Suggested island itinerary · Dates by arrangement
Galápagos
Photography Expedition
Six days of island wildlife.
Time to observe and compose.
Explore the Galápagos from two island bases: two nights on Santa Cruz and three on San Cristóbal. Visit Isabela, Española, León Dormido and Punta Pitt, with a boat transfer between your bases and flights into Baltra (GPS) and out of San Cristóbal (SCY).
- Suggested duration
- 6 days · 5 island nights
- Island gateway
- Arrive Baltra (GPS) · Depart San Cristóbal (SCY)
- Travel style
- 2 nights Santa Cruz · 3 nights San Cristóbal
- Group size
- Confirmed during planning
Personalized pricing · TBC by final participant count. The single supplement and secure deposit are also TBC. We will confirm your dates, hotel, flights and authorized excursion program in an individual proposal.
Meals: Breakfast on Days 1–6, plus lunch on Days 4 and 5. All other lunches and all dinners are at your own expense. Mainland stays: Additional nights before or after the island program are quoted separately.
Santa Cruz · Isabela · San Cristóbal · Española
Two island bases.
One remarkable journey.
Arrive in Baltra and stay two nights on Santa Cruz, including an Isabela excursion. Transfer by boat to San Cristóbal for three nights, visiting Española, León Dormido and Punta Pitt before flying back to Quito from SCY.
View full-size route map
- 01Quito (UIO) → Baltra (GPS) · Santa CruzDay 1 · Arrival · Santa Cruz nights 1 & 2
- 02Isabela IslandDay 2 · Excursion from Santa Cruz and return
- 03Santa Cruz → San CristóbalDay 3 · Research station visit, then boat transfer
- 04Española IslandDay 4 · Excursion from San Cristóbal and return
- 05León Dormido & Punta PittDay 5 · Excursion from San Cristóbal and return
- 06San Cristóbal (SCY) → Quito (UIO)Day 6 · Departure · San Cristóbal nights 3, 4 & 5
Your suggested program
Day by day in Galápagos.
This six-day program follows Freddy’s Galápagos itinerary and can be booked as a standalone expedition or an extension to mainland Ecuador. Stay on Santa Cruz for nights 1 and 2, then on San Cristóbal for nights 3, 4 and 5. Suggested travel period: March to July. Times are indicative and will be reconfirmed with the airlines and boat operators.
Day 01Quito to Baltra (GPS) · Santa Cruz Island
Fly from Quito (UIO) to Baltra (GPS), with a possible stop in Guayaquil according to the confirmed flight. Arrive early in Quito for Galápagos registration, baggage screening and airline check-in; your trip leader will assist with the required procedures. Do not bring food or fruit, as instructed in the expedition briefing.
On arrival at Baltra, transfer across the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz and continue to Casa de Judy or similar. After check-in, enjoy a relaxed afternoon around Puerto Ayora and the waterfront, with your trip leader’s suggestions for lunch and photography.
Possible subjects along the malecón include Darwin’s finches, Lava Gulls, Lava Herons, Great Frigatebirds, Blue-footed Boobies and sea lions. Dinner is at your own expense.
- Overnight
- Casa de Judy or similar · Santa Cruz Island
- Meals included
- Breakfast
Day 02Isabela Island · Full-day excursion
Leave the hotel early and check in at the dock for the ferry to Isabela. The source program proposes a 7:00 a.m. departure and a roughly two-hour crossing. Your trip leader assists with boarding; exact ferry schedules will be reconfirmed.
Meet the local guide and visit the estuary to look for American Flamingos, White-cheeked Pintails and other wildlife. A visit to the giant tortoise protection center may also be possible. Lunch is at a local restaurant at your own expense.
In the afternoon, join the boat excursion with optional snorkeling and opportunities to look for Galápagos Penguins. Possible marine encounters include sea turtles, white-tip sharks, sea lions and colorful fish. Snorkeling equipment and wetsuit arrangements follow the confirmed excursion. Return by ferry to Santa Cruz, with departure proposed around 3:00 p.m. Dinner is at your own expense.
