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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.

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.

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.

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 Galápagos Island Hopping: San Cristobal & Santa Cruz - 5 Days
Galápagos 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 Galápagos 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

Discover the lava tunnels of Isla Isabela as you explore the Galápagos Islands
Map of Highlights of Quito & the Galápagos Islands - 9 Days
Highlights of Quito & the Galápagos Islands - 9 Days

On this nine-day adventure, you'll fly into Quito, tour the city, then head to Isla Santa Cruz for your first look at Galápagos giant tortoises. Hike to Tortuga Bay Beach for wildlife spotting and visit an interpretation center to learn more about Galápagos National Park, then fly to Isla Isabela. You'll tour natural rock formations, see spectacular marine life, visit a tortoise breeding center, and hike up Sierra Negra volcano before returning to Isla Santa Cruz for more exciting excursions.

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 Itinerary Ideas
5 Days in the Galápagos Islands - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With five days to spend in the Galápagos 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.

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 9 hours 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 Alvaro Pereira
active 6 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,...

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Travel specialist Linda Schulz
active 13 hours 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 Lucia Cazar
active 7 hours ago

Lucia Cazar

I started to travel, camping, and go on excursions (especially in natural environments) since I was 10 years old - since then I have never stopped. Before I started my studies in Tourism and...

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Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

An experience we’ll never forget to the Galapagos!
Galapagos Islands | Feb 9 - Feb 20, 2023

B
Brian G.
Stoneham, MA | Reviewed on Feb 27, 2023

We were completely satisfied with our experience! Alvaro made everything perfect, was always accessible, helped with last minute questions and changes and even set up our last day with a very unique Ecuadorian agave tasting! As the cherry on top, Alvaro wrote us a hand written note, drew us an amazing picture of Galapagos blue footed boobies and gave us a champagne and chocolate strawberry send off completed with rose petals and towel swans on the bed. We couldn’t have asked for more from our birthday and engagement celebration. Thank you kimkim and especially to Alvaro!!

Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Reviewed on Feb 27, 2023

I´m so happy that the experience was great!
Warm hugs from your local friend

Family Trip to the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands | Feb 5 - Feb 19, 2023

Keith
Keith F.
West Friendship, MD | Reviewed on Feb 25, 2023

Our family of four went to Ecuador and visited the Amazon basin and the Galapagos Islands from Feb 5-20, 2023. Our local trip specialist was Tamer Obeid. Tamer was there for us the whole time. He was a text away and always responsive if we had a problem or a question. Special thanks to Tamer for providing us with dinner and a cake on my son’s 26th birthday. Tamer is an asset to KimKim, and we greatly appreciate his help and support.

In the Amazon basin, we visited the Napo Wildlife Center.... read more

Our family of four went to Ecuador and visited the Amazon basin and the Galapagos Islands from Feb 5-20, 2023. Our local trip specialist was Tamer Obeid. Tamer was there for us the whole time. He was a text away and always responsive if we had a problem or a question. Special thanks to Tamer for providing us with dinner and a cake on my son’s 26th birthday. Tamer is an asset to KimKim, and we greatly appreciate his help and support.

In the Amazon basin, we visited the Napo Wildlife Center. Our guide was Remy, and he was incredible. He grew up in the local community and was aware of all the animals and made many of their sounds. Perhaps the highlight of our visit was seeing the Giant River Otters up close and spending time with the Kichwa Añangu Community. We also climbed to the treetop canopy, visited the parrot clay licks, hiked trails, and did lots of wildlife watching from the canoe.

In the Galapagos Islands, we stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal and had different guides each day for our excursions. Perhaps our favorites were Joel and Lambo. They went out of their way to help us get good photographs and provided their GoPro photographs from our excursion.

Joel pulled two non-swimmers wearing life preservers while he was leading our group. He would occasionally dive down to take photographs of sharks and rays at Pinzon, our best snorkeling trip. Lambo would also dive deep and show us where an object was, like a seahorse, to photograph. He led us around the Tunnels to see enormous sea turtles.
The best place we stayed in the Galapagos was at the Iguana Crossing Hotel on Isabela. The view from the hotel was gorgeous and the service was excellent.

