This post will contain all that I feel you need to know to do a land based Galapagos Islands Tour. I honestly didn’t even know this was possible until some other bloggers and creators showed me that it was. I am so happy to pass on this knowledge and give everyone the opportunity to see how easy it can be to travel this way.
You can only get to the Galapagos from mainland Ecuador
You must fly through either Guayaquil or Quito to get to the Galapagos. This is not optional. From the mainland it takes about 2-2.5 hours on a flight. The Galapagos is one hour behind the mainland time zone. Make sure to take note of that when you book. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a Land based Galapagos Islands tour or a boat tour, you’ll need to fly this way.
Before you arrive to the Galapgos Islands You will need: TCT Card, payment ($200 USD), & QR code
There are 3 things that you must have to enter the Galapagos.
- You must full out a customs form for visiting the Galapagos and receive a QR code, you can get this online before your trip and save it to your phone. You can also do it upon arrival but it is much easier to have it already prepared. Here is the link to the form: https://declaracion.abgalapagos.gob.ec/declaracion
- You must get a TCT Card. You need to fill out information about when you are coming and going, where you are staying, and when you are leaving. If you’re traveling alone, click individual, if traveling with a companion you can fill it out for the group. I did “group” for myself and my husband. It can be annoying to try to find the right spot to pre register. Click here: https://siiws.gobiernogalapagos.gob.ec/siicgg_web/ After you fill this out you have to go to the TCT counter in either the GYE or Quito airport and get your card. You MUST do this before flying and it costs $20 USD per person.
- Finally, when you arrive in the Galapagos, you must present your TCT card, your QR code, and pay the entry fee. The entry fee for the Galapagos is now $200 USD per person for foreigners. (This is as of Dec 2024). If you read an old article saying it is $100 this is not correctly. It is currently 200 per person.
The Galapagos Islands do not have to be expensive (cost breakdown)
Here is a mini cost breakdown to give you an idea of what we spent during our 9 days here. I would say we traveled mid-range. You could absolutely do it cheaper than we did, and you could absolutely spend a BOAT LOAD of money here (even on land).
Average accommodation cost per night: We stayed in airbnb for the entire trip and we spent less than $100 USD per night (per 2 people) on our stays. Our accommodations were all nice, clean, had warm showers, and wifi. There were hostels on each island and low budget hotels so I am sure you could spend less. There were also fancy hotels that could go up to $500+ per night. You have options here.
Average cost of a meal: I would say the average cost of a dinner for us was $50-$80 USD. This would be an appetizer to share, two entrees, 2 drinks, and 2 waters. You could get a full meal for $10 at many different local spots. Our most expensive dinner was $144 and we did NOT hold back (I had lobster).
Average cost of a tour: A half day tour would run between about $40-$70 per person. A full day tour (lunch included) would be closer to $150-$180 per person. I found all of the tours we did here to be excellent value for money and worth what we paid. We did one big tour on each island and then some smaller tours too.
Average cost of a drink: In general wine was $6-$8. A cocktail could be anywhere from $8-$13. A beer was $5-$6. Water and sparkling water were usually $2-$4.
Ferry: the ferry between islands costs $30
Plane: Our inter island flight cost $350 for 2 people
Rent a snorkel: $3-5 for a day
Be prepared for lack of phone service
Almost anywhere that we were on the Galapagos I could not get basic service on my phone. However, most restaurants, hotels, airbnb, coffee shops, etc. had wifi. With starlink now being used many places, there was lots of strong wifi on each island. Make sure to check with your accommodation before booking if this is important to you.
On tours for the day out on boats they do not have wifi or any phone services.
From what I understand, even with a sim from Ecuador you’d still have similar issues. There was some slight service in and around the towns at times, but it was rare and spotty so we had to rely on wifi.
Transportation between islands is limited and may not be what you’re used to
Getting between islands is essentially limited to ferry boats and very small planes. Ferry boats on the islands leave a little something to be desired, but seem to be a mostly necessary part of getting from one island to the next.
Ferry boats cost $30 USD one way and can take you from Santa Cruz to Isabela (and reverse), Santa Cruz to San Cristobal (and reverse). Ferries do not travel between Isabela and San Cristobal, you must make a connection in Santa Cruz and then take another ferry.
Ferries are known for being a bit troubling as far as sea sickness. We personally did not have an issue, but we count ourselves quite lucky. It is highly advised to take some type of sea sickness med before traveling on the ferry. You can get meds at any pharmacy in Ecuador. It is also highly recommended to take the largest boat you can (they vary in size) and to sit in the back of the boat near the motor. We followed all these directives and had a smooth trip.
The other option for getting between Isabela and San Cristobal is a 40 minute flight on a very small plane. We took this option, it was costly, but saved us a whole day of traveling on ferries. It cost $350 USD for 2 people to make the flight. We used ESAV airlines and everything went smoothly for us. Here is their website: https://esavairlines.com/
Tours in the Galapagos are very structured & well run
Tours here are very structured operations. There are many rules in the Galapagos regarding the wildlife and land and where boats/tours can and can’t go and they are followed STRICTLY. Tours are clear with you about what they provide and what you need to bring. In our experience they were on time, and stuck very closely to the schedule laid out. They are no frills, but they provide exactly what is listed. For example if you’re used to “lunch on board” on a boat day being an elaborate meal, in the Galapagos you can expect homemade chicken and rice in a Tupperware. This was not an issue for us at all, but something to be aware of. We are not vegetarian but we noticed that the tours did have a vegetarian option for those who needed it. We loved all of our tours and found all to be truly spot on with value for money.
