Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands - Deluxe

Tour Code: ECU15

A 20-day holiday including a 2-week cruise around the 'Enchanted Isles' in our first class motor cruiser 'Beluga', plus a visit to Antisana or Otavalo, and an optional 3-day extension to the Amazon Jungle.

20 days from
£10,395 (Inc flights)

Land only price from
£9,395

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Highlights

Summary

The Galapagos Islands form a volcanic archipelago straddling the equator some 960 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador. They consist of volcanic peaks, strange lava fields, beautiful sandy bays, and clear seas. Their natural history is outstanding, and much of it is endemic. There are Giant Tortoises, prehistoric-looking Land and Marine Iguanas, and countless breeding seabirds; most appealing of all is the ‘tame’ and obliging nature of the islands’ extraordinary wildlife.

The most comprehensive Galapagos cruise on the market
28 endemic bird species such as Small Ground Finch
Led by expert natural history guide, born & raised in Galapagos
Daily landings at wildlife-rich visitor sites for Giant Tortoise, Blue-footed Boobies & more
Ample time & superb opportunities for photography
Snorkel in crystal-clear, fish-filled waters with inquisitive young Galapagos Sea Lions
Visits to Espanola, Genovesa & Fernandina
Waved Albatrosses nesting & courting during July/August
Look for seabirds & cetaceans as we cruise between islands
Exciting Amazon rainforest extension at Sacha Lodge

Grading

Day walks only. Easy and optional, although terrain can be rough.

The Galapagos Islands, surely, need no introduction. Ancient seafarers called them the Enchanted Isles, recognising their unique landscape and extraordinary fauna, but it was Charles Darwin who drew them to the world’s attention. By observing the fascinating changes and adaptations made in the birds and reptiles through thousands of years of isolation on these predator-free islands, Darwin was able to formulate his theory of evolution.

The Galapagos Islands form a large archipelago straddling the equator some 960 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador. Of volcanic origin, they are beautiful islands with great variety and often bizarre form; each island with its own peculiar shape and charm. There are volcanic peaks, strange lava fields, beautiful sandy bays, and clear seas, perfect for snorkelling in the sheltered coves. Their natural history is outstanding — so much of it endemic. 28 bird species, from the Small Ground Finch to the magnificent Waved Albatross, occur nowhere else in the world. There are giant tortoises, prehistoric-looking Land and Marine Iguanas, colourful crabs such as the Sally Lightfoot, and even a Galapagos Snake. Most appealing of all is the tame and obliging nature of this extraordinary wildlife; it is a photographer’s paradise — a telephoto lens is usually unnecessary.

Our 2-week cruise is special. We avoid the routine, large and luxury motor vessels, and their noisy crowds, by chartering our own vessel, the elegant First Class motor yacht Beluga, which accommodates 16 passengers in 8 comfortable, air-conditioned cabins. This provides a freedom, flexibility and group independence essential to the specialist nature of our holiday. Moving at our own pace, we will have a greater chance to enjoy these islands to the full, and to benefit from the knowledge of our expert naturalist-guide.

We will aim to visit all the major islands and many smaller ones, starting and ending our cruise on Baltra Island. At Academy Bay, on Santa Cruz Island, we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise breeding station, and make a trip up to the highlands to look for the reptiles in the wild. We will walk amongst spectacular volcanic scenery on Bartolome Island, and we will swim amongst fur seals and Sea Lions from the beaches on James Island. With a mixture of night-time voyages (for the longer navigations) and shorter day-time sailings, we will explore each island for its own peculiar wildlife specialities. On Espanola we should see the magnificent Waved Albatross in November together with thousands of nesting seabirds and colourful Marine Iguanas. Genovesa, way to the north, hosts huge colonies of frigatebirds and Red-footed and Masked Boobies, plus a population of storm-petrel hunting diurnal Short-eared Owls. Fernandina, geologically the newest of the islands and volcanically active as recently as January 2020, offers wonderful scenery with spectacular isolation. Endemic Flightless Cormorants breed here and we must keep an eye to sea for the chance of a passing pod of Killer or Bryde’s Whales.

As we cruise between the islands, there is time to read, relax and keep a tour diary. There will be time to sea-watch, enjoying our quiet companions the petrels, shearwaters, gulls and boobies, and to keep an eye out for dolphins playfully swimming in the bow-wave of our boat.

