Galápagos Snorkeling & Wildlife Tour: Isla Santa Cruz & Isla Isabela - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive on Isla Santa Cruz, Visit Charles Darwin Research Station

Welcome to the Galápagos Islands! After touching down at Baltra Airport, you'll hop across the Itabaca Channel to reach Isla Santa Cruz, where a guide will be waiting to greet you. Start your trip off by meeting some of the islands' most famous residents, as on the way to your accommodation, you'll stop off at a local farm in the highlands where dozens of giant tortoises roam.

In the afternoon, the private tour will continue, to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here, scientists from all over the world meet to work together on environmental projects covering subjects like water analysis, animal protection, and the effects of tourism on nature. Your guide will then take you to the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, named after the Galápagos National Park ranger who cared for Lonesome George, the last known Pinta Island tortoise. 

Tonight, you'll join a small group of travelers for a dinner by the sea. Over a delicious meal, you can swap stories of the first day's experiences and chat about your upcoming itineraries for these special isles. With gorgeous views, warm service, and fresh-from-the-sea cuisine, it's a great way to set the mood for the trip and get into the rhythm of island life.

Day 2: Day Trip to Isla Pinzon & La Fé

After breakfast, embark on a full-day small-group excursion to Isla Pinzón and La Fe. Board a small boat and cruise through the wildlife-rich waters to Pinzón for the first snorkel stop of the day. You'll disembark at Penguin Bay—the name says it all, as it's a penguin's paradise. These little Galápagos penguins are the only penguin species found north of the equator.

 

Another 30-minute boat ride will bring you to La Fé, a beautiful white-sand beach where you can relax in the sun and eat lunch on board. Then you'll don your snorkel mask to join the underwater world of sea lions, turtles, reef fish, rays, and gentle reef sharks. During the tour, the guides will have a window of opportunity to reel in fish for food—so you may well find yourself dining on sashimi as you sail back to Santa Cruz!

Day 3: Explore an Uninhabited Island

Of the many islands in the Galápagos, only four have permanent settlements. The others are wild and home to many endemic species, so visits to these islands are highly regulated by the park's authorities. You'll visit one of these untamed islands today, by boarding a modern yacht and sailing for 1.5 to 2.5 hours to Bartolomé, Seymour Norte, Plazas Sur, or Santa Fé. The island visited will depend on park permits and the boat's schedule.

Every island has a different landscape and unique flora and fauna. For example, on Santa Fé, you'll likely see the Santa Fé iguana. Meanwhile, colonies of sea lions, frigatebirds, and blue-footed boobies populate Seymour Norte. Lunch will be served on the yacht, and you'll be taken to a snorkeling spot in the afternoon. After an exciting day, you'll return to Santa Cruz in the early evening.

Day 4: Speedboat to Isla Isabela, Wildlife Encounter 

Wave goodbye to Santa Cruz today and catch a public speedboat to Isla Isabela, a journey of approximately two hours. After checking in at your hotel, you'll have some time to do an activity of your choosing. Stroll down to Flamingo Lagoon, or take another look at the Galápagos' gentle giants at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Station.

After lunch, the tour continues to the Tintoreras Islet, named for its harmless tintoreras or whitetip sharks, which you may spot during your visit. Your guide will take you on a short hike, before you have the chance to snorkel in the natural channels formed by lava flows. These channels are home to seahorses, sea lions, turtles, starfish, rays, and penguins.

Day 5: Wildlife Tour of Cabo Rosa's Los Tuneles

After an early breakfast, prepare for more wildlife encounters with a thrilling small-group excursion to Los Tuneles, a perfect snorkeling spot. From the dock in Puerto Villamil, you will board a speedboat for an approximate one-hour journey to reach the Cabo Rosa lava tunnels, locally known as Los Tuneles. Lava flows here have produced unique geological formations, like arcs and tunnels beneath and above the water, lending itself a sense of discovery as you swim.

Unsurprisingly, Los Tuneles delivers plenty of opportunities for close wildlife encounters. In the shallow waters, you can snorkel with tropical fish, rays, turtles, seahorses, and whitetip reef sharks. Above water, keep your eyes open for penguins sitting on the rocks. You're also likely to see the iconic blue-footed booby birds and scrambling marine iguanas.

Day 6: Isla Isabela Free Time, Speedboat to Isla Santa Cruz

In the morning, you will have time to explore by yourself this beautiful island. Relax on one of the tranquil beaches, or you could head to the highlands for an easy 1.5-hour hike to the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano. Continue cycling along a well-maintained trail leading to the wetlands.

Around the lagoons and mangroves, you'll spot flamingoes and migratory birds such as terns, swallow-tailed gulls, and blue-winged teals. The bike ride will finish on the main road, close to the beach, where you can relax and enjoy the company of marine iguanas. Later, you'll pack up and take the public speedboat back to Isla Santa Cruz, roughly 2-2.5 hours away, where you will spend the night ahead of tomorrow's flight.

Day 7: Depart the Galápagos

Enjoy one last breakfast in Puerto Ayora before transferring back to the Itabaca Channel, which you will cross by ferry to connect to the airport terminal and catch your departing flight. Safe travels!

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to the Galápagos? Check out these other Galápagos itineraries, explore other ways to spend a week in the Galápagos, or discover the best time to visit the Galápagos.