Trips and Attractions in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador
An Animal Lover's Paradise
The Galapagos Islands Galapagos form the crown jewel of a trip to Ecuador.
They are located about 1,000 km west of the mainland in the heart of the Pacific Ocean near the equator.
The Galapagos archipelago has 18 main islands, 3 small islands, and about a hundred islets
and rocks.
This is an animal lover's paradise where you can encounter countless animals up close in their natural habitat, some of which are unique (endemic) to the Galapagos. The animals in the area are not afraid of humans at all and do not run away from them. The main danger for travelers is accidentally stepping on an iguana's tail...
In the Galapagos Islands, you can see a variety of special animals up close. On land, there are various types of giant tortoises, iguanas of various sizes including marine iguanas (living only in the Galapagos) and land iguanas, colorful giant crabs, blue-footed, red-footed, and brown boobies, albatrosses, frigatebirds, flamingos, penguins, and other birds, as well as a massive number of sea lions.
In the sea, you can snorkel and dive among sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, stingrays (manta rays), and a variety of spectacular fish. There are about 450 different types of fish in the area (many of them, over 20 percent, are endemic to the Galapagos)! You can also watch huge pods of dolphins and whales.
Due to the isolation of the islands, 42 percent of the vegetation is endemic to the Galapagos, 79 percent of the mammals, 80 percent of the birds, and 91 percent of the reptiles! 50 percent of the animals and 24 percent of the local vegetation are still endangered, but thanks to extensive conservation efforts and strict limitations on tourists visiting the island and locals, the numbers are on a downward trend.
Only 3 of the islands are inhabited. The number of residents on the islands is about 25,000. Most of them live on Santa Cruz Island, where the largest city in the Galapagos is located: Puerto Ayora, and the rest live on San Cristobal and Isabela islands.
♦ Booking multi-day guided tours in the Galapagos Islands (via Viator):
(Does not include flight to the islands)
On these three islands, there are also hotels, restaurants, and tour agencies. On another island, Floreana, a small number of local residents live, but there are no facilities for tourist lodging and it can only be visited as a day trip.
Recommended Hotels in the Galapagos
You can stay in hotels on the following three islands:
In the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island:
The most luxurious and special hotel in Puerto Ayora:
Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel - Declared a unique hotel by National Geographic. Located on a successful beach on the far side of the town (reached by a 5-minute boat ride). The hotel features a swimming pool, restaurant, gardens, and a private dock with private yachts. Air conditioning, Wi-Fi.
Another luxury hotel in the same area:
Hotel Angermeyer Waterfront Inn - Pastoral location on the water. The hotel has a bar and restaurant. Good breakfast served to guests. Free Wi-Fi. Airport shuttle service to Baltra. Large, air-conditioned rooms with large windows overlooking the sea. 500 meters from German Beach.
Hotel Del Sol Galapagos - Mid-range hotel located in the center of town. Air-conditioned and spacious rooms.
Internet and breakfast included in the price. Single rooms, double rooms, and family rooms for up to 4 guests.
Two vacation apartments on the main promenade in town with amazing bay views. One apartment suits 3 people and the second suits five. Daily cleaning service. Equipped kitchen. Free Wi-Fi. Air conditioning. Yard with a grill.
Cheaper:
A nice but basic hotel about a 10-minute walk from the town center. Large rooms, free Wi-Fi. Air conditioning. Basic breakfast served in a charming courtyard with birds. Small swimming pool and lounge chairs.
On Isabela Island:
Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel - A 4-star boutique hotel a 10-minute walk from the town center. Close to the beach. The hotel features a pool, restaurant, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and rooms for 2-3 guests including several suites. Some rooms overlook the volcano and some overlook the sea.
Hotel Iguana - Central location. Most rooms have balconies. Shuttle service, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, personal attention, rooms for 1-3 guests, attractive price.
The Wooden House Hotel - Central location. Successful breakfast. Wi-Fi and shuttle service. Air conditioning. Rooms for 1-3 guests. The hotel has a swimming pool, restaurant, and bar, located near the beach.
