Note: I booked my trip to the Galapagos through a tour agency, as I was traveling during COVID and there were some extra steps I had to complete before going. I booked through Ligia Gomez at Surtrek; I would definitely recommend using Ligia! She was very responsive and incredibly helpful throughout the whole process.
Things To Do:
- The activities you do depend on the itinerary you select. If you choose to visit the islands via boat (my recommendation), you select a predetermined itinerary. If you choose to stay on land, your activity selection will be more flexible but you won’t be able to schedule as many activities due to the travel time between islands.
- On my trip, each day consisted of 2 walks / hikes and 2 snorkels. We visited different islands so the wildlife we saw each day varied.
- Detailed itinerary (for the Alya Catamaran):
Accommodation:
- The Alya Catamaran: This luxury-class, 16-passenger boat offers a choice of eight-, five-and four-day cruises through the archipelago. The itineraries include snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. The catamaran has 9 cabins, 8 of which have private balconies. All are equipped with private bathrooms, cold/hot water, air conditioning, safe box and other amenities.
- I had a great time on the Alya. The crew was very respectful and helpful. The boat was spotless clean; it felt brand new. The rooms were spacious and the beds were comfy.
- Note that alcohol is not included in the price of the catamaran tour; I would suggest carrying some on board if you plan on having a drink because the drinks are a bit pricey ($4/beer, $8-$12/mixed drink).
- I decided to go on a cruise as opposed to staying at a hotel on one island because you get to see so much more on a cruise. If you stay on one island, you spend a lot of your day boating to and from other islands, where on the cruise you sail from island to island overnight.
Food:
- If you go on a cruise through the Galapagos, all food is included and served onboard. On the Alya Catamaran, the food was delicious; the chef was very accommodating to food allergies and picky eaters.
Packing Suggestions: The below list is not inclusive of all things to pack; it just includes recommendations and commonly forgotten items.
- Athletic, quick dry clothing
- Good walking shoes
- Chacos or some sort of comfy water sandal
- Sunscreen / sunglasses / hat / lip balm with sunscreen / aloe
- Raincoat
- Bathing suit / cover up
- Lotion
- Nausea pills
- GoPro / waterproof camera
- Hiking backpack (I use the Osprey Sirrus 24 liter pack)
- Protein bars
- Cash
Other Tips:
- When you land at Batra Airport, there is a Galapagos entrance fee of $100/person. I believe this has to be paid in cash.
- If you do a cruise to explore the Galapagos, definitely bring Dramamine! I have never really gotten sea sick before, but there were some pretty rocky nights and Dramamine was a life saver.
- Visiting the Galapagos was not a “relaxing” trip; your days are pretty busy with a few hours of downtime. That said, I prefer the busy days to lazy beach days.
- Make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat! The sun is intense and sunscreen in the islands is really expensive.
- Flying from Quito to the Galapagos islands, there is a 45 minute layover in Guayaquil. For the layover, you don’t get off the plane. You just sit on the tarmac for 45 minutes and more people get on who are also going to the Galapagos.
- We tipped the Alya crew $20 per day per passenger + an additional $10 per day for the guide (i.e. I personally tipped a total of $30 per day).
Background photo is of the Galapagos penguin.
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