5-day Galápagos Islands Safari & Luxury Camp on Santa Cruz
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TripsEcuadorGalápagos Islands

5-day Galápagos Islands Safari & Luxury Camp on Santa Cruz

Ecuador
4 Nights·5 Days
GalápagosSafari & WildlifeActive Adventures

Overview

Perfect for nature lovers, this 5-day Galápagos Islands safari delivers incredible opportunities to encounter native species across Santa Cruz. Guided by authorized naturalists, you can safely observe giant tortoises up close, spot Darwin’s finches, and search for land iguanas and short-eared owls. Marine and coastal outings also feature memorable sightings of sea lions, penguins, flamingos, and diverse seabirds, creating a deep connection to the region’s biodiversity.

This itinerary blends adventure with discovery through excursions to the Los Gemelos twin craters, the Cerro Mesa reserve, and Garrapatero beach. Depending on seasonal conditions, boat trips expand your journey to nearby islands such as Bartolomé, Santa Fe, North Seymour, and South Plaza. In addition to wildlife watching, guests can enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, and downhill bike rides, complemented by cultural visits to a local highland coffee and sugar cane farm.

Each evening, return to a luxury tented camp set amid the lush highland surroundings. Accommodations feature spacious, comfortable tents fitted with private decks and ensuite bathrooms. Welcoming shared spaces—including a cozy lounge, a small infinity pool, and a sunset viewing deck—round out this memorable stay.

  • Full itinerary: Los Gemelos craters; a giant tortoise reserve with lava tubes; Cerro Mesa reserve; Garrapatero beach with snorkeling, kayaking, and an optional downhill bike ride; a sugar-cane and coffee farm; two boat days to uninhabited islands with guided walks and snorkeling.
  • Two Galápagos day trips by boat to islands where nobody lives: from Bartolomé’s viewpoint and penguins to the sea lions of Santa Fe and the nesting seabirds of North Seymour.
  • Giant tortoises in the wild on Day 1, within a few meters on a gentle trail, and often walking through the undergrowth below the tents at night.
  • Four nights in the same safari-style tent: three layers of canvas, a private deck with a hammock, and an en-suite bathroom with a solar-heated shower.
  • A camp built for low impact: rainwater collection, solar hot water, tents instead of concrete, and a reforestation project with the Charles Darwin Research Station.
  • Activities guided by English-speaking naturalist guides authorized by the Galápagos National Park, with a private car and guide for your party on Santa Cruz.
  • All-inclusive experience: VIP airport service and all transfers, 4 nights in the tented camp, full board with water, tea, and coffee all day, 2 boat excursions with lunch on board, snorkel gear and wetsuits, kayaks, bikes, and naturalist guides.

  • Please note: This is a sample plan. The order of the land day and the two boat days may change with your travel calendar, putting the boat excursions on Days 2 and 3 ahead of your private Santa Cruz excursion on Day 4. The guide determines the locations to be visited based on season, sea conditions, and the regulations of the Galápagos National Park. Every activity is optional.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival at Baltra / Los Gemelos Craters / Giant Tortoises & Lava Tubes

  • ArrivalBaltra airport · VIP lounge while your paperwork and bags are handled
  • CrossingItabaca Channel · car 15 min + boat 15 min + car into the highlands
  • Los Gemelos· Gentle walk around the crater rims · 30 min
  • Giant tortoise reserve and lava tubes· Guided circuit · 1 h

Your Galápagos Islands safari begins at Baltra Island airport. A VIP lounge staff member collects your documents and bags while you relax with snacks and drinks. Afterwards, meet the guide who will accompany you throughout your stay on land.

A 15-minute drive (watch for land iguanas) takes you to a small dock, where a boat crosses the narrow Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz. A private car then climbs through the island’s vegetation zones to Los Gemelos, two huge sinkholes in the endemic Scalesia forest. On the walk around the rims, your guide points out Galápagos doves and Darwin’s finches.

Next, visit an open reserve where a gentle loop trail brings you within meters of giant tortoises. Short-eared owls are also occasionally spotted here. The reserve features ancient lava tubes—tunnels formed when the outer layer of a lava flow solidified while the interior continued flowing.

Following lunch at a highland restaurant, a 15-minute drive brings you to camp for the evening.

