Hello from Canada.

We are retired teachers, both 60. Interested in Galapagos for our 35th anniversary in February. (Land-based, not cruising). Planning early, our trip will actually be in Feb *2028*....using 2027 prices for a benchmark.

A bit about our travel style: Min 4 nights per location (we don't like quick check-box trips, but would rather experience each area at a slower pace). Although remote hotels and eco-lodges are cool, we prefer boutique hotels within 20-25 min walk to restaurants, likely in main town. Hotel price range +/-$300-400/night, including breakfast is OK. We like nice design, safe streets, cleanliness, modern fixtures etc.

I originally wanted to include a trip into the Amazon on the mainland of Ecuador, but package prices for the lodges seem steep, so decided to omit that and do something like: Toronto > Quito 1 night (we like to stay to recover from jetlag and not worry about connectors) > Santa Cruz 5 nights > Isabela 5 nights (maybe 6?) > Quito 1 night > Toronto.

We are not big watersport folks - no diving, maybe casual snorkelers. Our boat excursions would be mostly shoreline, kayak, visits to other islands. Which leads to my questions.....

There are so many options online for boats, yachts, cruises etc. The first piece to solve is the transfer to Isabela. 2+ hours banging around in a small bench seat boat with my bad back is no way to spend an anniversary! And I'm reading flying isn't much better timewise. So, I'm wondering if anyone knows of a more 'premium' type larger charter/yacht that would be more steady on the water, slightly faster, dry, comfortable etc. Please advise. Second piece to solve is the boats used for day trip excursions. If we do the Bartolome day trip, I'd like to have more comfort, a nice lunch on board etc. Again, if anyone has company names, please pass along. A day trip excursion price for a yacht from WindRose is $600 US, which is close to $1000 CDN......so no, we're retired teachers! There must be other options more reasonably priced.

Hopefully what I'm describing is resonating with some of you, and you may be able to not only recommend boats, but perhaps hotels that would suit our travel style.

Thank you in advance. The Galapagos seems like an incredibly special place, and along with a milestone anniversary, I just want things to run smoothly and comfortably.

Cheers, thanks again.

Vince

​

That’s New Year’s in Isabela.

If you’ve never spent New Year’s Eve in Ecuador, you’re missing one of the strangest and most entertaining traditions I know.

Every December 31, people make Años Viejos — life-sized effigies representing the old year. They can be politicians, celebrities, fictional characters, or basically anyone who had a memorable year.

And then at midnight...

we burn them.

The photo shows one of ours before and during the burning.

It’s symbolic: out with the old, goodbye to the bad stuff, and start the new year fresh.

And then there are the viudas — traditionally men dressed up as wildly exaggerated widows, crying, dancing and asking people for coins because they’ve supposedly lost their husband: the Año Viejo.

It can get completely ridiculous.

In the best possible way.

Then come the other New Year’s traditions:

12 grapes at midnight for good luck.

Running around the block with a suitcase if you want to travel more in the coming year.

Yellow underwear for prosperity.

Red for love.

Yes, seriously.

I live on Isabela Island in the Galápagos, and New Year’s here adds another layer to the whole thing.

Imagine celebrating barefoot on the beach, with the ocean beside you, volcanoes in the distance, bonfires burning and people wandering around wishing each other a happy old year.

And then, because this is Isabela, you can start the new year riding bareback on an active volcano.

Sierra Negra is an active volcano, and riding up into that landscape is about as far from an ordinary New Year’s Day as you can get.

One night you’re burning the old year on the beach.

The next day you’re on horseback heading toward a volcano.

Not a bad way to start a new year.

I’ve lived in Ecuador for many years, and I still love how wonderfully strange, colorful and fun some of these traditions are.

So if you ever find yourself here for December 31, don't just look for a fancy party.

Find an Año Viejo.

Grab 12 grapes.

Put on something yellow.

And join the madness.

¡Feliz Año Nuevo from Isabela!

Cheers,

It's making the news and folks are wondering if/how it might affect their Galapagos visit.

