Grand Galapagos (Grand Queen Beatriz)

17 days
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Small Group Tour
Climb aboard for a 17-day adventure cruise of the unforgettable Galapagos Islands. Sail from Santa Cruz to the islands of Isabella, Floreana, Espanola, North Seymour and more, taking in diverse landscapes that range from lava flows to sands of green, red and white. Spend days exploring the archipelago that a young Charles Darwin called ‘a little world within ...
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Overview

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

Highlights

    • Jump aboard the ultimate Galapagos exploration on the most comprehensive voyage, taking in both popular destinations and lesser-known treats.
    • Encounter spectacular wildlife, both on land and underwater. You can expect to see giant tortoises, sea lions, sea turtles, plus a variety of iguanas, birds and sharks.
    • Scrambling over hardened lava, hiking through cacti forests, and snorkelling in an eroded volcanic cone – this trip is one for the explorers.
    • Discover otherworldly landscapes. From arid shrubbery decorated with technicolour iguanas to rich underwater ecosystems where turtles and sharks nest among colourful fish and crabs.
    • Enjoy the company and guidance of a passionate local naturalist during your excursions on land, gaining insight into the flora, fauna and history of the islands.
    • 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?

    Climb aboard for a 17-day adventure cruise of the unforgettable Galapagos Islands. Sail from Santa Cruz to the islands of Isabella, Floreana, Espanola, North Seymour and more, taking in diverse landscapes that range from lava flows to sands of green, red and white. Spend days exploring the archipelago that a young Charles Darwin called ‘a little world within itself’, and evenings sipping cocktails on the deck while watching the sunset. This unique part of the world is full of beautiful surprises, and this tour gives you the time to see them all.

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

  • Nature & Wildlife

Destinations

Attractions

  • Darwin
  • Galapagos
  • Galapagos Islands
  • Guayaquil
  • Isla Baltra
  • Isla Bartolome
  • Isla Santa Fe
  • Isla Santiago
  • Puerto Villamil
  • Quito
  • San Cristobal
  • Santa Cruz
  • Santiago

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • Isla Santa Cruz - Punta Carrion - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Isabela - Las Tintoreras visit (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Isabela - Arnolda Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center including Flamingo Lagoon (2 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 Floreana - Devil's Crown snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Floreana - Post Office Bay snorkelling (45 mins)
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Plaza Sur - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santa Fe - Panga ride (45 mins)
    • Isla Santa Fe - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Espanola - Punta Suarez - Walk (3 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Espanola - Bahia Gardener - Snorkel (1 hour)
    • Isla Espanola - Bahia Gardener - Walk (1 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla San Cristobal - Punta Pitt - Walk (2 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla San Cristobal - Isla Lobos - Walk (1 hour) - Dry Landing
    • Isla San Cristobal - Highlands Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santiago - Sullivan Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Bartolome - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Bartolome - Snorkelling (1.5 hours)
    • Isla Bartolome - Panga ride (30 mins)
    • Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Walk (1.45 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Sanitago - Espumilla Beach - Panga ride or Snorkelling (45 mins)
    • Isla Sanitago - Buccaneer's Cove - Panga Ride (45 mins)
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla North Seymour - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla North Seymour - Snorkelling (1 hours)
    • Isla Mosquera - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Mosquera - Beach Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Black Turtle Cove - Panga ride (1.5 hours)
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon - Snorkelling or swimming (1 hour)
    • Isla Santiago - Sombrero Chino - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Sombrero Chino - Walk and Panga ride (2 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Rabida - Snorkelling (1 hour)
    • Isla Rabida - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Walk (1 hour) - Wet Landing
    • Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Snorkel (1 hour) - Wet Landing

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Quito

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Quito, one of South America’s most beautiful cities. When you arrive at Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport (AKA Quito Airport), a representative will greet and assist you with transfer to your hotel. A welcome meeting will be held in ...

Day 2 Isla Baltra/Punta Carrion

Rise and shine! Please note the pick-up time for your transfer to the airport can be as early as 4.30 am (a boxed breakfast will be provided), as the airport is a one-hour drive away and you must allow for delays and check-in times. You'll be met in the arrival hall o...

Day 3 Isla Isabela/Las Tintoreras/Giant Tortoise Breeding Center

Wake up on the south coast of Isla Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos archipelago. Isabela was formed by five giant volcanic craters, all of which are still considered active. The island sits in one of the youngest geological areas in the world, having formed less ...

Day 4 Isla Floreana/Post Office Bay/Devil's Crown/Punta Cormorant

The island of Floreana is a highlight of any Galapagos trip, rich as it is in natural wonders and wildlife. Enjoy a Zodiac ride to observe marine iguanas, sea lions and crabs before taking a leisurely walk to Post Office Bay, where 18th-century whalers used a barrel a...

