Galápagos Land & Sea: Central & South Islands (Self-Launched)
7 days · Galápagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador
G Adventures charges £2,855
No-markup version: ~£1,610 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 7-day Yolita yacht cruise through the Galápagos' central and southern islands. Instead of a guided boat, you'll base yourself in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) and Puerto Villamil (Isabela), using the local public speedboat network to hop between islands, joining small-group day tours for the wildlife highlights (tortoise breeding centres, highlands, Los Túneles snorkelling, Floreana day trips) and snorkelling independently at free sites like Tortuga Bay and Las Grietas. You'll still see giant tortoises, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue-footed boobies and lava landscapes — but on public inter-island ferries, in hostels and guesthouses, and at a fraction of the cruise price. Note: a handful of remote visitor sites (Cerro Dragón, Chinese Hat, Corona del Diablo, Black Turtle Cove) are reachable only by liveaboard or licensed tour boat, so this plan swaps in the closest independent-accessible equivalents. Costs are rough backpacker-budget estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Quito — altitude acclimatisation & old town wander
Quito
Land at Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO) and take a taxi or the cheap Aeroservicios city bus into the centre (~£3-22 depending on choice). Check into a hostel in the Centro Histórico or La Mariscal. Quito sits at 2,850 m, so treat day one gently: drink plenty of water, avoid heavy meals and skip the alcohol. In the afternoon stroll the UNESCO-listed old town on foot — Plaza Grande, the golden La Compañía church and the Basílica del Voto Nacional tower climb (~£2) — then eat at a local almuerzo spot (~£3-4).
🚌Airport taxi ~£22 or airport bus to city ~£3; walking and trolleybus around town ~£0.5/trip
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Centro Histórico (e.g. Community Hostel or similar) ~£15-25/night
- →Self-guided walk of Quito's UNESCO old town
- →Basílica del Voto Nacional tower climb
- →Optional: Quito city tour & Equator line day trip bookable on GetYourGuide (~£35-45)
Fly to Baltra, transfer to Santa Cruz & hike Tortuga Bay
Santa Cruz Island (Puerto Ayora)
Fly Quito to Baltra (GPS) — book early with Avianca/LATAM/TAME equivalents for the cheapest fares (~£250-350 return if booked a few months ahead; G Adventures builds this into its price, so budget for it here). At Baltra catch the free airport-to-canal bus, the public ferry across the Itabaca Channel (~£4), then a shared colectivo or bus to Puerto Ayora (~£2-4). Afternoon: walk the 2.5 km paved trail to Tortuga Bay (~40 min, free entry after registering at the control point) for white-sand beach, marine iguanas and the calmer swimming cove at Playa Mansa. Snorkel or rent a kayak if conditions allow. Dinner on Avenida Charles Darwin (~£6-8).
🚌Domestic flight Quito–Baltra ~£280 return (share of); airport bus free, Itabaca ferry ~£4, colectivo to Puerto Ayora ~£3
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (e.g. Hostal España, Casa del Lago or similar) ~£18-30/night
- →Tortuga Bay self-guided hike and swim (free)
- →Kayak or snorkel rental at Tortuga Bay ~£8
Charles Darwin Research Station, highlands tortoises & Las Grietas
Santa Cruz Island
Morning at the free Charles Darwin Research Station and Fausto Llerena Breeding Center in Puerto Ayora — home to Lonesome George's legacy and dozens of juvenile tortoises per species (~£0 entry, donations welcome). In the afternoon, join a shared highlands tour or hire a mountain bike and ride up to El Chato / Rancho Primicias reserve (~£10-15 entry) where giant tortoises roam free in the pasture, then stop at a lava tunnel. Late afternoon cool off at Las Grietas, a brackish lava fissure you can reach by water taxi (~£1.5) plus a short trail — free and excellent for snorkelling.
