Five days is enough to fall in love with Galápagos, as long as you don’t try to see everything. We have been organising trips on land since 2005, and this is the pace we would suggest to a friend.
Stay on two islands, not three
Speedboats between the islands take about two to three hours, and there is no direct boat between Isabela and San Cristóbal: you change at Santa Cruz, which uses up most of a day. So in five days we prefer Santa Cruz and Isabela. If you would like a third island, the 6-day version gives you room to breathe.
A sample route
Day 1: arrive on Santa Cruz. You land on Baltra, cross the Itabaca Channel on a small ferry and drive over the highlands to Puerto Ayora. On the way, stop to see giant tortoises in the wild and walk through a lava tunnel.
Day 2: Santa Cruz. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, then follow the path to Tortuga Bay for white sand and marine iguanas. In the evening, stroll into town for dinner.
Day 3: over to Isabela. Take the speedboat to Puerto Villamil. Later, walk past the lagoons, where flamingos often feed, to the tortoise breeding centre.
Day 4: Isabela. Choose your adventure: the immense caldera of Sierra Negra, a long walk (about 16 km if you continue to Volcán Chico), or Las Tintoreras, small lava islets where white-tipped reef sharks rest in a narrow channel, with snorkelling close by.
Day 5: homeward. Speedboat back to Santa Cruz, then across the highlands to Baltra for your flight.
The order always depends on boat timetables and sea conditions, so we confirm the exact plan with you before you travel.
What to expect
- The crossings can be bumpy, especially from June to November, when the sea tends to be choppier. If you get seasick, take something before boarding.
- Your bags are checked before each boat crossing, so arrive with time to spare.
- Park rules are there for the animals. In protected areas you go with an authorised guide and stay two metres away, even when a curious sea lion comes over to you.
Coming from the UK, Germany or Austria?
Five days on the islands means about eight days away from home, once you add the long journey and a night on the mainland each way. Our guide to getting there explains why that night is worth it, and it applies from Canada too. If you are escaping a northern winter, December to May brings warmer water and calmer seas.
Shall we plan it together?
Have a look at our 5-day island hopping tour, or the 4-day version if your time is tight. Then write to us with your dates and who is travelling, and our family team will shape the route around you.
Don’t settle for travelling. Live it!
