8 Day "Galapagos Wisdom" Tour - IDEAL - SMART25 in Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

SMART GALAPAGOS

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Duration: 8 days

Group size: 1 - 16

8 Day "Galapagos Wisdom" Tour - IDEAL - SMART25

Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

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SMART GALAPAGOS

Email address verified

Duration: 8 days

Group size: 1 - 16

Smart service
We provide truly personal service & advise previous and during your tour. Receive our complete SMART PRE-DEPARTURE guide for your tour.
Accommodation
Hand-picked hotels
Meals
Meals as included in itinerary
Breakfasts
All breakfasts are included
Guided tours
Profesional bilingual guide on tours. As indicated in itinerary
Transfers in/out
All transfers as in itinerary.
Local guide
Local guide on visits (transfer from/to airport)
Ranch entrance
Entrance to private Ranch to see Giant Tortoises with guide
Snorkel equipment
Snorkel equipment during navigable tours
Inter Island transport
All transportation between islands
Lobito Bus & Ferry
Lobito Bus to/from Baltra airport to Itabaca Channel & Ferry

Flights
Internations and national flights
National Park Entrance
Galapagos National Park Entrance fee ($200 Adults). Must be paid in cash at the airport (No ATM machines)
INGALA (TCT)
$20 transit control card
Credit card fee
2.9% to 3.9% fee. US Bank account transfer is 1%
Alcoholic drinks & tips
Alcoholic drinks and tips not included
Travel Insurance
Medical or travel insurance is not included. Guests must get their own travel insurance
Isabela tax
Isabela tax ($10 foreigners, $5 Nationals)
Tips
Service tips not included. Thank you!

4 or more travelers

Deposit: $800

Available until 45 days before departure

$1,699

Deposit: $800

2 or 3 Smart Travelers

Deposit: $850

Available until 45 days before departure

$1,789

Deposit: $850

Child from 2 to 11 years

Deposit: $700

Available until 45 days before departure

$1,429

Deposit: $700

Toddlers under 2 years

Deposit: $300

Available until 45 days before departure

$536

Deposit: $300

Single Traveler

Deposit: $1,300

Available until 45 days before departure

$2,683

Deposit: $1,300

Service Tips to your travel assistant

$35

UP. D2) Diving or Discovery Diving

$210

UP. D2) Yachting to North Seymour Island

$295

Day 7: Extra tour to Tintoreras

$75

PREMIUM HOTEL ISABELA-Per person

$285

PREMIUM HOTEL S. Cruz -Per person

$380

Day 1) Baltra - S. Cruz
Day 1) Baltra - S. Cruz
Pick up from airport + Lava Tunnels + Galapagos Tortoise Visit
We will meet you at the airport at Baltra Island and transfer you to Santa Cruz Island. Then we will visit "Los Gemelos" volcanic formations and a private ranch were we will visit the famous Galapagos Giant Tortoise on their natural habitat. Also we will see the volcanic reality of the Galapagos walking inside a petrified Lava tunnel.

At night enjoy a Premium welcome dinner in front of the sea, and a good night sleep at your hotel.

(-/BL/D)
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D2) Santa Cruz
D2) Santa Cruz
Las Grietas + Dog's Beach and Channel of love
Bay Tour (Lobos Island, Las Grietas & Dog's Beach) (+ Upgrades)
After a nice breakfast,, we pick you up from your hotel and go to the pier to start a 3 hour bay tour. Snorkeling and walking guided tour to "Lobos Island", Love Channel, "Las Grietas" and "Playa de los Perros" (Dog's Beach). Return to your hotel and in then enjoy a free afternoon walking to the famous white beach of Tortuga Bay (a beautiful beach top 5 in the world). Swim in "Playa Mansa" and enjoy kayaking if you'd like (not included $10 pp). At night you can go eat at the "Kioskos Street" where you can find a huge selection of street food and delicious local dishes.

Accommodation on your hotel.

(B/-/-)

OPTIONAL UPGRADE: YACHT TOUR TO NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
Breakfast at your hotel and then we pick you up to take our comfortable yacht that will take us to the incredible island of North Seymour. This uninhabited island is one of our favorites for animal lovers. Here you will see a large colony of Blue-footed boobies and the extremely photogenic Great Frigate birds. Also lookout for swallow-tailed gulls, marine iguanas, land iguanas, sea lions and more.
North Seymour is particularly famous for its elegant Frigate birds that, during mating season, rewards us with the vision (and photographs) of males inflating their guttural pouch into an enormous scarlet-red balloon to attract the females.
After a delicious lunch onboard the yacht, we head to Bachas Beach, a beautiful white coralline expanse. This is the perfect place for practicing snorkeling, swimming or to simply enjoy the white soft sand. Several brackish lagoons only a few steps away from the sea provide feeding grounds for various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos.
Overnight at your Hotel.
(B/L/-)