Note that everything on our trip did not run smoothly. We had some transportation problems, and three of us had stomach issues during our travels that lasted many days. Having said that, it was still the trip of a lifetime and one that we would gladly do again.

Local specialist: Tamer Obeid
Tamer
Tamer Obeid
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Reviewed on Feb 26, 2023

Dear Keith,
There aren't enough words to thank you for your detailed review and your testimony; your feedback about my personal performance, and this of kimkim in general, means the world to us. Our invaluable reward is no doubt knowing that you and the family have enjoyed the overall experience with us.
I apologize again for the transportation problems that we had; I talked and continue to talk with the relevant hotel to guarantee the improvement of their shuttle service. It was also a pity... read more

Dear Keith,
There aren't enough words to thank you for your detailed review and your testimony; your feedback about my personal performance, and this of kimkim in general, means the world to us. Our invaluable reward is no doubt knowing that you and the family have enjoyed the overall experience with us.
I apologize again for the transportation problems that we had; I talked and continue to talk with the relevant hotel to guarantee the improvement of their shuttle service. It was also a pity that you had those stomach issues, it had cost us skipping the Española's trip in the Galapagos that I really wanted you to enjoy. Nevertheless, Keith, reading your words and knowing how you, Annette, Zach, and Sierra have enjoyed the majority of your trip makes me so happy. I will make sure to convey your positive feedback to the corresponding guides :)
I hope to welcome you again in Ecuador and to continue to be in touch with you and the family.
Best wishes,
Tamer

Great trip: your reps in Guayaquil & San Cris...
Galapagos Islands | Feb 3 - Feb 17, 2023

P
Pat M.
Saratoga, CA | Reviewed on Feb 23, 2023

Great trip: your reps in Guayaquil & San Cristobal were on-time, knowledgeable & flexible, which turned out to be a big plus when our return flights on Cabo Air became a major snafu. Of course the boat was top-notch, and we'd recommend others take the 8-day cruise but not necessarily the 4-day one (100 points vs 75, let's say). All guides were knowledgeable about the history, the science & other facts like populations of both humans & other animal species. Their daily plans worked.

One... read more

Great trip: your reps in Guayaquil & San Cristobal were on-time, knowledgeable & flexible, which turned out to be a big plus when our return flights on Cabo Air became a major snafu. Of course the boat was top-notch, and we'd recommend others take the 8-day cruise but not necessarily the 4-day one (100 points vs 75, let's say). All guides were knowledgeable about the history, the science & other facts like populations of both humans & other animal species. Their daily plans worked.

One suggestion: when booking clients on any boat do warn them to prepare ahead of time for being seasick unless they KNOW FOR SURE they will not suffer from that. On both of our trips we had fellow "sailors" unable to eat, or participate in the things they came to do: out of only 14-16 pax there was always someone out of commission! They had not been warned by anyone it seemed!

The day trip around San Cristobal was excellent to include. The harbor-front hotel there was perfect, although for most 80-yr-olds its not having an elevator would have been a bad surprise; we are, thankfully, not most 80-yr-olds. The Guayaquil hotel was adequate & for $100/night incl breakfast & some drinks a "good buy". We even had dinner there every evening. Overall, in spite of knowing a lot about what makes those islands so special before we arrived, we came home knowing so, so much more

Hotel Reviews
Grand Hotel Guayaquil, Ascend Hotel Collection
Guayaquil

The Guayaquil hotel was adequate & for $100/night incl breakfast & some drinks a "good buy". We even had dinner there every evening

Seaside Hotel
Galapagos
M/Y Grand Majestic
Galapagos
Local specialist: Alvaro Pereira
Alvaro
Alvaro Pereira
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Reviewed on Feb 23, 2023

Hello Pat!

I am so happy to read your review, arranging a one of a kind journey through the Enchanted Galapagos Islands.

Rest assured that your feedback will be conyed to future travelers as well!

All the best!
Alvaro