Santa Cruz Island Tours & Trip Packages

Santa Cruz Island Tours & Trips

97 Santa Cruz Island trips. Tours from 46 tour companies. 853 reviews. 5/5 avg rating.

97 Trips match your criteria (41 - 60 shown)

Galápagos Expedition: Darwin’s Playground, Central and North
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4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Guayaquil, Isla Santa Fe, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz Island

Highlights

  • Snorkel with sea lions, marine iguanas and sea turtles, walk among giant Galapagos tortoises, and see one of the largest bird populations on Genovesa Island
  • Explore volcanic islands, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and Zodiac cruise through the Black Turtle Cove mangroves
  • Enjoy this journey on its own, or as part of an epic adventure combined with an Antarctic Explorer expedition

Themes

Birding, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Zodiac trips are fantastic. The whale watching is amazing."

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Colours of Ecuador: Quito, the Highlands & Galapagos
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Otavalo, Quito, Santa Cruz Island

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!"

Trip dates & details
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Galapagos from Ashore
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Quito, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Fe

Highlights

  • Carefully step past sleeping sea lions on a pristine beach.
  • See the famous Galapagos giant tortoises at close quarters.
  • Spot marine iguanas, land iguanas and a feast of fearless birdlife.
  • Explore the old town of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Themes

Birding, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!"

Trip dates & details
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Galapagos island-hopping tour
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Galapagos, Quito, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz Island

Highlights

  • Carefully step past sleeping sea lions on a pristine beach.
  • See the famous Galapagos giant tortoises at close quarters.
  • Spot marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, penguins, land iguanas and a feast of fearless birdlife.
  • Explore the old town of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Themes

Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!"

Trip dates & details
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Discovering Machu Picchu and the Galapagos
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Strenuous
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Aguas Calientes, Cusco, Galapagos, Guayaquil, Isabela Island, Isla Bartolome, Isla Floreana, Isla Santiago, Lima, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Pisa, Quito, Sacred Valley, Santa Cruz Island

Highlights

  • Learn about the incredible wildlife of the Galápagos Islands with the most knowledgeable, experienced naturalists
  • Use high-tech onboard tools like video microscopes, hydrophones and splash cams to discover the marine environment around you
  • Marvel at the mysterious beauty of Machu Picchu, the iconic mountain sanctuary left behind by the great Inca Empire

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, High Adventure, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

Trip dates & details
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Channel Islands Adventure: Kayak, Snorkel, Hike & Paddleboard
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Wheelchair Accessible
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

California, Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island

Highlights

  • Join naturalists for a walk around two of the Channel Islands, Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz, and learn the history of one of the few Native American tribes that took to the seas
  • Snorkel with experts and get up-close to a stunning variety of underwater life
  • Learn from expert instructors how to kayak and stand up paddleboard in calm harbor waters

Themes

50 plus, Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

Trip dates & details
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Living and Learning in Cuenca: Independent Stay and Language Study
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Cotopaxi, Cuenca, Galapagos, Guayaquil, Isla Bartolome, Quito

Highlights

  • Live like a native Ecuadorian as you move into your own apartment and explore local cafes, museums and more
  • Improve your Spanish during daily language classes and opportunities to practice your new skills as you maneuver through daily life in the city
  • Join your Group Leader and fellow participants for weekly field trips and a three-day excursion in the Galápagos Islands to cap your adventure

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Education / Learning, Hiking & Walking

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

Trip dates & details
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Mysteries of the Inca Empire with Galapagos Cruise
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4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Strenuous
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Cusco, Galapagos Islands, Guayaquil, Lake Titicaca, Lima, Machu Picchu, Pacific Ocean, Puno, Quito, Sacred Valley, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Island

Themes

50 plus, Cultural

What travelers are saying

"We've taken over 10 group tours using Cosmos and Gate1. This trip last month, 9000 was not very good. -During booking, incorrect information was given about airport-hotel transfers -The whispers (listening devices) didn't work from the get-go, so no whispers were used during the 13 day trip. - Porters are no longer hired to bring your luggage to and from your room. (Very elderly had to handle their own luggage. Our friends had to help many of them.) -A few days into the trip one couple left. At the end of the trip we found out they had covid. Cosmos did not let us know; a few people weren't feeling well and two of our friends then tested positive. -One hotel was awful and not even up to "budget" standards -Many of the stops had castles, churches... but were not included, so be sure to count that in when pricing.  don't plan to use Cosmos ever again. Gate1 is the best in my opinion. When my husband's passport was stolen, they assigned someone to go with him to the embassy, translate, etc...It was above and beyond what we expected  "

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Santa Cruz Island Reviews & Ratings

5/5  Excellent
853  Reviews
See all Santa Cruz Island tour reviews
Excellent
13
Great
0
Average
0
Disappointing
0
Terrible
0
R

Richard

Dec 2016

Provided byG Adventures

The Galapagos really is an incredible place

The Galapagos really is an incredible place. Although we did not get to see all of the islands, I feel like we got very good exposure to, and depth into, the things ...

I

Ian

Aug 2016

Provided byG Adventures

We have had a number of great holidays around the world

We have had a number of great holidays around the world. This would rank up at the top. The wildlife, the activities, the friends we made & scenery were nothing ...

A

Andrea

Aug 2016

Provided byG Adventures

The Galapagos Islands is one of the most beautiful and unique places I've ever travelled to

The Galapagos Islands is one of the most beautiful and unique places I've ever travelled to. I believe the islands alone provide a magical experience to the person c...

C

Cathy

Aug 2016

Provided byG Adventures

The Galapagos Family Adventure was a dream come true

The Galapagos Family Adventure was a dream come true. The islands and wildlife experience was everything we hoped it would be, with non-stop extraordinary encounters...

Y

Yvonne

Aug 2016

Provided byG Adventures

My family's experience in the Galapagos was such a spiritual and moving trip

My family's experience in the Galapagos was such a spiritual and moving trip. The wildlife, scenery and adventures have impacted us in such a positive way. I missed ...

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Santa Cruz Island Tour Selection Trips

  • If you want to view Galapagos wildlife, you’ll need to take a tour headed by a local, government-approved guide
  • Virtually all Galapagos tours find their way to Santa Cruz Island, which is near the international airport
  • On a week-long small-ship cruise, you can expect to spend at least one full day on Santa Cruz
  • Some Galapagos tours are based primarily on Santa Cruz and make day trips to other islands from there
  • Make sure your tour visits the highlands of the island, where you’ll have the best chance to view giant tortoises in the wild

Additional details

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