirate lava caves
• →Giant tortoise enclosure

Early breakfast then walk the black volcanic beaches for red iguanas and sea lion colonies (snorkel if time allows). Around midday take the speedboat (~2.5-3 hrs, ~£65-75) to Isabela. This afternoon walk ~4km to the Wall of Tears, then hike back through mangroves and wetlands — a great spot for migratory birds and reintroduced giant tortoises.

🚌Inter-island speedboat Floreana–Isabela ~£65-75

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil, e.g. San Vicente Hotel equivalent (~£30-40/night double)

• →Floreana beach walk
• →Wall of Tears hike
• →Mangrove & wetland birdwatching

Join a locally booked Sierra Negra trek (~£35-50 including park guide and box lunch) — a 5-6 hour, 16km hike up one of the world's largest volcanic calderas. Start on a wide dirt track, then cross exposed lava fields with little shade (steady footing needed, often muddy after rain). Spot the endemic vermilion flycatcher and volcanic features along the way.

🚌Shared tour pickup from Puerto Villamil (included)

🛏Same Puerto Villamil guesthouse (~£30-40/night)

• →Sierra Negra volcano trek
• →Caldera viewpoint
• →Lava field walk

Book the Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa) snorkel tour locally (~£100-130, includes boat, guide, gear and lunch). Explore the maze of lava tunnels and arches on foot (~30 min), watching for blue-footed and Nazca boobies, marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs, then snorkel the channels for turtles, rays, penguins and the well-camouflaged seahorse.

🚌Tour boat (included in day tour)

🛏Same Puerto Villamil guesthouse (~£30-40/night)

• →Los Tuneles lava formations walk
• →Channel snorkel
• →Marine wildlife spotting

Take a short boat trip (~15 min) to the islet and lava channels of Las Tintoreras (~£30-40), one of the best spots for whitetip reef sharks, penguins and sea lions. Do the 40-minute walk then snorkel. The afternoon is yours — swim, snorkel or relax on the beaches around Puerto Villamil.

🚌Local boat to Las Tintoreras (included in tour)

🛏Same Puerto Villamil guesthouse (~£30-40/night)

• →Las Tintoreras walk & snorkel
• →Whitetip reef sharks & penguins
• →Beach relaxation

Take the speedboat (~2.5 hrs, ~£30-40) from Isabela to Santa Cruz. Optionally visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (free/donation entry) to learn about tortoise conservation, then lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon walk the paved trail (45-60 min) to Tortuga Bay — white sand strewn with marine iguanas (turtles sometimes visible in the water; swimming not recommended due to currents — bring water and sun protection).

🚌Inter-island speedboat Isabela–Santa Cruz ~£30-40

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Ayora, e.g. Mainao Hotel equivalent (~£35-45/night double)

• →Charles Darwin Research Station
• →Tortuga Bay walk
• →Marine iguana spotting

Book a full-day national-park boat tour from Puerto Ayora (~£110-140, includes guide, transport and lunch) to Bartolomé, South Plaza or North Seymour (assigned by park restrictions). Expect dramatic volcanic scenery, land iguana colonies and seabird nesting sites depending on the island. Note that the return boat schedule may need to fit around a same-day onward flight, so check timings.

🚌Day-tour boat (included); possible airport transfer

🛏Same Puerto Ayora guesthouse (~£35-45/night)

• →Bartolomé / South Plaza / North Seymour day tour
• →Land iguanas & seabirds

Fly Santa Cruz (Baltra, GPS) back to Quito — book in advance (~£180-280 return). Transfer to your Quito hotel and spend the evening relaxing. If you still have energy, enjoy a final Ecuadorian dinner in La Mariscal or La Floresta.

🚌Domestic flight Baltra–Quito (or Isla San Cristóbal–Quito)

🛏Budget hotel in Quito (~£25-35/night)

• →Return flight to Quito
• →Evening in Quito

Breakfast at the hotel, then make your own way to the airport for your onward/return flight. If your flight is later in the day, squeeze in a final walk through the Old Town or a coffee before heading home.

🚌Taxi to Quito airport ~£20-25

🛏—

• →Departure
• →Optional last Old Town stroll