Days OOO: 8

Budget Style: Backpacker chic. The Galapagos are expensive to enter as they are a protected park.

Thu 10/2: Travel to Quito

The airport is really far from the city center. Big mistake spending only one night there before flying to the Galapagos the next day. Still, interesting wandering around in search of food as the city is really quiet at night.

Accommodations: Minka Hostel

Fri 10/3: Travel to Galapagos Islands

At the airport, there are several extra steps to get to the Galapagos. You first have to get a tourist card from a counter in Quito before you can even check your bags. Upon arrival in San Cristobal, you have to pay a $100 entry fee since the islands are a protected park. Bring cash and show up early!

Quito, EC Fri, 03 Oct 2014, 09:00	Guayaquil, EC Fri, 03 Oct 2014, 09:50	EQ   193  Tame
Guayaquil, EC Fri, 03 Oct 2014, 10:55	San Cristobal, EC (SCY) Fri, 03 Oct 2014, 11:40	EQ   195  Tame

The island is really safe and walkable. My brother and I went to a beach full of sea lions which was both fascinating and scary. They aren’t docile creatures.

Accommodations: Hostel Cactus

Sat 10/4: San Cristobal

Kicker Rock snorkeling – Got to swim with a few animals, but visibility wasn’t too great the day we went. Ate pelican for lunch, and spent the day on an abandoned beach afterwards.

They have a science museum on the island which had hardly anyone in it, but it had a good amount of history about the founding of the Galapagos.

Accommodations: Hostel Cactus

Sun 10/5: Travel to Isabela

7:00am ferry to Santa Cruz, Arrive 9:30am. Free time until 1:00pm… we went to a tortoise reserve.

2:00pm Ferry to Isabela. Arrive at 4:30pm.

I’ll include a past write-up about the ferry experiences and link it here soon. If you can afford a flight, definitely fly. The ferries are small speed boats and space is cramped. You can basically show up to the dock and buy a seat on the spot without a reservation, just remember to bring cash.

Accommodations: Casa Rosada / Caleta Iguana – right on the beach, includes a tiki bar, fun people, volleyball, hammocks, and massive iguanas as far as the eye can see. LOVED this place.

Mon 10/6: Isabela

Sierra Negra Volcano hike – dress in layers and bring a waterproof jacket. Amazing views at the top!

Night at Caleta Iguana

Tue 10/7: Isabela

Los Tuneles snorkeling – best day of my life. Snorkeled with penguins, sharks, stingrays, and huge sea turtles. Also saw a colony of blue footed boobies. Booked this through my hostel, and there are plenty of operators on the island in the main town. 

Night at Caleta Iguana

Wed 10/8: Travel to Santa Cruz

6:00am ferry to Santa Cruz, arrive at 8:30am

Accommodations: Cormorant Lodging House

Thu 10/9: Santa Cruz

Day at Tortuga Bay – Takes about 30-40 minutes to hike there, but the beach is worth it.

Night at Cormorant Lodging House

Fri 10/10: Travel from Baltra to Quito

Baltra, EC (GPS) Fri, 10 Oct 2014, 10:20		Guayaquil, EC Fri, 10 Oct 2014, 13:10	EQ   190  Tame
Guayaquil, EC Fri, 10 Oct 2014, 14:00		Quito, EC Fri, 10 Oct 2014, 14:50	EQ   190  Tame

Accommodations: Minka Hostel

Sat 10/11: Quito

Explore old town Quito, UNESCO world heritage site. I went on the free walking tour from Community Hostel and Ovi is a great guide! I think he is still there.

Night at Minka Hostel

Sun 10/12: Day Trip to La Mitad del Mundo (Equator)

We took a cab there and back. Didn’t feel like messing with public transportation. It is fairly far, just make sure you go to both the regular monument and the science museum next door. The monument was measured wrong so it isn’t really the equator. Science museum is dinky but kind of fun, I got to balance an egg on a nail!

Night at Minka Hostel

Mon 10/13: Travel to Washington DC

Quito, EC (UIO) Mon, 13 Oct 2014, 06:10	Panama, Panama (PTY) Mon, 13 Oct 2014, 08:40	CM   210  Copa
Panama, Panama (PTY) Mon, 13 Oct 2014, 09:29	Washington DC (IAD) Mon, 13 Oct 2014, 15:24	CM   304  Copa

Heavy fog stranded us for awhile in Quito, so we missed our connecting flight. I will soon have a separate post for how to pass a 10 hour layover in Panama City. I’m glad we went there!