Day 5 Isla Santa Cruz/Charles Darwin Station/Santa Cruz Highlands

Welcome to the second-largest island in the Galapagos, Isla Santa Cruz. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. As well as undertaking vital conservation work, the station offers the best opportunities for close encounters with giant tortoises. Coo over baby tortoi...

Day 6 Isla Santa Fe/Isla Plaza Sur

Spend some time today exploring gorgeous Isla Santa Fe, where the sea lions are especially eager for synchronised swimming partners! The island’s friendly furry inhabitants, plus the attractive coves and jade-green waters, make it ideal for snorkelling. Santa Fe also...

Day 7 Isla Espanola/Bahia Gardner/Punta Suarez

Wake up on Isla Espanola, the southernmost island of the Galapagos. Because of its remote location, this island has a large population of endemic fauna. It is also the breeding site for nearly all the 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses on earth, plus home to colonies o...

Day 8 Isla Cristobal/Leon Dormido/Isla Lobos/Punta Pitt

Make a morning visit to Punta Pitt on the eastern end of Isla San Cristobal. Walk to the top of the volcanic hill for expansive views of the sparsely vegetated area. A variety of seabirds nest here, including blue-footed boobies and frigates. You will then navigate c...

Day 9 Isla San Cristobal

Visit San Cristobal Interpretation Center in the morning. This centre brings the history and geography of the archipelago to life, from its volcanic origins to the present day. The human history exhibit offers an insight into the discovery and colonisation of the Gala...

Day 10 Bartolome/Bahia Sullivan

Bartolome is one of the most spectacular volcanic landscapes in the Galapagos, full of parasitic spatter cones, lava flows, Galapagos penguins and lava lizards. This relatively new island (by the ancient standards of the archipelago) is home to Pinnacle Rock -- one o...

Day 11 Isla Santiago/Espumilla Beach/Buccaneer Cove/Puerto Egas

Visit Espumilla Beach, an important nesting site for marine turtles and great place to take a dip. Well known for its palo santo forest and some extraordinary lava formations, it’s also the ideal spot to see Galapagos hawks up close. Caleta Bucanero (Buccaneer Cove)...

Day 12 Isla Santa Cruz/Puerto Ayora

Today you will return to Isla Santa Cruz and get the chance to see the island from a different perspective on an exploration of love tunnels and hidden beaches. Take a short speed boat taxi, followed by a 15-minute walk, to Las Grietas (The Cracks). The clear water th...

Day 13 North Seymour/Isla Mosquera

Take a morning excursion to North Seymour and follow a trail inland, emerging on rocky coast. Along the way pass colonies of frigate birds. Along with their long wingspan and hooked beak, frigates are extremely fast and have excellent vision. The males are easiest to ...

Day 14 Caleta Tortuga Negra/Cerro Dragon

Take a Zodiac ride to Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) – a red mangrove wetland on the north shore of Isla Santa Cruz. Paddle among the cove’s peaceful waters looking for green turtles, golden cow-nose rays, eagle rays and Galapagos sharks. There is also abund...

Day 15 Isla Rabida/Sombrero Chino

Sombrero Chino is a small islet located near the south-east coast of Santiago, so named because it’s shaped like conical hats worn in some parts of Asia. Approach Sombrero Chino via a crescent-shaped, sandy beach that is home to sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Fo...

Day 16 Las Bachas/Isla Baltra/Quito

Take an early morning excursion to Las Bachas, named after the barges abandoned on the beach by the American Navy in the 1940s. Made of decomposed coral, the sand here is white and soft, which makes it the perfect nesting site for the Pacific green turtle. A saltwater...

Day 17 Quito

There are no activities planned for today, but if you plan on staying in Quito there are plenty of activities on offer in the charming city. Perhaps get a crash course in this lofty town with an Urban Adventure. See urbanadventures.com/destination/Quito-tours more.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $12,668
Price per day$745
Last Updated: 11/7/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
30 Nov 2024
16 Dec 2024
$15,020
30 Nov 2024
16 Dec 2024
$15,020
30 Nov 2024
16 Dec 2024
$14,865
30 Nov 2024
16 Dec 2024
$14,865
30 Nov 2024
16 Dec 2024
$14,440
30 Nov 2024
16 Dec 2024
$14,440
14 Dec 2024
30 Dec 2024
$14,440
14 Dec 2024
30 Dec 2024
$14,440
14 Dec 2024
30 Dec 2024
$14,865
14 Dec 2024
30 Dec 2024
$14,865

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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Intrepid Travel

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Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

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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  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

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Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

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.

 

Values

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

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
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  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
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

Minibus,Plane,Boat,Zodiac,

Transportation & flights

Minibus,Plane,Boat,Zodiac
Guides
On our Galapagos trips you will be meet on arrival by our experienced local representatives. They will conduct the group briefing on the evening of day 1 of the trip and 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

  • Hotel Le Parc
  • República de El Salvador N34-349 & Irlanda
  • Quito
  • ECUADOR
  • Phone: +593 22276800
Trip ID
intrepid-GMQG

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