“Worth it if you're after world-class wildlife encounters and comfortable floating accommodation. Think twice if you need full reassurance on cabin conditions—one guest had a broken AC and leak that wasn't fixed mid-trip.”
- About £403/day across 10 days
- ~£4,502 all-in with a typical £471 flight from London (£450/day)
- Dropped £171 recently in our own price tracking
- We only rate a price against this trip's own history once we've tracked it for 21 days — no guessing before that.
- Pricier per day than most similar trips (median ~£359/day)
- 4.9★ from 8 traveller reviews
Price movement, fill and the all-in cost come from our own daily tracking— not the operator’s feed. You book on TourRadar; the live price always applies there.
About this trip
Seven nights aboard a small cruise boat around the central Galapagos Islands, with a naturalist guide leading every landing and snorkel. This is wildlife travel at close range — sea lions, turtles, penguins and reef sharks in the water, boobies and pelicans overhead, land iguanas on the shore.
The days are built around getting into the landscape rather than viewing it from a distance: wet and dry landings, Zodiac transfers to smaller islets, and walks across volcanic ground. It suits people who want to be active and hands-on with the environment, not just look at it from the deck.
Life on board is simple and shared across three decks with steep stairs between them, and the sea can turn choppy even though it's usually calm. Good humour and flexibility matter here, as the itinerary can shift with weather or local authority guidance.
What you'll do
- Snorkel with sea lions, white-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles and penguins
- Spot boobies, pelicans and other seabirds at North Seymour and Caleta Bucanero
- Walk the volcanic landscape of Punta Espinosa
- See land iguanas and flightless cormorants on the islands
- Seven nights cruising the central Galapagos with a naturalist guide
- Active trip — you'll need to be comfortable moving around the boat, including steep steps between decks
- Zodiac (panga) transfers are part of daily life, with wet and dry landings at small islets and coves
- Weather can bring choppy seas, and the itinerary may shift due to conditions or local authorities
Day by day
Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.
What's included
- Guide: Our local representative will meet you in the evening of day 1 of the trip and conduct the group briefing. They will then also transfer with you to the airport on day 2 for your flight to the Galapagos. On arrival in the Galapagos you will be met your Guide. Our Guides are registered and trained in conservation and natural sciences by the Charles Darwin Foundation and licensed by the Galapagos National Park Service. The Guide will be on board with you for the duration of the trip and will accompany you on all excursions. Our boats are also staffed by highly experienced shipboard staff and crew.
- Meals: 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinners
- Activities: Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Walk (1 hour) - Wet Landing Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Snorkel (1 hour) - Wet Landing Isla Rabida - Walk and Snorkel from the beach (2 hours) - Wet Landing Isla Isabela - Punta Albermarle - Snorkelling (1 hour)- Dry Landing Isla Isabela - Tagus Cove - Walk (1.45 hours) - Dry Landing Isla Isabela - Tagus Cove - Snorkel (1 hour) Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay - Snorkel (1 hour) Isla Isabela - Urbina Bay - Walk (1.5 hours) - Wet Landing Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca Snorkelling (1 hour) Dry Landing Isla Fernandina - Punta Vicente Roca - Panga Ray boat tour (30 mins) Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa - Snorkel (1 hour) Isla Fernandina - Punta Espinosa - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Snorkelling (1 hour) Isla Santiago - Puerto Egas - Walk (1.45 hours) - Wet Landing Isla Santiago - Caleta Buccanero - Panga boat tour (1 hour) Isla Santiago - Caleta Buccanero - Snorkelling (1 hour) Isla Bartolome - Snorkelling (1.5 hours) Isla Bartolome - Walk (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing Isla Sombrero Chino - Snorkelling (1.5 hours) Wet Landing Isla Sombrero chino - Walk (1.5 hours) Wet Landing Isla North Seymour - Snorkelling (1 hours) Isla North Seymour - Walk (2 hours) - Dry Landing Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Station (1.5 hours) - Dry Landing Isla Santa Cruz - Highlands Visit (1 hour) - Dry Landing
- Transport: Le Grande Daphne is a motor yacht. She has a comfortable lounge and dining area, as well as a sun deck where you can view the wildlife or just kick back and relax. She has eight well-appointed, air-conditioned cabins each with en-suites. Cabins: 4x lower deck twin cabins 1x lower deck double cabin 1x main deck double suite 2x upper deck twin/double cabins , Zodiacs (locally known as pangas) are modest-sized, open, outboard-powered boats which are very common throughout Galapagos. The boats are used to get you to and from the Daphne when you do activities. Depending on the type of activity, this could either be a wet or dry landing. The boat crew are there to assist you getting into and out of the zodiac. Boat, Plane, Bus, Zodiac (Panga)
- Accommodation: Le Grande Daphne features en suite cabins all with air conditioning and a safety box. The airconditioning is a centrally controlled system for the lower deck cabins and the upper deck cabins have individually controlled systems. The upper deck cabins have large windows and the lower deck cabins have portholes. Due to the lower deck cabins being close to the water, the portholes cannot be opened. There are 4 lower deck twin cabins, 1 lower deck double cabin, 1 main deck double suite cabin and 2 upper deck twin/double cabins. Please note that single passengers cannot be booked/confirmed in the double cabin unless a single supplement is paid. Hotel (2 nights), Overnight boat (7 nights)
- Activities: Other activities and services not included
- Flights: International flights not included.
