Do I need a visa to travel to the Galapagos Islands?
The Galapagos are governed by Ecuador, and 90-day tourist visas can be obtained at the airport in Quito or Guayaquil on route to the Galapagos from the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Australia. If your country is not on this list, you should check with your country's embassy for more detailed travel requirements.
Is tipping customary in the Galapagos Islands?
Tipping is always appreciated and very common in the Galapagos Islands. Adventure Life never requires travelers to tip, but it is a courteous gesture to show appreciation for the excellent service that we promise you will experience.
The rule of thumb in the Galapagos is tipping $7-$10/ person/ day for the guide and $10-15/ person/ day for the crew. For cruises, there is typically a gratuity envelope that you can leave in the cabin on the last day. If you eat at a local restaurant there will likely be a 10% service charge included in the bill, in which case tipping isn’t necessary.
Do I need power adapters?
Most plugs in hotels and boat cabins are two flat prong that run on 110-Volt electricity like those in the United States and Canada.
What is the Internet access like in the Galapagos Islands?
While there are cyber cafes in the port cities like Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal, you shouldn’t plan on being connected for most of your trip. Certain boats and hotels do feature business centers or WiFi hotspots, but even the most luxurious cruises sometimes do not offer internet access on board. If this is a concern, we can help you figure out which options allow the best internet access.
Can I use my cell phone while in the Galapagos Islands?
You will need a GSM phone that is either unlocked or has a roaming option on your plan. In the port cities, if you have a local SIM card for your phone from Claro, Movistar, or CNT, you will be able to make calls. However once you are at sea on a cruise or if you are at some of the more isolated visitor sites, it is unlikely that you will have any signal at all. It’s not uncommon to go several days or up to a week out of range, so plan to be disconnected.
What are the toilets like in the Galapagos Islands?
The toilets on cruises and hotels are all standard flushing units. At certain visitor sites, it’s possible that there are pit toilets or no toilets at all on the visitor sites where only trails have been built. In any situation, you should make sure to have hand sanitizer and toilet paper on hand just in case.
What will it cost for a… ?
Bottle of water or juice: $2.00
Inexpensive meal: $6.00
Meal at a decent restaurant: $30
*The Galapagos Islands are over 600 miles from mainland Ecuador, so the prices of everything that is not grown or caught around the Galapagos Islands themselves must be adjusted for transportation costs and local taxes.
Can I drink the water in the Galapagos Islands?
You should not drink the tap water in the Galapagos Islands, however we make sure that there is always safe bottled water available for you. Most water on yachts and ships is purified but sits in large tanks, so it’s not usually a good idea to drink it from the tap. It’s generally okay to brush your teeth with the water from the ships, but using bottled water is always the safest option.
You can use the tap water to shower, wash your hands, and wash dishes with a strong antibacterial soap as long as you let them dry completely before using.
Are credit cards accepted in the Galapagos Islands? Are there ATMs?
The only places where you’ll find an ATM or stores and restaurants that accept credit cards are Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island. It’s a good idea to withdraw money while in mainland Ecuador before departing for the Galapagos just in case the ATMs aren’t working or if you don’t have an opportunity in the Islands to withdraw money based on your itinerary.
Do I need to purchase travel insurance before heading to the Galapagos Islands?
You definitely should! We highly recommend buying travel insurance before heading out on your vacation, and we work with TravelGuard Insurance company to provide you with the best deals. They offer fair prices for comprehensive insurance packages. Our
Once You’re Booked page has more info.