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Washington, DC to Ecuador: Quito and the Galápagos (Santa Cruz)

Washington, DC → Quito → Galápagos (Santa Cruz)

Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)
"Los_Gemelos,_Isla_Santa_Cruz,_Galapagos_Islands.jpg" by Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
FACHADA ASAMBLEA NACIONAL. QUITO, 20 DE FEBRERO 2020. 01 (Quito)
Photo: Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Galápagos wildlife Best season (general guide): Year-round (Dec–May warmer, calmer seas; Jun–Nov cooler, richer marine life)

The Galápagos Islands are the reason many people travel to Ecuador, and a stay on Santa Cruz is a way to see them without a cruise. This route begins with two nights in Quito and then flies out to the islands. From Washington, DC you'll usually connect to Quito via Miami, Houston or another hub.

Quito sits at about 2,800 metres, so take your first day slowly. Its colonial centre, with churches such as La Compañía and San Francisco, was one of the first sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978, alongside the Galápagos. Flights to the islands land on Baltra, and a bus and short ferry take you to Santa Cruz. In Puerto Ayora, the Charles Darwin Research Station works on conservation, and giant tortoises roam the highland reserves. Tortuga Bay is a long walk from town to a white beach. Day trips by boat go to nearby islands such as North Seymour, Bartolomé or Isabela, where sea lions, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies are close at hand.

The islands can be visited all year. From about December to May, the air and water are warmer and seas calmer. From June to November, the garúa mist brings cooler weather, rougher seas and nutrient-rich water that attracts lots of marine life.

You need a Transit Control Card before flying and pay the national park entry fee on arrival. Follow park rules: stay on trails and keep a distance from animals.

Good to know: day boats from Santa Cruz fill up, so book the most popular islands before you arrive.

Suggested outline

  1. Washington, DC

    Start

  2. Quito

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    Ecuador's capital, high in the Andes. Its colonial centre was one of the first places listed by UNESCO.

    Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús Quito
    "Iglesia de La Compañía, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 149-151 HDR.JPG" by Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  3. Galápagos (Santa Cruz)

    By air · 5 nights suggested

    Flights land on Baltra, next to Santa Cruz. The Charles Darwin Research Station, giant tortoises in the highlands and day boats to other islands.

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Quito — Arrive; take it easy at altitude· Washington, DC → Quito (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Quito — Colonial centre: La Compañía and San Francisco
  3. Day 3 · Galápagos (Santa Cruz) — Fly to Baltra; to Puerto Ayora· Quito → Galápagos, Santa Cruz (by air)
  4. Day 4 · Galápagos (Santa Cruz) — Charles Darwin Research Station
  5. Day 5 · Galápagos (Santa Cruz) — Highland tortoises
  6. Day 6 · Galápagos (Santa Cruz) — Day boat to a nearby island
  7. Day 7 · Galápagos (Santa Cruz) — Tortuga Bay
  8. Day 8 · Galápagos (Santa Cruz) — Travel home from Galápagos, Santa Cruz· Galápagos, Santa Cruz → Washington, DC (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Quito

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Galápagos (Santa Cruz)

Nearest airport: Galapagos Islands Search fares · Galapagos Islands ↗

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