Galapagos Safari Camp 5-Night Family Safari

Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.

The following itinerary is a sample and can be customized according to your family’s individual needs and wants.

Day 1: In search of the giant tortoise

Your family’s naturalist guide meets you at Baltra Airport. You will have access to the VIP airport lounge upon arrival. To maximize your first day in the Galapagos Islands, you will be taken to a number of visiting sites on the way to Galapagos Safari Camp.

After crossing the narrow channel that separates Baltra Island from Santa Cruz Island, you continue by private vehicle to the highlands of Santa Cruz, stopping at Los Gemelos (The Twin Craters) – two colossal, volcanic sinkholes. On a gentle hike around the rim, your guide will point out the birds of the endemic Scalesia forest such as Galapagos doves and Darwin’s finches.

From Los Gemelos you continue to a reserve for giant tortoises. Your tour of the reserve will follow a gentle circuit trail where you get within meters of these iconic Galapagos creatures.  The tortoise reserve also contains a network of underground lava tubes, formed centuries ago when lava flows cooled at the edges but kept flowing in the middle, leaving cave-like tunnels in their wake. To fully appreciate the uniqueness of the Galapagos Islands, and its wildlife, it’s important to first understand the archipelago’s geology and volcanic history. Keep a look out too for short-eared owls, as they are occasionally spotted in the trees.

After lunch, you may explore our 135 acre farm on foot or bike, pick local tropical fruit, harvest cacao seasonally, and spot local birds. Before sundown, visit the lava tunnels and search for giant tortoises roaming the National Tortoise Reserve adjacent to Galapagos Safari Camp.

Day 2: Santa Cruz Island

After breakfast, visit a neighboring organic coffee plantation to learn about responsible small-scale farming in the Galapagos, and the children have a chance to pick coffee beans if season allows.

Then drive to the enormous Cerro Mesa crater for a short walk in the wetlands that is home to a wonderful variety of birds and the occasional bathing tortoise.

After lunch at a local restaurant, jump on bikes for a downhill ride to Garrapatero Beach, where the contrast of mangroves, black lava, white sand, and turquoise water, along with its birdlife and flamingo lagoon, is magnificent. Explore the bay in sea kayaks, accompanied by marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and countless shorebirds.

In the evening, back at GSC, parents can relax while the children take a private art class with a local artist.

Day 3: Explore an uninhabited island

Spend the day spotting wildlife and snorkeling on one of the uninhabited islands easily accessed by a day-yacht from Santa Cruz Island. The exact island location depends on travel dates, but options include North Seymour, South Plazas, Santa Fe, and Bartolomé, all of which are rich in wildlife and offer wonderful snorkeling opportunities.

Please note this is a shared boat excursion unless requested otherwise. Destination will depend on your dates.

Day 4: Fishing Adventure

An excursion with local fishermen is a favorite among children visiting us. This excursion is both a wildlife experience and a cultural exchange opportunity.

We are involved in a program with the National Park Service that aims to engage local fisherman in tourism activities as an alternative means of income, with the added benefit of protecting local fisheries from depletion.

The fishermen have very safe and modern speedboats, which we charter privately for the day. With your guide acting as translator, the fishermen share anecdotes from a lifetime at sea, and the children learn local fishing tricks.

After fishing, you’ll land on a deserted beach and may snorkel in a spot known only to locals.

If you prefer to limit fishing and enhance the snorkeling or beach experience, your guide is there to adapt the day to your preferences.

Day 5: Charles Darwin Research Station and bay tour

Visit the famous Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about its preservation efforts and scientific research. The children will have an up-close experience with the tortoises that are the islands’ namesake.

Parents can enjoy free time to wander around Puerto Ayora, while your guide takes the children to a local playground or on a tour of the local fish market on the waterfront.

After lunch, take a speedboat to Tortuga Bay, a white sandy beach with basking marine iguanas, and shallow turquoise waters teeming with white-tip reef sharks and fish. Or you can join a snorkeling boat that will take you to frolic with sea lions.

Day 6: Sunrise walk and departure

Enjoy the serenity that Galapagos Safari Camp has to offer. Relax, walk, or enjoy the sunrise from our observatory before departure to your next destination.