The main towns on each island cater well to tourists
Each of the 3 main towns on the islands had the essential things you’d need. Here is a quick breakdown of each. I will go into further detail in other posts.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island: This is the most built and arguably touristy town. There are nice hotels, nice places to eat, wifi in most places, banks, pharmacies, markets, and many options for things to do. There are no real beaches directly in or near the town. You can walk to a few small beaches near the Darwin center, or walk to Tortuga bay (about 40 mins to an hour walk).
If you want more information about visiting this island check out my post here —> Land Based Galapagos Islands: Santa Cruz Island
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal Island: As far as what services the towns have, this would be the second most built up of the 3. Again, this town has everything you’d need. It has hotels, restaurants, banks, wifi, pharmacies, markets, and more. There are a few beaches within walking distance of the town and a few a short taxi ride (4 usd) away.
If you want more information about visiting this island check out my post here —> Land Based Galapagos Islands: San Cristobal Island
Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island: This island is the most rustic. There are a few hotels, but only one or two that would be considered nicer by an American hotel standard. The roads are dirt, many people ride bikes around, and the “town” is a lot smaller. There are places to eat both local and touristy, you can access an ATM so don’t listen to outdated info that says you can’t, and they have pharmacies here too. This island also has an insanely long stretch of beach that you can enjoy at all times of day and night.
If you want more information about visiting this island check out my post here —> Land Based Galapagos Islands: Isabela Island
If you’re staying in the towns, almost everything is walkable
Getting around while land based is honestly very easy. You can walk anywhere you need to on most of the islands. The highlands areas of any of the islands are an easy taxi ride away. Anything else you’d want to do can be accessed on foot. We also rented bikes to get around on Isabela which is really common and was quite enjoyable and affordable.
There are animals EVERYWHERE & you can NOT touch them
You can’t go anywhere and avoid animals honestly. Throughout the towns you’ll find sea lions & seals, iguanas, crabs, and other wildlife. From the piers and on the beaches you’ll find these animals as well as rays, sharks, fish, etc. It feels at times like you’re living in a zoo.
The animals are everywhere, and sometimes you honestly can’t avoid getting in their way or being a little closer to them than recommended. But, you are absolutely not allowed to touch, feed, or interact closely with any animals in the Galapagos. This is obviously for the well being of the animals as we are the invaders in their home.
You will need cash & Ecuador uses the US dollar
Although there are a number of places that accepted credit cards, many still wanted/only accepted cash. At times there would also be a small surcharge for the use of a card. Cash is especially necessary on Isabela. The good thing is, all 3 islands have ATM’s so you have access to cash.
You can get warm showers
It may seem silly to list this, but we read a number of reviews from people complaining about accommodation not having warm showers. We stayed in airbnb in all 3 islands and all 3 had warm water. I know that most decent hotels have this as well. I would be certain to read reviews of where you are staying if this is important to you.
You can not drink the water here
You will need to purchase water no matter where you are on the islands. Some of our accommodation provided fresh filtered water and some did not. Again, look into your accommodation and see what they provide. It was very easy to get water bottles at markets and stores etc. At restaurants during meals water could cost anywhere from 3-4 dollars for a small bottle though, so bringing your own was a good idea.
Side note: the Galapagos has the most delightful sparkling water EVER! The brand is called “Guitig”, they give it to you in glass bottles that you must return for recycling. It is DELICIOUS! I’m not kidding!
You can get good meals at a decent cost
I know that a decent cost can be different for everyone, but that’s why I wrote it this way. There are meals here priced for pretty much every budget. You can get a good full meal for about 10 USD at a local spot that would be very simple, think beans, rice, and a protein. You can also get really nice meals at more fancy spots on the island. Even at one of the nicest places on San Cristobal (and our most expensive dinner of the trip) “Muyu” the total of our meal including drinks and a lobster for me was $144.
You should be prepared with sunscreen
I think this is a given, but you need a lot of sunscreen here. Ecuador is basically on the equator and you are going in and out of the water a lot as well. Do not slack on your sunscreen!
Check weather and water conditions for the time of year you plan to visit
Although the Galapagos is generally great to visit any time of year, there are a few things to consider.
There is a wet and dry season. The water temperature changes at different times of year. Tour companies will provide wet suits and gear you may need depending on the time of year, but you should still be prepared as well.
There are different seasons in which the likelihood of seeing certain animals is higher. For example, you can not always spot whales in the Galapagos, at times they migrate to other locations. You may also hope to see mating seasons for certain animals or babies being born, make sure to research the times of year in which these things happen.
One website that I used a lot in planning and found to have so much good information that was clear and easy to understand was https://happygringo.com/
What to wear
This one may not be a major concern to you, but I was wondering what the vibe was on the islands for attire.
Generally during the day everyone is adventuring so attire is very casual. People are wearing hiking gear, swimming gear, athletic clothes, etc. Most people are dressed for whatever activity they are doing.
On tours (especially boat tours) it is good to read the list from your tour company on what to bring. They provide snorkel, wet suit etc. I recommend always bringing something with sleeves too as it can get chilly when the boats are moving, even in very warm weather.
In the evenings it was kind of all over the place, but definitely casual. Some people wore light dresses to dinner, or linen pants. At dinner people generally looked a bit nicer, but nothing extremely fancy. At times we even saw people out for dinner straight from a tour so they were dressed from the day. Overall we didn’t see any places that seemed like they would have expected a certain kind of attire, so you can generally dress how you want when doing a land based Galapagos Islands tour.
For a 9 day Land Based Galapagos Islands itinerary ——> click here
Safety
The Galapagos islands are very safe. There may be some petty crime but we didn’t see a single thing in 9 days that made us feel uncomfortable or unsafe. The tours are so well run and they take very good care of your safety on every tour. As with absolutely anything in life involving animals, some things can be unpredictable. But overall we did not find safety in the Galapagos to be an issue in any way.