Galapagos Islands

All of the islands offer something different and often unique. The western islands of Isabela and Fernandina offer great wildlife viewing opportunities with vast colonies of birds and marine iguanas and the opportunity to hike to the caldera of Sierra Negra on Isabela. The central islands include Santa Cruz, Santiago and Bartolome with its barren volcanic landscape, dramatic vistas and spectacular views from Pinnacle Rock. 

To the south, Espanola and Floreana offer white sand beaches and great snorkelling opportunities and of course the chance to visit Post Office Bay on Floreana, probably the most famous man-made site on the Galapagos, where mail can be left for another traveller to collect and hand-deliver. In the north, Genovesa is home to the largest nesting colonies of frigatebirds and red-footed boobies with a hiking trail to El Barranco.

The main considerations are type of ship, class of ship, duration of cruise and itinerary. The different ship types are:

• Motor sailboats
• Catamarans
• Yachts
• Cruise ships

The classes of boats are:

• Standard
• Superior
• First Class
• Luxury

The main differences between the classes are space (cabins and common areas), private or shared facilities, experience of the guides, quality and quantity of food, availability of facilities such as air-conditioning, hot water, swimming pools and Jacuzzis, which will all affect the cost.

Galapagos tours generally range from 4 to 15 days allowing for different budgets and time constraints. 4, 5 and 8 day Galapagos cruises are the most common options and will include different islands, some of which may hold more interest to you than others.

Although the larger vessels are often more luxurious and stable and offer more facilities, the smaller boats offer a much more intimate experience with greater flexibility and more time on the islands.

In general, crime is not a problem on the Galapagos Islands although petty crime may occur in the towns. We advise you to keep personal items and valuables locked away in bags in your cabins. Most animal life on the islands is docile with the exception of the larger sea lions and in particular the bulls, who will vigorously protect their females, and can inflict dangerous and potentially lethal bites. Do not snorkel close to sea lion colonies. 

The majority of Galapagos tours and Galapagos cruises are between 4 and 15 days. The longer the tour, the more of the archipelago you will visit.

Casual, light quick-drying clothing is recommended on board the ships.

• Cotton long sleeved shirts

• T-shirts

• Lightweight pair of trousers

• Shorts

• Good walking shoes

• Thongs/flip flops or tevas

• Wide brimmed hat (with strap)

• Swimwear

• Sunglasses (with strap)

• Windproof and waterproof jacket and maybe an umbrella

• Light sweatshirt or fleece

• Sunscreen (30+ & waterproof)

• Camera with spare memory cards and batteries

• Dry bags for cameras and other electronic equipment

• Binoculars

• Refillable water bottle to reduce plastic waste

• Motion-sickness medication for boat tours

• US$ cash to cover the National Park fee and tips

Not all Galapagos tour itineraries offer diving as an option. If you are a keen diver then you may want to consider choosing a dedicated diving boat for your Galapagos cruise. These boats tend to have better equipment and dive masters and the itineraries are designed around visiting the best dive sites in the Galapagos Islands, in particular around Darwin and Wolf Islands. Alternatively you could add on a couple of days in Puerto Ayora at the end of a Galapagos cruise enabling you to include diving excursions, or it may be possible to arrange a diving excursion from your boat.

Yes, the Galapagos Islands is a wonderful family friendly destination, although the minimum age is usually six.

The Galapagos Islands are renowned for their wildlife with vast numbers and varieties found on the islands and in the waters surrounding the islands. There are whales, sharks, dolphins, sea lions and fur seals, bird species too numerous to mention ranging from blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds to penguins and hummingbirds, giant tortoises, turtles, iguanas and lava lizards. Some species are seen only at certain times of the year.