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

Aerial view of a lodge with a long curved green roof set among misty highland forest and rolling hills during a galapagos islands safari.
A large tortoise walking across short green grass on a Galápagos islands safari, with lush leafy vegetation in the background
Panoramic view of Los Gemelos, a vast vegetation-filled volcanic sinkhole on a Galápagos Islands safari, with moss-covered rock walls dropping steeply into dense green forest under a partly cloudy sky
Illuminated interior of a lava tube on a Galápagos Islands safari, showing layered golden-brown volcanic rock walls and a narrow walking path lit by overhead lights
A seared meat medallion with dark reduction sauce, roasted baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and wilted greens on a white plate, served as part of a galapagos islands safari all-inclusive dining experience

Day 2

Cerro Mesa Reserve / Garrapatero Beach: Snorkel, Kayak, or Bike / Coffee Farm

  • Cerro Mesa· Crater viewpoint or walk around the rim · From 10 AM
  • Drive or biketo Garrapatero · 8 km (4.9 mi) + 500 m (0.3 mi) trail to the beach
  • Snorkeling and kayaking· Garrapatero bay and mangroves · ~11:45 AM–1 PM
  • Farm visit· Sugarcane and coffee · 3–4 PM

Enjoy a private day on Santa Cruz with your own car, guide, and flexible itinerary. A typical plan begins with breakfast at 8 AM, followed by a 9:30 AM drive to Cerro Mesa, a private reserve on the island’s eastern side. Its trails are ideal for spotting the red vermilion flycatcher and seven finch subspecies, leading to a lookout point with views across Santa Cruz and neighboring islands on clear days.

Then, bike or drive downhill to Garrapatero Beach as green highlands give way to black lava, white sand, turquoise water, and mangroves. En route, your guide highlights poisonous manzanillo trees. At the beach, snorkel the clear bay or kayak through mangroves, with flamingos occasionally feeding in the lagoon behind.

Enjoy a shaded picnic or a restaurant lunch in Puerto Ayora. Heading back, visit a highland farm pressing sugarcane and roasting coffee from berry to bean—a stop Santa Cruz Island tours on cruises rarely include. Return to camp around 4:30 PM.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Four kayakers in colorful boats paddle along a rugged coastal cliff with a natural rock arch on a Galápagos islands safari, the water shifting from turquoise near the rocks to deep blue offshore
Two marine iguanas on a weathered wooden dock post beside turquoise water during a Galapagos islands safari, one draped flat across the beam and a smaller one climbing the volcanic rock base below
A white seabird with black-tipped wings glides low over crashing waves against dark volcanic cliffs on a galapagos islands safari coastal outing.
Close-up of a dark marine iguana perched on rugged black lava rock, a classic sight on a galapagos islands safari shore excursion.
Exposed mangrove pneumatophores and arching roots at low tide during a Galápagos Islands safari, with shallow tidal water and green canopy overhead

Day 3

Boat Day to an Uninhabited Island / Guided Walk / Snorkeling

  • TransferCamp → Dock · 30 min
  • Day boatto the island · 45 min to 2 h each way, depending on the island
  • Guided walk· 600 m to 2 km (0.4 to 1.2 mi), depending on the island
  • Guided snorkel· Wetsuit and gear provided

After breakfast, a 30-minute drive takes you to the dock to board a day boat with air conditioning, a dining lounge, and outdoor seating. A guide travels with the group. On the way, there is time to ask questions or to relax on deck.

Every island visit has two parts: a guided walk on a marked trail and a guided snorkel. Lunch is served on board (food is not allowed inside the National Park). Which two islands you see over Days 3 and 4 depends on your dates:

Bartolomé (2 h each way): a 600 m (0.4 mi) walk up a steep, unshaded wooden stairway to the island’s highest point for the classic view of the islands; penguins are often seen at the snorkel site. Ideal if you came for a Bartolomé Island tour.

Santa Fe (2 h each way): sea lions, the Santa Fe land iguana, and giant prickly pear cacti; a 1.8 km (1.1 mi) walk on two loops, one along the bay and one up the coastal cliffs, then a snorkel in a sheltered cove.

North Seymour (45 min each way): seabirds and their courtship displays on a flat 2 km (1.2 mi) loop; snorkel nearby or at Bachas beach, depending on the sea.

South Plaza (1.5 h each way): carpets of bright sesuvium and seabirds along a 1.2 km (0.8 mi) gradual climb to the cliffs; snorkel at Punta Carrión, off the northeast corner of Santa Cruz.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A Galápagos sea lion and her newborn pup rest on a white sand beach during a Galápagos Islands safari, with black lava rocks, turquoise water, a navigation marker, and a small expedition vessel anchored offshore
Turquoise waters surrounding Bartolomé Island on a Galápagos Islands safari, with Pinnacle Rock rising from the shore and twin volcanic cones behind small boats anchored in the bay
Two travelers sit side by side on a white sand beach during a Galápagos Islands safari, surrounded by resting sea lions, with turquoise water and a rocky islet visible on the horizon
A sea turtle gliding through clear blue water just below the surface during a Galápagos Islands safari, with rocky reef and sandy seabed visible below
A Galápagos penguin perches on a barnacle-covered volcanic rock and peers downward, with blue water and a rocky hillside blurred in the background — a close encounter typical of a Galápagos islands safari

Day 4

Second Island Day Trip / Guided Walk / Snorkeling

  • Day boatto a second uninhabited island · 45 min to 2 h each way
  • Guided walk+ snorkeling (optional)
  • Sunsetat the camp’s observation deck

Set sail for another uninhabited island using the same format: a guided nature walk, a snorkeling outing, and lunch served on board. You are welcome to remain on the boat if you choose not to snorkel, as all water activities are completely optional and take place in either shallow or deep waters.

