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Introducing Galapagos Islands

Travel to the Galapagos Islands
Traveling to the Galapagos Islands is a life-changing experience, whether you visit the islands alone, with your partner, with family or friends. There are several travel options to discover the Galapagos. The best and most popular way is by cruising the islands on board yachts and ships. Another alternative is a hotel-based program from the three main ports in Galapagos.

What makes the Galapagos so unique
These remote and isolated islands are home to endemic and unique species. During the daily excursions, you'll have the opportunity to experience close encounters with amazing wildlife, fearless of human beings. Each island will bring something new to your experience. The Galapagos Islands were also recently declared a marine sanctuary!

Explore trips by duration: 5 days · 6 days · 7 days · 10 days · 14 days

Galapagos Islands Tours & Itineraries

Get inspired by trips other travelers have loved
Isabela Island, Galapagos
Map of Galapagos Islands Land-Based Adventure Tour: 10 Days
Galapagos Islands Land-Based Adventure Tour: 10 Days

This 10-day trip will take you to the best the Galapagos has to offer. Immerse yourself in the wildlife, culture and unique ecosystem of the archipelago as you see the sights by bike, by foot and in the water. This extraordinary week includes snorkeling with sea lions, tropical fish, and beautiful manta rays. On land, there will be numerous chances to observe giant tortoises and other amazing creatures in this one-of-a-kind destination.

View of Puerto Ayora.
Map of Galapagos Islands Land-Based Adventure Tour: 6 Days
Galapagos Islands Land-Based Adventure Tour: 6 Days

Land-based tours are a more economical and comfortable alternative to cruising the Galapagos. This 6-day itinerary takes in the highlights of the three main inhabited islands — from watching giant tortoises to hiking around an active volcanic crater and snorkeling with penguins and sharks.

Viewing giant tortoises in their native habitat is a highlight of the Galapagos.
Map of Galapagos Cruise: Wildlife Watching, Snorkeling & Hiking - 11 Days
Galapagos Cruise: Wildlife Watching, Snorkeling & Hiking - 11 Days

Cruising around the Galapagos Islands — viewing extraordinary wildlife and natural sights by day while motoring between islands at night — is one of the best ways to experience these magical islands. On this tour, you'll visit 11 islands in the famed archipelago, observing birdlife, sea lions, marine iguanas, sharks, giant tortoises and an array of other creatures.

Sea Lions Playing Under the Waves
Map of Best of Ecuador: Quito & the Galapagos Islands - 7 Days
Best of Ecuador: Quito & the Galapagos Islands - 7 Days

This whirlwind trip takes you to many of Ecuador's top highlights in a single week. Stroll the colonial streets of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and stand on the equator at Mitad del Mundo. Then it's off to the Galapagos Islands for four days of hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, wildlife viewing, and relaxing on the beach. From snow-capped peaks to deep waters filled with sea turtles and penguins, this diverse itinerary has something for everyone.

Best of Peru Tour & Galapagos Cruise - 12 Days
Map of Best of Peru Tour & Galapagos Cruise - 12 Days
Best of Peru Tour & Galapagos Cruise - 12 Days

Discover ancient ruins, colonial architecture, fantastic food, and folk culture in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and iconic Machu Picchu.  Then hop aboard the luxurious Galapagos Legend—the only cruise boat in the Galapagos with an on-deck swimming pool—for a multi-island expedition to observe the birds, iguanas, and sea creatures that make this place so special.

Blue-footed boobies
Map of Galapagos Island Hopping: San Cristobal & Santa Cruz - 5 Days
Galapagos Island Hopping: San Cristobal & Santa Cruz - 5 Days

If you're short on time but don't want to cut back on experiences, this 5-day island hopping trip to the Galapagos is for you. Fly out of Quito, heading for San Cristobal—home of the famous sea lion colony and Kicker Rock. Then, take a speedboat to Santa Cruz, where you'll see giant tortoises and visit an uninhabited island. 

Make the Most of Your Time in Galapagos Islands

Have a fixed number of days? Maximize the things to see and do during your visit

Galapagos Islands Travel Advice

Read our detailed insights to make sure you have the best trip
Shark in the Galapagos
Ultimate Guide to Diving in the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are spectacular in so many ways, but even more so underwater. The seascapes of reefs, ledges, walls and extinct volcanic craters are teeming with wildlife...

Seals in the Galápagos Islands
Family Travel in the Galápagos Islands

The Galápagos Islands comprise one of the world's most extraordinary travel destinations, and the opportunity to observe the famous archipelago's native creatures is especially...

Our Latest Galapagos Islands Content

Bartolomé Island in the Galapagos
Galapagos Island Hopping in Style: Santa Cruz & Isabela - 10 Days

White-sand beaches, secluded lagoons, and a spectacular array of wildlife await on this luxurious 10-day adventure in the Galápagos. It begins in Quito with sightseeing in the colonial center. Then fly to Isabela Island, where you’ll stay in high-end lodgings and enjoy daily hikes, cycling, and snorkeling excursions. The journey continues on Santa Cruz Island, where you'll walk with giant tortoises and visit uninhabited islands. Here you can observe rare wildlife and relax on the beach before heading home.

