Absolute Galapagos (Grand Daphne)

17 days
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Small Group Tour
Discover the endemic wildlife, bizarrely beautiful landscapes and underwater treasures of the Galapagos Islands on this immersive 17-day cruise. Explore both the traveller’s favourites and quiter parts of the archipelago, all with a passionate local naturalist on hand to guide you over pahoehoe lava and through marine iguana colonies. Snorkel in clear waters ...
19%
$14,135
From$11,492
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • With over two weeks spent on the archipelago, this trip takes a more leisurely pace. Spend more time on each island, soaking up the sun and the sea (lions).
    • Hike, snorkel, sleep, repeat – this isn’t your average cruise. Get active in the rugged and isolated Galapagos Islands.
    • Sea lions are like the dogs of the ocean: playful, goofy and curious. And while you can’t pat them, you’re bound to fall in love with these furry frolickers.
    • Pink flamingos, red-throated frigates and blue-footed boobies will have you craning your neck, snapping photos and contemplating a career in ornithology.
    • Towering cacti, rocky cliffs, red-sand beaches and more await you in this otherworldly archipelago.
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, The Galapagos Conservancy. Donations support their Women in Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WISE) program, providing capital for sustainability initiatives and empowering female entrepreneurs in the Galapagos. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

What's this trip about?

    Discover the endemic wildlife, bizarrely beautiful landscapes and underwater treasures of the Galapagos Islands on this immersive 17-day cruise. Explore both the traveller’s favourites and quiter parts of the archipelago, all with a passionate local naturalist on hand to guide you over pahoehoe lava and through marine iguana colonies. Snorkel in clear waters off the coast of Isla Espanola, paddle through a green turtle breeding grove on Isla Floreana, look out for mottled Galapagos hawks on Isla Fernandina, and wander between sea lions lounging on beaches with red, black and white sand.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range12 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityQuito
End CityQuito

Travel Themes

  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Small Ship Cruise
  • Sailing

Destinations

Attractions

  • Charles Darwin Research Station
  • Cotopaxi
  • Darwin
  • Galapagos
  • Isabela Island
  • Isla Baltra
  • Isla Floreana
  • Isla Santa Fe
  • Isla Santiago
  • Quito
  • San Cristobal
  • Santa Cruz
  • Santa Cruz Island
  • Santa Fe
  • Santiago

Activities

  • Sailing
  • Wildlife viewing

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Floreana - Post Office Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Floreana - Punta Cormorant walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Espanola - Bahia Gardener - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Espanola - Punta Suarez - Walk (3 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla San Cristobal - Interpretation Center Visit (1 hour) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Plaza Sur - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santa Fe - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santa Fe - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Genovesa - Bahia Darwin - Walk (2 hours) Wet Landing
    • Isla Genovesa - La Barranco - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Santiago - Sullivan Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Santa Cruz - Bahia Borrero - Walk (1 hour)
    • Santa Cruz - Bahia Borrero - Snorkel 45minutes - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santiago - Sullivan Bay - Snorkelling (45 mins)
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon - Snorkelling or swimming (1 hour)
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Walk (1 hour) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Snorkel (1 hour) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Rabida - Walk and Snorkel from the beach (2 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Isabela - Punta Albermarle - Snorkelling (1 hour)- Dry Landing
    • Isla isabela - Punta Albermarle - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Isabela - Tagus Cove - Walk (1.45 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Isabela - Tagus Cove - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca Snorkelling (1 hour) Dry Landing
    • Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca - Panga Ray boat tour (30 mins)
    • Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Walk (1.45 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santiago - Caleta Buccanero - Panga boat tour (1 hour)
    • Isla Santiago - Caleta Buccanero - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Bartolome - Snorkelling (1.5 hours)
    • Isla Bartolome - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Sombrero Chino - Snorkelling (1.5 hours) Wet Landing
    • Isla Sombrero chino - Walk (1.5 hours) Wet Landing
    • Isla North Seymour - Snorkelling (1 hours)
    • Isla North Seymour - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Station (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1 hour) - Dry Landing

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Quito

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Ecuador. The adventure gets under way in Quito, Ecuador’s sprawling but refined capital city. A welcome meeting will be held this evening at either 5 pm or 6 pm, but aside from that you are free to check out the city on your own today. If you a...

Day 2 Isla Baltra - Santa Cruz Highlands

Rise and shine! An early start is necessary this morning to make it to the Galapagos with time to play today. This could mean leaving as early as 4.30 am, due to flight times. Transfer to Mariscal Sucre International Airport (aka Quito Airport), enjoying a boxed break...

Day 3 Post Office Bay - Punta Cormorant - Devils Crown, Isla Floreana

Discover the quirky maritime history of Post Office Bay, home of the oldest postal system in the Americas. There’s a post box here that was first built by 18th-century whalers and is still in use today. Perhaps leave a letter to be collected by another traveller or lo...

Day 4 Punta Suarez - Bahia Gardner, Isla Espanola

Wake up and take a hike on Isla Espanola, the southernmost island of the Galapagos. It is the breeding site for almost all of the estimated 24,000 waved albatrosses on earth. If you’re lucky (and the timing is right), you might spot the elaborate courtship rituals per...

Day 5 Kicker Rock - Cerro Brujo - Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Isla San Cristobal

Shake off any early morning doziness with a trip to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock). This basalt crater rises 150 metres above the water and is divided into two parts by a narrow channel. Cruise around kicker rock as nesting seabirds flank the boat, tropicbirds soar overhe...

