The Galapagos Islands are located 1.5 hours by direct commercial flight from mainland Ecuador. A lot of travelers don't realize just how remote the islands are! For any remote destination, the logistics of coming and going can be quite involved. Then add in the factor of the Islands being very closely regulated for conservation, and you've got yourself a recipe for not only a big investment of time, but also some red tape to be aware of. I'll break down what you need to know here:
- Galapagos Transit Card. Also sometimes referred to as IGALA card or TCT. Essentially just a $20 visa-like document that is required for all visitors to the islands. You can purchase these at the Quito or Guayaquil airports on embarkation day, or have your travel agency or ship operator easily coordinate them ahead of time to save you an extra line to stand in.
- Park Entrance Fee. $100 for adults or $50 for children under 12. Some ship operators or lodge-based programs will arrange for this entrance fee ahead of arrival, but regardless you will need to budget for this fee. If not pre-arranged, you'll want to bring cash to pay for the park entrance as you go through customs upon arrival in the Galapagos.
- Quito or Guayaquil? All land & cruise programs will start and end in the islands, so a flight from mainland Ecuador is required. These will depart from either Quito or Guayaquil, and you'll likely need to spend at least one night in one of these cities. You can fly into either city for your international airfare, though if wanting to spend a day or two exploring before the start of your Galapagos program, there's a bit more to do and see from Quito - Otavalo market, Cotopaxi volcano, Papallacta hot springs, Mindo cloudforest, to name a few. If you're nervous about the elevation in Quito and don't have time to extend your trip, Guayaquil works great too! The flights from Guayaquil to the Galapagos are always direct. The flights from Quito to the Galapagos almost always have a quick stopover in Guayaquil - 30-50 minutes to pick up new passengers while you stay on the plane.
- Internal flights. Since the itineraries in the Galapagos run on pretty strict schedules due to the national park permits, you'll want to book the flights suggested by the lodge or ship operator, in order to arrive with the rest of the group and not risk missing your embarkation or group transfer. The flights are a bit more expensive than what you might be seeing in independent searches, but it's not worth the risk of missing embarkation to save $75 per person. Believe me, it's expensive to catch up with your ship!
If you're willing to invest the time and money to visit the Galapagos, it won't let you down.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.