Frequently Asked Questions

Quito and Guayaquil are the only cities in Ecuador with flights to the Galapagos Islands.

Baltra and San Cristobal are the two main airports of Galapagos and the only ones with commercial flights. The airport on Isabela Island is only equipped to receive small planes or small planes with local connections between islands.

The airlines that fly to Galapagos are:

AVIANCA

LATAM AIRLINES

EQUAIR

The islands can be accessed by commercial flights all 7 days of the week. With flights departing from Quito or Guayaquil, and arriving at either Baltra or San Cristobal airports.

Flights usually depart early in the morning. Almost all airlines have a scale in Guayaquil (30-minute stop), a total 3-hour flight from Quito. Flights rarely get delayed or cancelled.

TIP: The islands time (UTC – 06:00) is one hour behind mainland Ecuador.

There are different ways to travel to this dream destination: Galapagos Cruises, Galapagos land-based tours, and personalized trips, and all of these are just great!

The cost of your trip will depend on many factors and your expectations. It is a good idea to keep in mind the following facts:

• How long will you like to stay on the islands?
• Would you like to book a cruise or land-based tours? Maybe a combination of these two options?
• How many people are travelling with you? Are all adults or any children travelling as well?
• Are you interested in any particular wildlife or places to see?
• Do you have any cruises or hotels in mind, or are you open to suggestions?
• Are you travelling in the high season (Easter, school vacation time, Christmas, New Year’s eve)?

We recommend requesting a free call with our travel experts. They can easily help with any questions and give you a personalized quote based on your travel plans, budget, and preferences.

Besides the type of tour, you have to keep in mind an extra cost on your Galapagos trip:

• Flight tickets to Galapagos: an average of $500-$540. Usually, there are reduced deals, but it is a good idea to match flights with your tour logistics.
• Transit Control Card: $20 per person, cash only at Quito or Guayaquil Airport.
• Galapagos National Park Entrance fee: $100 per person, cash only at Baltra or San Cristobal airport.

Tip: If you are particularly interested on a specific cruise, wildlife or itinerary, then booking well in advanced is highly recommended.

Tip: Last-minute cruises are usually available from 3 weeks to a month prior to the departure of a specific date on a cruise. The closer you book to the departing date, the better the rate will be, yet the risk of there being no spaces available, or booking tours that are not tailored to your specific interests, will also inherently grow.

Tip: Galapagos child discount often available, valid for kids under 12 years.

This a common question, and of course it is important to know when is the perfect time to visit the islands and see as much wildlife and marine life as possible. There are two seasons (Warm & Cool) which are relative since temperatures are always quite warm. In case you would like to see specific species we are happy to recommend specific months and places with more probabilities… but what we can definitely say is that Galapagos islands never disappoints!

Galapagos is an amazing destination all year around, as they are located on the equator and the weather does not change significantly throughout the year. Generally speaking, Easter, Christmas and New year’s eve ere the busiest weeks, so if you plan to visit the islands on those dates it is better to book some months in advance.

Galapagos Warm or Rainy Season

The Galapagos warm season occurs from December through May. This time of year, Galapagos temperature ranges from the 70’s to upper 80’s Fahrenheit (21 -26 Celsius).

This brings sunny hot days and periodic rains. The rainy season in Galapagos brings the desert landscape to life with lush green leaves providing an abundance of food for terrestrial animals.

During this warmer season, the Galapagos’ climate is more tropical, the ocean temperature is warmer for swimming and snorkeling. You may observe a large number of species around the islands such as marine iguanas, sea turtle, land iguanas, flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, masked boobies, marine iguanas, albatross, and blue-footed boobies.

Tip: Since the water’s warmer, snorkeling is highly recommended during these months.

The Galapagos cool season occurs from June through November. This time of year, Galapagos average temperatures range from the mid 70’s Fahrenheit (21 Celsius) to the low 60’s Fahrenheit (16 Celsius).

During the cool season, the southern Humboldt and Peru currents cool the water temperature to as low as 66 Fahrenheit (19 Celsius). This brings cooler days and a persistent misty fog known as “Garua”. Rain is uncommon during the cool season.

This is the best season to view penguins, dolphins, whales, and other large marine animals. Also you may see giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, cormorants, oyster catchers, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, masked boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and sea lions.

Tip: Due to the water temperature, it is the perfect time for diving, and wetsuit may be required for underwater activities.

General Tip: The islands are suitable for travel year round with no true high season or low season. The best season for you will depend on your schedule, interests & budget.

Traveling to a new destination is a whole experience, so we help you with advices about what to pack. See our recommended packing list below:

TIP: Don’t bring a drone, as they’re not permitted in the islands J

How important is our kids and teens understands the importance of nature, the unique wildlife and marine species, the Charles Darwin´s theory of evolution and more?

Galapagos Islands are the perfect place to teach your children about appreciating nature and being respectful of all living things. Not only can you enjoy the paradisiac landscapes and beaches, but you can also experience the incredibly unique flora and fauna up close and personal. Along with the animals, children love the many land and water based activities and every aspect of the adventure can be enjoyed by all the family.

Remember, that while it all sounds magical, there are a few things to keep in mind to organize best your family adventure.

