Best of Galapagos & Ecuador for Families

Best of Galapagos & Ecuador for Families

14 days /
13 nights

From 600 / person / day

Based on 2 people All Pricing Info
Custom
icon-custom-custom
Destinations
Guayaquil, Galapagos: Santa Cruz Island, Floreana Island, Isabela Island, Fernandina Island, Santiago Island, North Seymour Island, Quito, Ecuadorian Andes (Hacienda Zuleta)

World-renowned as Darwin’s playground, the ‘Enchanted Isles’  of the Galapagos are home to one of the most remarkable wildlife viewing experiences on Earth, having evolved with absolutely no fear of human visitors. This expertly crafted itinerary delivers an entertaining, engaging and safe adventure for families of all ages–children to grandparents and everything in between! Discover the Galapagos by land and sea on an immersive land safari and eight-day luxury yacht cruise aboard the 16-passenger Integrity. Spend two nights in the lush highlands of Santa Cruz Island in luxury African-style safari tents; during the day, enjoy personalized excursions into the islands. Then, don your sea legs for a full week of Galapagos exploration by boat, visiting highlights such as Isabela Island (the largest in the archipelago), Fernandina Island (the youngest island); and some of the gems in the Eastern Islands. Snorkel with sea turtles and other marine life; learn about unique flora, fauna and geology; swim with playful sea lions and kayak along wildlife-rich mangroves and into secluded coves. Return to the mainland for an authentic, upscale hacienda experience on a working local farm, brimming with the vibrant culture of the Ecuadorian Andes.

VISIT OUR ECUADOR PAGE
TO LEARN A BIT ABOUT ECUADOR

Itinerary

DAY;

1

ARRIVE GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR

After a meet and greet at the international airport, transfer with your guide to your hotel, primely situated in downtown Guayaquil, a port city of colorful houses and a waterfront promenade known as the gateway to sweeping Pacific beaches and the famed Galapagos. The deluxe Hotel Oro Verde is teaming with authentic Ecuadorian hospitality and with five gourmet onsite restaurants, a wide array of culinary delights await. Rooms feature hardwood or tile floors, plush bedding and exquisite bathrooms, all of which make this sanctuary complete with a spa, fitness center and outdoor pool and hot tub, the perfect place to unwind after your flight and prepare for the adventure ahead.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Hotel Oro Verde or similar

Meals

DAY;

2

FLIGHT TO GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

After breakfast this morning, you are transferred to the airport in Guayaquil for an exciting flight to the Galapagos Islands, a World Heritage Site full of exotic surprises! Flight Duration 1 hr 55Ms approximately. Upon arrival at Baltra airport, your guide will warmly greet you and escort you to your hotel, the Galapagos Safari Camp, where an otherworldly family adventure awaits. Nestled in the wild highlands of Santa Cruz Island with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the National Park, this stylish camp allows your family to reconnect with nature while enjoying a very flexible and personalized program. Stay in the comfort luxury safari tents, or for added privacy and space, rent out the three-bedroom family suite. A panoramic lodge, an infinity pool under a canapé of endemic trees, a farm and a seasonal kids club makes this the perfect base from which to creating exciting memories for the whole family.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Galapagos Safari Camp

Meals B,D

DAY;

3

GALAPAGOS SAFARI CAMP ADVENTURES

In an environment characterized by volcanic craters, exotic plants, lava tubes, white sand, turquoise waters, abundant birds and giant tortoises you truly cannot go wrong no matter which adventure you choose. The Galapagos Safari Camp offers an array of activities into this enchanted landscape, including a yacht trip to an uninhabited island, or a day on a private boat with local fisherman, or a naturalist guide to lead you in an exploration of the coastline. Perhaps you fancy snorkeling, sea kayaking or mountain biking, the choice is yours! Arts and crafts activities with a local artist are a great option for crafty kids.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Galapagos Safari Camp