In Ecuador, after our cruise, we offer a choice between spending a day visiting and birdwatching on Antisana, a magnificent volcano permanently adorned with snow, and a day at Otavalo, an Indian town to the north of Quito with one of the best indigenous markets in South America. We also offer an extension to Sacha Lodge in the Amazon Jungle, enjoying the rich birdlife of the area and the various trails and dug-out canoe excursions that enable a thorough exploration of this area of the great Amazon rainforest.

DETAILED INFORMATION

Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1

Fly London to Quito

Day 2

Quito

Day 3/16

Galapagos Cruise

Day 17

Quito

Day 18

Antisana or Otavalo

Day 19

Depart Quito

Day 20

Arrive London

Download Full Itinerary

What's Included

What's Included?

Flights
Accommodation:
Food:
Included in the price, except for main meals in Quito. Allow £50+.

Reviews

I have recently returned from a trip to the Galapagos and spent two weeks aboard ‘The Beluga’ with a great group led by our guide Juan Tapia. This was an extraordinary adventure—days being spent landing on the islands (2 hour slots), snorkelling, kayaking and viewing from the deck seeing incredible bird and wildlife both on the land and in the sea. I cannot recommend this trip enough and it was everything I had hoped for when I first thought of visiting in2005.I would certainly recommend going sooner rather than later to get the most from this trip. The snorkelling should not be missed-for me it was a real highlight. The trip was extremely well organised.
A simply magical trip around the Galapagos islands with a wonderful, knowledgeable guide on a quirky but luxurious boat. The crew couldn't do enough for me to make the trip fun, comfortable and memorable. It was truly amazing to see the plant and animal life on these evolutionary petri dish islands, both in and above the water. I will never forget swimming with Galapagos penguins, sealions, 2 species of sharks and marine iguanas. Lovely to see as well the efforts of the authorities and local people to preserve this magical place.
A.P. Italy, Oct 22
The Galapagos is a magical place and we were guided through it with great knowledge, expertise and humour. The trip to Sasha Lodge provided a lovely contrast to 2 weeks on the boat, and Condors at Antisana was the icing on the cake.
EH, Gloucestershire, Nov 19

All the guides were wonderful, all extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Their depth of knowledge was astounding. Everything about the holiday was seamless and we had a truly wonderful time.

A truly fantastic 2 week tour of the Galapagos Islands on a small 16 berth tour boat. Both the local guide and the boat's crew were first rate and took great care of us during our stay on board the Beluga. Have used Naturetrek for 6 tours now and they are always well organised, and respond very quickly to any queries. I will continue to use them for future trips.
C.W. Cumbria, Jan 19

We stayed for 15 nights aboard the beautiful yacht Beluga. The Beluga is a small yacht with 8 double berths. The Captain and crew provided excellent care and service and nothing was too much trouble for them. Having 15 nights gave us enough time to visit most of the Galapagos islands and to fit in deep sea and off the beach snorkels almost every day (sometimes twice daily). The most amazing and spectacular part of the trip was the landings on the islands and the thrill of seeing the mammals, reptiles, birds and sea life so close that can even pick out each hair, feather or scale. The islands are so different that each day offered a new and exciting experience, helped by our very knowledgeable guide. We would not hesitate to recommend this holiday and cannot praise our experience highly enough. This was truly the holiday of a lifetime.
J.R. Glasgow

This was an important 'bucket' trip for my 70th birthday. I was recommended to go with Naturetrek by a friend, as he had been with them before and had a great time. From the initial enquiry through the booking process, and the information provided before we left I was confident that we had chosen the right holiday with the right firm. The Galapagos Islands did not, of course disappoint, and the seamless organisation of transport and transfers, the choice of accommodation and day excursions from Quito did live up to the advertised 'de luxe' description. With a great crowd of like-minded people on board, an excellent crew, delicious food, a dedicated tour guide and blue skies, what was not to like?
R.R. East Sussex

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Extensions

Sacha Lodge extn

Sacha Lodge, located on the banks of a tranquil oxbow lake deep in the Amazon rainforest, is one of the best rainforest lodges in the world. Explore canopy towers and walkways, terra firma and flooded forest on foot and by dugout canoe. Choose from the hardcore birding option (over 600 species to go at!), or a general natural history theme looking at all wildlife.