Back at camp, the evening is yours. Swim in the small infinity pool, rest in your hammock with binoculars, or walk to the observation deck for a drink as the sun sets behind the park and the islands.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A Galapagos land iguana with vivid orange and yellow scales perches on a dark volcanic rock during a Galapagos islands safari, small red coastal plants visible in the background
Aerial view of a rocky, scrub-covered peninsula on a Galápagos islands safari, flanked by deep turquoise open ocean on one side and a calm turquoise bay with white sand beaches and two small boats anchored offshore on the other
A sea lion stretched out flat and sleeping on the edge of a weathered blue boat hull under a partly cloudy sky, a common sight on this Galapagos Islands safari
Three Galápagos penguins perched on black volcanic lava rocks with turquoise ocean waves in the background, a highlight of any Galápagos Islands safari
Overhead view of a swimmer wearing yellow fins gliding through clear turquoise water during a snorkeling stop on this galapagos islands safari.

Day 5

Sunrise at Camp / Transfer to Baltra Airport

  • Sunrise· Observation deck
  • TransferCamp → Itabaca Channel · 30 min, boat 15 min, car 15 min to Baltra
  • Check-in· 2 hours before your flight, VIP lounge access

Get up early for a slow walk around the camp and the sunrise from the observation deck. Breakfast is on the veranda, where finches and warblers keep you company.

The guide travels with you all the way to the airport: 30 minutes by car to the Itabaca Channel, a 15-minute boat crossing, and a 15-minute drive to Baltra. After check-in, the VIP lounge is open for a last drink before your flight. This is the end of your 5-day Galápagos tour.

Meals included: Breakfast

Two guests seated on a wood-decked terrace at a galapagos islands safari camp, watching a golden sunset spread over a vast canopy of highland trees and distant hills

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Baltra airport ⇄ tented camp in the Santa Cruz highlands), with VIP airport service at Baltra on arrival and departure
  • 4-night stay at a tented camp in the Santa Cruz highlands (safari-style tent, family tent, or family suite)
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary + a welcome drink
  • Water, tea, and coffee all day
  • Private car and driver for all transfers and land excursions
  • 2 boat excursions to uninhabited islands, shared, with lunch on board
  • Wetsuits and snorkel gear
  • Kayaks and bikes
  • Guided tours (Los Gemelos, giant tortoise reserve and lava tubes, Cerro Mesa, Garrapatero beach with snorkeling and kayaking, the sugar-cane and coffee farm, and the guided walks and snorkels on two uninhabited islands)
  • English-speaking naturalist guide: private for your party on Santa Cruz, shared with the other guests on the boat days

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Galápagos National Park entrance fee
  • Transit Control Card (TCT)
  • Drinks other than water, tea, and coffee
  • Laundry
  • Travel insurance
  • Gratuities
  • Value-Added Tax (VAT)
  • Optional extras, such as the chocolate tasting or an Isabela extension

FAQ

Reviews

“The food and service is unmatched. The staff is so incredibly helpful and makes you feel so comfortable. Don't miss the View Point for the sunset. We had a magical time staying here.”

— Olivia

“We just returned from a Galapagos trip which included three nights at the camp, and I truly wish we had stayed there longer! What a beautiful, peaceful oasis in the Santa Cruz highlands. It truly felt like a luxury experience from the moment we stepped off the plane in Baltra, and every need was anticipated and met. The tents are beautifully appointed, very private and comfortable, and had surprisingly strong Wi-Fi and great water pressure in the shower. We made good use of the infinity pool after our daily excursions, and there were so many special and personal touches. An added bonus is the tortoises roaming freely around the property. And the food! We truly didn't expect a five star food experience in a remote camp in the Galapagos but WOW. Every meal was absolutely delicious and featured traditional Ecuadorian food which we loved. The only thing I would mention I want to mention is that there is a fairly steep, uphill walk from the tents to the lodge, which is doable for anyone who is fairly fit but this would not be a great place for anyone who is struggling with health or mobility issues. I would absolutely stay here again, and hated to leave!”

