• Welcome to Ecuador!
• We recommend you plan to arrive a day or two before our adventure starts on April 15 just in case of flight delays, luggage loss and to acclimate.
• You are welcome to stay anywhere you like.

Meals: Not Included

Accommodation: Not Included

• Today you need to arrive in Quito.
• Typically flights landing in Quito arrive late in the evening.
• You will check into your hotel accommodations that are included in the trip.
• Get a good nights rest as tomorrow we begin our adventure.

Meals Included: None

Accommodation: Included

• We will have a group meeting in the morning. Get to know each other and our guides!
• Then we set off for the first day of our adventure!
• Today we will be exploring Quito City.
• One of our amazing activities today is the TeleferiQo - a cable car! Also known as a gondola.
• We will be heading up one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes you on a 2.5km ride (10 minutes) up the flanks of Volcán Pichincha to the top of Cruz Loma. Once you’re at the top (a mere 4100m) we will be having our lunch. 
• After lunch we will be able to walk and hike exploring at the top of Cruz Loma!
• Our day is full of learning about the culture and history of the city.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Included in Quito City

• Today we will be going from the city of Quito to the first of our Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz.
• We will all board a morning flight around 11:00am.
• Our flight is around 3.5h and we arrive in the town of Baltra between 3:00pm - 4:00pm.
• Our acitivties for today are on the way to the airport and after we have landed.
• Our activities include: exploring the Lava Tunnels and Tortoise Reserve.
• The abundance of lava tunnels found across the Galapagos Islands, cover 7880 square kilometres of land across 45,000 sq km of ocean, is because the archipelago sits on a tectonic plate – the Nazca plate – which is moving south and under the South American plate, at a reported rate of about  6.5 centimetres a year. They are incredible to see and explore.
• Santa Cruz also offers excellent opportunities for viewing wild tortoises, roaming through pastures in the agricultural zone and in the Tortoise Reserve.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Included - Santa Cruz

• Today we are going to have a full day of explorations!
• Starting with some swimming in beautiful natural pools, followed by lunch in town.
• After lunch we will be exploring the Charles Darwin Station.
• A ten minute walk from the center of town, the Charles Darwin Research Station is the operational center of the international non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation.
• The visitor center contains exhibits dealing with climate and geography and provides insight into the evolution of flora and fauna as well as current conservation programs.
• The Darwin Station conducts research and provides technical assistance to other researchers and governmental agencies, in particular the Galapagos National Park. The results of the research are published in scientific journals, reports, and also included in interpretive displays for visitors. The Darwin Station also provides environmental education to communities and schools in Galapagos.
• We are also going to be exploring Las Grietas.
• Taking a water taxi from the municipal pier to the pier of Finch Bay Hotel on the other side of the bay.
• From there the trail passes by lagoons, a beach, and the residential zone until reaching the cliffs of the main crevice.
• There, it is possible to observe two very distinct levels of water – fresh water at the surface and the salt water of the sea at the bottom. The crevices are a lovely place to swim.
• Dinner and the evening in town.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Included - Santa Cruz

• Today we are exploring the island, Bartholomew.
• We set off by small ferry to the uninhabited Bartholomew Island.
• Bartolomé Island was named after Sir Bartholomew James Sulivan, a friend of Charles Darwin who served as principal surveyor and second-lieutenant aboard the HMS Beagle. Bartolomé is a barren islet in Sullivan Bay to the east of Santiago Island. Bartolomé is home to a distinctive and recognizable site of the archipelago: Pinnacle Rock. Pinnacle Rock, a volcanic cone, was formed when magma was expelled from an underwater volcano; the sea cooled the hot lava, which then exploded, only to come together and form this huge rock made up of many thin layers of basalt. Visitors to Bartolomé may recognize the island and Pinnacle Rock from the 2003 blockbuster movie “Master and Commander.”
• It is possible to see hawks, herons and finches. The sea life around the island is particularly diverse, and it includes sea lions, sea turtles, a lot of different types of fish, and white-tipped reef sharks. If we are lucky we might also get to spot a ray in the water.
• Today will be filled with snorkeling and walking explorations.
• Evening dinner in town.