3 days from £1,695

View Details

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost

Mon 20th Jan – Sat 8th Feb 1 £10,395

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Regional Departures:

On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.

Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£9,395

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£250

Tour Leader:

Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary

Juan Tapia

Tour Leader: Juan Tapia

Juan Tapia has been guiding Naturetrek groups around his beloved Galapagos Islands for nearly 30 years! Small in stature, Juan is a giant among Galapagos guides, combining huge knowledge and experience with a sharp sense of humour and great English. Inspired by his botanist mother from a young age, Juan was always determined to dedicate himself to a career in nature conservation. He visited the wonderful Galapagos Islands for the first time in 1987 and since then he has always been amazed by the natural beauty of this unique paradise. Juan later obtained his official license to be a Naturalist Guide of the Galapagos National Park, passing the selection and training process with a score of more than 90 out of a possible 100. Throughout his 30+ years of experience as a guide in the Galapagos he has had the opportunity to lead and guide more than 900 cruises around this unique archipelago, meeting wonderful people along the way. Communication being an indispensable tool, Juanito dedicates himself to studying languages and developing the art of music. Expect some strumming of the guitar if you are on one of Juan’s trips!

Mon 10th Nov – Sat 29th Nov SPACES £10,395

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Regional Departures:

On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.

Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£9,495

Room sharing options:

If a customer on this departure has already expressed an interest in sharing a room it will be flagged here. We will identify if there are sharing options for male, female or both.

Male sharing available

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£250

2026

Departures Availability Cost

Mon 26th Jan – Sat 14th Feb SPACES £10,795

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Regional Departures:

On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.

Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£9,795

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£275

Mon 2nd Nov – Sat 21st Nov SPACES £10,795

Book Tour Show Details

Flights:

Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.

Flights are included in the tour cost

Regional Departures:

On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.

Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051

Land only cost:

The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.

£9,795

Single Room Supplement:

Single Room Supplement.

£275

Please note that cabin grades are subject to availability. We recommend phoning the office before booking to confirm that your preference is available.

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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:

Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar

Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
 

Our specialist recommends...


"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader

  
 
All Birdwatching Tours
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The oceans are one of the last great wilderness areas left on our planet.  Travelling by sea on a nature cruise represents the best way to see many of the world’s wildlife spectacles, as there are still wildlife paradises that are accessible by sea but cannot yet be reached by air. 
Naturetrek wildlife cruises offer:

A range of cruising experiences, from exclusively chartered 50-berth expedition ships to smaller motor yachts & schooners
Arctic & Antarctic nature cruises in ships with specially strengthened hulls
Each voyage is accompanied by expert naturalists
Wide range of wildlife cruises from five continents

We have been running wildlife cruises for over 30 years and if your image of cruising is endless deck quoits or bingo, think again! A life on the ocean waves can be a permit to witness scenes of natural splendour that most people will only ever see on their television screens.
A selection of our most popular wildlife cruises:

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands – Unique 2-week Galapagos nature cruise aboard a 16-berth schooner in search of the confiding birds, mammals & reptiles that inhabit these islands made so famous by Darwin
The Sub-Antartic Islands of New Zealand – Penguins, marine mammals & seabirds (Tailormade) 
Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear – Polar Bears, Walruses & seabirds
Baja California – Blue Whales, Sperm Whales, thousands of dolphins & other marine life, plus San Ignacio’s friendly Grey Whales
Kamchatka Peninsula – Pacific Ocean seabird colonies, spectacular volcanic scenery & over a dozen species of auks, plus Steller’s Sea Eagle, Siberian Rubythroats & much more (Tailormade)
Brahmaputra Cruise, India – Unique nature cruise visiting Kaziranga & other National Parks


Our specialist recommends...




"If you love whales and dolphins I’d recommend our Baja & Sea of Cortez nature cruise. The world’s largest concentration of cetaceans is found here, but book early as this tour sells out fast. I’d also suggest ‘Spitsbergen – Realm of the Polar Bear’ for a spectacular combination of wildlife and scenery.” 

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager 

All Wildlife Cruises
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Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Tour Reports

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!