— M Clark

“We had a fabulous experience at the camp - the tents were spacious and comfortable, with modern conveniences. The food was fantastic throughout - every meal was authentic and delicious. The staff was incredibly attentive to our needs, particularly Estefani, Jorge, and Juan. Our son was sick for a couple of days during our trip and the staff could not have been more helpful. We loved the camp and highly recommend it.”

— M G

“We had a top notch experience and nothing was lacking. Staff treated us like family and our guide was a gem. I feel grateful we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to see this beautiful part of the world and enjoy nature and the animals. We loved the glamping tents and the food was better than we expected. All of our adventures were well planned. Cannot recommned highly enough!”

— Rachel J

“Wow, what a great overall experience. We planned our trip through Andrea and Lizeth @ the camp who did an outstanding job. The trip began with 2 nights in Quito at the Illa Experience Hotel ( great boutique hotel with great staff and wonderful food);and a city tour with our excellent guide. We were so glad we followed Andrea and Lizeth’s suggestion to add this to our trip. The tour was outstanding, hotel and staff were great, sites were beautiful and educational. Sebastian was an outstanding guide and our driver, Louis was great. The next 4 nights were at the camp . Juan, Sandra, and team were great. Our “ tent” was very nice, food was outstanding, and the staff could not do enough for us. The tours of Santa Cruz, snorkeling, island tours / wildlife and tortoise tours were great and lead by our outstanding tour guide Sandi and driver Fernando. We then proceeded onto the Elite luxury cruise for 4 nights. This gave us access to “ outer islands” seeing hundreds of sea lions, snorkeling with rays, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, blue and red footed boobies and lots of birds and great sites. The yacht was beautiful, crew was outstanding, tour guide, David, was super and the food/ post excursion snacks were delicious . At every step of the trip, we were met/ escorted by a member of the professional staff, assisted thru customs, tickets handed to us. Service was top notch! We travel very often, this was one of our best trips with excellent planning, great sites, excellent food, great service, super staff members.”

— Tom

“Incredible experience! The lodge is fairly isolated, about a 30 minute drive from the nearest town. You can only see nature from your room. The place is gorgeous. My son ran into a tortoise on his way to lunch. We saw tortoises every day on the dirt road leading to the camp. The food was as good as the best restaurants in any city. The chef is spectacular. My adult sons joined us. They are foodies and they always wanted seconds. They also accommodate for any diet. The best part is that they make planning your time in Galapagos so easy. Once I booked, I did not have to plan anything else. They take care of all drivers and guides and excusions and even made sure we had wetsuits. I can't recommend this place more.”

— Elisabeth K

“Cannot speak highly enough about this place. Everything was wonderful, but the hospitality and food truly blew us away. I’ll leave the details out as to not spoil the surprises and delights. But overall the staff, accommodations, lodge and FOOD in particular was mind-blowing. The detailed attention to our excursion plans and helping us prepare for them made all the difference too. If you are considering booking a trip here, just do it. You will remember it forever!”

— Sarah B

“What a gem! Located overlooking the ocean and Bartholomew Island, the hotel has tented rooms that are very comfortable and quite charming. Much like the African safari camps. Our 3 night stay started every day with a delicious Ecuadorian breakfast, and ended each night with more delicious dinners. Our wonderful guide Viviana Herrera met us for adventurous outings on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday the camp arranged for us to take a boat ride to Bartholomew Island where we saw penguins, boobies, and went snorkeling. Just a wonderful day. If you go to the Galapagos the camp should be on your list. The manager Jorge, and his staff are very helpful and accommodate every request. Just a special place.”

— Scott W

“What an amazing play to stay! We loved the ease and professionalism throughout the planning and booking phase. The place itself is so well maintained and comfortable. Cannot say enough about the staff at the camp!!!! They were so attentive and always had a smile on their face. My kids unfortunately fell ill on one of the days and the staff (Stephanie & George) were just so remarkable in checking in on us throughout the day and making available whatever they needed. The bartenders (Juan & Alex) make great cocktails. The chef is outstanding too. Our guide (Robert) was also so nice and knowledgeable and full of stories to keep us entertained. We were very sad to leave the place.”

— Trina D

“Hands down, the camp is service wise the best thing we have ever experienced, without comparison - we loooved that everything was so well thought through, the debriefing with the host with a small drink and just in general the eye for detail with packing everything we need for the day, small information cards in the morning and a nice little bedtime message with a nice quote. The food was mindblowingly good, some off the dishes even Michelin niveau! We really got along with our guide Robert, he was so sweet, well knowing and just plain good company! We can totally recommend going here, if you want an experience of your lifetime.”

— Rikke N

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$ 5,480/ per person