- Optional activity: Scuba Diving (must be licensed and additional cost)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Included - Santa Cruz

• Our day begins with a 7:00am ferry to Isabela Island.
• Once we have arrived to our new Island we will head out for explorations.
• Starting with a walk from town to the Wetlands.
• The Wetlands is the name given to the area of lagoons and mangrove swamps just along the coast from Villamil.
• This is an important habitat, and is one of the only places where you can see all 4 of the native Galapagos Mangrove species. These mangroves are hugely important, not only for the wildlife they contain, but also for their help in preserving the coastline and resisting the eroding action of waves.
• Following our Wetlands walk we will be heading West of Villamil to visit a series of saltwater and brackish lagoons.
• These lagoons are home to an impressive variety of coastal and seabirds; this includes the largest concentration of flamingos in the Galapagos.
• Next visit is the Tortoise Breeding Center.
• The Tortoise Center of Isabela was completed in 1994 and houses tortoises from the populations of southern Isabela, we can see both hatchlings tortoises and the older breeding animals.
• Following we will enjoy lunch in town before we head out for our afternoon snorkel.
• Snorkeling will be at Las Tintoreras Islet.
• To reach Las Tintoreras Islet, a group of small islets off the coast, we must take a short dinghy ride to the small bay of completely tranquil turquoise water.
• This Islet provides habitat for sea lions, sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, and other species.

Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Included - Isabela Island

• Today is our full hiking day!
• We will be hiking 12miles (out and back) up the Sierra Negra Volcano.
• The Sierra Negra Volcano is one of the most impressive examples of a volcano in the archipelago.
• Its caldera measures 10 km across from north to south and 9 km from east to west, and is considered to be the second largest caldera in the world.
• We highly encourage you to take on this full day of hiking, however there is an option to turn back half way and instead fill your afternoon with snorkeling at Concha de Perla.
• The site provides incredible vistas of the volcanoes of Isabela as well as Fernandina.
• For those who complete the full hike can view a system of fumaroles, known as the Sulfur Mine. Sulfur in the form of crystals has been deposited on the fumaroles for thousands of years.
• Dinner back in town.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch 
Accommodation: Included - Isabela Island.

• We are going to be exploring Isabela Island by bike this morning!
• We will be first exploring the The Wall of Tears.
• The Wall of Tears is an interesting historical site
• The trail passes the Villamil cemetery shortly after leaving town, with tombs of the first settlers.
• About half way to the Wall, the trail passes a white sand beach with surrounding lagoons where all four species of mangroves that exist in Galapagos can be seen. The trail continues through the dry zone until reaching the Wall. A penal colony existed on Isabela from 1944 to 1959. The Wall of Tears was built by the prisoners to keep them busy. It stand 5-6 m high, 3 m wide and is approximately 100 m long. It is a testament to a period of cruelty and torture.
• Our afternoon explorations will Kayaking or SUPing in the beautiful Isabela Bay! You can choose to Kayak or SUP this afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Included - Isabela Island.

• Today we will be catching a very early ferry at 6:00am to begin our transition to the Island of San Cristobal.
• Our early ferry takes us back to Santa Cruz, arriving around 9:00am.
• We have the afternoon to explore and have lunch.
• Our free time concludes around 2:00pm when we take another ferry to the Island of San Cristobal arriving around 5:30pm.
• We are free to walk through town and enjoy dinner.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodations: Included - San Cristobal Island)

• We have a full day of snorkeling ahead of us!
• We are visiting the amazing Kicker Rock, also known as Leon Dormido (Sleeping Lion), via boat.
• The reason for the two different names is because the rock can seem like a sleeping lion, depending on the way that you look at it. If you look at it from the south it is thought to look like this. If you look at it from the other side, it appears to some to resemble more of a boot, and this is why it also has the name Kicker Rock.
• Today is relaxing and we will enjoy snorkeling, learning about Kicker Rock and the sea life!

