Galapagos Islands Small Group Tours
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10 best Galapagos Islands small group tours
Compiled by

MelissaGalapagos Islands travel expert at TourRadar
- 8 Days Island Hopping in Galapagos Islands for Gay Travelers
- Galapagos Ultimate 6 Days Tour
- Galapagos Encounter - Archipel I (Itinerary B)
- Galapagos Encounter - Archipel I (Itinerary A)
- Galapagos Essentials
- Magical Galapagos (5 Days)
- Galapagos Multisport
- Galapagos Islands Explorer - 7 days
- Aqua Mare Luxury Yacht 8 Days
- Galápagos Island Hopping (6 destinations)
Small groups enhance wildlife encounters throughout the Galapagos archipelago. Private access to giant tortoises at Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, peaceful snorkeling at La Lobería with sea lions, and exclusive guided hikes to pristine Tortuga Bay beach.
Duration 8 days Destinations Quito, Puerto Ayora Age Range 18 to 99 year olds Operated in English, Spanish Group Size Max Group Size 10 Group Type GroupPersonalized Operator Responsible Travel South America From
- NZ$4,571
Galapagos Ultimate 6 Days Tour
9 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“We were very pleased with the 9 day trip that this tour company planned for us, which included the Galapagos & Ecuador mainland.”
RobSnyder, traveled in November
Groups of 8-12 travelers ensure prime viewing at San Cristóbal's Darwin's Bay and Kicker Rock. The limited numbers allow flexible scheduling at Santa Cruz's tortoise ranches and Charles Darwin Station, with personalized guidance from certified naturalists.
Duration 6 days Destinations Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Leon Dormido, Santa Cruz Island, Baltra Island Age Range 12 to 80 year olds Operated in English, Spanish Group Size Max Group Size 15 Group Type GroupPersonalized Operator GUIDEcuador Travel From
- NZ$2,327
The Archipel I, carrying 16 passengers, enables exclusive access to remote spots like Genovesa Island's Prince Philip's Steps. Small numbers ensure undisturbed wildlife viewing at Española's Gardner Bay and personalized guidance through Santa Cruz's El Chato Reserve.
Duration 10 days Destinations Quito, Baltra Island, Seymour Norte, Genovesa Island, Bartolomé Island, Santiago Island, Santa Cruz Island, Floreana Island, Española Island, San Cristóbal IslandSee all destinations Age Range 12 to 99 year olds Group Size Max Group Size 12 Group Type Group Operator Exodus Adventure Travels From
- NZ$12,320
The yacht Archipel I, carrying 16 passengers, sails to secluded Galápagos locations. Small groups allow peaceful wildlife observation at Española Island's tortoise station and tranquil snorkeling with penguins at Chinese Hat islet.
Duration 10 days Destinations Quito, San Cristóbal Island, South Plaza Island, Santa Fé Island, Floreana Island, Santa Cruz Island, Las Tintoreras Islet, Isabela Island, Fernandina Island, Baltra IslandSee all destinations Age Range 12 to 99 year olds Group Size Max Group Size 12 Group Type Group Operator Exodus Adventure Travels From
- NZ$12,320
Galapagos Essentials
9 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“Wonderful time seeing giant turtles in Isla de Santa Cruz. Spectacular hike and views at Playa de Tortuga!”
David, traveled in January
Intimate groups (under 12 people) guarantee close wildlife encounters across Galapagos. While snorkeling at Academy Bay or hiking Santa Cruz highlands, certified naturalist guides provide personalized attention for both solo travelers and couples.
Duration 7 days Destinations Quito, Santa Cruz Island, San Cristóbal Island, Lobos Island Age Range 8 to 89 year olds Group Size Max Group Size 16 Group Type Group Operator Adventure Journeys From $3,175
40% Off- NZ$1,905You save $1,270
Magical Galapagos (5 Days)
11 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“The location, rooms, atmosphere and tour guides were of such high quality!!”
Suzanne, traveled in October
Groups of 5-9 explorers make wildlife viewing perfect at Tintoreras Islet and Las Grietas. Small boat capacities of 10-16 ensure exclusive snorkeling experiences with sea lions and turtles. Personal guidance enhances visits to Santa Cruz's Giant Tortoise reserve.
