Highlights
Archipel I Catamaran - Spend seven nights cruising onboard this modern, spacious catamaran with a naturalist guide and experienced crew Wildlife spotting - Try to find all three distinct species of booby, as well as sea lions, iguanas, Galapagos penguin, giant tortoises and much more Snorkel and walk - Discover an underwater paradise as well as a volcanic landscape, with daily snorkelling and on-shore excursions
Itinerary
Set sail for the enchanted Galapagos with the Galapagos - Central, South & East Islands aboard the Archipel I, a ten-day cruise tour designed for wildlife enthusiasts and explorers. Begin and end your adventure in Quito, spending seven nights aboard a modern catamaran with an expert naturalist guide and crew.
Travel between central, east, and south islands, snorkeling at Devil’s Crown among vibrant fish, and hiking through volcanic landscapes to spot all three species of booby, sea lions, iguanas, and giant tortoises. On land and underwater, each day unveils a new facet of the archipelago’s legendary biodiversity.
This easy-paced tour package stands out for its focus on immersive wildlife experiences, balanced with the comfort of a spacious catamaran. For those seeking a journey that combines adventure, education, and relaxation in one of the world’s greatest natural laboratories, this Galapagos tour is an excellent choice.
day 1Join trip in Puembo, Quito
Arrive in Puembo, a quiet rural neighbourhood of Quito located around 20 minutes from the airport and 45 minutes from the downtown city centre. Ecuador's mountain capital is, at 2,850m, the second highest capital in Latin America, lying in a narrow valley at the foot of the Pichincha Volcano. Arriving into the city by plane is quite spectacular as you approach over snow-capped mountains and extinct volcanoes - a window seat is recommended! You will be met on arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) by a driver to take you to this evening's hotel, where more information will be given to you about tomorrow's schedule. The hotel is a tranquil, colonial-style property with a large garden and swimming pool. It's located in the countryside suburbs of Quito, near the airport; perfect for an early start tomorrow. The hotel can help organise a taxi for you into downtown Quito if you arrive early in the day and wish to visit the city.
day 2Fly to the Galapagos; see giant tortoises at the Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre; board the Archipel I Catamaran
day 3Observe the wildlife of Floreana Island and visit Post Office Bay
day 4Snorkel in Gardner Bay and head onto Punta Suarez
day 5Find sea lions at Pitt Point and snorkel at the atmospheric Witch Hill
day 6Explore the rugged beach at Lobos Islet
day 7Mingle with the iguanas on Sante Fe Island
day 8Visit Chinese Hat and North Seymour
day 9Search the Santa Cruz highlights for giant tortoise; fly back to Quito
day 10Trip ends in Puembo, Quito
What's Included
Customer Reviews
On the whole this was a good trip. we saw lots of animals in their natural habitat. However we did have a 'wasted day' on the change over day, 24th March(day 4). The only activity arranged was 45min trip to the Interpretation centre and a short visit to Frigate Hill, on San Cristobel Island. We spent quite a few hours on board with little to do. There should have been more activities such as snorkeling...This day was also made very fraught for us by the boat staff and captain. From day one, our air con system malfunctioned, after several attempts to repair it we were promised another cabin with a working air con during the change over, day (4). As you can imagine it was very uncomfortable to be in a small cabin near the equator, without air conditioning. As day 4 progressed and the new guests arrived, it became more obvious that we were not going to change cabins. The Captain assured me that someone was going to come to fix our machine and pleaded with me 'just to wait'. By late afternoon nothing had changed. I contacted Andean Travel, who contacted Onric who organised a different cabin at about 6pm as one other passenger was going to be late and we could transfer to his. Emails were received pleading with us not to disclose the problem with other passengers. I agreed to this but pointed out that the saloon was now full and we would be transferring our baggage through the saloon. We received a letter from Onric apologising about not reaching their 'expectation of making us comfortable' on half of our trip, with a bottle of house wine. Considering the cost of this trip, a bottle of house wine hardly recompenses us for those 4 days, half our trip, in a stiffling cabin. I have kept the letter. In view of the angst of having to 'fight' for a change of cabin was I disappointed to find on our last night, 4 envelopes (2 per person), on our bed, in which to place our tips. Two were for the guide and two for the crew. The suggestions for the amounts would have added about $500 to the cost of our trip (which is a very significant cost and should be mentioned by Explore at the time of advertising the trip). It was suggested that the tip for the crew should be $20 per day per person ($40 per couple). I have one of these envelopes. I feel that Andean Travel should offer a financial recompense for the very uncomfortable 4 days, half our trip.
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