Self-Launched Galápagos Multisport: Quito to Quito

Arrive at Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) at any time. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in the Mariscal or La Floresta neighbourhood. Spend the evening exploring Quito's vibrant restaurant scene and getting ready for the adventure ahead. Pick up any last-minute snorkelling or outdoor gear you might need — Quito has good outdoor shops. Note: the airport has planned maintenance closures on several 2026 dates (check your airline for schedule changes).

🚌International flight to Quito (UIO) — not included in cost estimate. Airport bus to city centre ~£2.

🛏El Cafecito Hostel or similar budget guesthouse in Quito (~£15-20/night)

• →Settle into your Quito hostel (La Floresta or Mariscal neighbourhood recommended)
• →Optional: walk the historic old town (UNESCO World Heritage Site) — free
• →Optional: book a Quito city tour & Equator Line visit via GetYourGuide (~£35-45 pp)
• →Stock up on sunscreen, snorkel gear, and any supplies before heading to the islands

Take an early morning flight from Quito to Baltra Airport (GPS), the main gateway to the Galápagos. From Baltra, take the free shuttle bus to the canal, then a short ferry across (around £0.80) and a public bus to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz (~£1.50). Check into your guesthouse in Puerto Ayora, then spend the afternoon exploring the waterfront and spotting sea lions lounging on the docks. Head to Tortuga Bay in the late afternoon for a stunning free beach walk and the chance to see marine iguanas.

🚌Flight from Quito to Baltra (~£150-180 pp one-way, book well in advance). Local bus + ferry from Baltra to Puerto Ayora (~£3).

🛏Hostal Los Amigos or similar budget guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£18-25/night)

• →Flight Quito (UIO) to Baltra (GPS) — book directly with LATAM or Avianca (~£150-180 return from mainland, note: Galápagos National Park fee ~£80 and Transit Control Card ~£15 payable on arrival)
• →Free shuttle + canal ferry + public bus from Baltra to Puerto Ayora (~£3 total)
• →Walk to Tortuga Bay (free, 2.5km each way from Puerto Ayora — bring ID for entry permit)
• →Spot sea lions and marine iguanas along the waterfront — free

This morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center on foot from Puerto Ayora — both are free to enter. See giant Galápagos tortoises up close, including adults in corrals and juveniles in the nursery. In the afternoon, consider renting a bike or joining a shared tour to the highland tortoise reserves (El Chato or Rancho Primicias) to see tortoises roaming freely in the wild. Return to Puerto Ayora for dinner at one of the waterfront 'kioscos' — excellent cheap local seafood.

🚌Walk to Darwin Station (~15 mins from town centre). Shared taxi to highlands ~£8-10 pp return.

🛏Hostal Los Amigos or similar budget guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£18-25/night)

• →Charles Darwin Research Station visit — free entry
• →Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center — free (within Research Station grounds)
• →Afternoon: Santa Cruz Highlands tortoise reserve visit — shared taxi + entrance ~£15-20 pp
• →Dinner at the Puerto Ayora waterfront kioscos (~£6-10 for a fresh seafood plate)

Take a morning speedboat from Puerto Ayora to Floreana Island (~2 hours, ~£25-35 pp each way). Floreana is tiny and deeply atmospheric — famous for its mysterious history and community-run tourism. Check into a locally owned guesthouse. Lunch and dinner at community-run restaurants, directly supporting Floreana's small population of around 150 residents. Explore Post Office Bay (a historic barrel used by sailors since the 18th century to leave letters) and snorkel at the nearby beach.

🚌Speedboat from Puerto Ayora to Floreana ~£25-35 pp (roughly 2 hours).

🛏Hostal Wittmer or a locally owned community guesthouse on Floreana (~£20-30/night, breakfast often included)

• →Morning speedboat from Puerto Ayora to Floreana (~£25-35 pp, book via local agencies in Puerto Ayora)
• →Visit Post Office Bay — the historic sailor's barrel, free
• →Snorkelling at the beach near Post Office Bay — bring your own gear or rent locally (~£5)
• →Lunch at a Floreana community restaurant (~£8-12)

Spend a full day exploring Floreana independently. Snorkel at Champion Islet (accessible by panga/dinghy tour — book locally) where you'll encounter sea lions, marine turtles, and reef fish. In the afternoon, visit the flamingo lagoon near Puerto Velasco Ibarra — flamingos, herons, and endemic Darwin finches are commonly spotted. Meals again at the community restaurants, contributing directly to the local economy.

🚌Walking and local panga trips on the island.

