Galapagos Travel Information


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The best time for Galapagos Travel
Flights to the Galapagos
Visas, Entrance Fees & Insurance
Health & Diet considerations when travelling to Galapagos
Money Matters
Technology
General Packing List

 


When to visit?

Monthly Highlights  

   Outside    temp *     Water temp *
January: Excellent snorkeling , green sea turtles arrive, land birds start nesting, Manta Ray season (diving)

22-30

24

February: Marine iguanas start nesting, Manta Ray season (diving)

24-30

24

March: Tropical rains commence, albatross arrive, Manta Ray season (diving)

24-31

24

April: Giant tortoise hatching season, Iguanas hatch, Manta Ray season (diving)

24-31

24

May: Blue footed boobies begin courtship,  Sea turtles hatch, Manta Ray season (diving)

22-28

24

June: Giant turtle nesting season, Whale shark season (diving). Increased whale activity

21-26

23

July: Whales are present, sea birds in numbers, Whale shark season (diving)

20-26

22

August: Migrant shore birds start to arrive, Whale shark season (diving)

19-26

22

September: Penguins and sea lions very active October – boobies raise their chicks, Whale shark season (diving)

19-26

22

October: Blue-footed boobies nesting, marine life very active, sea lions breeding, Whale shark season (diving)  

20-26

23

November: Sea lion pups born, green sea turtles display their mating behavior , Whale shark season (diving)  

21-26

23

December: Giant tortoise’s eggs hatch, Manta Ray season (diving)

22-27

23

*Above amounts are averages in degrees Celsius.


Flights to the Galapagos

If you are going on a Galapagos Cruise, your flights will need to be arranged by the cruise operator and Eclipse Travel in order to make sure you are arriving on the correct flights. These are additional to the cost of the cruise and vary between operators.

Please note there are two airports in the Galapagos – one on Baltra Island, connected to Santa Cruz, and one on San Cristobal island in the east.

Latam and Avianca Airlines fly to the Galapagos regularly. You can fly to the islands from either Quito or Guayaquil. Quito – Galapagos flights often include a brief stop in Guayaquil before continuing to the islands.

There are no international flights to the Galapagos Islands. All flights depart from Quito, Ecuador.

What is the baggage allowance for flights?

Both Latam and Avianca allow you take one 10kg carry on bag and one 23kg checked bag.

 


Visas, Entrance Fees & Insurance requirements when travelling to the Galapagos

What visas are required?

There are no additional visa requirements (aside from Ecuadorian requirements) for the Galapagos Islands.

What additional entrance fees or taxes can I expect?

The Galapagos Islands are a protected area and therefore have additional regulations:

  • Galapagos Transit Card: 20 USD per person
    • Your baggage will be checked for restricted items before departing mainland Ecuador.
    • Do not attempt to travel with any foods other than small quantities pre-wrapped snacks. Ensure you do not have plants or plant materials in your bags
  • National Park Entrance Fee: 200 USD per person
    • When you arrive in the Galapagos you will be required to pay an entrance fee to support the ongoing protection and preservation of the Islands

Both the Transit Card and Entrance Fee can be paid either locally or in advance. Please advise your consultant if you wish for this to be prepaid.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is required to visit the Galapagos Islands, you may be asked to provide proof of insurance on arrival.

Travel insurance is compulsory when travelling to South America with Eclipse Travel. Please check the terms of your policy carefully, particularly with regard to limits of cover, and ensure you are familiar with the procedure for making claims. Once you have paid your deposit or full payment, certain fees will apply if you have to cancel your holiday and for this reason it is strongly recommended you consider Trip Cancellation Insurance.


Health & Diet considerations when travelling to the Galapagos

What vaccinations are required?

No vaccinations are required for the Galapagos although there are several requirements for South America. Please consult our South America page for more info

Dietary Requirements

Whilst we understand your dietary requirements are important and often vital to your health, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Eclipse Travel aims to alleviate these concerns and on request will prepare translations of your requirements into Spanish.


Money Matters

Onboard
Credit Cards (Visa / Mastercard) are accepted on some Galapagos voyages, please check with your consultant or on the documents you receive in Ecuador prior to departure will have this information. Tips are paid in US dollars.

Currency

The legal currency in Ecuador and the Galapagos is US Dollars and no other currencies are accepted in regular businesses. International card ATMs are available in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal) and Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz). In Ecuador taking money works best at Banco Pichincha ATMS (Yellow ones)

Tipping

Tips are not required for Galapagos cruises, but they are customary. Tipping amounts vary widely, but are generally expected to be between $15-30 per day per traveler. Some yachts will provide you with tipping guidelines and envelopes for tips whilst you’re onboard but please remember these are just guidelines (or often the preference of the staff/operator) and you are not obligated to pay the requested amount.


Technology

Internet Access

Some of the higher standard ships in the Galapagos have internet, usually at an extra charge per minute.

General

Internet cafes are prevalent throughout all major centres in South America and are generally inexpensive to use. Additionally, most hotels offer Wi-Fi or shared computers with internet access which is often included in the cost of your hotel.

Telephone Calls

Using your mobile phone with roaming can be very expensive. We recommend using Wi-Fi in your hotels to access programs like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Skype to make free calls to your family and friends back home. Additionally, you can use calling booths or paid accounts with Skype in internet cafes as a very inexpensive way of making calls.

For absolute emergencies the ships communications can be used once agreed to by the captain of the vessel.

Electrical Outlets in the Galapagos

Most vessels in the Galapagos use the US style outlet with 110v. Visit this link for more information on each country.


Galapagos Packing List

As the Islands are located very near the Equator, the climate is pleasant all year round so it is ideal that you pack lightly. Upon arrival, all passengers are required to have their luggage screened to ensure that no plants, animals or agricultural products have been brought in. We recommend you to take the following:

  • Valid Passport and other travel documents
  • Day pack/ backpack
  • Cash (USD) and credit cards (some vessels)
  • Personal Medication such as seasick medication, Aloe Vera gel, sunscreen and insect repellent
  • Toiletries
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Sandals – during wet landings we will sometimes step directly into the water, so you want to wear shoes that have a good grip and able to get wet
  • Swimming costume
  • Sunglasses & sunscreen –we recommend polarised ones, as most beaches have talc soft white sand and with the sun it can be almost blinding and we suggest at least SPF 30 sunscreen
  • Light to medium fleece jacket- the weather can get windy, misty and cool at times, especially in the late evening
  • Rain Jacket
  • Shorts
  • T-shirts
  • Long sleeve shirts and long pants
  • Hat or cap – a wide brim hat is best, adds to protection from the sun, especially your neck.
  • Camera with extra memory card
  • Travel adapters & chargers