Before I came to the Galapagos Islands, I was pretty naive. Like most people, I imagined them to be uninhabited landscapes, only accessible to those who jumped off a passing cruise ship for an hour or two to take in the sights. I was in for a few surprises. So, if you’re about to book a Galapagos cruise, these tips might help you save the dollars and come more prepared.
SOME OF THE ISLANDS ARE SURPRISINGLY POPULATED
Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela all have major ports. In fact, more than 70,000 people call the Galapagos home. The towns behind these ports are surprisingly sizeable, with a good selection of accommodation options and restaurants, as well as supermarkets, souvenir shops and, most importantly for us, tour operators. This means you can get pretty much everything you want there, albeit at a much higher cost than the mainland.
YOU WILL SAVE A LOT OF MONEY IF YOU BOOK YOUR GALAPAGOS CRUISE FROM THE GALAPAGOS
If you’re prepared to risk turning up to the Galapagos with no tours booked, you can shop around for a really good deal leaving in the next day or two. I’d certainly recommend doing this if you have some spare time to play with. I paid $850 for 8 days on board a tourist superior-class boat (that’s one step behind first class). It was a beautiful catamaran with more crew members than passengers and I even wangled not having to share my cabin with a stranger. If you’re looking for a fantastic cruise option with one of the best guides I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, check out The Galapagos Guide.
GALAPAGOS CRUISE BOATS SAIL A LONG WAY
I had it in my mind that the distance between each island wasn’t that big and that the boats would perhaps sail for an hour or two in the morning and again in the afternoon, travelling between tourist hot spots, but mooring up at night. I was so wrong. We were out on the open ocean, rocking from side to side – and occasionally being smacked by massive waves – all through the night.
YOU WILL GET LAND SICKNESS AFTER YOUR GALAPAGOS CRUISE
Others may disagree, but I found it much easier to accustom myself to the sway of the boat than I did to get used to not swaying when we found ourselves back on dry land. The first couple of nights on the boat, I felt queasy and had to watch the horizon (and then the stars) to help me get my bearings. After that, I came to enjoy the gentle motion of the waves, especially being rocked to sleep. Not even the driver momentarily falling asleep at the wheel causing water to come in through my roof porthole could change my mind! When the cruise ended, it took me two days to stop swaying involuntarily!
THE WATER IS COLD
I was in the Galapagos in the ‘cold, dry’ season, but I hear that even in the warmer months, flopping over the side of the ‘panga’ (or dinghy) into the merciless ocean isn’t the most pleasant experience. Wet suits are strongly advised; if not solely for the extra warmth then for the protection from jellyfish stings. This means you should check when you book your cruise whether or not snorkelling equipment is included. Others on my boat paid another $60 to rent wetsuits and snorkel gear.
YOU SHOULD TAKE SUPPLIES
You may stop off in a port once or twice to exchange passengers or visit a mainland sight, but for the majority of your Galapagos cruise, your boat will be alone at sea. Once it gets dark, there’s very little to do except star gaze or play cards and socialise with the other passengers and crew. If you like a drink it will be cheaper to bring your own, and then you don’t risk the boat supply running out either.
THERE’S NO STEREOTYPICAL PASSENGER
Not everyone who visits the Galapagos is a David Attenborough wannabe, nor is there a common age group. As a general rule, the clientelle of the larger cruise ships tend to be families and older people, while the smaller sailing boats have a mix of ages, but more predominantly those in their 20s and 30s. An advantage to booking last minute at the port is that you can ask the ages and nationalities of the other passengers to determine if you think you’ll be a good mix.
THE WILDLIFE IS INCREDIBLE
As a zoology graduate, I’d heard a lot about the Galapagos and I’d dreamt of going there my whole life. I’d watched nature documentaries on them and turned green with jealousy whenever I met anyone who’d been there. Still, I wasn’t prepared for how incredibly diverse the Galapagos Island wildlife would be, and for how unaffected the animals are by human presence.
It’s also wonderful to see measures in place to help protect the species and habitat. Over the years, humans have been responsible for dwindling numbers of some species and the extinction of others. Now, it’s possible to see conservation in action; for example, at the Galapagos tortoise rehabilitation centre on Isla Isabela.
It’s a dream to be able to creep within a few metres of a blue-footed booby and to find it still standing there idley preening itself. We were practically tripping over new species with every step. The Galapagos Islands truly are a dream destination. The only problem with experiencing such paradise is that it cuts like a knife when you have to leave it behind.
Shitty to hear about your bag being stolen! It looks like the wildlife more than makes up for some of the dodgier moments of the trip though.
As soon as I saw this it made me think about Kurt Vonnegut’s book, Galapagos (well worth a read) :)
Stay safe, and enjoy the rest of the trip
Adam
Yes, the Galapagos was so amazing I don’t care that bad things happened in Cali. Thanks for the book recommendation!
I was dying to do this! Looks amazing, love that last pic!
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I nearly didn’t, because it costs so much, but I’m so glad I went. I have more crazy animal shots where that one came from! :)
I’m jealous, I’m jealous, I’m jealous!!! But even more enclined to go there one way or another! your pictures and descriptions are precisous, thanks for sharing! I’m sure you had a blast and that your words aren’t even close to saying it all!
Cheers to the next ones!
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I had the best time ever! I hope I can encourage others to go. I was almost put off by the cost, but it was more than worth it. Let me know if you do go. I have friends there who can find out about good deals on trips!
Can’t wait to see more of your wildlife pics. I’m a bit of a boat hater which puts me off a bit, but would still love to see the Galapagos one day.
