Galapagos Wildlife Adventure Express

Arrive in Quito

Welcome to the historic city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. An MT Sobek representative will meet you outside customs at the airport and escort you to your hotel. After settling in at the hotel, the rest of the day is free unwind, take advantage of the pool's spa services or begin your exploration of this dynamic city. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Tour Quito’s Old Town

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting out on half-day guided tour of colonial Quito. The city's UNESCO-listed old town contains the best examples of Colonial Baroque architecture in South America! After lunch, you are free to explore more of the old town, return to the hotel, or shop for handicrafts made by local artisans.

Gather in the hotel at 6:30pm for a briefing with your fellow travelers and MT Sobek representative, who will discuss tomorrow's flight to the Galápagos Islands and the adventure ahead. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Fly to San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to San Cristóbal. On arrival your guide will escort you to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where you will board the luxurious Galaxy II. Enjoy lunch before cruising to nearby Isla Lobos — separated from San Cristóbal by a narrow channel, providing opportunities to snorkel with sea lions, sea turtles, and tropical fish. There is also a short trail great for viewing blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, sea lions, and the picturesque León Dormido — a huge volcanic monolith located offshore.

Discover Santa Fé & South Plaza Islands

Wake to explore the beautiful bay and turquoise waters of Santa Fé Island. Here you can snorkel and swim with tropical fish, sea lions and turtles, and see a large colony of sea lions basking on the beach. Along the rocky trail, you will find endemic land iguanas, seeking shade under prickly-pear cactus, and many birds — from Galápagos hawks to Darwin finches. Next it's on to South Plaza Island, home to a colony of sea lions and a large population of Galápagos land Iguanas. The southern part of the trail follows the cliff, where you will see many sea birds nesting or flying, including frigatebirds, boobies, and shearwaters.

Visit North Seymour Island & Mosquera Islet

Cruise to North Seymour Island and take a loop trail in search of blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds. Have your cameras ready as you keep an eye out for Darwin finches, marine iguanas, and huge land iguanas. After snorkeling off the coast of Seymour, journey to nearby Mosquera — a small, flat islet where one of the largest colonies of sea lions on the archipelago can be found. Spend time strolling on the beautiful white sand beach and observing sea lions playing in the waves or basking in the sun.

See Red-Footed Boobies on Genovesa Island

Genovesa Island is one of the most interesting for visitors! Explore Darwin's Bay — a protected bay in a volcanic crater that long ago broke open to the sea. Enjoy the company of red-footed boobies, who may come aboard, and witness the great commotion between nesting boobies and frigatebirds. Those traveling between February and May could also see a compelling show of frigatebird courtship.

After lunch, explore the cliffs by Zodiac before climbing to the island's plateau. Look out for red-footed and Nazca boobies, large-beaked ground finches, short-eared owls, and thousands of Galápagos storm petrels which nest in the island's lava tubes.

Explore the Highlands of Santa Cruz & Return to Quito

After an early breakfast, disembark the Galaxy II and transfer to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a special opportunity to see Galápagos giant tortoises in the wild. Then head to the Baltra airport for your return flight to Quito, to connect with homeward bound flights. A hotel room at the Wyndham Quito Airport Hotel is provided. You can use your hotel room as a dayroom with extended check-out and depart on a late evening flight home, or you can use your room as an overnight room and depart the next day. Ask your Adventure Coordinator for details. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.