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Galapagos Islands Multi-Sport Adventure
You’ll learn why the Galapagos have been called an open-air zoo, and after each day’s guided adventures, you’ll retire to the most comfortable accommodations the islands have to offer.
Lodging | Activities |
|---|---|
Hotels | Hike, Kayak, Multi-Sport |
From | Duration |
|---|---|
San Cristobal, Galapagos | 6 Days, 5 Nights |
Skill Rating | Van Supported |
|---|---|
1 | Yes |
Single Supplement | Price |
|---|---|
$800 | $5,745 |
Included
Guides, ground transportation, support vehicle, lodging, meals per itinerary (B,D), all kayaking equipment, and instruction.
Not Included
Airfare to/from Guayaquil or Quito, Ecuador; Airfare between Galapagos islands, Galapagos National Park entrance fee: $200 USD p/p (subject to government change); Galapagos transit card: $20 USD p/p (subject to government change), daily lunches, drinks and most dinners, personal clothing and accessories, full medical, baggage and trip cancellation insurance, airport taxes, any additional historical tours, and gratuities for guides. Single Supplement: $600.
Upcoming Dates:
2027 Dates:
March 16-23
March 23-30
ITINERARY
Day 0: Arrive the night prior to either Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador in order to make the early morning departures for the Galapagos Islands. Contact our office for recommendations on transfers, hotels and optional activities for your time in either location.
Day 1: Depart for your flight to San Cristobal Island some 600 miles off-shore (note the cost of this airfare is not included but The Northwest Passage will arrange). Your guides will be awaiting your arrival at the airport. Upon your arrival the park-entrance fee is due ($200 USD), so plan ahead and make sure to have US dollars in cash. Following a short transfer to our hotel, we will have a tour of the beautiful new San Cristobal Interpretive Center. Hotel check-in and lunch follow. After lunch the plan is for a kayak and snorkel session from Carola beach. Our evening will conclude with welcome drinks and orientation, followed by dinner in town. Stroll along the waterfront to experience the unbelievable sight of hundreds of sea lions displaying various behaviors. You’ll learn why the Galapagos are dubbed an “open-air zoo”. (D)
Day 2: This morning we board a small fishing boat that will take us to two offshore islands along the northwest shore of San Cristobal. Depending on sea conditions, our goals are Darwin Bay, then on to two spectacular snorkeling destinations Isla Lobos and Leon Dormindo (the "sleeping lion", also known as Kicker Rock). You may spot seals, marine birds and countless other marine species. The day will be broken up with breaks for swimming, snacking, snorkeling, and otherwise enjoying this photographic paradise. (B)
Day 3: After breakfast, we will transfer to the airport for our small aircraft flight to the largest of the islands, beautiful Isla Isabela. Our home for the night is Iguana Crossing, a name you will understand almost immediately! We will walk to a tortoise breeding center and explore the coastline by SUP or kayak discovering the islet of Tinetoreras. Tinetoreras, the local word for the white tipped shark, is home to a pod of such sharks along with sea lions and a newly-founded penguin colony. (B)
Day 4: An early start will prepare us for a full day of adventure on the land. We will transfer to Sierra Negro and hike to Vocan Chicao with breathtaking views of the islands. Its a 16km hike with lunch at Campo Duro, and then back to the hotel for a refreshing swim in the sea or a dip in the pool overlooking the sea. That afternoon we will take the ferry to Santa Cruz Island where we spend our final night. (B)
Day 5: Today we will embark on a scenically-varied bike in the Galapagos. Along the trail, we will bike through white sand beaches, mangroves, brackish lagoons, and a lava tube. At the end of the road we will visit “El Muro de las Lágrimas” (Wall of Tears), historical place used back in time when Isabela was a penal colony. We will end the day visiting the breeding center and hanging around the flamingo lagoon to admire the wildlife so close to us. (B)
Day 6: After breakfast, we will transfer to the island of Santa Cruz and if time allows a visit to the Charles Darwin Center before transferring to Baltra Island, where we will have a brief moment for souvenir shopping before flying to Guayaquil or Quito transferring to your hotel or airport. (B)
Beyond your time on the islands: We encourage you to consider additional one-day or multi-day adventure add-ons. Our experience shows that a day walking the open-air markets with a local guide or zip-lining and exploring the jungle forests really round out the Galapagos Islands adventure. Of course Macho Picchu is within reach from Quito or Guayaquil and we can help make that a reality.
* Note I: This is our intended itinerary. As with any adventure travel, the forces of nature can be unpredictable, forcing us to make adjustments and changes to the itinerary. Rest assured that our many years of exploring have provided us with numerous options if changes need to be made.