On San Cristobal Island:
Golden Bay Hotel & Spa - The most luxurious hotel on the island. The hotel features a swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa, bar, and restaurant. The price includes internet and an excellent breakfast. The hotel offers airport shuttle service. Every room has air conditioning, a separate entrance, a private pool, and a balcony with a view.
Hotel Casa Blanca - Spacious air-conditioned rooms, free internet, successful breakfast. The hotel has a restaurant and airport shuttle service. Centrally located near the sea. Some rooms have a balcony with a sea view.
Emanuel by The Point - An attractively priced hotel in a central location. Most rooms have bay views. Breakfast, internet, and shuttle service. The hotel rents bicycles to its guests and provides snorkeling gear. The hotel has a playroom.
General Information
The total area of all the islands together is 7,880 square kilometers, and the largest island in area is Isabela, which accounts for ¾ of this total area and also contains the highest mountain in the islands (about 1,700 meters high). Isabela is made up of 6 different volcanoes, some of which are still active.
The islands are very isolated with animals unique to these islands, and Ecuador tries to preserve and protect them through various actions it takes. In 1959, the government of Ecuador declared 97.5% of the islands' area as a national nature park, and in 1986, a marine area of 70,000 square kilometers around the islands was declared a marine reserve. UNESCO recognized the islands as a World Heritage Site in 1978, as a Biosphere Reserve in 1985, and in 2001 included the marine reserve as well.
In order to protect the unique nature and biosphere, there is a limitation on both the number of residents and the number of annual visitors to the islands.
Since 1998, people cannot move to live on the islands. Even Ecuadorians cannot do so, therefore only those who lived on the islands prior to that year and their descendants are considered residents, and there is no way to immigrate there. Only residents of the islands can be "naturalist" guides on the islands and on the ships sailing between them.
The number of visitors to the islands is limited to about 150,000 tourists a year only. The number of ships sailing between the islands and the number of passengers on the ships is also limited and fixed. Most tourists travel in the Galapagos on cruise ships on a fairly expensive 4-7 night cruise, but it is definitely possible to travel with proper planning much more cheaply.
In order not to expose the islands to external diseases or disrupt the delicate balance between the animals on the islands, bringing plants and animals from other places is strictly prohibited. This is strictly enforced. Already on the plane, all bags are sprayed with a special substance, and when landing at the airport, skilled dogs are brought in to go over all the suitcases and sniff them thoroughly in case anyone brought in prohibited food or materials. Every suitcase the dogs linger by is taken for careful inspection.
The Galapagos are considered one of the safest destinations in the world with an extremely low crime rate.
There are also wonderful beaches for swimming in the Galapagos with sand in a variety of colors: golden, white, black, and even green and red.
Getting There
It is of course recommended to combine a trip to the Galapagos Islands with a trip to Ecuador itself if you are already getting there. You can read about attractive destinations in Ecuador in my articles:
♦ Destinations and attractions in an Ecuador trip
♦ Trip to the Amazon rainforests of Ecuador
To get to the Galapagos from Israel, you must fly to the city of Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador (or to Quito), and from there fly almost two more hours to the largest airport in the islands, located on the small island of Baltra, and from there continue to Santa Cruz Island, which is the most populated and touristy island in the Galapagos.
Short video on landing in the Galapagos:
At the airport in Guayaquil or Quito, you are required to pay a special tax of 20 dollars (as of late 2018) and you receive a special certificate which must be shown to the authorities at the airport you arrive at. At the Galapagos airport, you pay another 100 dollars (to cover entries to all nature reserves, which constitute a significant part of the islands).
Weather and Time of Visit
You can travel to the islands all months of the year.
The weather in the Galapagos Islands is influenced by the location of the islands on the equator and the temperature of the ocean water around them.
The cooler season is between June and November, when the minimum air temp is 19 degrees Celsius and the maximum is 26-27 degrees. Sea temp during this period is 22 degrees on average and cool winds sometimes blow. This is also the dry season with little rainfall. The warmer season is between the months of December and May, when the minimum air temp is 22 degrees Celsius and the maximum is 31 degrees. Sea water temp rises to an average of 25 degrees. This is also the wetter season with more rainfall.