OPTIONAL UPGRADE 2: Diving at North Seymour
Breakfast and the we go to North Seymour Island for a unique underwater diving experience. 2 dives included. Lunch included on board. This spot is ideal to see sharks!
If you don't have previous diving experience, choose our Discovery Diving experience en North Seymour.
(B/L/-)
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Day 3) Santa Fé Island
Day 3) Santa Fé Island
Snorkel at Santa Fé Island + "Hidden" Beach
Breakfast at your hotel and then we pick you up to start our navigable boat tour to Santa Fé Island where we will enjoy snorkeling on the beautiful turquoise lagoon with great marine wildlife. Then we will have lunch on board and then go to "Hidden Beach" to relax, walk around this beach of soft white sand or snorkel.
Return to your hotel in Puerto Ayora and enjoy walking around this small town in the afternoon.

Accommodation at selected hotel

(B/L/-)

*Free upgrade to visit Pinzón Island and La Fe. With snorkel and lunch on board.
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D4) Santa Cruz+Isabela
D4) Santa Cruz+Isabela
Tortuga Bay beach + Transfer to Isabela Island
Breakfast + free morning to visit the World renowned white sand beach of Tortuga Bay Beach(return to your hotel at 1pm). Swim at Playa Mansa and enjoy the iguanas + transfer to Isabela Island on a fast boat (2 hours).
Pick up from the Pier in Isabela Island and transfer to your hotel.

At night go to "The Beach" Restaurant to enjoy dinner in front of the sea.

Accommodation at your selected hotel

(B/-/D)
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D5) ACTIVE VOLCANO
D5) ACTIVE VOLCANO
Trekking to an active Volcano in Isabela Island
Breakfast and then we go trekking to an active volcano. This 4-5 hours (16km both ways) hike to Volcán Sierra Negra and Volcán Chico will offer you breathtaking views of the second largest oceanic crater in the world as well as amazing views of northern Isabela Island. Enjoy a Box lunch with this view. Return to your hotel and relax on the white beach of Isabela.

At night enjoy a nice sleep at your selected hotel.

(B/BL/-)

*FREE OPTIONAL UPGRADE:
Tintoreras walking tour with amazing snorkel with sharks instead of the Volcano trekking tour.

(B/-/-)

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Day 6) Lava Tunnels
Day 6) Lava Tunnels
Snorkel at the amazing Lava Tunnels and Cabo Rosas
After breakfast we will pick you up to start our navigable tour to the incredible Lava Tunnels and Cabo Rosas. Here we will have the chance to snorkel with amazing marine animals such as White Tip (Friendly) sharks, rays, Marine Turtles and even get to see Penguins and Sea Horses. (This Off the Beaten path tour is one of the best hidden gems in Galapagos)
Then we will walk over the tunnels to see land animals such as the beautiful Blue-Footed boobies. Lunch on board before returning to your hotel for a relaxed afternoon at the beach.

Dinner included.

Overnight at your selected hotel.

(B/L/D)
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D7) Isabela-S.Cruz
D7) Isabela-S.Cruz
Beach time + Ferry to Santa Cruz Island
After breakfast, we have a free morning to enjoy the beach or visit "La Galapaguera" (Tortoise breeding center).
At 2pm we pick you up from your hotel take you to the pier to take our transfer ferry to Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz Island. Upon arrival go to your hotel to check in and enjoy the afternoon at this beautiful small town.

Special farewell Dinner in front of the sea at a beautiful restaurant.

Overnight at your selected hotel.

(B/-/D)

*Recommended extra tour.
Tintoreras walking or Kayaking tour:
Let's go to Tintoreras Islet! Pick up in the morning and transfer to the pier where we will board a small boat or kayak (depending on your preference) and go to Tintoreras Islet in search of penguins and sharks.
Snorkel included. Better snorkel spot is on the boat/walking tour.

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D8) Santa Cruz - Baltra
D8) Santa Cruz - Baltra
Transfer out to the airport
After breakfast we will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the airport in Baltra Island. Tour ends at Itabaca Channel from where you cross to Baltra Island (Where the airport is located) to take your flight back to mainland Ecuador. On the way to the airport we will make a short visit "Los Gemelos" volcanic formations (We might also visit them on Day 1)

UNTILL NEXT TIME GALAPAGOS! WE WILL MEET AGAIN!

THANK YOU FOR TRAVELING WITH SMART GALAPAGOS :)
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Day 1) Baltra - S. Cruz

Pick up from airport + Lava Tunnels + Galapagos Tortoise Visit

We are just back to the UK from a trip to the Galápagos booked with Juan Pablo at Smart Galápagos. We couldn’t have had a better trip, Juan took away the complexity of booking everything ourselves. Right from the beginning he kept us informed of hotels and what trips were wanted to do and offered alternatives to. All the hotels and trips exceeded our expectations and Juan was always quick to answer if we had any queries. He and Smart Galápagos were just excellent thank you.

