Galápagos · Santa Cruz Island · Relais & Châteaux
Pikaia Lodge sits on the rim of an extinct volcanic crater, 450 m above sea level in the highlands of Santa Cruz, inside its own 31-hectare giant tortoise reserve. Fourteen rooms and suites, full-day island tours on a private yacht and all-inclusive packages of 3 to 7 nights make it the most exclusive land-based way to discover the Galápagos.
About Pikaia Lodge
About 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are a living museum: 19 islands and their marine reserve, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site where you can still see islands being formed by volcanic and seismic activity and meet animals found nowhere else. The finches Charles Darwin observed here in 1835 helped inspire his theory of evolution.
Santa Cruz, the second-largest island, lies at the center of the archipelago and almost every visitor passes through it. Pikaia Lodge stands on the edge of an inactive crater in its highlands, with views over arid savanna on one side, misty tropical forest on the other and the Pacific on the horizon. Its 31 private hectares, once a degraded cattle ranch, are now a giant tortoise reserve.
The lodge opened in August 2014 and takes its name from Pikaia gracilens, a tiny marine creature that lived more than 500 million years ago and is believed to be among the earliest ancestors of all vertebrates. Its modern, eco-friendly design uses alternative energy and frames the landscape with floor-to-ceiling windows. Since 2019 it has been the only Relais & Châteaux member in the Galápagos, and in 2021 it received the Relais & Châteaux Sustainability Trophy.
Packages and rates
Pikaia offers all-inclusive Adventure Packages of 3 to 7 nights with flexible arrival days: each one combines guided land excursions, days at sea on the private yacht and snorkeling.
| All-inclusive Adventure Package | 3 nights | 4 nights | 5 nights | 6 nights | 7 nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrace RoomKing or two queen beds | US$5,595 | US$7,460 | US$9,320 | US$11,185 | US$13,075 |
| Balcony RoomKing or two queen beds | US$5,895 | US$7,850 | US$9,810 | US$11,925 | US$13,735 |
| Garden SuiteKing bed | US$6,415 | US$8,545 | US$10,690 | US$12,820 | US$14,950 |
| Pool SuiteKing bed | US$6,845 | US$9,130 | US$11,410 | US$13,690 | US$15,960 |
| ChildrenUnder 17 | US$3,600 | US$4,800 | US$6,000 | US$7,200 | US$8,400 |
Best available 2026 rates in US dollars, per person in double occupancy, without taxes or service charge (foreign non-residents are exempt from Ecuador’s 15% VAT). High and festive seasons are higher: spring break (14 Mar–12 Apr 2026), Thanksgiving (23–30 Nov 2026), and Christmas and New Year (20 Dec 2026–3 Jan 2027, minimum 7 nights). Single occupancy from US$8,393 for 3 nights. 2027 rates start at US$5,930 for 3 nights in a Terrace Room. We confirm the live rate for your dates.
| 3 nights | Arrival and free time · full-day land excursion · full-day yacht excursion · check-out |
|---|---|
| 4 nights | Arrival · yacht day · land day · yacht day · check-out |
| 5 nights | Arrival · yacht day · land day · yacht day · beach excursion and free time · check-out |
The order of the excursions may change with the weather, wildlife and logistics; the yacht route is confirmed 10 days before you arrive. For a shorter, more relaxed visit, the 2-night Indulge & Unwind package starts at US$2,290 per person, and room-and-breakfast nights start at US$1,320 (not available in high or festive seasons).
Where you sleep
12 rooms · king or two queens
Six Terrace Rooms on the ground floor open onto private shaded terraces; six Balcony Rooms on the first floor have shaded balconies over the landscape.
1 suite · king bed
On the ground floor, with a terrace and a private garden where the Galápagos unfolds at your own pace.
1 suite · king bed
The most private option, with its own plunge pool and garden on the terrace.
Every room has floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views, bamboo floors, air conditioning and ceiling fans, and a large bathroom with a walk-in closet, bathtub and shower. Guests share the Lobby Lounge, the DNA Bar and the Homo Sapiens Explorers Lounge, a library on science and the Galápagos where talks and the welcome briefing take place.
Private yacht and excursions
Pikaia’s private yacht, M/Y Vision Pikaia, is reserved for lodge guests on the Adventure Packages. On each navigation day you leave in the morning, visit two protected islands with a certified naturalist guide, hike volcanic landscapes, snorkel with sea lions and marine iguanas and walk on pristine beaches, then return to the lodge for the night.
The yacht has hull stabilizers for smooth crossings, air-conditioned staterooms assigned to each family or group, lounges, a sun deck and a Jacuzzi on the foredeck; breakfast and lunch are served aboard. Its crew are Galápagos residents, many of them former fishermen retrained for sustainable tourism.
Dining and wellness
At Evolution, the Relais & Châteaux restaurant, Executive Chef Cristian Puente cooks with the day’s catch and local produce, blending Ecuadorian tradition with international technique. Breakfast offers healthy options and fresh detox drinks; lunch can be enjoyed on the shaded decks, and dinner under the stars by the fire pit and the infinity pool. Menus alternate every two days, and the walk-in wine cellar holds some of the best South American wines. Cocktails are served at the DNA Bar.
SUMAQ Spa, the infinity pool and the gym sit on the eastern rim of the crater, facing the Pacific and the National Park: massages, couples’ treatments, a Jacuzzi with panoramic views and a gym that opens at six for early risers.
Getting there
Photos
Photos: Pikaia Lodge.
Questions
In 2026, all-inclusive Adventure Packages start at US$5,595 per person for 3 nights in a Terrace Room (double occupancy) and US$13,075 for 7 nights, plus taxes and service. Flights to the Galápagos and park fees are extra. We confirm the live rate for your dates.
The Adventure Packages include your room, all meals at the lodge and on the yacht, guided land and sea excursions, the transfers and the VIP lounge at Baltra. Alcoholic drinks, spa treatments and tips are extra.
At Pikaia you sleep in the same suite every night, on land, and visit two islands a day by yacht: ideal if you prefer comfort and no nights at sea. A cruise reaches the more remote islands. We can help you compare both.
Yes: there is a program of activities for children, connecting options in the Terrace and Balcony Rooms, and child rates for guests under 17.
Yes: the transit control card (US$20) at Quito or Guayaquil airport and the National Park entrance fee on arrival (US$200 per adult, US$100 per child). These amounts may change.
Compare before you choose
Galápagos hotel
The only beachfront hotel in Puerto Ayora, with 33 rooms, a heated pool and its own yacht for day tours.
Live aboard
Compare yachts and catamarans with live prices: a cruise reaches the remote islands that day tours cannot.
We are the owners of Las Terrazas de Dana
Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge & Spa is one of the top-rated lodges in Mindo on Tripadvisor and Booking.com, only two hours from Quito airport, with first-class service. Accommodation, all meals and transfers are included in our programs. Visit the lodge website.
That’s why you choose Dana Tours
Tell us your dates and how many people are traveling. We check availability with the lodge and send you the current rate for the package and room that suit you best.
Or write to us at [email protected]