- Overnight
- Casa de Judy or similar · Santa Cruz Island
- Meals included
- Breakfast
Day 03Charles Darwin Research Station · Boat transfer to San Cristóbal
After breakfast, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and Galápagos National Park facilities for approximately two hours, adding conservation context to the island wildlife experience.
After lunch at your own expense, check in at the dock for the afternoon boat transfer from Santa Cruz to San Cristóbal. The source itinerary proposes a 3:00 p.m. departure and approximately 5:00 p.m. arrival; the confirmed ferry schedule governs the transfer.
Check in at Cactus Hotel or similar, your base for the next three nights. Dinner is at your own expense.
- Overnight
- Cactus Hotel or similar · San Cristóbal Island
- Meals included
- Breakfast
Day 04Española Island · Full-day photography excursion
An early hotel pickup takes you to the yacht for the full-day Española excursion. Breakfast is served on board during the approximately three-hour outward journey. Watch for possible dolphins, whales and seabirds along the way.
The program combines optional guided snorkeling with a land visit on Española. Possible photography subjects include Red-billed Tropicbirds, Waved Albatrosses, Swallow-tailed Gulls, Española Mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, Galápagos Doves, Galápagos Hawks, Nazca Boobies and Great Frigatebirds. Wildlife presence varies with season and conditions.
Return to the yacht for lunch, then sail back to San Cristóbal. The source itinerary anticipates an evening return, approximately 6:30 p.m., depending on conditions. Dinner is at your own expense.
- Overnight
- Cactus Hotel or similar · San Cristóbal Island
- Meals included
- Breakfast and lunch
Day 05León Dormido (Kicker Rock) & Punta Pitt
Breakfast is served on board as you depart San Cristóbal for León Dormido, also known as Kicker Rock. Enjoy the coastal scenery and watch for possible dolphins during the approximately 1.5-hour outward journey.
At León Dormido, optional guided snorkeling explores the channel between the towering rock formations, conditions permitting. Possible marine wildlife includes Galápagos sharks, white-tip sharks, rays, reef fish, sea turtles and sea lions; hammerheads and whale sharks are exceptional possibilities, never guaranteed.
Continue the day’s excursion to Punta Pitt for bird and coastal wildlife photography according to the authorized boat program. Possible subjects include Blue-footed, Red-footed and Nazca Boobies, frigatebirds, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Swallow-tailed Gulls and sea lions. Lunch is included. Return to San Cristóbal for your final island overnight; dinner is at your own expense.
- Overnight
- Cactus Hotel or similar · San Cristóbal Island
- Meals included
- Breakfast and lunch
Day 06San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) · Flight back to Quito
After breakfast and any free time allowed by the flight schedule, transfer to San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) for your flight back to Quito (UIO). Departure is from San Cristóbal, following the final three nights on that island.
The source itinerary suggests an airport transfer around 9:30 a.m., a flight around 11:30 a.m. and arrival in Quito around 3:30 p.m.; all flight times and connections must be reconfirmed. Coordinate your onward transfer with your trip leader. A Quito hotel after the expedition is not included, and dinner is at your own expense.
- Overnight
- No hotel included after the expedition
- Meals included
- Breakfast
Know what to expect
What your expedition covers.
Review your final quotation for the hotel, flights, day boats, guiding arrangements, meals and fees confirmed for your group.
Proposed inclusions
- Five hotel nights in shared double occupancy: two on Santa Cruz at Casa de Judy or similar, followed by three on San Cristóbal at Cactus Hotel or similar.
- Breakfast on Days 1–6, plus lunch on Days 4 and 5 as specified in the daily itinerary.
- Flights from Quito (UIO) to Baltra (GPS) and from San Cristóbal (SCY) back to Quito (UIO). Schedules and baggage conditions are confirmed before travel.