Part of the islands are mountainous and some are flat. The higher you go in the mountains on the islands, the more it rains, the foggier it is, and it is cooler. In coastal areas, there is not much rain and they are drier.
Starting in January (or February at the latest), the islands are greener and with more flowers (thanks to the rains that start falling mainly from January).
You can see animals all months of the year, but not always all of them, depending on the nesting or migration period. For example: albatrosses nest in the Galapagos (on Espanola Island only) only between May and December. Every subspecies and species has different breeding seasons, but one thing is for sure—you will witness a huge variety of unique and amazing animals all months of the year!
Attractions and Destinations in a Galapagos Trip
It is recommended to come to a trip to the Galapagos for at least a week. It is definitely possible and recommended to travel there for ten days or even more.
There are many islands in the Galapagos. There is no need to visit all of them, and it is important to choose the most interesting and representative islands among them where you will also see most of the special animals.
A popular way to travel in the Galapagos is a cruise ship between selected islands. All ships sailing between the Galapagos Islands are small and designed for 16 to a hundred passengers. Most ships are for 16-48 passengers and only a few for 100 passengers.
The number of ships is limited (there are about a hundred ships) and it is not possible to add ships or passengers to a ship beyond what exists. The number of ships in each island and port is predetermined, and ships are routed to visit the islands at very specific times. This sometimes entails a longer sail (in a zigzag), but the number of people at each site, walking trail, and beach is restricted, which protects the animals and vegetation while preventing crowding and mass tourism, allowing everyone to enjoy wild nature without interruption.
These cruises usually include everything: food, drinks, snorkeling gear, shore excursions, sailing, and a personal guide. Most cruises are 4 nights and 7 nights.
For those prone to seasickness, these cruises are not recommended as most ships rock quite a bit during the open sea sailing between the islands. There are various levels of ships, from the most basic to luxurious and pampering, and prices are accordingly, but even sailings on more modest ships are very expensive compared to cruises in other destinations worldwide.
Particularly recommended are the cruises of Celebrity Cruises, which has two pampering and relatively large ships (until June 2019 they have two smaller ships that will be replaced in June by a brand new, especially luxurious all-suite ship named: "Celebrity Flora"). True to Celebrity's style, service and hospitality are exceptional, the food is delicious, rich, and varied, and so are the drinks. The rooms are large, well-equipped, and very comfortable.
Celebrity's Xploration ship designed for 16 passengers:
Cabin and deck on the Xploration ship:
Guided tours can also be purchased on each island for a full day or half day where you go out on trips both on land and at sea including snorkeling and diving. When staying on the islands, you can also tour them independently cheaply and comfortably.
Recommended islands and attractions in a Galapagos trip:
Santa Cruz Island
As mentioned, the main airport of the islands is located on a small island named Baltra adjacent to Santa Cruz Island, and most tourists travel from the airport to hotels in Puerto Ayora mostly, or board a cruise ship from a small port near the airport on Baltra Island.
Most of the island's residents are found on this island and most of them live in the city of Puerto Ayora. Puerto Ayora is a nice coastal city with many shops, hotels, and restaurants along its main street.
On Santa Cruz Island, you can travel and spend several days visiting its main attractions as well as taking day trips near the island and even further away.
Details on Santa Cruz Island can be found in my article: Trips and attractions on Santa Cruz Island.
Among the attractions appearing in the aforementioned article on the island:
The famous giant tortoises of the Galapagos (short video):
Marine and land iguanas:
The fish market in Puerto Ayora:
Beaches:
As well as geological phenomena like giant craters, lava tunnels, and a large gorge with a swimming pool.
San Cristobal Island
This island is located east of Santa Cruz Island, its area is about 560 sq km and its highest point reaches 730 meters. On San Cristobal, you can see a variety of animals and birds: frigatebirds, red-footed and blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, gulls, sea lions, dolphins, and giant tortoises.
Details on San Cristobal Island can be found in my article: Trips and attractions on San Cristobal Island.
Among the attractions described in this article:
Beaches with sea lions:
Cliffs and caves:
And Isla Lobos islet adjacent to San Cristobal Island which has a walking trail where you can observe a huge variety of wildlife.