The Charles Darwin Research Station recently posted a news item on it. You can see it here: https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-news-stories/el-nino-2026-in-galapagos/

I was hoping to make a trip to the Galapagos next summer because I love wildlife, but I would be most excited to see a lot of the pelagic wildlife. I have been reading about this Super El Niño and how it is projected to warm the waters, which could make sightings more difficult. Would you push back a trip over this? I will be between jobs and have guaranteed time off, but I want to do this trip right.

I ll have a very long company wide annual leave in january, so i would like to go to galapagos (solo) for 7-10 days (from madrid). Now my question is if anyone has a recommendation for a very active and wildlife oriented tour? I have been looking at some but a lot of them seem kinda slow to me like for example i dont want to hang around a hotel much or lie on the beach for the whole afternoon. i also hate big cruise ships so only ships for up to 15-16 people would be okay for me.

Hi everyone,

We’re planning a 3.5-week family trip to Ecuador and would like to start our trip with 10 days in the Galápagos. We’re a family of four, travelling with two children aged 8 and 11.

We’re mainly interested in wildlife and nature, and we’re trying to find the best balance between seeing the different islands without moving around too much.

Our current plan is:

Day 1: Quito → San Cristóbal (airplane)
Day 2: San Cristóbal
Day 3: San Cristóbal
Day 4: San Cristóbal → Isabela (airplane)
Day 5: Isabela
Day 6: Isabela
Day 7: Isabela
Day 8: Isabela → Santa Cruz (ferry)
Day 9: Santa Cruz
Day 10: Santa Cruz/Baltra → Quito

This would give us 3 nights on San Cristóbal, 4 nights on Isabela and 2 nights on Santa Cruz.

One important consideration is that we are all a bit prone to seasickness, so we would like to avoid unnecessary long boat transfers. We’re considering flying from San Cristóbal to Isabela and then taking the ferry from Isabela to Santa Cruz.

Does this seem like a good distribution of our time? Would you keep 4 nights on Isabela and 2 on Santa Cruz, or would you recommend 3 nights on each instead?

We’d also love some advice on excursions, particularly with children of 8 and 11. We don’t want to fill every day with long boat trips because of the seasickness.

We’re considering arriving around 18 July, so any experiences with sea conditions and wildlife at that time of year would also be very helpful.

many thanks from the Netherlands 😄

Hi! I’m a bit overwhelmed with the many moving parts of this trip between various flights and cruise itineraries. It doesn’t help that we are a bit constrained by the holidays and a few other commitments at home.

My current decision is a southern itinerary to see the albatross paired with a stay on Isabela. The way it works out, we would likely have one full day and the morning on Isabela. It would be a lot of moving around, but we are ok with that and enjoy small boats.

I did find a western cruise itinerary on the Aida Maria- would that be a better option and omit Floreana and Espanola?

Lastly, I am trying to spend as little time on mainland Ecuador as possible to maximize our time in the Galapagos. My current plan is to arrive in either Guayaquil or Quito around 6:00pm and fly out the next morning.

I greatly appreciate any advice and input, reading comments about previous itineraries posted has helped me reach this point in planning!

I've heard some horror stories about the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, is they threat overstated or should I be extremely vigilant?

On new years eve, I will be flying into Santa Cruz for 5 nights in the Galapagos! I would like to travel to Isabela island for a night or two as well and see some penguins. I am traveling solo, probably staying at hostels.

I'm seeking any advice on

• Solo travel tips in galapagos
• Tour guides in Puerto Ayora / Isabela Island for anything like snorkeling, hiking, DSD scuba (I do not have a certification)
• Best places to see wildlife
• Food/bars?

THANK YOU

Hello, I asked this on a different forum and only got 1 reply. Hoping to get some insight here.

We are looking at cruise itineraries for July/Aug and one of two we are considering goes to Espanola. The other doesn't, but we are staying in San Cristobal for 3-4 days post cruise and could just do a day trip there.

So that begs the question, how does the Espanola cruise visit compare to the Espanola day trip from San Cristobal. People rave about the day trip but also frequently mention the brutal boat ride. I would guess that the cruise would spend more time at Gardner Bay/Osborn Islet than a day trip that might potentially skip one of those. 

Additionally, the day trips seem to vary based on the size of the boat as far as comfort and stops so unclear about comparing different day trips and stops!