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

4

EMBARK GALAPAGOS CRUISE

You are already awed by the exotic beauty surrounding you and today it is about to get even more exciting as a private transfer escorts you from the Safari Camp to Puerto Ayora to board your 7-night expedition cruise through the western islands of the Galapagos aboard the yacht Integrity. Like true adventurers, you will retrace Charles Darwin’s route of 1835 on this 8-day cruise to the western islands, including Floreana, Isabela, and Fernandina Islands. At the varied stops, enjoy panga rides to different islands, wildlife watching, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming and hiking. Superb naturalists explain the history of these islands while pointing out unique wildlife at every turn. Dine on exquisite traditional cuisine, relax on the sun deck or in the jacuzzi, and nestle into your spacious stateroom. With its state-of-the-art stabilizers and engine vibration control system, the Integrity carries you through Darwin’s islands more smoothly than any other yacht.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

5

GALAPAGOS CRUISE: BALTRA ISLAND / SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

The Galapagos is such an ecologically unique place, seeped in the history of Darwin’s discoveries, that an educational visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz islands are an ideal stop-over before embarking on your cruise. Here lies the opportunity to see giant tortoises roaming in their natural habitat of lush vegetation. In a forest of native daisy trees, watch vermilion flycatchers with their scarlet feathers flit against the emerald green backdrop where Darwin’s finches reside. At the Charles Darwin Research Station and Galápagos National Park headquarters, learn about conservation and research efforts and the refuge for tortoises and iguanas. Board the Integrity just in time to set sail as you sit for a gourmet meal specially crafted from local ingredients.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

6

FLOREANA ISLAND

This morning you will awaken to the green, olivine sand beaches of Floreana Island, next to a large lagoon filled with flamingos and other diverse water birds. Today’s highlights include a short hike to Flour Beach where sea turtles nest and small rays frolic in the surf and a snorkel at Champion Island with curious, playful sea lions. If you are lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the rare Floreana mockingbird. Next, stop at the wooden barrel at Post Office Bay that has served as a mariner’s “post office” since the 18th Century. Leave a postcard, or take a postcard to continue the “postmaster” tradition. Afterwards, head into the highlands to visit a collection of tortoises and learn about the island’s ghostly human history at Wittmer Caves. End the day with a walk along Black Beach followed by an onboard barbecue as the sun sets.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

7

ISABELA ISLAND

Today’s adventure begins on Isabela Island at Punta Moreno. Walk along volcanic terrain, over lava flows and past numerous prickly pear cacti. The area is dotted with numerous oases of brackish lagoons containing a wide variety of wildlife, including flamingos, paint-billed crakes, white-cheeked pintails, and common gallinules. In the golden light of afternoon, a comfortable skiff will carry you through the narrow channels of Elizabeth Bay past mangrove lagoons filled with rays, flightless cormorants, penguins, pelicans, and lava herons. Don’t forget to watch the waters for sea turtles, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and the many exotic fish inhabiting the lagoons.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

8

ISABELA ISLAND / FERNANDINA ISLAND

Urbina Bay on Isabela Island is a visually stunning landscape. In 1954, volcanic activity caused a six-kilometer stretch of coral reef to shift upwards of five meters in a matter of hours and this is the legacy. Walk along the skeletal coral gardens, now home to lizards, mockingbirds and large, colorful land iguanas. During certain times of year, encounter Alcedo tortoises from the highlands nest in the warm sands of the bay. The peninsula of Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island is one of the most pristine of the Galápagos. Upon landing, an abundance of marine iguanas and brightly colored Sally Lightfoot crabs litter the sands like drops of paint. Walk out onto the lava flow where, along the sandy shore, you can see flightless cormorants, pelicans, and numerous lounging sea lions.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

