How to travel to the Galapagos?
You dream of discovering the Galapagos archipelago but you wonder what is the best way to visit it?
There are indeed 2 options to travel to the enchanted islands:
By Island Hopping, from island to island on the 3 habitable islands: Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela.
By Cruise, from 4 to 8 days and to visit the uninhabitated islands.
Here are the characteristics of these 2 ways of travelling, which may help you to decide which option to choose for your trip.
Island Hopping
This is a trip where you will stay on the inhabitable islands (there are 3). You should know that there are 2 airports with flights to the mainland, one in Baltra (Santa Cruz Island) and one on San Cristobal Island. It is possible to reach the 3 islands, using inter-island shuttles (the most common way), or by airplanes (airports on the 3 islands).
The shuttles (or lancha in Spanish) are small boats usually carrying a maximum of 20 people. To reach Isabela, it is only possible from Santa Cruz (there are no direct flights between San Cristobal and Isabela). There are 2 shuttles per day, and the crossing takes about 2h-2h30.
Once on the islands, it will be possible to do several activities (snorkeling, visiting an uninhabitable island for the day, diving etc…). There are many specific excursions for each island. Do not hesitate to contact us to propose an itinerary that suits you.
There are of course accommodations for all tastes, of different categories. It goes from the guest house to the glamping. We invite you to read our blog post on glamping in the Galapagos for more information on this subject.
The ➕:
- greater autonomy in your travels on the island
- discovery of the local life and choice of your restaurants
- flexibility in terms of dates (no fixed departure date as for cruises)
- more economical formula
The ➖:
- impossible to access all the islands
- depending on the sea conditions, the crossing can be uncomfortable
Cruise
Just like the accommodations, there are cruises of different categories (from the most economical to the most luxurious). If you are interested in this type of travel, there are many options in terms of duration and types of boats (yacht, catamaran).
You will be totally taken care of during your cruise trip since all meals and activities are included. These are generally small cruises of 16 people.
You will make many stops on the uninhabited islands to visit them, then some excursions will also be planned on the main islands.
The ➕:
- visits to uninhabited islands and islands accessible only with a cruise
- all-inclusive service in the boat
- small capacity boat
- wake up every morning in different places
The ➖:
- formula less suitable for small children
- live during some days with a certain promiscuity
- follow the rhythm of the cruise
Contact us to find out what type of trip you would like to take to the Galapagos Islands.
