Highlight Galapagos 5 Days

Itinerary Day by Day

• Meals: Meals are not “a la carte”, but menus. Please let us know any allergy/special diet you may have. Typical meal is soup, main plate with vegetables and rice, fresh made juice and a dessert. Coffee and alcoholic drinks are not included.
• Water: you can fill up water bottles in all the hotels each morning before going on the tour. Tap water is not drinkable!
• Transportation: is made by small speedboats between islands. Navigation times can be long (around 2h30) due to the distance between islands. We cannot control the ocean, if a swell comes in the ride can be bumpy, especially during the Garúa season (see below). If you are usually subject to motion sickness please bring parches or pills (you can also buy pills here). From experience, the parches are really effective!
• This is a pretty active tour, you need to be fit (be used to hiking and swimming). Specifically the volcano hike is demanding and the group cannot wait too long for slow hikers. If you have doubts that you cannot follow the volcano hike we recommend you to book the alternative Cabo Rosa tour. The issue is that you cannot be left behind on the tour to the volcano due to the National Park restrictions, the group has to be always accompanied by the guide.
• To make most out of the time spent on the Galapagos islands, early wake ups are scheduled. If you would like to spend some extra days on your own without itinerary we will be happy to help you to book extra nights before and/or after the tour.
• When on the 8 days tour, day 6 and 7 you’ll have different guides and boats from the first part of the tour. Sharksky has agents on each island who will be assisting you and the group.
• Accommodation is in nice, clean hotels/hostels with private bathrooms, hot water, Wi-fi. They are usually operated by the owner’s family members. Upgrades are possible. In case of the upgrade you’ll have superior class hotels (please see below the reference list).

Galápagos recommended packing list:

• Health and travel insurance policies
• Scan all your documentation/tickets/passport and email them to yourself
• Ziploc bags or Dry Packs to keep what you need dry (books, maps, documents, film)
• Pack towel (fast drying, ultralite)
• Toiletries** including strong sunscreen (high SPF, waterproof), biodegradable soap, shampoo, and toothpaste.
• Feminine hygiene (tampons are especially difficult to find).
• A full prescription of a doctor prescribed antibiotic or any other medication you are currently taking.
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Rechargeable batteries
• Camera and memory card (electronics are very expensive in Ecuador)
• Swiss army knife or similar multi-tool with scissors/knife
• Small binoculars
• Travel alarm clock
• Basic First Aid kit (for minor cuts, blisters, insect bites, muscle/head aches, diarrhea, and motion sickness, etc.)
• Insect repellent (avoid repellents with strong concentrations of DEET)
• Small backpack and money belt/pouch
• Large garbage bags (to be used as a pack liner or cover)
• Re-usable water bottle (such as NALGENE)
• A travel lock
• Sun hat/visor
• Light rain jacket or rain poncho
• Lightweight, fast-drying clothing
• Swimsuit
• Sandals and Teva-style sandals (for wet landings and around town)
• Sneakers or hiking boots (for dry landings and rocky shores)
• Sunglasses (with strap is best)

Please DO NOT bring any toiletry item containing “micro-crystals”, “micro-beads” or “micro-granules” containing POLYETHYLENE. These micro-beads, often found in toothpastes and exfoliating facial cleansers (such as Colgate and Neutrogena, among many other brands on the market) are made from plastic which wash down the drain and eventually make their way back into rivers and oceans. These small plastic beads are then swallowed by sea creatures, causing irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem.

Note that we totally avoid packed lunches as they produce garbage, on the volcano we use a local family owned restaurants. On the boat tours to Kicker Rock, Cabo Rosa tunnels, uninhabited islands on Santa Cruz, we are not directly providing the lunch so I cannot assure you it won’t be a packed lunch though we try to work with local boat owners so they don’t use plastic dishes.