Galápagos Land-Based Bird & Wildlife Photography Expedition

Arrive on San Cristóbal with a flight from Quito, then settle into Puerto Baquerizo Moreno with lunch and dinner included. In the afternoon, walk to the Cerro Tijeretas viewpoint for your first look over the bay and open Pacific, where frigatebirds soar and the endemic San Cristóbal Mockingbird may appear. Pair this with a visit to the Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center to learn about Galápagos natural history, human history and conservation. The order of these visits may vary, keeping arrival unhurried before two nights at Casa Opuntia Hotel.

A full-day yacht excursion departs from San Cristóbal, with the destination chosen based on availability. Depending on the day, this could mean Española Island, known for its seabird colonies and coastal landscapes, Punta Pitt, where Blue-footed, Red-footed and Nazca Boobies share volcanic terrain, or Kicker Rock, a towering volcanic formation surrounded by reef life. Each route includes guided walks and snorkeling opportunities, with meals included and lodging at Casa Opuntia Hotel in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

A short shared inter-island flight from San Cristóbal brings you to Puerto Villamil on Isabela, where the island entrance fee is included. The morning centres on the Puerto Villamil Wetlands Birding Trail and Flamingo Lagoon, working lagoon edges at a birder’s pace for Galápagos Flamingo, Paint-billed Crake, Galápagos Rail and Galápagos Mockingbird. A mangrove-and-lava trail leads to the Arnaldo Tupiza Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. After lunch, the Las Tintoreras Bay Tour offers sea lions, Galápagos Penguin, Marine Iguanas and Whitetip Reef Sharks in a calm lava channel. Dinner and Isamar Hotel lodging follow.

A guided Sierra Negra Volcano hike explores Isabela Island’s highlands, climbing about 8 km toward the rim of one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas, roughly 9 km across. The route crosses volcanic formations, lava fields and highland vegetation, with possible sightings of Vermilion Flycatcher, Galápagos Mockingbird, Large Ground Finch, Galápagos Martin and Short-eared Owl, plus giant tortoises and lava lizards. Views stretch across the vast crater before an early-afternoon return to Puerto Villamil. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, with two nights at Isamar Hotel.

Cross the Bolívar Channel by speedboat ferry from Puerto Villamil to Puerto Ayora, then head into the cooler Santa Cruz highlands. Walk among Los Gemelos twin craters, where collapsed magma chambers are ringed by humid forest alive with Galápagos Flycatcher, Small Ground Finch, Galápagos Dove and Galápagos Mockingbird. Continue to the Santa Cruz Highlands Giant Tortoise Reserve to photograph giant tortoises in the wild and Darwin’s finches at El Chato ranch, then descend into a Galápagos lava tunnel to see how these volcanic islands were formed. The day ends in Puerto Ayora.

A shared yacht excursion from Puerto Ayora explores the Galápagos by sea. Depending on availability, the day may visit North Seymour Island with Las Bachas Beach, or South Plaza Island with Punta Carrión, or Bartolomé and Sullivan Bay. Expect certified naturalist guidance, trails through Palo Santo forest, coastal walks, snorkeling, and encounters with Blue-footed Boobies, frigatebirds, Galápagos Penguins, and Darwin’s finches. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included, with lodging at Santa Fe Hotel in Puerto Ayora.

From Puerto Ayora, explore North Seymour Island with Las Bachas Beach, walking Palo Santo forest trails past Blue-footed Booby colonies and frigatebird nesting sites, then relax by a lagoon. A separate excursion visits Punta Carrión and South Plaza Island, where sesuvium, Opuntia cacti and seabirds including Nazca Boobies and Swallow-tailed Gulls line the trails. Another day trip climbs Bartolomé for Pinnacle Rock views, with snorkelling at Sullivan Bay. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, with nights at Santa Fe Hotel in Puerto Ayora.

Puerto Ayora anchors this closing day, beginning with an included breakfast before a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. The Tortoise Route introduces giant tortoises in natural habitats or breeding programs, while exhibits explain conservation work protecting endangered species and restoring fragile ecosystems across the archipelago. The experience connects to Darwin’s research on evolution and the tortoises’ central place in it. An escorted transfer then continues from Puerto Ayora to Baltra Airport, followed by a flight from Baltra to Quito.