🚌Water taxi to Las Grietas ~£1.5 each way; shared highlands taxi/tour ~£15-20 per person or bike rental ~£12
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Puerto Ayora ~£18-30/night
- →Charles Darwin Research Station & breeding centre (free)
- →Highlands giant tortoise reserve visit (~£12 entry)
- →Las Grietas self-guided snorkel (free)
Speedboat to Floreana — Post Office Bay, snorkelling & Asilo de la Paz
Floreana Island / Isabela Island
Take a licensed full-day Floreana tour from Puerto Ayora (~£110-140 including guide, boat, lunch and snorkel gear) covering the historic Post Office Bay barrel (post your card and take one to hand-deliver), a panga ride around Devil's Crown / Corona del Diablo where sea lions and reef fish teem, and a short walk to Asilo de la Paz for Floreana's pirate and settler history. In the late afternoon transfer onward by public speedboat to Puerto Villamil, Isabela (~£35, 2-2.5 hrs, book in advance as seats sell out — most operators include the Floreana-to-Isabela leg in the tour price if arranged). Check into a beachside guesthouse.
🚌Floreana day tour boat (included in tour), public speedboat Santa Cruz/Floreana–Isabela ~£35
🛏Guesthouse/hostal in Puerto Villamil, Isabela ~£15-25/night
- →Post Office Bay barrel visit
- →Snorkelling at Devil's Crown / Corona del Diablo
- →Asilo de la Paz walk
- →Floreana full-day boat tour ~£120
Isabela — Los Túneles snorkelling & Tintoreras
Isabela Island (Puerto Villamil)
Book a half-day boat trip to Los Túneles (~£75-90), the lava-tunnel channel where you can snorkel with white-tipped reef sharks, seahorses and green turtles — the best independent substitute for the tour's Cerro Dragón and Chinese Hat visits (both are liveaboard/licensed-boat-only sites). In the afternoon, either join the cheap Tintoreras islet tour (~£30-35) for reef sharks and penguins, or walk the free boardwalk through the tortoise-rearing centre and flamingo lagoons at the edge of town, then relax on the long white beach.
🚌Boat departures from Puerto Villamil pier; rest on foot (town is walkable, bike rental ~£8/day)
🛏Guesthouse/hostal in Puerto Villamil ~£15-25/night
- →Los Túneles snorkelling tour ~£85
- →Tintoreras islet tour ~£32 or free boardwalk & flamingo lagoon walk
Return via Santa Cruz to Quito
Isabela to Baltra to Quito
Early public speedboat back to Santa Cruz (~£35, 2-2.5 hrs) then bus/colectivo to the Itabaca Channel and ferry to Baltra for your flight to Quito. Depending on departure time, you may fit in a final snorkel at Concha Perla or a coffee in Puerto Ayora. Evening flight to Quito (included in your return airfare) and overnight near the airport or in the old town. Buy your Isabela and Baltra transfers the day before — morning boats leave around 6-7 am and fill up.
🚌Public speedboat Isabela–Santa Cruz ~£35, colectivo + Itabaca ferry ~£7, flight Baltra–Quito (part of return fare)
🛏Hostel or airport-area budget hotel in Quito ~£20-30/night
- →Optional morning swim at Concha Perla (free)
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping in Puerto Ayora
Departure from Quito
Quito
Breakfast and transfer to Mariscal Sucre Airport for your international departure. If your flight is later in the day, a quick morning wander of La Ronda street or the Mercado Central for a cheap almuerzo makes a nice send-off. Remember the Galápagos transit control card (~£15) and national park entry fee (~£160 for adults) are paid on arrival at Baltra — keep the card for departure.
🚌Taxi to airport ~£22 or airport bus ~£3
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional La Ronda / Mercado Central walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,610 | £2,855 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,245 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,610
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 Galápagos Land & Sea: Central & South Islands (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,610 per person for 7 days in Galápagos Islands & Quito, 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 £2,855 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,610 — a saving of roughly £1,245 (44%) per person.
How long is the Galápagos Islands & Quito, Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Galápagos Islands & Quito, 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, beaches trip through Galápagos Islands & Quito, 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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