Choosing who takes you out on the water in Galápagos matters more than it does almost anywhere else. Every visitor site runs on a timed permit, every boat has a fixed capacity, and a single badly organised morning can cost you the one day you had for Kicker Rock. We run daily expeditions from three islands and nothing else — no cruises, no packaged itineraries you have to fit yourself into. Here is what that means for your trip.
1. We are based in the islands, not on the mainland
Our team lives and works on Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristóbal. When the swell picks up at a snorkelling site, when a boat swaps its departure slot, or when the port authority closes a route for the morning, we know before you do and we solve it the same day. That proximity is the difference between a phone call and an actual solution.
2. Three departure hubs, one operator
Most travellers spend their time on more than one island. Book Bartolomé from Santa Cruz on Tuesday and Los Túneles from Isabela on Friday, and you still deal with a single operator, one payment and one conversation. No chasing three different agencies across three ports.
| Departure island | Best for | Day tours available |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | Classic wildlife sites and short navigation times | 7 tours |
| Isabela | Volcanic landscapes, lava tunnels and pristine snorkelling | 4 tours |
| San Cristóbal | Sea lions, hammerhead sharks and dramatic rock formations | 4 tours |
Browse all fifteen day tours by island
3. Every tour runs with a licensed naturalist guide
Galápagos National Park law requires a certified guide at every visitor site, and there is a good reason for it. A guide is the difference between watching a blue-footed booby and understanding why it nests on that exact patch of rock. Ours are bilingual, certified by the National Park, and work the same sites week after week — they know where the tortoises have moved to this month.
4. Small boats and capped group numbers
Visitor sites operate on strict timed permits, so the size of your group decides the quality of your day. We work with boats that keep numbers low: fewer fins in front of you at Devil’s Crown, more time on the panga, and no queue for the ladder when the current is running.
5. Snorkelling and diving are the point, not an add-on
Hammerhead sharks at Kicker Rock, seahorses in the lava arches of Cabo Rosa, reef sharks at Pinzón. We plan each day around tide, current and visibility rather than a fixed schedule, and for certified divers we match the site to your experience level instead of selling you the postcard.
6. Transparent pricing
Every tour page shows the per-person rate before you enquire, from $70 for the Sierra Negra volcano hike to $290 for Bartolomé. Government charges — the Galápagos National Park entrance fee and the transit control card — are collected directly by the authorities on arrival, and we confirm the exact current amounts in writing before you pay anything.
7. Equipment checked before it leaves the dock
Masks, snorkels, fins, wetsuits and life jackets in a full range of sizes, rinsed and inspected daily. Crews are trained in first aid, vessels carry oxygen and maintain radio contact with the port authority, and nervous swimmers get a guide in the water alongside them. Tell us in advance and we will plan for it.
8. Assistance around the clock
A delayed flight into Baltra, a ferry that never left Puerto Ayora, a stomach bug the night before Española. It happens. Message us at any hour and we rebook, reroute or refund according to the conditions of that tour, without a ticket number or a queue.
9. Travel that the archipelago can absorb
We follow National Park rules to the letter: a two-metre distance from wildlife, no feeding, no touching, nothing left behind. Reef-safe sunscreen and refillable bottles on board, single-use plastic off it, and permitted trails only — even when a shortcut would make for a better photograph. These islands are the reason our business exists.
10. Private and tailor-made expeditions
Any of our day tours can be chartered privately: a family group, a dive team, a birthday, a proposal you have been planning for a year. You choose the departure time, the route and the pace, and we handle permits, crew and provisioning. Tell us what you have in mind and we will price it.
What every day tour includes
- Round-trip transfer from your hotel or the port in your departure town.
- Licensed naturalist guide, bilingual, at every visitor site and in the water.
- Snorkelling equipment — mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit — on tours with water activities.
- Lunch, snacks and drinking water, with vegetarian options available on request.
Not included: the Galápagos National Park entrance fee and the transit control card, both paid directly to the authorities on arrival, along with flights to the islands and personal expenses.
Ready to choose your island?
Santa Cruz for the classic wildlife sites, Isabela for volcanoes and lava tunnels, San Cristóbal for sea lions and hammerheads. Fifteen expeditions, departing every morning.