- Optional activity: Scuba Diving (must be licensed and additional cost)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodations: Included - San Cristobal Island.

• We have many things to do and see today!
• First we will visit the Interpretation Center, the Galapagos National Park Visitor Center.
• This Center presents a complete and documented history of the Galapagos, its ecosystems, flora and fauna. The Center focuses primarily on the history of the archipelago, from its volcanic origins to the present.
• We follow this visit with a 1h hike to Cerro Tijeretas (Frigatebird Hill)
• Our hike is a trail leading off from the Interpretation Center that heads up Frigatebird Hill.
• Here it is possible to see Magnificent Frigate Birds and Great Frigate Birds in the same colony. This is the perfect place to compare and learn to distinguish them.
• Our hike is going to give us vast views of the ocean and you’ll be looking down on Darwin’s Cove so keep an eye out for turtles and sea lions floating about. 
• Baquerizo Beach is our next stop!
• On the western side of the island, along a 45-minute trail from Tijeretas Hill lookout platform,  this horseshoe-shaped cove with a white sandy beach and shallow water is great for snorkeling. Sea lions, frigate birds & sea turtles are often found here, and sometimes blue-footed boobies too.
• Following will be visiting our guide, Jessica’s father's, farming house to help him with the process of recycling glass, learn how to smoke fish and enjoy a lunch there.
• Then one more beach visit today at La Loberia Beach.
• This beach is named for its friendly ambassadors: Galapagos sea lions. The bay is protected by a ring of rocks, and sea lions and sea turtles are often seen in the clear waters, waiting for snorkelers to join them in the surf.
• Dinner during free time in town.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodations: Included - San Cristobal Island)

• Our final Island exploration!
• We are visiting Isla Lobos!
• Lobos Island is not far from San Cristobal Island, it is found about six miles (ten kilometers) north of this.
• It is a relatively flat island, with a lot of white sand
• The island is named after the sea lions that have made a home here, and it is unlikely that we will not see one of these creatures on our visit to Lobos Island.
• We are relaxing, relaxing and relaxing, with a little snorkeling, on these white sandy beaches today!
• Enjoying of our final day of beach exploring with lunch on the beach.
• Tonight we will have a final group dinner at a special restaurant in town!

- Optional activity: Scuba Diving (must have license and is an additional cost)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Included - San Cristobal Island

• Our final adventure day!
• We will have the morning as free time, last minute shopping, packing and relaxing.
• We will be catching a flight back to Quito around 1:00pm.
• There is a possibility that we will be able to have an evening activity, dinner or a market visit after our flight arrives in Quito.
• We will say our farewells, share hugs and exchange social media handles from this evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Accommodations: Checking out of hotel in the morning, no night accommodations are included in Quito for this day.

• Today you are free to fly home leaving Quito.
• Or maybe you are planning to extend your travels...
• Either way today is free to you as you are going on your way!

• Any accommodations for pre trip arrival and post trip stay.
• Your international flight to and from Ecuador.
• Your domestic flight from Quito to Santa Cruz Island and return from San Cristobal Island to Quito. (We can assist in booking them)
• Entrance fees to Galapagos Islands USD $120.00 (has to be paid at the airport)
• Bringing your own additional snack foods
• 5 lunches, 12 dinners
• Spending money for souvenirs etc.
• Passport
• Travel Insurance
• Tipping to local staff
• Additional/Optional activity: Scuba Diving (must be licensed)

World Nomads Travel Insurance

Run Like A Girl Adventures Inc requires travel insurance for all of our trip participants. World Nomads Travel Insurance is for independent travelers and intrepid families. You'd rather not think about all of the things that might go wrong on your trip, but these things can and do happen.

World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers, to cover your trip essentials. Even if you run out of travel insurance or leave without it, World Nomads can cover you.

