Your Travel Experience with Finest Journeys
To Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands
Start the day with a transfer to Quito Airport for your flight to the Galápagos Islands. Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you will be met and transferred to Santa Cruz Island, first crossing the Itabaca Channel by ferry and then continuing by car. Your first stop is the lush highlands of Santa Cruz, known as Parte Alta, the natural habitat of the giant Galápagos tortoises. Santa Cruz, the second-largest island in the archipelago, serves as the tourism hub, with Puerto Ayora offering restaurants, hotels, and shops, as well as being the starting point for day tours and boat transfers to Isabela and San Cristóbal. At the Charles Darwin Research Station, you can observe sea turtles, tropical fish, marine iguanas, and various bird species. Lunch will be at a private ranch, where you can walk among the trees and search for tortoises near small lagoons. You will also explore lava tubes—natural underground passages formed by volcanic activity. After the tour, a private transfer will take you to your hotel, where a staff member will greet you and go over the rest of your itinerary. The afternoon is yours to explore Santa Cruz at your own pace.