Day 6 Isla Santa Fe - Isla Plaza Sur

Sea lions, iguanas and hawks – oh my! Isla Santa Fe is home to all three, plus Galapagos mockingbirds, marine turtles, frigate birds, Galapagos doves and lava lizards. This stunning island boasts one of the most attractive coves in the whole archipelago. Take a hike a...

Day 7 Bahia Darwin - Prince Philip's Steps, Isla Genovesa

Explore Isla Genovesa, the archipelago's north-eastern outpost. The island’s varied landscapes are a twitcher's paradise, with all three kinds of boobies, including the rare red-footed booby, nesting here. Next, Bahia Darwin (Darwin Beach) is another superb birding si...

Day 8 Bahia Sullivan, Isla Santiago - Cerro Dragon, Isla Santa Cruz

On Santiago Island's eastern coast sits Bahia Sullivan. Take a walk along pahoehoe lava (approximately 1 hour), which was created by an eruption that occurred here in 1897. With some luck you might see some marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea lions, finches, tu...

Day 9 Black Turtle Cove - Las Bachas, Isla Santa Cruz

Explore Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) on a Zodiac. This red mangrove wetland is located on the north shore of Isla Santa Cruz. Cruise through this peaceful cove and look out for mating green turtles, as well as golden cow-nose rays, eagle rays and Galapagos...

Day 10 Isla Rabida - Punta Albemarle, Isla Isabela

Today you will sail from Las Bachas to Isla Rabida, known for its spectacular red sand beaches, caused by the high content of iron in the sand which rusts to form the unusual shade. Follow a trail from the shore along to a lagoon which is one of the best spots in the ...

Day 11 Tagus Cove - Bahia Urbina, Isla Isabela

Sail overnight from Punta Albermarle around to the western shores of Isla Isabela. Wake up near Tagus Cove, where pirates and whalers used to collect tortoises for their travels. Enjoy a short visit here (approximately 2 hours), perhaps snorkelling or checking out the...

Day 12 Punta Espinosa, Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca, Isla Isabela

Today, visit Punta Espinosa that is a narrow ledge of lava and sand extending from the base of La Cumbre volcano. Take a walk around the beautiful peninsula, which boasts such wildlife and plant life as lava cacti, marine iguanas, barking sea lions, tiny penguins and ...

Day 13 Puerto Egas - Caleta Bucanero, Isla Santiago

Sail this morning to Puerto Egas, a black-sand beach on the west side of James Bay, northwest of Isla Santiago, home to incredible volcanic tuff formations. Take a stroll along the beach with the native marine iguanas, pelicans, finches, mockingbirds, oystercatchers, ...

Day 14 Isla Bartolome - Isla Sombrero Chino

Wake up in Bartolome Island, a spectacular volcanic landscape full of spatter cones and lava flows, and home to Galapagos penguins and lava lizards. Put on your walking shoes and climb up 360 wooden steps to the summit, where an amazing view of Pinnacle Rock awaits. T...

Day 15 Isla North Seymour - Charles Darwin Research Station, Isla Santa Cruz

Wake up this morning in North Seymour, one of the most visited islands of the Galapagos. First up is a walk around the island to spot some blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Boobies and frigates have an interesting relationship, sharing the same nesting are...

Day 16 Puerto Ayora - Santa Cruz Highlands, Isla Baltra - Quito

Flights to the mainland from Galapagos depart mid-morning, so it’s an early start for your last morning on the islands. You will visit the Santa Cruz Highlands. Travel through the agricultural region and into the misty forests where you can see the unique scalesia cl...

Day 17 Quito

There are no activities planned for today, and your tour finishes after breakfast. Of course, that doesn’t mean your adventure has to end! Why not stay on in Quito for a few days and discover the charms of the city. Don’t know where to begin? Try an Urban Adventure, the perfect way to get under the surface. Find out more at urbanadventures.com/destination/Quito-tours.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $11,492
Price per day$676
Last Updated: 11/7/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
10 Dec 2024
26 Dec 2024
$14,305
10 Dec 2024
26 Dec 2024
$12,192
10 Dec 2024
26 Dec 2024
$14,995
10 Dec 2024
26 Dec 2024
$14,725
21 Jan 2025
06 Feb 2025
$14,160
21 Jan 2025
06 Feb 2025
$15,670
21 Jan 2025
06 Feb 2025
$15,295
21 Jan 2025
06 Feb 2025
$14,160
04 Feb 2025
20 Feb 2025
$14,160
04 Feb 2025
20 Feb 2025
$15,295

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

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Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

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On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

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They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
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Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nights),Overnight boat (14 nights)

Transportation & Flights

Boat,Plane,Bus,Zodiac (Panga),

Transportation & flights

Boat,Plane,Bus,Zodiac (Panga)
Guides
Our local representative will meet you in the evening of day 1 of the trip and conduct the group briefing. They will then also transfer with you to the airport on day 2 for your flight to the Galapagos. On arrival in the Galapagos you will be met your Guide. Our Guides are registered and trained in conservation and natural sciences by the Charles Darwin Foundation and licensed by the Galapagos National Park Service. The Guide will be on board with you for the duration of the trip and will accompany you on all excursions. Our boats are also staffed by highly experienced shipboard staff and crew.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services The Ecuadorian government has declared that travel insurance is compulsory for all travellers entering Ecuador. Proof of insurance may be requested at upon entering the country by immigration officials.
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Age Requirements
12 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • NH Collection Quito Royal
  • Cordero 444 - Avenida 12 de Octubre
  • Quito
  • 170143
  • ECUADOR
  • Phone: 593 22233333
Trip ID
intrepid-GMDE

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