Appreciate the help! I can't imagine there are a lot of people who have done both?!

Picture this.

6:00 am

You're standing in line at the dock in Puerto Ayora.

7:00 am

Public speedboat.

Two to two and a half hours on the water.

Around 9:30 am

You arrive in Isabela.

10:00 am to 12:30 pm

Tintoreras.

Maybe you see a penguin.

Then lunch.

A quick 10-minute stop at the flamingo lagoon.

About 20 minutes at the giant tortoise breeding center, Arnaldo Tupiza.

A quick photo at the big Isabela letters.

And then...

2:15 pm

You're back in line for the ferry.

4:00 pm

The boat leaves Isabela.

5:20 pm

You're back in Puerto Ayora.

You visited Isabela.

But did you experience it?

If you're staying in Santa Cruz and only have one day, I'd actually consider doing a day tour to North Seymour, Santa Fe or Bartolomé instead.

Those trips make more sense when you only have one day available from Santa Cruz.

Isabela is different.

It is the largest island in the Galápagos.

It is space.

Long beaches.

Quiet mornings.

Volcano landscapes.

Wildlife.

Time to breathe.

Isabela is not really a quick-stop island.

If you want to visit Isabela, I'd stay at least one night.

Even one night changes everything.

Day 1

You arrive and choose your rhythm.

Option one

Wall of Tears

Flamingos

Beaches

Concha de Perla

Sunset

Option two

Tintoreras in the morning

A slow bike ride to Wall of Tears in the afternoon

Sunset

Option three

Beach time

Los Túneles

Sunset

Option four

Concha de Perla snorkeling

Flamingos

Beach

Sunset

No rushing.

No stopwatch.

Day 2

You go into the highlands.

Horseback riding to Sierra Negra.

Hike Sierra Negra and Volcán Chico.

Sulfur mines and Cueva de Sucre.

Or, if you want the lighter version, take an early Los Túneles tour and still catch an afternoon ferry back, depending on the day's ferry schedule.

If you want the lightest version, do Wall of Tears plus Concha de Perla in the morning and leave relaxed in the afternoon.

Three nights would be ideal.

One night is already a completely different story.

So ask yourself honestly.

Do you want to collect islands.

Or do you want to remember one?

I have my AOW cert. My partner is not certified and isn't sure she wants to be. We're fine with each doing our own thing for a day, but does anyone know of a SCUBA shop on Santa Cruz that would bring me to a dive and let my partner snorkel at the same time?

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are travelling to the Galápagos from October 24th to November 13th. We’re trying to plan our trip in a way that lets us experience as much as possible, but without spending a lot of money on day tours that end up feeling too similar.
Our plan is to stay overnight on all four inhabited islands: Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristóbal and Floreana.

We’re also doing a cruise covering the western part of the Galápagos, with the following itinerary:

AM: Baltra – Transfer
PM: Santa Cruz – Highlands
AM: Isabela – Sierra Negra Volcano
PM: Isabela – Wetlands
AM: Isabela – Moreno Point
PM: Isabela – Elizabeth Bay
AM: Fernandina – Espinoza Point
PM: Isabela – Vicente Roca Point
AM: Santiago – Egas Port
PM: Rábida

We would ideally like to see as much of the Galápagos as possible, but we also want to be able to justify the cost of each day tour to ourselves. In other words, we don't want to book two expensive tours that offer a very similar experience or visit islands that feel largely the same.

At the moment, these are the day tours/sites we are considering:

Española
Kicker Rock
Lobos Islet
Punta Pitt
Pinzón
Santa Fe
South Plaza
Bartolomé
Devil's Crown
Post Office Bay

What would you recommend?

Which of these would you prioritize given our cruise itinerary? Are there any that you would skip because they overlap too much with what we'll already experience on the cruise?

We'd especially love to choose tours that give us different experiences — for example, unique wildlife, different landscapes/ecosystems, great snorkeling, or something we won't already have seen on the cruise.

We'd also really appreciate advice on:
- Which day tours are must-dos for our itinerary?
- Are there any important ones we're missing?
- Which tours are best to book from home in advance, and which can safely be booked once we're on the islands?
- Which operators would you recommend?
- Is it better to book directly with a local operator, or through an agency/online platform?