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I wasn’t sure I’d cope with the boat either, but I loved it! And you can always do day trips or tours where you stay on dry land. More wildlife pics coming up! I took thousands…!
I’m on the fence whether its worth the long term budget for a week or two in the Galapagos. Glad to know – as expected – that cheaper deals can be found when you arrive. Your pics of the giant tortoises alone seem like the money is worthwhile, my guess, as a whole, is that you really can’t put a price on this trip? Is it definitely a must do regardless of the price?
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It’s a must do! I almost didn’t go because of the cost, but I would have paid more, now I know how great it was. The cruise was the most magical, fantastic experience of my life. If you get a chance, do it!!!
This is so timely! Just last night, I asked on a LP forum whether it was best to book a tour from Guayaquil (where we are flying into) or wait until we get to Santa Cruz! How much did you pay to fly to Santa Cruz (as I would need to figure that in to the packages coming from Guayaquil)?
I do get really seasick and I hear October usually has choppy seas. I would prefer to not do the 100 person cruise ships, but the 16 person catamaran sounds a bit small? Do you happen to know if there is anything between, and if so, what the likelihood is of getting on it last minute?
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I really think it’s best to book a tour from Santa Cruz, especially if you have a bit of time to play with. There were a lot of different options leaving the next day when I arrived. It cost me about $450 (inc taxes) to fly from Guayaquil and return to Quito. A return from Guayaquil back to Guayaquil should be a bit cheaper. Generally, the deals seemed to work out at about $100 a day for the cruises and you’re more likely to get a higher-class boat for the same price if you wait till you’re on the islands. I got a great cabin to myself when everyone else was sharing. It’s also possible to do an island hopping tour, so you don’t need to sleep on the boat. I think most of the last-minute options tend to be the smaller boats, but there’s a lot of variety. I’m in touch with the guide from my trip so I’ll ask him about some current deals and email you!
Great, thanks so much! I think we are going to fly to Baltra and take our chances from there. I appreciate anything further you find out!
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Ok! Good luck! I flew to Baltra too. It’s an easy trip to Puerto Ayora. God, I am jealous! :)
Thanks so much for giving a proper run down of how to sort out a last minute Galapagos trip! I’m living in Cuenca, Ecuador at the moment – here until the end of June – and I’m trying to decide when’s best to head down to Santa Cruz and enquire about trips. What time of year were you there? And do you reckon it’s necessary to fly from Guayaquil? I haven’t looked into the possibility of over landing it but its probably a bit too complex/probably not even possible!
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I’m glad you found my post useful. I was in the Galapagos at the beginning of September. The water is colder then, but I think it’s low season, which might have helped me get a good last-minute deal. I still think you could find something by just showing up at any time of year though. I have friends on the islands, so if you tell me when you’re thinking of going I can ask if they know of any good deals. As fas as I’m aware, you can only fly from Guayaquil or Quito. It’s a little bit cheaper from Guayaquil. There are definitely buses between Guayaquil and Cuenca. My friend did it the opposite way. If you like, I’ll put you in touch with her. She’s in Cuenca now too!!
Ari, I have been enjoying all your photos. I was just in Ecuador a couple of months ago and am planning a trip back there with my 18 year old son at the end of this year. I would love to ask you a few questions and get some more information from you. Could you shoot me an email at jc@justcalljc.com or prefertotravel@gmail.com? Hope to hear from you. JC
I will do this today. Thanks!
Happy I stumbled upon this! Your pics made me very excited for our trip! My partner and I are planning a trip to the Galapagos around mid-end May next year and are really torn about whether we ought to bite the bullet and part with the money or risk it in the hope it will save us a substantial amount by booking on arrival (and hopefully getting a nicer boat than we otherwise could afford). Did you find there was still a good variety of boats available when you went? Would appreciate your advice!
Hi! Thanks for getting in touch! I was really glad I waited until I was there. I went in low season (September 1) and I booked my return flight for two weeks after I arrived in case I couldn’t get straight on a cruise. As it happened, I got straight on a cruise the next day and had some time to kill after. I don’t know if it will be any different in May, but there were a lot of tour operators and I assume you would be ok if you did a similar thing. It’s definitely a lot cheaper and you can haggle on extras like wetsuit hire as well. Good luck!
hi Arienwen,
Thanks for your blog! Considering doing a Galapagos trip, but worried about being on a boat for so long (I don’t always feel good). I hear the early months (Jan to April) are much calmer. Have you heard that, too? And do you think a bigger boat/winter months would make for a calm journey? Thanks so much–you’ve really inspired me to go!
Best,
Jocelyn
I’m not sure about the time of year. It isn’t something I asked about. I did get sea sick myself, but I never regretted going. It just takes a couple of days to get used to it and to learn how to lessen the chances you’ll get it. A bigger boat probably would help a bit, although I have to say – I really loved the intimacy of our little catamaran. I never tried sea sickness tablets. That might have helped a lot. I hope you get the chance to go and I hope you have a fantastic experience!
Hey! Awesome post. We actually just got back from a trip to the Galapagos and did a 4 night/5 day on the Nemo I Catamaran. I loved being on the water, but right after dinner when the sun went down I found myself needing to watch the horizon, too. :) I had the same impression, too, about the distance between islands. Sometimes we’d be cruising for 6-7 hours at night. Yikes! You can read about our trip over on our blog, too! > http://wp.me/p3UGiL-1oi
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Most visitors to the Galapagos fly into Quito and plan activities and tours on Ecuador’s mainland. https://www.galapagosdanatours.com/galapagos-cruises/