Duration 5 days Destinations Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island, Isabela Island, Santa Fé Island Age Range 5 to 66 year olds Operated in English, Spanish Group Size Max Group Size 15 Group Type GroupPersonalized Operator Cami Adventures From
40% Off- NZ$1,748
Galapagos Multisport
5 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“The TourRadar website is very easy to navigate and there are many options for tours anywhere you might want to go.”
Darlene, traveled in March
Small parties of 8-12 fellow adventurers create ideal wildlife encounters. The intimate setting ensures premium snorkeling experiences at Kicker Rock and Los Túneles, plus exclusive access to Sierra Negra volcano and Wall of Tears on Isabela Island.
Duration 10 days Destinations Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Leon Dormido, Lobos Island, Isabela Island, Santa Cruz Island, Baltra Island Age Range 8 to 89 year olds Group Size Max Group Size 16 Group Type Group Operator Adventure Journeys From
40% Off- NZ$5,872
Duration 7 days Destinations Quito, Baltra Island, Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Lobos Island Age Range 8 to 99 year olds Group Size Max Group Size 12 Group Type Group Operator On The Go Tours From
40% Off- NZ$4,805
The Aqua Mare carries just 14 passengers, offering prime viewing of marine iguanas at Moreno Point and flamingos at Cormorant Point. Small groups receive personal attention during snorkeling sessions at Urbina Bay and wildlife walks on Fernandina Island.
Duration 8 days Destinations Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island, Floreana Island, Isabela Island, Fernandina Island, Santiago Island, Rabida Island, Seymour Norte, Daphne Island Age Range 5 to 80 year olds Operated in English, Spanish Group Size Max Group Size 14 Group Type Group Operator GUIDEcuador Travel From
40% Off- NZ$21,097
Galápagos Island Hopping (6 destinations)
41 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“Excellent trip - once in a lifetime experience.”
Louise, traveled in May
Groups of 12-14 travelers make for perfect wildlife encounters. The setting ensures quality time at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre, snorkeling at Loberia, and hiking Sierra Negra Volcano. Personalized attention from certified naturalist guides across 6 destinations.
Duration 9 days Destinations Quito, Santa Cruz Island, Floreana Island, Isabela Island Age Range 12 to 99 year olds Group Size Max Group Size 16 Group Type Group Operator G Adventures From $5,139
35% Off- NZ$3,340You save $1,799
Reviews of Small Group tours to Galapagos Islands
- Galapagos Essentials
We absolutely enjoyed our time on Galapagos. Our guide Marista was friendly and very knowledgeable. It was good to experience her passion for the islands past present and future.
- Magical Galapagos (5 Days)
A trip to The Galapagos is always going to be amazing because of the wonderful things you see! However, could this tour have been better? The answer is yes. The activities were great but a couple of the tour guides made the them less enjoyable. One of the tours had a guide called Billy, who didnt say much in English despite the fact he could speak English and it was an English speaking tour. We felt excludes from a lot om this particular tour and didnt really know where we were going or what we were doing! And one of our final guides was great at English but his style was to ask you questions that you didnt know the answer to, rather than actually inform you and share knowledge. Some of the guides in between were fantastic! In regards to the organisation from the hotel and the staff/drivers at Galapagos Dreams... The girls on the reception were great, always helpful and friendly. The guys organising it werent as good unfortunately. I think the general thing I would say is that for most people, a visit to the Galapagos is a once in a lifetime trip, and the organisers and staff could consider that more. They lack the customer service element and the enthusiasm that is generally expected in the tourism industry. That been said, this was one of the cheaper tours we saw so if we had paid more we may have got a higher level of service.