Pinnacle Rock in the Galápagos Islands
Map of 5 Days in the Galápagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
5 Days in the Galápagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries

With five days to spend in the Galapagos Islands, travelers have a variety of options. Choose a land-based tour that takes you to the archipelago's highlights for outdoor adventures and birdwatching, or go on a cruise that focuses on a particular interest area, like nature or wildlife. If you're certified, opt for a diving trip with daily excursions underwater to see reef sharks, sea turtles, seahorses, and more. Whichever itinerary you choose, you're sure to enjoy the natural beauty of this magnificent island chain. Read on to learn more about your options.

White sands and turqouise waters of the Galápagos Islands
How Many Days Should You Spend in the Galápagos Islands?

The best way to see as many of the 19 major islands that comprise the Galápagos is on a two-week tour. However, you can still pack in the best of Darwin's famed isles on a 10-day excursion that includes wildlife spotting and active adventures. Even five days allows for a quick island hop and highlights tour that covers some major sights and makes for an unforgettable experience.

Galapagos Islands Travel Maps

Get the lay of land, and understand distances between the places you want to visit
Galapagos Islands map: 7 Days in the Galapagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
7 Days in the Galapagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
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Galapagos Islands map: 5 Days in the Galápagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
5 Days in the Galápagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
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Galapagos Islands map: 10 Days in the Galapagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
10 Days in the Galapagos Islands - 4 Unique Itineraries
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Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Galapagos Islands
Travel specialist Mathias Onisseit
active 1 day ago

Mathias Onisseit

Originally from Germany, in 2010 I set out to explore South America and soon fell in love with the super-diverse country named Ecuador (and its neat little attachment Galapagos). What fascinates me...

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Travel specialist Linda Schulz
active 2 days ago

Linda Schulz

Originally from Germany, I have traveled around the world and lived in Australia, Bangladesh, and finally Ecuador. Ecuador is such a diverse and beautiful country, so I soon fell deeply in love...

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Travel specialist Alvaro Pereira
active 16 hours ago

Alvaro Pereira

Traveling and getting to know new and exciting places have always been my biggest passion. I believe that Ecuador, Galapagos, Colombia and Peru are such vast locations filled with special sites,...

read more...
Travel specialist Jackeline Valarezo
active 2 days ago

Jackeline Valarezo

I've always been in love with my country, and when I got the chance to work in this wonderful industry, I knew I belonged here. One of my favorite aspects of my job is interacting with people and...

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Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Amazing Galapagos vacation
Galapagos Islands | Dec 21 - Dec 26, 2022

Rahul
Rahul N.
Johns Creek, GA | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2023

Alavaro did a great job with organizing our much awaited trip to the Galapagos. He took the time to understand our wish list before recommending options and patiently worked through multiple iterations that better fit our family’s interests.
We stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and visited Espanola; we were amazed by the biodiversity on all these islands and the difference between each of them.

Viviana on Santa Cruz Island was very knowledgeable. She picked us up from Baltra... read more

Alavaro did a great job with organizing our much awaited trip to the Galapagos. He took the time to understand our wish list before recommending options and patiently worked through multiple iterations that better fit our family’s interests.
We stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and visited Espanola; we were amazed by the biodiversity on all these islands and the difference between each of them.

Viviana on Santa Cruz Island was very knowledgeable. She picked us up from Baltra airport and took us to a lava tunnel, private reserve, and Charles Darwin Foundation.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Fiesta
Puerto Ayora
La Casita de la Playa
Puerto Villamil
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Staff were helpful. Breakfast was great. Hotel room was not maintained (bugs, ants, mosquitoes, lizard in the room, bathroom ceiling is open to the room, bathroom door was stuck and housekeeping/maintenance didn’t address the issue, air conditioner stinks when turned on, extremely expensive laundry (charged $4/kg while the laundromat actually charged $1.5/kg).

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Welcome to Galapagos: Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island
Galapagos Islands
Welcome to San Cristobal Island! Visit to the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill or La Lobería
Galapagos Islands

There was confusion with the guide about the itinerary and we ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final day of our stay on San Cristobal.

Wildlife Encounter in San Cristobal: Española Island
San Cristobal Island
360° Tour of San Cristobal: Exotic Places, Beaches & Marine Life
San Cristobal Island
Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure
San Cristobal Island

We ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final morning since there was confusion with our itinerary on the arrival day.

Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2023

Hello Rahul & Deepti!

Thank you so much for your detailed review and feedback, it is truly valuable to know about the experience you had in the Galapagos Islands, and keep assured that the feedback will be conveyed to the local providers.

Warm hugs from your local friend in Ecuador!
Alvaro

Checked all of the checkboxes!
Galapagos Islands | Dec 12 - Dec 17, 2022

Hillary
Hillary P.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Jan 03, 2023

All of our local guides and experts were extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond with help and recommendations. In our relatively short trip, we felt like all of our major interests were planned out and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything at all.