Please check our 5 facts to keep in mind when travelling to Galapagos islands with kids:

1. Kids age

One thing we always say is: parents know best their kids. When you plan a trip, is important to advise your kid about the new experience that you will have. Talk about the activities you will do: snorkeling, walking, trekking, wildlife appreciation, taking pictures and see if they will be comfortable with that. Visiting the enchanted islands is fore sure every kid and teen dream!

We personally recommend travelling to Galapagos islands with kids at age of 6 or older, which is a general consensus that has been reached over the course of years of experience providing family-friendly trips.

If you are travelling with younger child or babies, we recommend travelling with a baby sitter to take care of your child, this because on cruises or hotels there are no child care services available. Also, it is a great idea to personalize an itinerary that family and babies can enjoy. Let us know about your family trip details and we will be happy to advise the best options for you!

While much of the islands appeal is in the water, it makes sense to wait until your children are of an age where they can snorkel or are willing to learn and aren’t scared of everything in the ocean.  Additionally, as they get older there are more and more activities for kids to participate in. 

2. Galapagos is a National Park with protected areas

Before you get there, children and adults should become familiar with the rules of the Galapagos National Park

You must always keep a distance away from wildlife. Never feed or touch an animal. You must always stay within the marked trails. When snorkeling, don’t touch anything or pick anything up from the seabed. Kids must be discouraged from collecting souvenirs, shells, stones or anything to home.

3. Packing

Besides our recommended general packing list, travelling with kids needs a couple of extra things to pack…

Bring Lots of Sun Gear…

The Galapagos are close to the equator which means the sun is strong in some hours of the day! Sunscreen, sun hats, and long sleeve rad guards are important.

Lightweight wetsuits are supplied for snorkel trips but you might want to bring your own smaller sizes for kids to ensure the perfect fit.

Don’t forget the wet bags – you can use them for wet clothes and to keep your camera gear safe in the sand. Trust us you will want your camera all the time!

Kids band aids is a great idea just in case, as they will probably play with stones or shells.

Please remember… once you sail away from the main towns like Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), Puerto Villamil (Isabela) or Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal) it’s just you and untouched nature. On most of the Galapagos islands, there’s no human habitation and certainly no stores, so pack everything your child may need.

4. Type of tour

It is important to determine the type of tour suits best to your family, you can choose between Galapagos cruise or Galapagos lands based tour.

In case you choose Galapagos lands based tour, you will find some great advantages as:

• You can tailor all the activities, the type of hotel (with or without swimming pool), length of trip, and any details during your stay.
• You can determine how many snorkeling tours to have or organize trekking according your family activity level.
• After your day full of activities your kids can enjoy some free time on the beach or at hotel´s swimming pool, and you can explore the town to see local life and gastronomy.
• Land based tours are able to start any date in the year, so you can easily book during school vacations.

On the other hand, if you choose Galapagos cruise experience you will find:

• Small cruises: 12 – 16 passengers’ capacity. In which you have personalized attention and guides, there is not much space on board to explore and play. But the great thing is that you and your family can be the 5 or 6 of those 16!
• Medium size cruises: 16 – 42 passengers’ capacity. They still handle personalized and cozy ambience on board and some cruises offer interconnected cabins ideal for families, Jacuzzi on board and even kayak for more family adrenaline.
• Large cruises: 42 – 100 passengers’ capacity. This big ships have different areas on board, even gym and special kid’s social areas, so your family will be able to explore the cruise before and after the guided activities. One important detail to keep in mind is that you will find multi guides on board as the National Park regulation is to have one guide per group (16 passengers), so you will have multi-guided activities at the same time. Either way, our multi-guided vesselsmean that every family member will get the most out of our luxurious cruises. 

Ask your travel advisor about cruises which are child friendly. There are some ships that offers great child discounts for kids under 12 years (generally 10% – 20% discount), but there are cruises “adults only experience”.

TIP: demand is always high during kids’ school vacation times, so be sure to plan ahead of time. We would recommend booking at least 6-9 months before traveling for summer months, and if possible more than 9 months before for Easter / Christmas holidays.

5. Activities:

Let´s say that the Galapagos is overflowing with wildlife, and none of it is dangerous and you can be amazed with landscapes everywhere you go!

There are tons of activities that you can enjoy together with your kids:

*The many glorious beaches of Galapagos, red/black/white sand are backdrop of mangroves or volcanic rocks, they offer the chance to both relax and explore.

*Take them to water: kids will love kayaking (either along the shore or out in the open ocean). Two-seater kayaks are available, so parents can join younger children in the water while sea lions, turtles, marine iguanas and penguins dive under the boats, fearless and friendly. And talking about snorkeling… they will enjoy spotting their first sea turtle gliding through the blue depths, or snorkeling among cute-looking penguins, which bob on the surface next to you. 

*Educational talks: don’t miss visiting any tortoise breeding center to learn about Charles Darwin´s theory of evolution and know for fist hand all about conservancy, environment and wildlife.

*Trekking: Galapagos is ideal for to have the first trekking adventure, while you spend time walking around, they can be witness of different type of birds, land creatures and marine life, we are sure your kids will have lots of memories to share with their friends’ back home.