Galapagos Express - Central & West Islands aboard the Archipel I

This six-night tour begins with a stay in the leafy outskirts of Quito, a city perched at nearly 3,000 metres where the approach by plane includes views of dormant volcanoes capped with snow. After an early transfer to Baltra Island, the main gateway to the Galapagos, the group transfers by bus and boat to Santa Cruz Island to visit a breeding centre dedicated to restoring giant tortoise populations.

The itinerary moves from land to sea on Isabela Island, strolling coastal lagoons beside Sierra Negra's solidified lava, then hiking a marine reef uplifted in 1950 with sculpted coral formations. Fernandina Island, the youngest in the archipelago, offers a rare chance to see the flightless cormorant and large colonies of marine iguanas across jagged lava flows. The day ends snorkelling under rocky arches at Vicente Roca Point, where seahorses mingle with penguins and reef sharks.

Santiago Island's black-sand shores display recent lava flows and sparse vegetation, while nearby Rabida’s red sand and salt lagoon provide habitat for sea lions and white-cheeked pintails. The last expedition visits Black Turtle Cove’s mangrove lagoon by panga boat before a flight back to Quito and a final quiet night in Puembo, marking the end of the trip.

These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.