HOW TO CHOOSE A TOUR
You can book cruises and land tours to the Galapagos online, from their home country or from one of the many agencies that can be found in Ecuador. To make your trip pleasurable you must have the time necessary to find the best option. You can book your trip from home is more efficient and easy.
You can travel around the islands on a GALAPAGOS CRUISE traveling within or in a GALAPAGOS LAND TOUR where you choose the day to walk on the islands. By boat travels at night is coming the next day, stay longer in soil. When the tour is by land as long as they stay is less but can visit more distant islands.
GALAPAGOS CRUISES
Galapagos National Park controls the itineraries for distribution through the islands for this reason each boat have a specific itinerary and start date (ask your sales agent for details). You can embark on certain days only.
All trips begin with a morning flight from the mainland on the first day and ends with a flight at noon. All boats must meet certain safety standards but boats that cost more are best equipped. Remember that the boat with more than 18 passengers are going to take longer in embarking and disembarking, while the smaller boat trips are more likely outdoors trips. This should be specially considered by people from who suffers from seasickness.
On Galapagos Islands the cruises are divided in 5 categories: Deluxe Class (more than 50 passengers), First Class (1 to 16 passengers), Tourists Superior Class (1 to 16 passengers), Tourist Class (1 to 16 passengers) and Economic Class (1 to 10 passengers).
From the Tourist Superior Class to Deluxe Class all of them provides: Double cabins (with lower beds or upper and lower beds), air conditioner, hot water, private bathrooms, solarium, rest areas, bilingual naturalist guide (level II or III) vegetarian food and special requirements.
From the Economic Class to Tourist Class the boats are smaller and some of them have cabins with shared bathrooms, don’t have hot water, but they are a good option for a people that travel on a budget. Notice that there might be some limitations for vegetarians especially in economic boats arrangements should be done before starting the trip.
Economic boats and Tourist ranging from $135 to $150 per day.
Tourist superior class around $ 160 to $245 per day.
Rest of the boats for a $250 and more per day.
You can get first class and deluxe commodities and more spacious cabins with a better quality attention and food. Be acknowledged that ships cannot sail without a trained guide.
GALAPAGOS LAND TOURS
Another option to travel is to go to the colonized islands even though these ones will be the cheaper option.
This type of trip in Galapagos, is one of the cheaper alternatives today and fits your time, these programs start every day, starting programs in Baltra (4-5-6 days) or San Cristobal (8 days) depending on the type of program you choose. These programs visit the inhabited islands of the Galapagos (San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela), thereby contributing to local tourism in the islands.
How it works, stay at a hotel in the category that you request, include meals, bilingual guides, visits to places of interest with much flora and fauna and can interact with people originally from the area. An experience highly valued by visitors.
RECOMMENDED GALAPAGOS TOUR OPERATORS.
We recommend the following travel agencies are specialized in Galapagos Cruises and Land Tours:
Nature Galapagos & Ecuador Hotel San Vicente Galapagos Hotel La Laguna Galapagos |