🛏Hostal Wittmer or locally owned community guesthouse on Floreana (~£20-30/night)

• →Champion Islet snorkelling panga trip — book locally on Floreana (~£20-30 pp)
• →Flamingo lagoon walk near Puerto Velasco Ibarra — free
• →Spot Galápagos penguins and sea turtles along the shoreline
• →Dinner at a Floreana community restaurant (~£10-15)

Catch the morning speedboat from Floreana to Isabela Island (~2 hours). Isabela is the largest island in the Galápagos and one of the least visited — meaning quieter beaches, more wildlife encounters, and a more raw, authentic experience. Check into a guesthouse in Puerto Villamil. Spend the afternoon exploring the flamingo lagoon boardwalk (free), the nearby wetlands, and the beach where sea lions and iguanas laze side by side.

🚌Speedboat from Floreana to Isabela ~£25-35 pp (~2 hours).

🛏Hostal San Vicente or La Jungla Hostal in Puerto Villamil (~£18-25/night)

• →Morning speedboat from Floreana to Isabela (~£25-35 pp, ~2 hours — book a day in advance)
• →Flamingo lagoon and wetlands boardwalk walk in Puerto Villamil — free
• →Relax on Playa de Amor or Puerto Villamil beach — free
• →Spot penguins, iguanas, and sea lions along the shoreline

Today is the highlight of the Isabela leg. Book a morning Los Tuneles snorkelling boat trip — a series of stunning lava arches and underwater tunnels about 40 minutes from Puerto Villamil. Expect seahorses, white-tipped sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, and Galápagos penguins. Book directly with local operators in Puerto Villamil for the best rates. In the afternoon, consider a guided hike up Sierra Negra volcano — one of the most active volcanoes in the world — for jaw-dropping caldera views.

🚌Boat to Los Tuneles included in tour price. Bicycle hire or taxi to Sierra Negra trailhead ~£5.

🛏Hostal San Vicente or La Jungla Hostal in Puerto Villamil (~£18-25/night)

• →Los Tuneles snorkelling boat trip — book directly in Puerto Villamil (~£35-50 pp, includes snorkel gear and guide)
• →Optional afternoon: Sierra Negra volcano hike via local guide (~£20-30 pp including guide fee, ~9km round trip)
• →Snorkelling at the Wall of Tears beach area — free
• →Seafood dinner at a local Puerto Villamil restaurant (~£8-12)

Visit the Isabela Tortoise Breeding Center in the morning — free to enter and home to hundreds of giant tortoises in their natural habitat on the edge of the village. Afterwards, rent a kayak from the beach (available from local operators, ~£10-15 for a half day) and paddle along the volcanic coastline, exploring sea caves and mangrove channels. You'll likely paddle alongside penguins and sea lions! Spend the afternoon relaxing on Puerto Villamil beach before an early dinner.

🚌Walking and bicycle/kayak on the island. Bike hire available ~£5-8/day.

🛏Hostal San Vicente or La Jungla Hostal in Puerto Villamil (~£18-25/night)

• →Isabela Tortoise Breeding Center visit — free
• →Kayak rental along the Isabela coastline and mangroves (~£10-15 for half day)
• →Snorkelling at Concha de Perla (natural lagoon near the pier) — free
• →Wall of Tears historical site hike — free (bring water, ~5km return)

Take the morning speedboat back from Isabela to Santa Cruz (~2.5 hours). Depending on your onward flight time from Baltra, you may have a few hours to enjoy a final meal in Puerto Ayora and pick up Galápagos handicrafts at the local market. Then transfer from Puerto Ayora to Baltra Airport by bus and ferry for your return flight to Quito mainland. If flying back to Quito this evening, you'll arrive in time for a late dinner and one final night in the city.

🚌Speedboat Isabela to Santa Cruz ~£25-35 pp. Bus + ferry to Baltra ~£3. Return flight Baltra to Quito (~included in round-trip booked on Day 2).

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel near Quito airport or in the city centre (~£15-20/night)

• →Morning speedboat from Isabela to Santa Cruz (~£25-35 pp, ~2.5 hours)
• →Browse the Puerto Ayora artisan market for local crafts and souvenirs
• →Final lunch at a waterfront kiosco in Puerto Ayora (~£8-10)
• →Bus + ferry transfer from Puerto Ayora to Baltra Airport (~£3) and flight back to Quito

Depart Quito at any time. If you have time before your flight, consider a final wander through the historic old town (Plaza Grande, La Compañía de Jesús church) or a visit to the Teleférico cable car up Volcán Pichincha for stunning views over the city. Quito's old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved in Latin America — a worthy final memory.

🚌Taxi or airport bus to Quito UIO airport (~£5-15 depending on location).

🛏N/A (departure day)

• →Optional: Quito old town final morning walk — free
• →Optional: Teleférico cable car to Volcán Pichincha (~£6-8 pp)
• →Depart from Quito Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO)