Small Group Discoveries
+ Our signature Small Group sightseeing brings Quito to life! Explore the architectural treasures of this UNESCO World Heritage capital and meet city residents eager to share insight into their life and culture.
+ With never more than 16 guests in a landing party, you’ll enjoy deeper engagement and more personalized attention from our expert naturalists, a more comfortable pace, and unforgettable up-close encounters with some of the most amazing animals on the planet.
+ Informative and entertaining shipboard lectures enhance your voyage and deepen your understanding of the island’s unique geology and wildlife.
+ Complimentary wet suits, snorkeling gear, sea kayaks and a glass-bottom boat enrich your exploration of the Galapagos’ colorful undersea realms.
+ Includes 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites
Day 1 - Welcome to Ecuador
Upon arrival at the airport, you’ll be met and escorted to Casa Gangotena, our luxury boutique hotel in the historic heart of Quito.Day 2 - Discover Quito
Your exploration of this World Heritage city begins with San Francisco, a magnificent 16th-century Roman Catholic church and convent. At a local hat shop, the owner will share her millinery skills and the techniques learned from her father that have allowed her to produce some of the city’s finest hats for nearly 60 years. You’ll also visit Chez Tiff, a boutique chocolate shop that produces fine confections from locally-sourced cocoa, herbs and fruits. In the historic heart of the city, you’ll behold important Colonial-era landmarks including the Presidential Palace and Cathedral. Your sightseeing ends in La Ronda, a charming historic district filled with inviting shops and galleries. Meals B+LDay 3 - Fly to the Galapagos Islands
You’ll be escorted to the airport this morning for your included flight to Baltra Island in the center of the archipelago. On arrival, cross the narrow Itabaca Channel by ferry to Santa Cruz Island and sit down to lunch at a local restaurant. Then join our expert naturalist for an exciting excursion into the Santa Cruz Highlands. Observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat, learn about the unique ecosystem of this pristine nature reserve, and discover its unusual lava tube formations.
Then travel to Puerto Ayora to board our Galapagos vessel, the intimate La Pinta. You’ll have time to settle in to your Upper Deck outside stateroom before joining fellow passengers for dinner. This evening’s briefing with our expert shipboard naturalists offers an entertaining and informative introduction to your upcoming voyage. Meals B+L+DDay 4 - Eden Islet and Chinese Hat Islet
Today’s excursions explore the diversity of two small and uninhabited isles. In the morning, a guided expedition in our maneuverable panga boats takes you along the shores of Eden Islet, where you might observe Nazca and blue footed boobies diving into the sea for food, reef sharks and frigatebirds. Conditions permitting, this is also a great place to take advantage of our free snorkeling gear and glass bottom boat. With its cinder cones, tuff cones and semi-eroded lava flows, Eden Islet also offers a chance to learn more about the volcanic origins of the Galapagos Islands.
After lunch, a guided nature walk on Chinese Hat Islet offers a chance to espy marine iguanas, Galapagos hawks, sea lions and Galapagos penguins. There’s also terrific snorkeling here amongst white-tipped reef sharks and penguins, or you might choose to explore these waters by sea kayak, glass-bottom boat or panga. Meals B+L+DDay 5 – Bartolomé and Santiago Islands
After breakfast, join our naturalists ashore for an invigorating walk to the summit of Bartolomé Island. A network of wooden stairs and boardwalks protects the fragile environment, including small lava lizards and a species of cactus found only in the Galapagos. Once at the top, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most picturesque and memorable vistas of your Galapagos adventure! Later, a panga boat excursion around Pinnacle Rock offers a great opportunity to photograph this iconic natural formation. Before returning to La Pinta for lunch, you’ll have time to relax on the beach, snorkel or ride in the glass-bottom boat.
In the afternoon, you’ll step ashore at Sullivan Bay on the southeastern coast of Santiago Island. There was a major eruption here only 100 years ago, and the sinuous Pāhoehoe lava formations look almost like still-flowing molten lava. There may not be much wildlife here, but the barren, other-worldly landscape makes for remarkable photography, and this is a great place to observe and experience the volcanic origins of the Galapagos archipelago. In addition, the lovely coral sand beach of Sullivan Bay is ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Meals B+L+DDay 6 – Two landings on Genovesa Island
Genovesa is celebrated for its remarkable birdlife including magnificent frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed and lava gulls, and yellow-crowned herons. This morning, you’ll step ashore with our naturalists at Darwin Bay. From the small sand and coral beach, an easy trail winds its way along a tidal lagoon, offering myriad opportunities to observe and learn about the island’s birdlife. After your guided walk, you can hike along a more challenging lava trail to a look-out point, go for a swim or snorkel in the bay. The more adventurous can paddle or snorkel along the cliffs at the edge of the bay.