9

ISABELA ISLAND

Along the western coast of Isabela Island, the largest island in the archipelago, sits to Tagus Cove. Named for a British warship that moored here in 1814, the cove was used as an anchorage for pirates and whalers, whose names are literally carved into the rock. A short, steep hike takes you to Darwin Lake, set within a tuff cone filled with salt water. The cove is an excellent place to view tree finches, Galápagos hawks, yellow warblers, large-billed flycatchers and sometimes even the woodpecker finch. At Punta Vincente Roca, the large cave and caldera wall are impressive geological formations that provide a beautiful backdrop for blue-footed and Nazca boobies, gulls, storm petrels, and brown noddy terns. A calm, gathering area for sea turtles, the area makes for superb snorkeling full of colorful fish, penguins, sea lions, sea anemones, jellyfish, and a myriad of other sea life.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

10

SANTIAGO ISLAND

This morning, you will reach a fork in the road! Choose from two trails of Puerto Egas, the first meanders along the coast to an inlet where shy Galápagos fur seals swim amongst the crags and marine iguanas and sea lions abound. The other trail leads inland to a lagoon at the Salt Mine Volcano where flamingos and other birds soar and dance. Afterwards, sink your toes into the red sands of Espumilla Beach, a sea turtle nesting site. Hike inland to a small lagoon where many land birds fly overhead, including Galápagos hawks. Along the coast, snorkel or kayak Buccaneer Cove, home to amazing underwater geologic formations where sea lions, fur seals, sea turtles, rays, and sharks are to be found.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

11

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND / NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND

Enjoy a quiet and peaceful morning at the exquisite white sands of Bachas Beach.“Bachas” is so named due to the remains of a barge that ran aground decades ago, leaving just a few rusty spines still visible today. More striking are the resident flamingos that reside at the small lagoons just over the dune. In Caleta Tortuga Negra take a silent skiff ride to where sea turtles feed and mate, an area also home to three species of shark, spotted rays, egrets, and lava herons. This is the perfect last chance to snorkel the Galapagos before landing on North Seymour island to visit the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds in the area. Sit back and marvel at your last sunset at sea, glancing back at the iguanas and sea lions lounging on the shores, and you, alive with memory and adventure inside!

Optional Activities:

Overnight Integrity

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

12

DISEMBARK / BALTA ISLAND / RETURN FLIGHT

Enjoy breakfast onboard the Integrity before returning to Baltra Island, where you will join your flight back to the mainland. Fly from Baltra to Quito, Ecuador. Duration 3 hours (with short layover in Guayaquil) Upon arrival at the airport, you are transferred two hours to your lodge. Dating from the 16th century, Hacienda Zuleta lies in the spectacular Andean mountains range on a charming, private farm. The atmosphere is one of warmth, characterized by antique gardens, cozy living and reading rooms, and a fireplace in each of the tastefully decorated bedrooms. The homey feeling is accentuated by the Plaza family themselves; who welcome you with their natural warmth and hospitality to share life at an authentic hacienda in the Andes of Ecuador.

Optional Activities:

Overnight Hacienda Zuleta

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

13

HACIENDA ACTIVITIES (NEAR OTAVALO)

Miles of meandering roads through lush pasture land, pine trees and a eucalyptus forest make the valley of Zuleta a paradise for outdoor activities, such as hiking and trekking. Hacienda has twenty Zuleteño bred horses, mountain bikes and a horse-drawn carriage upon which you can explore the area. Whether it’s bird watching, hiking, mountain biking or a romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage, the choice is yours!

Optional Activities:

Overnight Hacienda Zuleta

Meals B,L,D

DAY;

14

QUITO CITY TOUR

After breakfast, you will be privately transferred to your Hotel in Quito, a world renowned World Heritage Site. A half-day private city tour will lead you to exquisite churches, museums and picturesque neighborhoods filled with cobblestone streets, Spanish architecture and impressive plazas. Return to your hotel and spend the afternoon at your leisure. Situated in the heart of Quito’s historical center and surrounded by beautiful colonial buildings, the Hotel Plaza Grande combines vintage taste with modern details. Furnished with fine woods and in a style beckoning Colonial Spanish times, the suites will transport you through time with all the luxury amenities of today!