Purchase Travel Insurance

Galapagos is located on the Nazca tectonic plate. This perpetually moving plate is heading eastward over the Galapagos hot spot and has formed the chain of islands. The islands were formed through the layering and lifting of repeated volcanic action. This geographic movement is correlated to the age of the islands, as the eastern islands (San Cristóbal and Española) are millions of years older than the western islands (Isabela and Fernandina).

Most of the islands have a distinctive conical shape that is often associated with volcanic action. The mountainous islands have been formed through continuing eruption, building layer upon layer. Due to this volcanic formation, the islands are characterized by many steep slopes, with heights ranging from a few meters above sea level to more than 5000 feet above sea level.

Each major island, with the exception of the largest island, Isabela, consists of a single large volcano. Isabela was formed when six volcanoes joined above sea level. Geologically, the Galapagos Islands are quite young, probably no more than five million years old. Some of the westernmost islands, which are the most volcanically active, may only be hundreds of thousands of years old and are still being formed today.

__________________________

The world first heard about Galapagos more than 470 years ago. The Dominican friar, Fray Tomás de Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, was the official discoverer, arriving on March 10, 1535. Currents inadvertently drove Fray Tomás towards Galapagos, after he had set out from Panama on his way to Peru. His account is the first written record of Galapagos and describes the giant tortoises and cacti, the inhospitable terrain, and the difficulty of finding water—characteristic features of the islands. Since his visit, the arrival of humans and the decisions they have made have wrought many changes in these extraordinary islands.

Over time, many different kinds of people have influenced Galapagos. The islands have attracted pirates, whalers, fur sealers, fishermen, scientists, colonists, and tourists—all with social and economic interests that have affected the flora and fauna of the islands. The resulting ecological changes include the decimation of populations of fur seals, giant tortoises, groupers, lobsters, sea cucumbers, and whales; the arrival of more than 1,400 new species of plants and animals; and large-scale changes to the near-shore marine and highland ecosystems. People have particularly modified the ecosystems on the colonized islands, including Floreana, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Baltra, and Isabela and on the more accessible islands such as Española, Santiago, Pinta, and Pinzόn. Since their discovery, our decisions about what to do with these islands have had huge consequences.

Source: Galapagos Conservancy 

Covid-19 Policy: You are required to be fully vaccinated to attend one of our adventures. Proof of vaccination will need to be provided before the start date of the adventure. 

Some countries that we travel to may or may not require a negative Covid-19 test. You the participant are responsible for providing the required travel documents. If you fail to provide the correct documents and are not able to attend the adventure Run Like A Girl Adventures Inc and any additional adventure partnering companies are not responsible for any funds lost such as flight costs, accommodation costs and adventure costs. You will not be refunded for any of your adventure payment.

___________________________

Your deposit is non-refundable (in all circumstances)

Once your registration form is submitted, an invoice for your trip deposit and remaining amount will be emailed to you. (This may take a few days to receive). You are able to make partial payments on the remaining balance. Deposits are due by December 1, 2022.  The remaining balance needs to be paid before 60 days from the trip start date. If you have not paid the remaining balance before 60 days of the trip start date then you are considered not coming and loose your spot on the trip. There are no refunds for any flights, activities, transportation or accommodations that have been booked holding your spot. If you have to cancel your trip for any reason there are no refunds available. All permits booked are non refundable and non transferable as they are sold on an individual basis to your passport number. If you need to cancel your within 60 days of the trip date and have not paid the final trip payment you are responsible for paying the remaining amount owed for the trip. Total Trip Cost: USD$4350.00 Deposit: USD $435.00

USD$435.00 due by December 1, 2023

- All activities listed in the itinerary are subject to change due to weather and natural occurrences, however if one activity is removed another will be in its place.
- In extreme situations the trip is subject to cancelation due to weather and natural occurrences, this falls under an "act of god" and you are able to roll over your trip deposit to another trip within one calendar year.
- Please email info@runlikeagirl.ca with any extenuating circumstances.

Please see our booking terms and policy for any additional information.