- Galapagos Multisport
Adventure Journeys is a very professional tour operator. All of our guides were excellent and did there best to please us. The hotel in Quito is definitely five star. Make sure that you ask to be placed in the second tower as the rooms are of nicer quality and they have air conditioning (on the chance that Quito is not cool). The accomodations on the islands are nice but your experiences can vary depending on the rooms you are assigned. They vary in size and views. Most are small hotels so there aren’t a lot of choices to go around if you are in a large group. We stayed on San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz. Arianna was our tour guide on San Cristobal. Knowledgeable and very helpful. I especially enjoyed the Kicker Rock excursion. They take you to a beautiful beach that you get to explore for about an hour an a half and then you go snorkeling around Kicker Rock for a couple of times for a total of about 1 1/2 hr. The snorkeling was amazing as you see much wildlife (sharks, turtles, sea lions, rays, lots of fish and one side of the rock is beautiful). My favorite snorkeling experience on Galapagos. It was nice to take the inter island flight to Isabela and save us a 4 hr boat ride. Los Túneles was snorkeling was fun as we saw sharks, lots of turtles and sea horses. Definitely was enjoyable swimming with the turtles. Water could have been clearer. The highlight was walking on the islands and getting up close and personal with the blue footed boobies! Guess it should be mentioned that we went in mid April as conditions change as do the animals. Wetsuits were provided but nowhere was the water overly cool. We also saw some penguins on this excursion. The walk through the marsh was great for the flamingos and other birds. Also, enjoyed the bike ride on Isabela to the Wall of Tears. Nice little hike for a 360 view to a lookout point and later a short walk through the mangroves. It was cool running into the tortoises in the wild as well. We had a rainy and cloudy walk to the crater. It would have been cool to see it without the clouds, but this was the only weather problem we encountered. The kayaking at Las Tintoreras was more swimming with turtles and penguins. We literally were swimming with the penguins here. It is nice as all the animals on the Galapagos aren’t afraid of people, so you’re pics and experiences are all magnified. There is a two hour boat ride from Isabela to Santa Cruz. Sit up top with the captain and miss out on the vomit fest downstairs with everyone else. On Santa Cruz, the highlights were the Charles Darwin Center and the Tortoise Reserve. Once again at the reserve, you can see the giant tortoises up close in the wild. Very cool. Not to be left out was kudos for our guide on Isabela and Santa Cruz, Maritza. She was great the whole time and a treasure trove of information. AJ has great guides! Christian, one of the owners (I think) took us and picked us up at the airport in Quito. On the way back, we asked about street food and he asked us if we’d like to go to La Floresta and try the local street food. Great idea and great experience! Super experience and great tour company!
What our customers ask about Galapagos Islands Small Group Tours
What accommodation types are available on small group Galapagos tours?
Small group Galapagos tours provide accommodations ranging from upscale boutique hotels to well-equipped expedition vessels. The Casa Marita on Isabela Island and Blue Galapagos Hotel on Santa Cruz Island represent the higher end with ocean views and personalized service. According to a TourRadar traveler: "The hotels selected were high end hotels (4*) with buffet breakfast rooms and ambiance were perfect for our small group experience."
How far in advance should I book a small group Galapagos tour?
Planning ahead is essential for Galapagos small group tours particularly for sought-after vessels like the Galapagos Petrel or popular hotels such as Casa Marita. The typical booking window spans 6-12 months with data showing an average lead time of 575 days between initial inquiry and departure. A TourRadar traveler notes: "Book well ahead for small group tours to get your preferred dates and accommodation options."
What is the best time of year for small group tours in Galapagos?
The Galapagos welcomes visitors throughout the year. December through May brings warmer temperatures and calmer waters making it ideal for water activities at Kicker Rock and Los Tuneles. Wildlife viewing peaks from June to November especially around Sierra Negra Volcano and the Charles Darwin Station. A TourRadar traveler shares: "The warmer season was perfect for our small group as we could maximize our snorkeling time and enjoy clearer visibility."
What dining arrangements are typical for small group tours in Galapagos?
Most tours include breakfast at partner hotels like Deja Vú Hotel or Cormorant Beach House and lunch during day trips. Dinner arrangements are often flexible letting guests explore restaurants in Puerto Ayora and Puerto Villamil. One TourRadar traveler notes: "The food included in the tour was great especially the fresh seafood lunches during boat excursions."
How does transportation work between islands on small group tours?
Inter-island travel combines speedboat services and small aircraft. The journey from Santa Cruz to Isabela takes approximately 2.5 hours by boat while flights between Baltra and Isabela run about 40 minutes. A TourRadar traveler suggests: "Sit up top with the captain during boat transfers to avoid seasickness and enjoy better views of the marine life."
How does a small group experience enhance wildlife viewing in the Galapagos?
Small groups create better conditions for observing wildlife without disruption. This setup allows closer encounters with blue-footed boobies at Isla Lobos and marine iguanas at Punta Espinoza. A TourRadar traveler reports: "Having a smaller group meant we could quietly observe Galapagos penguins and snorkel with sea turtles without scaring them away - our naturalist guide could really take time explaining everything."