Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal · Ecuador
Galápagos: Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal
Giant tortoises in the highlands, white-sand beaches, sea lions on every pier and snorkeling in clear coves. Five days on two inhabited islands, no cruise needed.
- 5 days
- Couples
- Families
- Friends
- Wildlife
- Beaches
- Nature
Day by day
The plan
Times are suggestions. Opening hours and seasons change, so check before you go. Once it’s in your trip, move anything you like.
- Day 1
Arrive on Santa Cruz
- 10:30
Fly into Baltra and cross to Santa Cruz
Getting around
A short bus, a quick ferry over the Itabaca Channel, then the road across the island to Puerto Ayora.
- 13:30
Giant tortoises in the highlands
Activity
Wild tortoises graze in the green highlands; walking among them is unforgettable.
- 15:30
Lava tunnels
Activity
Walk through tubes left by old lava flows, right in the highlands.
- 18:30
Seafood dinner in Puerto Ayora
Food & drink
Fresh fish and lobster in season, in the island’s main town.
- 10:30
- Day 2
Tortoises, beaches and crevices
- 08:00
Charles Darwin Research Station
Activity
See the tortoise breeding program that helped bring island species back.
- 10:00
Tortuga Bay
Activity
A paved trail leads to a long white beach; swim at the calm, sheltered end.
- 14:00
Lunch in Puerto Ayora
Food & drink
A simple set lunch of soup, fish and rice is the local way.
- 15:30
Las Grietas
Activity
A water taxi and a short walk to swim in clear water between tall lava walls.
- 18:00
Fish market at the pier
Activity
Sea lions and pelicans wait beside the counters for scraps.
- 08:00
- Day 3
Day trip by boat
- 07:30
Boat trip to a nearby island
Activity
Book a licensed day tour to an uninhabited island; the sites on offer change by day.
- 12:30
Lunch on board
Food & drink
Day tours usually serve lunch between the walk and the snorkel stop.
- 16:30
Sunset along the waterfront
Activity
Watch the boats come in and the light fade over the bay.
- 19:00
Dinner in Puerto Ayora
Food & drink
A relaxed last night on Santa Cruz.
- 07:30
- Day 4
Ferry to San Cristóbal
- 07:00
Ferry to San Cristóbal
Getting around
About two hours on an open-sea speedboat; it can be bumpy, so sit toward the back.
- 10:00
Stay in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Stay
A small, walkable port town where sea lions sleep on the benches.
- 13:00
Interpretation Center
Activity
A clear introduction to how the islands formed and how people arrived.
- 14:30
Cerro Tijeretas
Activity
A short hike to a frigatebird lookout, then a snorkel in the cove below.
- 17:30
Sunset with the sea lions
Activity
Playa Mann and the waterfront are full of sea lions in the late afternoon.
- 07:00
- Day 5
La Lobería and fly home
- 07:30
La Lobería
Activity
A rocky beach with a sea lion colony and marine iguanas along the trail.
- 10:00
Playa Punta Carola
Activity
A quiet beach a short walk from town, good for one last swim.
- 12:30
Lunch in town
Food & drink
Ceviche or fresh fish before you head out.
- 14:30
Fly out from San Cristóbal
Getting around
The airport is right next to town, a few minutes by taxi.
- 07:30
Good to know
Tips
Entry rules
Visitors pay a national park entrance fee and need a transit card bought before the flight. Rules and amounts change, so check the official information before you go.
Give wildlife space
Keep at least two meters from animals, never touch or feed them, and stay on marked trails.
Seasons
December to May is warmer, sunnier and calmer at sea. June to November is cooler and often misty, with cold, nutrient-rich water and lots of marine life.
Add a day for Kicker Rock
With an extra day on San Cristóbal, a snorkel tour to Kicker Rock (León Dormido) is a highlight for confident swimmers.
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