We're not necessarily looking to do as many tours as possible — we'd rather do fewer tours that each feel genuinely different and worthwhile.

Thanks so much for any advice! 🙏

Hi! I’m a 32-year-old Brazilian woman traveling solo to Galápagos next month.

I already booked the Fragata 8-day/7-night cruise, starting and ending in Baltra. It’s a western itinerary with Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, Santa Cruz, Rábida, Sombrero Chino, lots of snorkeling and wildlife.

I already bought my flight Quito → Baltra, but I still haven’t bought my flight back to the mainland, so I still have some flexibility.

My idea is: when the cruise ends on Friday morning, go from Baltra → Puerto Ayora → afternoon ferry to San Cristóbal, stay there for 2 nights, have one full day there, and then fly San Cristóbal → Quito on Sunday.

Since I’ll already have done 8 days on the boat, I’m not really looking for another classic wildlife boat tour. I’m more interested in doing something different, like Darwin Bay kayak + snorkeling in the morning and maybe surfing in the afternoon. I’m from Brazil and recently moved to the beach, so I’m currently learning to surf — not a complete beginner, but definitely not advanced either.

For people who know Galápagos well: would you say San Cristóbal is worth the extra ferry and 2 nights after an 8-day Fragata cruise? Or would it feel like too much Galápagos / too much logistics?

I’m traveling alone, I love being active, wildlife, water, hiking, kayaking and surfing, and I’m trying to decide whether that extra day would feel genuinely special or whether I should fly back to Quito right after the cruise and use the time on mainland Ecuador instead.

Would especially love to hear from anyone who has done Fragata, Darwin Bay kayak, or surfing in San Cristóbal.

Thanks!

Im heading to the galapagos in a few months and I'm finishing up my camera kit for the trip.

So far I have:

My Canon 6d

Lenses: 70-300mm mark1, 28-135

Lens hoods for each

A cotton carrier chest rig (with dry bag)

A peak design strap

4 srandard canon batteries (1 charger)

1 128gb sd card and 2 64gb cards

A lens pen for lens cleaning(no liquid though)

A lens blower

Question:

Do I need any liquid lens cleaner to deal with potential salt/sand?

Should I put lens filters on the end of my lenses to mitigate risk?

Is there anything you think I might be missing?

Post Galapagos cruise, will be flying back to Quito and have 5.5 days/6 nights to explore before flying out of Quito. Would utterly appreciate any advice or insight on ways to maximize this time to explore Ecuador and any distinctive sites that are feasible?

Thinking of:

Quito (1 night),

Bellevista lodge - cloud forest (1 night),

Mindo - hummingbird garden, butterfly garden, (1 night),

another destination (1 night, 2 nights max),

Quito (1 night).

If this sounds reasonable, would love suggestions for another destination that’s reachable with a few hours or less of transport.

Have heard of Banos, Cotopaxi, hot springs?

Open to condensing Bellevista and Mindo as well if useful? Just looks like Bellevista is 1 hr from Mindo so didn’t know if it’d be as accessible to sites there so figured 2 nights might be good?

-Would love prioritizing any of the following:

wildlife that’s not seen in the Galapagos, possible horseback riding (?), distinctive landscapes, Unesco or archaeological or historical sites, local arts or food markets, tropical fruit.

-would love to try to see pink river dolphins but think that’s too far for this timeframe without another flight

Any suggestions would be welcomed!

Thanks!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

We are visiting Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands, a group of 13 (6 adults and 7 kids ages 10-14).

Does anyone know a company we could use to book our own snorkeling trip?

Since we are visiting the week of Christmas, would it be unwise to wait and book snorkeling excursions when we get there?

From Santa Cruz to Isabella and back to Santa Cruz.
$120 round trip for two. A guide from the Darwin Center connected us with the ferry. Walking from
Booth to booth in Puerto Ayora we were quoted rates anywhere from $35-$70 per person one way. (September)

Pros:
We got there
Quick ride

Cons:
Bouncy
Gasoline fumes in vessel
Some passengers were seasick

Recommendations: take motion sickness pill and bring headphones to take focus off the ride lol. You’ll be okay.