Land Galápagos in Style — Self-Launched Island Hopping
9 days · Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
G Adventures charges £4,300
No-markup version: ~£1,450 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "Land Galápagos in Style" — hitting Santa Cruz, Floreana and Isabela independently using public speedboats, local buses and pickups instead of a guided group. You'll still visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, snorkel with sea lions, hike the active Sierra Negra volcano and meet giant tortoises, but you'll book your own inter-island ferries, stay in family-run guesthouses and hostels, and pay a fraction of the tour price. Flights Quito–Baltra (GPS) and the Galápagos National Park entry fee are the big unavoidable costs — book the flight early for the best rate. All figures are approximate per person in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Quito
Quito
Land at Quito's Mariscal Sucre airport (UIO) and make your own way into the city — an authorised taxi or Uber to the Mariscal/La Floresta hostel district runs about £10-14. Settle into a hostel or budget hotel near Plaza Foch. Spend the afternoon acclimatising at 2,850m: wander the colonial old town (a UNESCO site), grab dinner at a Mercado Central food stall, and get an early night. Buy a local SIM (Claro/Movistar) for data on the islands where signal is patchy.
🚌Airport taxi/rideshare into the city, ~£10-14
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Quito Mariscal/La Floresta (£18-28/night, dorm from £10)
- →Explore Quito old town on foot
- →Dinner at Mercado Central
- →Pick up local SIM card
Quito to Santa Cruz Island (Puerto Ayora)
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Fly Quito to Baltra (GPS) — book early with Avianca/LATAM/Equair, roughly £300-420 return. On arrival pay the Galápagos National Park entry fee (US$200, ~£160 — TCT/INGALA transit card US$20 included at Quito airport) and take the free/cheap shuttle to the Itabaca Channel, then the public ferry (US$1) across to Santa Cruz, then a bus or shared pickup to Puerto Ayora (~£3). Check into a guesthouse and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (free entry, donations welcome) to see the giant tortoise breeding programme and learn the island's natural history.
🚌Flight Quito–Baltra ~£300-420 return; airport shuttle + public ferry + bus to Puerto Ayora ~£5
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Puerto Ayora (£15-25/night)
- →Charles Darwin Research Station visit
- →Self-guided walk along the waterfront
- →Evening fish market with sea lions and pelicans
Puerto Ayora to Floreana Island
Floreana Island
Take the public speedboat ('lancha rápida') from Puerto Ayora to Floreana — roughly US$60-80 one-way, ~2 hours. Book in advance via your guesthouse or at the dock; departures are limited so confirm the day before. On Floreana, settle into a simple family-run lodge. Hike to the highlands (Asilo de la Paz and the pirate caves), spot flamingos at the lagoon, and snorkel at the beach where sea lions, rays and sea turtles gather. Bring cash — there's no ATM on Floreana.
🚌Public speedboat Puerto Ayora–Floreana, ~US$60-80 one-way (~£48-64)
🛏Simple family-run lodge on Floreana (£25-35/night)
- →Highlands walking trail to Asilo de la Paz
- →Snorkelling with sea lions at Playa Negra
- →Flamingo lagoon at sunset
Floreana highlands to Isabela Island
Puerto Villamil, Isabela
Spend the morning on a self-guided walk through Floreana's rarely-visited highlands — the trail past the freshwater spring and old pirate caves is marked and easy to follow. After lunch take the speedboat onward to Isabela Island (some boats run Floreana–Isabela direct; otherwise return to Santa Cruz and connect — around US$60-90 total). Arrive in Puerto Villamil, a sleepy sandy town, and walk the boardwalk to Flamingo Lagoon (Laguna de los Flamencos), one of the best flamingo breeding sites in the archipelago.
🚌Speedboat Floreana–Isabela (or via Santa Cruz), ~US$60-90 (~£48-72)
🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (£18-28/night)
- →Highlands trail and pirate caves
- →Flamingo Lagoon walk
- →Beach time at Puerto Villamil
Sierra Negra Volcano hike
Isabela Island
Hike the active Sierra Negra volcano, which has one of the world's largest calderas (10km wide). You can do this independently — the trail is clear and starts from the park control point about 45 minutes' uphill walk (or a cheap pickup ride, ~£3) from Puerto Villamil. Entry fee ~US$10. The full walk continues across volcanic lava fields to Volcán Chico with sweeping views over the north of Isabela — bring water, sun protection and sturdy shoes (the hike is ~16km round trip, 4-5 hours). Pack a lunch or buy takeaway empanadas in town the night before.
🚌Shared pickup or walk to the trailhead, ~£3
🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (£18-28/night)
- →Sierra Negra volcano crater rim hike
- →Volcán Chico lava fields walk
Giant Tortoise Centre & Tintoreras snorkel
Isabela Island
Morning at the Isabela Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (free entry, 10 minutes' walk from town) — see juveniles of five tortoise species and the rearing programmes. In the afternoon take a self-bookable boat excursion to Islote Tintoreras (US$35-45) to snorkel with white-tip reef sharks, marine iguanas, rays, blue-footed boobies and the resident Galápagos penguins. Alternatively, walk the free Tintoreras viewpoint boardwalk and snorkel at Concha de Perla beach, where sea lions and turtles swim right off the shore.
🚌Walking / short boat trip to Islote Tintoreras
🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (£18-28/night)
- →Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre
- →Tintoreras boat and snorkel excursion
- →Optional free snorkel at Concha de Perla
- →Optional visit to the Wall of Tears (Muro de las Lágrimas)
Isabela back to Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora)
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Take the public speedboat back to Santa Cruz (~US$30-40, 2 hours; morning departures). Re-check into a Puerto Ayora guesthouse. Spend the evening exploring the town: the fish market on the waterfront is chaotic fun with sea lions and pelicans jostling for scraps, and Las Ninfas lagoon or Tortuga Bay (a 45-minute walk, free, no permit needed outside the beach's entry hours) are good sunset options.
🚌Public speedboat Isabela–Santa Cruz, ~US$30-40 (~£24-32)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Puerto Ayora (£15-25/night)
- →Tortuga Bay walk and beach
- →Waterfront fish market
- →Shopping and exploring Puerto Ayora
Santa Cruz to Quito
Quito
Transfer across Santa Cruz to the Itabaca Channel, catch the public ferry and shuttle to Baltra airport, and fly back to Quito. On arrival, take a taxi back into the city. Final evening in Quito — a rooftop dinner or a last wander through the old town makes a nice send-off. Double-check onward flight timings as inter-island connections can run late.
🚌Bus + ferry to Baltra, flight Baltra–Quito (covered by return fare), airport taxi ~£10-14
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Quito (£18-28/night)
- →Travel day / free evening in Quito
Depart Quito
Quito
Check out and make your own way to Mariscal Sucre airport for your onward flight. If your flight is later, store bags at the hostel and squeeze in a final coffee or a walk through La Carolina park.
🚌Taxi/rideshare to airport, ~£10-14
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,450 | £4,300 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,850 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,450
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Land Galápagos in Style — Self-Launched Island Hopping cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,450 per person for 9 days in Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £4,300 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,450 — a saving of roughly £2,850 (66%) per person.
How long is the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, backpacker trip through Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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