Especially frigatebirds with their inflated red balloons:
Around Isla Lobos, it is also customary to snorkel and see huge sea turtles.
Espanola
This is a small island, about 60 sq km in area, but thanks to its location at the southern end of the archipelago, it has many unique animals, especially albatrosses found only on this island. The island also has many other winged creatures and sea lions galore. The best place on the island to watch an abundance of these animals up close on an easy and comfortable walking trail is: Punta Suarez.
The albatross is a giant bird that flies for half a year without landing (except to fish in the open sea) and for half a year is on land for nesting and raising chicks. On Espanola Island (only!), albatrosses can be found from April to December. You can see grown chicks that haven't learned to fly yet, chicks training their wings for their first flight, and adult pairs dancing their courtship dance while waiting for the chicks to grow. These birds choose a partner for life!
This is also one of the islands where you can spot "boobies" up close—both blue-footed, but especially "Nazca" boobies which can be seen nesting right up close among the cliffs.
While touring the island, you can see many baby sea lions playing in the water.
It turns out mothers can leave their pups (they give birth to only one pup at a time—no twins or triplets) for several days while searching for food, while the pups stay in a "daycare" where males guard them against sharks and other animals.
Espanola also has an excellent swimming beach named Garden Bay with soft white sand where you can swim alongside sea lions.
And many marine iguanas on this island:
Floreana
Floreana Island is one of the smallest islands in the Galapagos and is located south of Santa Cruz Island, with an area of about 170 sq km. It is a wonderful destination for kayaking among crowds of sea lions, sea turtles, and flamingos.
Near this island, it is customary to dive and snorkel among sea lions, sea turtles, and many colorful fish, and sometimes you will be lucky enough to see a hammerhead shark. A recommended destination for snorkeling and diving is "Devil’s Crown".
Short video on snorkeling near Floreana Island:
In Floreana, there is a wild beach named Punta Cormorant with green sand crystals.
From this beach, an easy walking trail leads to a large lagoon where you can observe crowds of pink flamingos up close
And of course all the other animals that can be seen almost everywhere: nesting sea birds, giant crabs, sea lions, iguanas, and lizards.
Despite all the special animals we witnessed in the Galapagos, it is hard not to be amazed by the curiosity and courage of this small, greyish bird:
In addition to animal viewing, the island offers another unique experience. It was the first in the island group to be settled by humans (mainly pirates and whalers). Here you can visit a historical "post office" (wooden box) where whalers used to leave letters for their relatives and ships traveling in the opposite direction delivered them to their destination. Today, tourists are the ones who tend to leave postcards for their loved ones at the place (while tourists from other ships take postcards for hand delivery if they find an address close to their place of residence).
Rabida Island
This is a tiny island south of Santiago Island, its size is only about 5 sq km. It is uninhabited and due to the large iron content in its soil, its color is reddish.
On this island, sea lions rest comfortably, along with many birds, unique vegetation, a lagoon, and a wonderful quiet sea for snorkeling where you can see huge schools of colorful fish and if you're lucky, even whales.
Short video on snorkeling on Rabida Island:
Isabela Island
Isabela Island is the largest in area in the Galapagos at 4,640 sq km. The highest place on it is Wolf Volcano, which is about 1,700 meters high. This island is the product of the merger of six large volcanoes.
This is the third island in population size in the Galapagos, which is concentrated mainly in the town of Puerto Vilamil at its southeastern tip.
Also on this island is a variety of wildlife: giant tortoises, penguins, sea lions, iguanas, various birds, and more.
Details on Isabela Island can be found in my article: Trips and attractions on Isabela Island.
On Isabela Island is the second largest volcanic crater in the world: Sierra Negra Volcano :
From the turtle breeding and conservation center on Isabela:
Our articles on Ecuador:
Destinations and attractions in a trip to Ecuador
Trips in the city of Otavalo and its surroundings
Trips and attractions in the Galapagos Islands
Trip to the Amazon of Ecuador
Trips on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos
Trips on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos
Trip to Isabela Island in the Galapagos
Attractions and trips in the city of Baños in Ecuador