Optional Activities:

Overnight Hotel Plaza Grande (or similar)

Meals B

DAY;

15

DEPART ECUADOR

Today, your visit to the Galapagos and Ecuador comes to an end. Relax and reminisce on your flight home, or perhaps fly onto other adventures if the allure of the unexplored has caught your spirit forever!

Optional Activities:

Overnight

Meals B

DAY 

2

Quito

This morning, you are picked up for your half-day private guided tour of Quito, including a walking tour of its historical center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, the afternoon is at your leisure to spend relaxing or exploring the city further on your own.

Optional Activities:

Private tour of Quito’s colonial churches or insider’s look at the country’s finest Pre-Columbian art collection

Spectacular horseback ride in the high Andes near Quito

2-3 hour hike and birdwatching with Naturalist guide through nearby cloud forest to see hummingbirds and flora

Overnight Casa Gangotena, Plaza Grande, or similar

Meals B



all our

preferred

Hotels
and
villas


in Ecuador

Hotel
Lying in the spectacular Andean mountain range of Ecuador is the historic Hacienda Zuleta. This colonial working farm, dating from the late 16th century, was named Outside magazine’s “Top Ten Finds” in the world, and one of National Geographic Traveler’s…
The nineteen suite La Selva Lodge lies in a rainforest paradise overlooking the glassy waters of Lake Garzacocha and bordered by Yasuni National Park, one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. A pioneer of the first Amazonian eco-lodges in…
Deep in the Amazon, on a pristine 5,000-acre ecological reserve, hides the luxurious eco-friendly Sacha Lodge. Hidden amongst the trees, built directly upon Pilchicocha Lake, the dense wildlife creates a vibrant backdrop and magical curtain into…
At the edge of the great Añangu lake, surrounded by pristine rainforest, rests Napo Wildlife Center, one of Ecuador’s most beloved ecolodges. As the only lodge located inside the mesmerizing diverse Yasuni National Park, guests experience Ecuador’s rich…


all our

preferred

Hotels
and
villas


in Ecuador

Named South America’s Leading Green Hotel by the World Travel Awards in 2018, Finch Bay Eco Hotel lies on the remote Galapagos island of Santa Cruz, across the bay from Puerto Ayora. Voted the #1 hotel in Puerto Ayora by Trip Advisor, escape…
Nestled in the wild highlands of Santa Cruz Island with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and National Park sits the stylish Galapagos Safari Camp. Inspired by African safari camps, the hotel’s atmosphere is nothing short of magical. Experience nature…
In the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago, perched between sunny, arid savannas and lush tropical mists of the volcanic highlands, Pikaia Lodge offers luxury by land and sea like no other eco-hotel. Designed for the active, adventurous traveler and…
Villa Galapagos 1 is a charming seaside villa with the character, comfort and class reminiscent of a European home in Tuscany. Characterized by classic island architecture, the villa is situated in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz with a dramatic view to the island’s…
In the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago, perched between sunny, arid savannas and lush tropical mists of the volcanic highlands, Pikaia Lodge offers luxury by land and sea like no other eco-hotel. Designed for the active, adventurous traveler and…
Nestled in the wild highlands of Santa Cruz Island with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and National Park sits the stylish Galapagos Safari Camp. Inspired by African safari camps, the hotel’s atmosphere is nothing short of magical. Experience nature…
Named South America’s Leading Green Hotel by the World Travel Awards in 2018, Finch Bay Eco Hotel lies on the remote Galapagos island of Santa Cruz, across the bay from Puerto Ayora. Voted the #1 hotel in Puerto Ayora by Trip Advisor, escape…
CALL US TOLL FREE
1-866-626-3750 1-305-356-8488

9 AM – 6 PM EST

  • Let Us Make Your Next Trip A Thing Of Wonder

    When you’re ready, we’re here to choreograph and book an amazing journey for you and your group. Our craft shines when clients ask for the extraordinary.