Do I have to go on a tour or can I explore on my own?
It’s not just you! Many travelers would love to explore the Galapagos Islands without being in a packaged tour on a yacht. After all, visiting Cotopaxi, hiking the Quilotoa loop, or sunbathing in Puerto Lopez can be done independently, so why do the Galapagos seem to be reserved only for luxury group tours?
When travelers hear about the Galapagos, they tend to think about tortoises, scuba diving, and a lot of tips and fees being dropped along the way.
It may surprise you that’s only one way to see the Galapagos. While it may take a tiny bit of extra effort, you can have the Galapagos in a do-it-yourself fashion.
Planning and traveling independently provides the freedom to discover the islands at your own pace and within a smaller budget.
Book in advance or wait and see?
There are several options to book your trip in advance, which include lodging, meals, and transfer from island to island. However, they tend to be expensive, and most of them have very strict cancellation policies. So, a growing number of people prefer to wait until they get to the islands before they book anything.
Some things, however, you absolutely should make sure and reserve in advance.
Around 2 million people visit the Islands every year, so accommodation and transportation are the two services that usually are overbooked even months in advance. If you have no reservation, it is very likely that you will find no options for places to stay upon your arrival to the islands. Day tours are, however, abundant, so just walk around the Island to get a last-minute deal.
Transportation is the other tricky thing. If you go in low season, avoiding weekends, and do not want a tour and just the ferries, you will have luck just waiting until you get there. However, transportation infrastructure gets overwhelmed quickly because the government limits many people who can even live there to operate businesses, so you might want to play it safe and reserve your transportation early.
Special Entry Requirements
Special COVID or PCR testing has been relaxed by the Ecuadorian government to get into Galapagos, so any requirements relating to health screening are going to be driven by your international carrier before you even get to Ecuador if there are any at all.
Budget expectations
The Galapagos Islands are easily the most expensive destination in Ecuador, so even if you are avoiding high-priced expeditions, be ready to spend more on the Islands than you do on the mainland.
Everything is imported from the mainland: fruits and vegetables, meat, processed food, paper products, electronics, and more. So products can be double the price you would pay in Guayaquil or Quito.
We would recommend that you be prepared to spend around USD $50-$120 per night for accommodation, $15-$40 for food, and $20-$35 for transportation if you are sticking to taking ferries to visit other islands.
Budget tip: Book accommodation in advance to get good discounts during the low season (April-May and October-November) and book private transportation that adapts to your itinerary.
Transportation options in the Galapagos
The Galapagos Islands have earned the reputation as the best destination -- but most expensive destination -- in Ecuador. We at EcuadorBus provide you assistance with your planning and mantain a network of transportation providers that will give you the best experience at the best price. Below are the options currently available.
Transportation for Excursions
Transportation included on-island (Isla Santa Cruz/Puerto Ayora), as well as entrance fees to the parks and reserves themselves.
Inter-Islands Ferry
This is the most convenient way to connect by water between islands. The first link below is for getting from the Baltra Airport (on one island) to cross the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island, where most hotels and businesses are located. Most of the other trips take around an hour and you’ll share the boat with 10-12 other people. Plan ahead so you get your return tickets in advance without getting stranded.
Fees not included in price:
— $1 Puerto Ayora dock access
— $1 for water taxi that takes you between the ferry and the shore
— $10 Isabela Island entrance fee
Notes:
- Plan to be at your departure point one hour before the ferry leaves.
- Eat breakfast or lunch before you travel, and any motion sickness pill one hour before departure.
- Waves are more choppy July to December.
- 23kg luggage limit per passenger. Secure them tightly to prevent seawater from entering.
Inter-Island Flights
Small twin-prop nine-passenger airplanes make regularly scheduled trips directly between Baltra, Isabela, and San Cristobal islands. You cannot do these direct routes by the ferries. Flights take about 40-45 minutes.
Fees not included in price:
— $10 Isabela Island entrance fee
Notes:
- Plan to be at your designated airfield one hour before the plane leaves.
- 23kg luggage limit per passenger.
Schedules are below, but because seats are very limited we ask that you contact us first with your itinerary and plans before we send you an online invoice.
Baltra to Isabela: 13:00 (1 pm)
Baltra to San Cristobal: 10:30 am
Isabela to Baltra: 9:30 am
Isabela to San Cristobal: 14:30 (2:30 pm)
San Cristobal to Baltra: 12:00 pm (noon)
San Cristobal to Isabela: 08:30 am
Day Tours from Santa Cruz Island
Choose from a generous selection of day tours starting from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Price ranges are based on the class of the yacht and the length of the trip to the destinations. All tours include opportunities for both snorkeling and hiking but in different degrees, as well as lunch, snorkeling gear and wetsuit, and bilingual guides.
Day Tours from Isabela Island
Choose from sailing, hiking, or kayaking tours from Puerto Villamil on Isabel Island. Price ranges are based on the difficulty range or length of the trip to the destinations. Some tours include opportunities for both snorkeling and hiking, and all come with bilingual guides.
Day Tours from San Cristobal Island
Choose from sailing, beach, or scuba tours from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island. Price ranges are based on the difficulty range, class of vessel required, or length of the trip to the destinations. Some tours include opportunities for both snorkeling and beach visits, and all come with bilingual guides.
Use the map below to plan your trip and routes:
