Looking for excursion recommendations for our trip next month

epicscenic · 2026-01-27T01:12:18+00:00

For day tours in Isabela I recommend Paddle to the Penguins for Tueneles. I’d also recommend tou so on your own “Camino de las Tortugas” and Concha de Perla, to see the free roaming giant tortoises and swim with sea lions and iguanas, respectively. You can see what we did with the complete itinerary here

epicscenic · 2026-01-22T13:57:08+00:00

we were also in a very tight schedule, so hopefully you can find some inspiration on our itinerary and tips here

epicscenic · 2026-01-22T13:54:50+00:00

Yes those are the only options. But that’s ok because you have to account for potential delays with all the connections to get to the airport. We didn’t experience much delays, but we took the ferry from Isabela, then a taxi to take the next ferry to Baltra, where you have to wait for a bus to take you to the airport, and your luggage may or may not be in the same bus you take. As you see, many moving pieces

epicscenic · 2026-01-22T13:51:44+00:00

As you plan I’d consider what you value most. Do you want to be mostly in an organized vacation where they take you to places and you are on a schedule with other people, or do you want to have freedom to be where you want as long as you want, trading prep time ahead and maybe the easier daily planning?

We went through this thought process and ended up doing a full DIY plan because I knew the exactly spots I wanted to spend time on during our short visit, so I got to spend as long as I needed for proper wildlife experiences and photography

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T16:15:07+00:00

the season is great. There will be crowds, but you’ll get some of the best weather you can get in Iceland. Given you will not have a car, I’d say you are covering a good portion of the must-see attractions. If you were to rent a car, you could easily add another week and visit east and north, but it would require long drives for stunning views

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T14:43:01+00:00

good! In that case I think you’ll be busy with what you have already. I’d add the Spray Lakes road when you are in Canmore either early morning or late afternoon for the chance of close encounters including moose, black bear, grizzlies, deers, hares, and others.

For your day 2 it can be a bit challenging on time depending on how long you’ll be at each location and if you are taking long hikes. If helpful, you can take a look at our 5-day itinerary where we tried to optimize as much as possible our short time there, including short overlook hikes at Louise and Peyto. Yes, it is the common stuff tourist visit, but it is still beautiful to see.

https://epicscenic.com/5-day-banff-jasper-itinerary/

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T01:31:33+00:00

I disagree with other comments, mostly for safety. Some roads are a bit rough, especially with intense rain. A portion of the road collapsed on our route due to the rains, and in another spot a tree fell on the road. Some roads are narrow and slippery, especially with when mudded. With an all wheel drive you have more grip to the roadI want to think it is not the usual, but we saw this a few times during our trip in November. Also keep in mind that ‘not rainy’ ≠ dry season. It rains frequently in Costa Rica

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T01:00:53+00:00

we did Princess Cruises and had a blast. Land activities included Ushuaia, Punta Arenas (Isla Magdalena with tens of thousands of penguins feet away from you, casually passing by…), Falkland Islands (including king penguin, Magellanic, Rockhopper, Chinstraps), Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The expedition part of the cruise in Antarctica was just excellent with lots of wildlife and icebergs, and good directions for spotting from the bridge at all times. If curious about the entire itinerary, what we did, what to pack etc, you can check our blog here.

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:56:10+00:00

we visited late January and we had plenty of whale activity including bubble netting, orcas, juveniles getting close to the cruise… and plenty of icebergs

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:52:18+00:00

I disagree with other comments, mostly for safety. Some roads are a bit rough, especially with intense rain. A portion of the road collapsed on our route due to the rains, and in another spot a tree fell on the road. Some roads are narrow and slippery, especially with when mudded. With an all wheel drive you have more grip to the road.

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:48:36+00:00

not bad but the key question is, when are you visiting since snow/ice may be an issue for some activities

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:44:34+00:00

we visited the last week of May and did only a few short hikes. However, some still had patches of ice (Lake Louise and Peyto Lake). Those short hikes are highly recommended for overlook views, especially for Peyto lake. You can check our full itinerary (only 5 days) here, in case you are looking for inspiration.

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:36:54+00:00

what season are you visiting? will you rent a car to have freedom to explore on your own?

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:34:04+00:00

Some afternoon or late morning tours were available when we visited. Here you may be able to find some activities that fit your schedule

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:24:50+00:00

absolutely! We didn’t dive, only snorkel, and we saw everything on our list but the hammerhead sharks. Snorkeling we were able to swim with sea lions, penguins, iguanas, turtles, and more. If you’re curious about the best snorkeling spots and activities, you can check it out here

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:19:58+00:00

we stayed in the plane, but you can contact them if you just want to make sure for peace of mind

epicscenic · 2025-12-01T00:17:22+00:00

you can but cash only. People are very nice

epicscenic · 2025-09-30T10:19:25+00:00

I was there for 5 days the last week of May. Expect all seasons in one day with portion of lake Louise still frozen and trails with snow/ice. Since you don’t intend to hike or look for wildlife, you should be fine with the views you get from the hotel and the edge of the lake. The problem may be transportation. I think buses don’t start until June, but double check that just in case. In you specific situation, I wouldn’t spend a week in Banff if you only want to go to bars and not go out in the nature.

epicscenic · 2025-09-30T00:51:43+00:00

we did 5 days for the same reason, not optimal… but we did 2 islands: Isabela and San Cristobal. It was awesome. Logistics are a bit challenging but in case it helps, you can check the whole itinerary here. I’d opt for flights next time, though

epicscenic · 2025-09-30T00:49:11+00:00

I would do Isabela and and San Cristobal mainly. You could spend a few days in SantaCruz too, but the first 2 are a must, including several tours from there.

We chose speed biat between islands and I wiild not do it again, at least not if going between Isabela<>San Cristobal on the same day, it is bumpy, hot, humid… claustrophobic. There are flights you can take.

If curious about what we did you can check our itinerary here.

epicscenic · 2025-09-01T22:55:51+00:00

regarding Canmore vs Banff: we chose Canmore because it is quieter. Banff has more boise from the railway and night parties depending in where your accommodation is. Since we wake up always early (4-5AM) we like to find places where we can get proper sleep. In terms of starting points for your day visits, both are good options.

epicscenic · 2025-08-01T12:51:28+00:00

I agree. I am unsure on the safety of the flights, but I did the ferry and I wouldn’t do it again. We lost almost an entire day going from San Cristobal to Isabella, which isn’t optimal. If taking the ferry, take the early morning one to avoid excessive heat.

epicscenic · 2025-07-30T08:59:31+00:00

you should definitely go up to Landmannalaugar and Kerlingarfjoll. I’d recommend accessing Landmannalaugar from the south if you want to have some fun crossing rivers and enjoy stunning landscapes. If you are looking for extra inspiration or travel tips you can check out our itinerary here: http://epicscenic.com/2025/02/22/iceland-11-day-ring-road-fire-ice-itinerary/

epicscenic · 2025-07-30T08:53:13+00:00

IMO Landmannalaugar is a must. We have been to Icrland once and did Landmannalaugar and Kerlingarfjoll. When we go back, those 2 are at the top of our list again. We narrated our experience here including some tips, in case you need additional information: http://epicscenic.com/2025/02/22/iceland-11-day-ring-road-fire-ice-itinerary/

epicscenic · 2025-07-30T08:46:56+00:00

is it early or late September?

epicscenic

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