My wife and I just returned from our Kayaking Adventure in Crete. While I'm
seldom at a loss for words, there are things about this trip that are
difficult to convey accurately. In many ways, I felt as if I was transported
back in time 2000 years...only I still had internet access and could watch
Greek pro soccer on a flat screen HD TV at a seaside taverna, that was only
accessible on foot or by water. It was an odd and beautiful juxtaposition of
the ancient and the modern that was totally natural, comfortable and most of
all fun.
By way of background, my wife and I are mid fifties and pretty active. We are
regular gym goers, ski 45 to 50 days a season and paddle the quiet waters
around our home near Long Island Sound in Southeastern Connecticut regularly.
Neither of us had ever been to Europe and after building careers, raising
kids and putting them thru college, now was our time. So there was a lot of
anticipation and build up to this trip. I can say unequivocally that it
exceeded my expectations.
Our trip was guided by Northwest Passage founder and owner Rick and his
assistant guide Emily. Rick is a pretty interesting guy. A middle American
small business owner and family man who's job happens to be leading adventure
trips around the world to places like Crete, Italy and the North and South
Pole to name just a few. Having done this trip for many years he definitely
has it dialed in. Totally on top of the situation both on and off the water,
you always felt he was in complete control. Emily was as adorable as she was
competent and friendly. Together they made the whole trip move seamlessly.
But for me, the star of the entire experience is the water around the island.
I had always held a vision of that water based on travel photos that I have
seen, but no photo can do it justice. The beautiful, warm, crystal clear aqua
seas around Crete are simply magnificent. When the sun is overhead and the
water is calm you can see down over 100 feet or more. When the sun changes or
the wind kicks up they can change to sapphire or inky black. And around every
turn there is endless variations of rock, cliff and sea formations that I
never tired of looking at. The paddling could be challenging at times (we hit
some pretty strong headwinds on a few occasions)but I never felt anxious or
uncomfortable. Each day the paddling was broken into 3 legs and anyone who
chose to could opt out if they didn't want to paddle one or more sections.
Between Rick and Emily they adapted to both the individual and group needs,
so I think that everyone got as much or as little as they wanted on any given
day.
On land the accommodations were clean, comfortable and waterfront. The food
was simple, local, fresh and delicious. They people were universally friendly
(I suspect due largely to the fact that Rick has been there so many times
that when we walked in it was like the return of the prodigal son). Best of
all, our group brought together a diverse selection of strangers who finished
the week treating each other like friends and family. It was as completely
authentic and unpretentious an experience as I can imagine having.
If you want to sit on a beach all day and have a cabana boy bring you Rum
Punch while you are on vacation, this might not be the trip for you. If, on
the other hand, you want to literally immerse yourself in some of the most
beautiful water in the world, experience life like a local and finish each
day with that wonderful fatigue that comes from doing a vigorous but fun
activity all day long (and makes that first cold beer taste like heaven) this
is your adventure. My sincere thanks to Rick, Emily and all the Northwest
Passage staff for truly making this the trip of a lifetime!! Rob and Ann
Keville, East Lyme, CT.
Our Belize kayak and camping trip was not what anyone expected due to unseasonably windy, rainy and cool weather. But we had a grand adventure nonetheless! How many times in your life do you get a chance to help a Belizean captain right and bail his swamped boat? Learn the ebb and flow of life on a tiny uninhabited Caribbean island? See a tiger ray leaping from the water trying to shake off the eel attached to its middle? Backpedal furiously to avoid a collision with a huge loggerhead turtle swimming your way as you snorkel? Eat comforting conch stew at a picnic table, the taste heightened by the sweetness of plantains and sharpness of the ubiquitous Marie Sharp's hot sauce? We experienced all that and much more with our small group this February. Our guide and fearless leader CP was perpetually cheerful and accommodating even as we confronted multiple days of high seas after landing on Moho Caye. He gave us opportunities to kayak whenever conditions permitted but also kept us safe. The local support team of Ian and his son Shane were steady and resourceful even under adverse circumstances. In addition to providing information, guidance and motor transport when needed, they fed us well, including platters of fresh fruit and hot fry jacks cooked in a primitive outdoor kitchen. This was our fourth trip with Northwest Passage, and we are on the lookout for our next one. As always, the company and its excellent staff provided a personalized, unique and fun adventure trip. Derek Belize 2026
My son and I had a fabulous time. Crystal clear water for paddling and swimming. Great scenery. Clean, comfortable accommodations. Wonderful professional, competent, helpful, friendly and enthusiastic guides Chris and Sean. I'd do it again in a heartbeat but I think next time I'll try a different trip.
By Chuck F on Sep 30, 2024
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