- Ground and marine transportation, including the Santa Cruz–San Cristóbal boat transfer and boat tours to the islands listed in the itinerary.
- Admission fees for the itinerary activities and photography locations, the Charles Darwin Research Station visit, Galápagos National Park and island fees described in the program.
- Expedition leadership by Freddy Madrigal or a team leader personally trained by him, with local guiding for the island visits.
Items to budget separately
- International flights to and from Ecuador, and additional mainland hotel nights outside the island program, including the Quito hotel after Day 6.
- The single-room supplement, which remains TBC until room preferences are confirmed.
- Lunches on Days 1, 2, 3 and 6, and all dinners. Lunch is included on Days 4 and 5.
- Travel insurance, gratuities, personal purchases, additional drinks and optional services not specified in the confirmed proposal.
Photography & field preparation
Ready for the coast.
Prepared for the boats.
Expect boat transfers, strong sun, uneven volcanic paths and potentially wet landings. The itinerary includes inter-island ferry crossings and full-day boat excursions. Tell us about your walking preferences and comfort on boats while we plan the program.
Bring sun protection, grippy footwear, camera protection against spray, spare batteries and memory cards. A versatile telephoto and a wider lens allow you to move between wildlife portraits and island landscapes.
Follow your licensed naturalist guide, stay on designated paths, keep at least two meters from wildlife, including your camera, and never touch or feed animals. Leave rocks, shells and other natural objects where they belong.
Your personalized Galápagos proposal
Your dates. Your group.
Your island experience.
Share your final participant count, room preferences and wildlife interests so we can confirm availability and prepare your quotation.
- Price per person
- TBC according to the final number of participants, in double occupancy unless otherwise arranged.
- Single supplement
- TBC for a private single room, subject to hotel availability.
- Secure deposit
- TBC. The required amount and due date will be stated in your quotation after the itinerary and price are accepted.
- Remaining balance & payment schedule
- TBC in your booking confirmation, including any supplier advance-payment requirements.
- Boats & guiding
- Your quotation will specify private or shared boat departures and guiding arrangements. Galápagos naturalist guiding follows local authorization requirements.
- Dates & availability
- Suggested travel period: March to July. Plan well ahead, ideally at least five months before travel. Flights, hotels, permits and boat space must be confirmed for your departure.
- Combine with mainland Ecuador
- Available as a separately quoted extension. We will coordinate the mainland itinerary and island flights.
Cancellation policy
Cancellations must be submitted in writing. Unless different terms are specified in your confirmed quotation, the following general refunds apply according to when cancellation is received before the expedition begins. Percentages are calculated on the amount paid.
| Before departure | Refund of amount paid |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more | 100% less a 15% administration fee |
| 60–89 days | 75% |
| 30–59 days | 50% |
| 29 days or fewer | No refund |
Airline, hotel and boat-operator cancellation conditions may differ from the general schedule. Your written quotation will set out the applicable supplier terms, charges and any non-refundable services before you pay.
If an operator changes or cancels a departure, the available replacement or refund will be handled according to the confirmed booking terms. Travel insurance covering cancellation, interruption and medical emergencies is strongly recommended.
Your expedition experience
Thoughtful planning.
Local island knowledge.
Freddy Madrigal brings 38 years of birding and photography experience to the planning of your journey. A Certified International Tour Manager, he shapes each proposal around your interests and the time you want to spend with nature.
Galápagos visits are coordinated with authorized operators and licensed local naturalist guides. Your proposal identifies the trip leader, local guiding and services confirmed for your group.
Explore the mainland Ecuador expeditionLet’s plan your next experience
Tell us what you hope to discover.
Tell Freddy your preferred Galápagos travel dates, wildlife interests and number of participants. We will prepare a personalized proposal with pricing, single supplement and secure deposit to be confirmed.