By Jessica B for T. BUTCHER x 2 - 8+2 DAY - GALAPAGOS 360 TOUR "A" -ESSENTIAL-SMART25 on Aug 26, 2025

Juan Pablo was amazing from start to finish. Although the trip was officially an "8 day tour", Juan Pablo booked extra nights for us at our request for down time and a chance to explore on our own. The activities were perfectly curated and very well run throughout. Juan Pablo added some great included dinners are really nice restaurants, usually right on the water. He also checked in with us regularly to make sure that we were 100% happy. Juan Pablo knows everybody, so he will connect you with great people and great experiences. We went with the "comfort" hotels and these were great, often family run places with friendly service and a chill vibe. We usually travel more upscale, but I think we were actually happier with these family-run hotels. I probably don't need to tell you that the Galapagos islands are an amazing place for a vacation! We saw blue footed boobies, frigate birds, 4-5 giant turtle species, iguanas, sea turtles up to 2 meters in length, 2 species of sharks, Darwin's finches and many many more. The people who live in the Galapagos were genuinely friendly, helpful, and honest and, from my experience, there are zero safety concerns. We looked at pricey cruises and tours, and I'm so glad we went with Smart Galapagos! Our vacation was perfect!

By Alain A for 8 DAY - GALAPAGOS 360 TOUR "A" - IDEAL - SMART25 on Aug 05, 2025

We had a wonderful 8-day land-based tour in the Galapagos, organized with Juan Pablo from Smart Galapagos. Our main interest was seeing birds and other wildlife, and we saw so many incredible species of birds (especially the famed blue-footed booby), land and marine iguanas, sea lions, the iconic Galapagos tortoises, and marine turtles. It was just beautiful, and I appreciated being in touch before our trip and daily on the trip. The personalized attention from the planning stages, during the trip -- from changing a meal venue to touching base about a tsunami warning -- made it feel like we had a cousin helping us plan our trip. The places we stayed were run by very kind and helpful people, the food was excellent (I have celiac disease and ate safely and very well!), and the walking and snorkeling tours were just phenomenal.

By Annapurna P for T. ANN x 4 - 8 DAY - GALAPAGOS 360 TOUR "A" - IDEAL - SMART25 on Aug 05, 2025

We saved for 10 years for this dream trip. Smart Galapagos took care of everything at a great price!! They customized our adventures to best suit our desires and provided special dinners at top quality restaurants. We plan to return to the Galapagos and will definitely use them again.

By Ken S for T. KEN x 2 - 12 DAY - MEGA GALAPAGOS 360 "A" - IDEAL - SMART25 on May 27, 2025

Wonderful 8 days in the Galapagos Islands! Juan Pablo was friendly and helpful, having lived on the islands for many years. We spread our time across Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristobal. The Tortoise ranch was a great start and we learned quite a bit from the guide. On Isabela, the snorkel at Cabo Rosas was very cool, but a bit rough with swells and open water. We swam right next to several sea turtles! An afternoon kayaking was fun and a sea lion swam along with us. Our favorite snorkel was the last full day, at Kicker Rock off San Cristobal. The guide was excellent, we felt very safe and the equipment was top notch. We usually plan all of our own travel but with all the intricacies and options in the Galapagos we're very glad we had Juan Pablo and Smart Travel take care of it, and we still had plenty of time on our own to wander the towns and explore other centers and wildlife areas. Highly rec working with Juan Pablo, a great value overall.

By EIleen R for T. EILEEN x 2 - 8 DAY - GALAPAGOS 360 TOUR "A" - ESSENTIAL - SMART24 on May 08, 2025

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My husband and I are just back home in the UK after an eight day Galápagos Wisdom land based tour booked through Juan Pablo at Smart Galápagos. All the Islands and trips he arranged were well managed and interesting. The hotels were just lovely near the sea front with views of the harbours and beaches. We had a meal in a nice restaurant on each Island and Juan was very helpful with hints and tips at every stop. Coming from the UK we had enough to arrange and getting Juan and Smart Galápagos to organise our trip to the Islands took a lot of the complexity away, enabling us to have a more relaxed trip which was money well spent. Juan Pablo was very supportive and very quick to pick up while there for any queries that arose. Thank you.

By Jessica B on 26 Aug, 2025

Juan Pablo of Smart Galapagos organised a fantastic 8 day Galapagos experience for my group of 4 friends. It could not have been better organised. The hotels were all comfortable with lovely, helpful staff and great views. The restaurants were always the best in town. We saw all the major sights on the three main islands and it all ran like clockwork. He got us great prices and made sure we had a lot of extras. He kept in touch with us constantly, making sure everything was perfect. Thank you, Juan Pablo ! What a great experience ! All ' of us would highly recommend Smart Galapagos.

By Catherine M on 12 Dec, 2023

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