After lunch back onboard, you’ll explore Prince Philip’s Steps - named for Prince Philip who visited the Galapagos in 1964 aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. As you approach the lava cliffs in our panga boats, keep your eyes peeled for animals using the crevices for shelter and for red-billed tropicbirds flying overhead. You’ll make landing at the base of a staircase that leads to the top of the cliffs where a mile-long path will take us to the other side of this small island. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to espy large colonies of Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, storm petrels and the elusive short-eared owl. Meals B+L+DDay 7 – Back to the Mainland
After breakfast, you’ll disembark on Baltra Island and transfer to the airport for your included flight back to the South American mainland. You can fly to Guayaquil at the Hotel del Parque or Quito at the JW Marriott: we include your overnight accommodations and a transfer to the airport in the morning. Or you can connect to your international flight on the same day. Meals BDay 8 - Farewell, Ecuador
We transfer you to the airport today. Meals B
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Welcome Aboard!Deluxe
Our Small Ship Journey Value
+ Our exclusive sightseeing in Quito with never more than 16 guests including all entry fees
+ 16 meals: 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners
+ 2 nights at the luxurious Casa Gangotena in Quito before your cruise and 1 night after your cruise in either Guayaquil or Quito
+ 4-night cruise aboard La Pinta in a deluxe Upper Deck outside stateroom with floor-to-ceiling windows
+ A complete program of naturalist-guided Small Group shore excursions in the Galapagos with never more than 16 guests in your landing party
+ Enriching shipboard lectures, complimentary WiFi and snorkeling gear throughout your cruise, sea kayaks and a glass-bottom boat
+ Complimentary, unlimited soft drinks onboard La Pinta
+ All port charges, national park fees and the required Transit Control card
+ All on-tour transportation and both internal flights
+ All hotel taxes & service charges and all airline taxes & fees for your included roundtrip flights to the Galapagos
Trip Pricing
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Traveling as a single?
Begins Quito
- Per Person Double
| Dates |
|
Deluxe |
| 4/27/2019 |
5/4/2019 |
|
$6899 |
$6599 |
| |
| 6/8/2019 |
6/15/2019 |
|
$6899 |
$6599 |
| |
| 6/22/2019 |
6/29/2019 |
|
$6899 |
$6599 |
| |
| 7/20/2019 |
7/27/2019 |
|
$6899 |
$6599 |
| |
| 8/17/2019 |
8/24/2019 |
|
$6899 |
$6599 |
| |
| 8/31/2019 |
9/7/2019 |
|
$6899 |
$6599 |
| |
| 1/4/2020 |
1/11/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 1/18/2020 |
1/25/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 2/15/2020 |
2/22/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 3/14/2020 |
3/21/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 4/11/2020 |
4/18/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 6/6/2020 |
6/13/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 7/4/2020 |
7/11/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 8/1/2020 |
8/8/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 8/29/2020 |
9/5/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
| 11/7/2020 |
11/14/2020 |
|
$7099 |
$6799 |
| |
Select all Deals that apply for best available price.
Prices are per person, land only. We offer air on LAN. Add extra nights.
Extend Your Trip
There are no upcoming departures for this tour, but our Custom Travel Team can arrange a private departure just for you at an affordable price and on the dates you want. With your own private car, driver and guide and custom tailored hotels, meals, and sightseeing we can create the journey of a lifetime exactly to your specifications.
Contact our Custom Travel Team: 800-221-2216 or
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Private Tour Add-Ons
Trip Reviews
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Barry from NJ gives this tour
Loved everything. Lovely hotel and great guide Maria.
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Date Traveled: 1/5/2019
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Christina from CA gives this tour
The guides were fantastic and the wildlife in the Galapagos Islands was amazing. The La Pinta yacht was the perfect size for this trip, with great food and a thoughtful schedule that packed a lot in but also left time for relaxing each day.
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Date Traveled: 3/30/2018
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Roberta from FL gives this tour
My tour guide in Quito, Henry was the best, informative, personable, efficient, punctual and whatever other positive adjective you cant think of. Totally enjoyable experience.
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Date Traveled: 10/28/2016
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Richard from AK gives this tour
Wouldn't change a thing!
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Date Traveled: 8/18/2016
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Dinah from NJ gives this tour
Delighted by: Henry (guide), hotel, tour
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Date Traveled: 6/25/2016