Galápagos Travel Forum

Hello,
I will be in flying from Central America to South America around mid February. I had first thought about flying from San Jose to Lima but I realized that maybe instead of spending a week in Costa Rica, we could try to see the Galapagos instead. At first I was afraid of the cost but I realized that maybe it was worth to skip CR (as Im sure the cost of life there is not that inexpensive) and spend $400+ (everything included?)
We would be interested in a 4-day tour.
Some of you think it's possile to show up in Ecuador and book at the last minute. Does it really work? Won't we be very disappointed if we show up there and everything's booked (cause we won't be able to wait for a week to get a boat?)
Otherwise, where should we start our cruise and what are the islands not to miss?
Any tour agency you could recommend?
Thank you so much for your answers. It will be very much appreciated.
Celine

If you are trying to spend $400 per person for a 4-day tour of the Galapagos, forget it. The flights from the mainland to the islands cost about $300, and setting foot on the islands (which are a national park) incurs a fee of $100. There's your trip total right there. Sorry, but visiting the Galapagos is never going to be cheap. I'd budget $1000 per person for this one, minimum.

I also would strongly recommend against visiting Galapagos for such a short stay. It takes a half-day just to get there from Quito/Guayaquil and another to get back, given the travel considerations. Then you get to see maybe three islands, and none of the farther-out ones. This is a pretty wasted trip--see my page for more on why. Save this vacation for when you can do it right.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of other destinations in SA that can be done in style on $400. Bolivia/Peru/Ecuador come to mind.

I was a couple of years ago in Quito, but I was in a hurry like I usually always am, so I did not have time to go the Galapagos that time. Anyway, I have been planning to visit Galapagos next time when I get to some place close to Equador, so I did some research about this subject. There are flights to Galapagos from Quito and Guayquil. There are two airlines that fly there: TAME and Aerolineas Galapagos. If I would be you I would skip the prearranged tours and the cruise. These are typical tourist traps that are almost always overpriced. I would just book the flights and then check in to a hotel instead of going on a cruise. If you want to go to some other islands you can always arrange day trips from your hotel. It looks like there is budget accommodation available for something like $20 / night, so it should be possible to visit Galapagos for a reasonably low cost if you wish. I noticed that the TAME web page was advertising a package deal as a promotion starting form $289. This included the flights, 3 nights hotel, the transports between the airport and even 3 half day tours to some of the other islands. Unfortunately this promotion was only for citizens of Ecuador ... It is going to be more expensive for foreigners ...

Regards,

Mikael

I've just got back from 2 mths in the Galapagos & there's absolutely NO WAY you can see anything much from staying in a hotel & doing day trips. You can visit maximum 3 islands on day trips but you just won't get a feel for the place. You could however consider staying on Isabela, one of the Western islands, which has a very small town & lots of very impressive wildlife & day trips. It takes about 3 hours by boat from Puerto Ayora (the main town on the islands) But it'll cost still you minimum $350 to fly out there, then $100 park fee.
Travelmad is right - wait till you can do it properly. But make sure you do, cos it fantastic!
bex

I spent two weeks in the Galapagos in October this year and it is worth every cent you have to pay. However, you really can't do it on the cheap. It's true that your entire budget will be eaten up with just the airfare ($350 to $390 on both TAME and AeroGal), and there's still the $100 park fee to consider. Plus you are not permitted to visit any island without a guide, and you will have to pay for that as well, so the tour prices are not rock bottom either.

Sorry Mikael, you're wrong that the boat tours are tourist traps, absolutely wrong. There are boat that are less expensive than average. The Cormorant, for example, has a 4-day tour for just under $500.

If you want more info, please drop me a line. Also, check out my brand-new Galapgos page for a sneak preview of what you will see :-)

A 4-day tour for $500 still does not sound like a good deal, because this is per person. For 2 persons it would be more than $200 / night. For this kind of money you could stay at a deluxe hotel anywhere in the world. If you want to do a low cost trip, this does not sound like a good idea, when there is reasonably priced accommodation available as an alternative. If you have plenty of time and money is no object, you can of course always do whatever you like, but if you have a limited amount of time and you prefer low cost then you have to compromise on some things. Most people do not have time to stay somewhere away for several weeks or months and money matters for most people ...

As anyone who has been there will attest, the Galapagos is simply not a place you can get to or visit very, very cheaply. However, that does not mean that boat tours are "typical tourist traps." Or that live-aboards are "not a good deal." Everything is relative, and prices in the Galapagos are relative to one another, not to prices elsewhere. If your budget doesn't allow it, you just can't go. If the benchmark is some imagined amount you would spend on the continent, you may as well say the entire archipelago is a tourist trap and a bad deal.

Thank you all for your answers.
I understood that we couldn't make it for under $1000 for a 4-day tour right? not even the full week? Is it really fantastic? If we go there, we would probably skip getting PADI scuba diving certified in Honduras and visit a bit costa rica... and maybe we would skip pantanal in Brazil.
We have three months and we try to limit our budget. We have some savings and although we're planning on eating and sleeping for cheap, we know that there are things that we need to pay for.
Are the Galapagos worth all the above "sacrifices" ?

We're around 30. Maybe we should be patient and come back when we have the money.. (if ever we have it in the future!!) Im just wondering if we don't go now, we will never come back and will regret.

Thanks again.

You can certainly skip Pantanal, since it's the wrong season of the year right now. If you are interested in nature in Brazil, go to Fernando de Noronha island in the north or Iguacu falls in the south instead.

You can enjoy Galapagos without a diving certification. But you will absolutely want to snorkel and swim with sea lions and penguins (see a picture on my Galapagos page). And anyway, Galapagos can be a real challenge for new divers. Many or even most of the dive sites are best enjoyed if you have more experience. The water is cold and there are often strong currents.

To be honest, your options are all so good that no matter what you decide to do (learn to dive and spend time in CR, go to Brazil, go to Galapagos) you will have an unforgettable "trip of a lifetime."

Feel free to email.

Q.

> I understood that we couldn't make it for under $1000 for a 4-day tour right? not even the full week? Is it really fantastic?

That's right, you really cannot do Galapagos cheaply. As I and everyone else who's been to Galapagos has said here, even four days is not worth bothering with since you will see very little of the islands. If you're going to do this trip, *at least* a week is really necessary, and hopefully more.

Yes, it really is fantastic.

> If we go there, we would probably skip getting PADI scuba diving certified in Honduras and visit a bit costa rica...

Wow, that's a tough choice. I am a certified diver as well and I wouldn't want to miss out on the chance to dive. Of course, you can learn to dive in a lot of places, whereas Galapagos is a unique spot, so if you're really thinking this is your only chance to get down there, you might just take it and wait to get your PADI cert later. You don't need to dive in Galapagos (as Quero noted above, it's a very challenging dive site anyway). Snorkeling is plenty, and it's really fun.

> Are the Galapagos worth all the above "sacrifices" ?

Yes, I think so. You won't forget this trip.