Plenty of snorkeling, hiking, and sight-seeing, with just enough downtime to check out the towns and local digs. We don't normally travel with so much hand holding, but for the Galapagos where so much is protected and must... read more

All of our local guides and experts were extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond with help and recommendations. In our relatively short trip, we felt like all of our major interests were planned out and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything at all.

Plenty of snorkeling, hiking, and sight-seeing, with just enough downtime to check out the towns and local digs. We don't normally travel with so much hand holding, but for the Galapagos where so much is protected and must be visited with a National Guide anyway, this process and itinerary were perfect!

The lodgings selected for us were also right up our alley--quaint and boutique with a local touch, while still providing respite and privacy.

We had one morning with miscommunicated tour times, but it was not a big deal and it just meant we had more time for breakfast!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Galapagos Suites
Puerto Ayora

Photos don't do this place justice, honestly! The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with lovely balconies equipped with hammocks. Run by a mother/daughter dream team, we felt so welcomed and comfortable every night we stayed!

Authenticity & Character
Location
A close walk to local restaurants and shops while still off the main road enough to be quiet.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Casita de la Playa
Puerto Villamil

Incredible location and very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano
Galapagos Islands

We were nervous in the morning that the overcast and misty weather would keep us from seeing the caldera, but it was actually a blessing in disguise to keep us covered and cool from the sun on the first half of the trip. By the time we were out and back from Chico, we had a wonderfully clear view and made it home without too much sunburn. Easy hike, but long with the amount of stopping and sight seeing along the way.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz
Galapagos Islands

Our guide, Astrid, was incredible. So knowledgeable and insightful--she made all the difference to our experience of what was already fantastic sight seeing.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras
Galapagos Islands

Best snorkeling of the trip in my opinion. Wide, open cove with very clear waters that don't get too sandy or crowded. You're able to see a lot of sea life without too much hard work or feeling rushed by the group.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Our tour didn't actually include kayaking, which is fine in retrospect as it was the last day of our trip and I probably would have been more tired!
Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora

I would have liked a bit more time here, but our guide, Astrid, was extremely knowledgeable and it was so great to see the babies.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to an uninhabited island
Galapagos Islands

A full day on the boat! A fairly large group, but accommodations were adequate (and lunch was so good!) and we got a bit of everything--light hiking on North Seymour with plenty of wildlife sightings, snorkeling in clear coastal waters, and beach time to relax and swim.

Quality of Experience
Would have been nice to see the boat's sails in its full glory, but not a big deal! A pretty big group, which means more chances that people are late/slow/affecting the overall experience. Really not a deal breaker at all, but we ended up preferring some of the smaller group activities. I just wish we saw more flamingos!
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkel at Los Túneles
Galapagos Islands

Great guide who shared photos and videos after (love that!), but really a crowded location that made it hard to see all of the wildlife. Felt a little rushed. Everyone in the group seemed to have very different levels of swim skill, so it was really hard to stay focused on a given area for sea life spotting.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Isabel Pérez
Isabel
Isabel Pérez
Local specialist in Quito | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2023

Hi Hillary,
Thanks for sharing your trip with us! It sounds like it was an incredible experience in the Galapagos. I'm happy to hear that everything went smoothly and you were able to do all the activities and see all the sights you hoped to. I'm glad the hotels were to your liking, they're are just great, especially Galapagos Suites! I apologize for the miscommunication with the last tour pick-up time, but I'm glad it didn't impact your trip overall. Thanks for choosing us for your adventure... read more

Hi Hillary,
Thanks for sharing your trip with us! It sounds like it was an incredible experience in the Galapagos. I'm happy to hear that everything went smoothly and you were able to do all the activities and see all the sights you hoped to. I'm glad the hotels were to your liking, they're are just great, especially Galapagos Suites! I apologize for the miscommunication with the last tour pick-up time, but I'm glad it didn't impact your trip overall. Thanks for choosing us for your adventure in the Galapagos, I hope to work with you again in the future so you can explore more of the wonderful landscapes Ecuador has to offer.

Best,
Isabel

The Galapagos Island Tour
Galapagos Islands | Nov 18 - Nov 27, 2022

Parveen
Parveen I.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Jan 03, 2023

First and foremost a big thank you to our travel agent Linda. She was very responsive, knowledgeable and great to work with. All the tour guides were excellent. read more

First and foremost a big thank you to our travel agent Linda. She was very responsive, knowledgeable and great to work with. All the tour guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Fiesta
Puerto Ayora
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Katarma
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Vieja Cuba
Quito

Only drawback at this hotel was there were no elevators - we had to drag our bags 4 stories up.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkel at Kicker Rock
Galapagos Islands

The water was very cold even with wet suits.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station
Puerto Ayora

Guide was excellent. Research center was worth the visit.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Excursion to an uninhabited island
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
El Junco Lagoon & Puerto Chino Beach
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Linda Schulz
Linda
Linda Schulz
Local specialist in Quito | Reviewed on Jan 03, 2023

Dear Parveen, thank you so much for your kind words and your review! It was a pleasure to help you and your children plan this trip to Galapagos. I am happy to hear that you've enjoyed your time on the islands. Hopefully you can come back one day to explore other parts of Ecuador as well!
All the best,
Linda