Galapagos practical

GALAPAGOS PRACTICAL

WHEN TO VISIT

As with most holiday destinations, the busiest season in Galapagos is also July, August and the Christmas period. During Easter week (Semana Santa) there is quite a bit of internal ecuatorial tourism. Many cruise ships charge different rates for high and low season. Also look at the climate of the Galapagos Islands.

CLIMATE

From January to May it is warm but usually rains more. Nevertheless, the number of rainy days in that period is still very limited. Moreover, the rain showers are usually short-lived.
From June through December it is drier but cooler.
The islands lie in a cold gulf stream that drifts westward from the southeastern Pacific Ocean at the height of the equator. Therefore, the water temperature sometimes drops between July and September.
Below is a climate table for the Galapagos Islands.

* Wind force (note: this is not the Beaufort scale)
1=windless
7=moderate breeze
10=possible damage

** Sea Wave:
1=silent
4=reasonable waves
10=imminent danger

GUIDES

During the cruise you will be permanently accompanied by an English-speaking guide who has a license to guide the Galapagos. The quality and expertise of the guides is permanently evaluated by the shipping companies. It can be said that the quality of the guide more or less parallels the quality of a cruise ship. Cruise ships with an excellent reputation pay their employees a higher salary, which means that you can expect a good guide. With budget boats you will generally also find budget guides.

NATIONAL PARK

Every foreign visitor to Galapagos pays USD 120 cash upon arrival at the airport. It concerns 100 USD entrance fee for the National Park and 20 USD Migration Card (locally called Ingala Card). This cost is usually not included in the price of cruises. The entrance to the National Park can only be paid on site. We can purchase the Ingala Migration Card for you in advance. This way you avoid (sometimes long) queues and waste of time. Keep your receipt with you during your entire stay in Galapagos.

FLIGHTS TO GALAPAGOS

All flights depart from Quito and fly via Guayaquil to Baltra or San Cristobal. There are 3 companies that provide the flights: Tame, Lan and Aerogal. A flight ticket to Galapagos is always booked together with the cruise. The owner of the ship that you book therefore determines which company you fly with. Flights Quito - Galapagos - Quito and Quito - Galapagos - Guayaquil cost around USD 550 per person. Guayaquil - Galapagos - Guayaquil flights cost around USD 525 per person. These prices include airport taxes and costs. There is a 30% discount for children under 12 years old.

THE LANGUAGE

Spanish is the main language on Galapagos. But all nature guides speak English. The higher the cruise ship's price range, the better the knowledge of English. On some larger ships you will find French and German speaking guides.

OTHER INFO

For information about money, telephone connections, security, languages, embassy of Ecuador, information about Ecuador, vaccines and other medical information see the page Practical info about Ecuador

How to book a cruise

It is best to book a cruise on Galapagos as long in advance as possible: some ships are in high demand and the best cabins on a ship leave first. If you want to book a cruise, send us the following information:

with how many people do you travel and how old are they
what are the planned dates (or period) of your trip
the desired duration of the cruise: how many days can your cruise last
do you have a preference for a certain type of ship; do you want a large or a small ship, a catamaran, a sailing ship
Take a look at our offer
do you want a ship from the luxury class, from the first class, the superior class or tourist class
do you have any special requirements regarding fauna and flora?
do you have special requirements in terms of activities (snorkeling, diving, …)
do you want to extend your stay with a few days hotel in Galapagos
You pair a visit to Galapagos with a visit to the mainland
We will then check the availability of the ship or ships of your choice and make a tailor-made program around it. A few days after your request, we will send you a fully detailed travel proposal.

AVOID THIS MISTAKE WHEN BOOKING A TRIP TO GALAPAGOS!

Are you coming to Ecuador exclusively to visit Galapagos? Then it is best to fly directly to Guayaquil - so not to Quito. You spend the night not far from the airport and fly to Galapagos as early as possible the next day, where the cruise ship guide will meet you and take you to the ship. The way back is identical but in reverse order.
If you want to visit both the mainland and Galapagos, it is best to fly to Quito and then make the overland journey from North to South through the Andes Mountains and then fly from Guayaquil to Galapagos. This way you save money and avoid double journeys!
More information about the range of ships in Galapagos, hotels or about the islands and their flora and fauna can be found below.

WHO ARE WE

I am Tom and I am from Belgium. I’ve lived in Ecuador for a decade and I’ve been working in tourism for 8 years now. Therefore I obtained my tourism diploma in Ecuador. Traveling and discovering new places is my passion. Currently I live in Guamote, a small village between Riobamba and Alausi. Together with the local travel agency Descubre-Ecuador, we offer tailor-made tours in Galapagos and on the Ecuadorian mainland.

CRUISE IN GALAPAGOS

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The best hotels in Galapagos