- Optional: Other activities and services not included
- Insurance: Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with Cover Genius to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).
How travellers rate it
Cheapest live departure per day, in £, recorded by our tracker since 18 Jul. Never a brochure “was” price.
Your free day in Quito
Landing early, staying on, or filling free time? The best-rated day experiences in Quito — you book on Viator (we may earn a commission).
Worth it if you're after world-class wildlife encounters and comfortable floating accommodation. Think twice if you need full reassurance on cabin conditions—one guest had a broken AC and leak that wasn't fixed mid-trip.
- Guides (Carlos, Jacinto, Freddy) are genuinely knowledgeable, accessible, and patient—one helped a nervous snorkeler gain confidence.
- Wildlife sightings reliable: sharks, sea lions, stingrays, and more daily. Itinerary flexible; staff communicate changes clearly.
- Bring substantial cash—no credit cards accepted onboard for drinks, wetsuits, extras. One guest had room AC broken mid-stay; repairs deferred to another island.
- All meals, pre/post hotels, and transfers included. Crew of seven supports 10-day comfort; top-deck cabins can be pricier but ensure you inspect yours first.
Distilled from real traveller reviews on TourRadar — we don't edit out the bad bits.
The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.
Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and availability come from our own daily tracking.
Departing in Aug is cheapest — from £4,030, about 62% below the priciest month (May).
Getting there
One-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown on Trip.com.
Hotels in Quito
View more accommodationLive prices via Booking.com & partners, booked on their site — separate from your tour. We may earn a commission; it never changes your price.
On a budget?
Hostels in Quito for the night before your tour · 10 Aug – 11 Aug
Booked on Hostelworld, separate from your tour. We may earn a commission — it never changes your price.
Common questions
How long is Ultimate Galapagos: Central Islands (Grand Daphne)?
It's a 10-day trip. It starts and ends in Quito.
How much does Ultimate Galapagos: Central Islands (Grand Daphne) cost?
The land price starts from £4,031 per person for the 10-day trip. You book on TourRadar, where the live price always applies.
What will Ultimate Galapagos: Central Islands (Grand Daphne) really cost me all-in?
On top of the £4,031 land price, budget roughly £471 for a return flight from the UK — about £4,502 all-in before spending money. Most day-to-day meals out and optional activities are extra.
What's included in the price?
The price covers all your accommodation, 24 meals (9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinners), transport during the trip, a group leader/guide. Anything the operator lists as optional or not included — see the full breakdown on this page.
What's not included?
international flights and travel insurance (required) are not included, so factor them into your budget. We show typical flight costs and can point you to insurance on this page.
How big is the group?
Groups are capped at around 16 travellers — a small-group trip, mostly solo 18–35s travelling to meet people, not a coach tour.
When does Ultimate Galapagos: Central Islands (Grand Daphne) run?
It runs across roughly 13 months of the year, so there's usually a departure to fit your dates. Check live availability and prices in the dates section above.
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