Galapagos Islands Travel: A guide To checking out independently
during our recent 9 week trip to Ecuador and Peru, we finally ticked a major item off of our bucket list, Galapagos Islands travel! We’ve wanted to visit these islands for years and finally, we had the opportunity to do it. I have to say that this place was well worth the wait.
Never before have we seen such awe-inspiring biodiversity. On San Cristobal island, you can barely walk a few meters without tripping over a sea lion. At dive sites like Kicker rock and Gordon Rock, hammerhead sharks, turtles and manta rays flock like birds around massive rock pinnacles.
Throughout the archipelago, tourists seem to be little a lot more than an nuisance to the animals, like paparazzi that get in the way of their day-to-day lives — but basically, the wildlife just seems curious and doesn’t care too much about travellers.
On the islands, you can explore lakes, lava tunnels, secluded beaches, tortoise sanctuaries, sinkholes and a lot more — all independently. If you’re planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands, one thing is for sure… you won’t be disappointed!
In this article, I’m going to share with you all of our best ideas for Galapagos Islands travel so that you can visit these excellent oceanic enclaves independently, without breaking the bank.
I den här artikeln:
Galapagos Islands travel Info
Where Are The Galapagos Islands?
Galapagos Islands travel Requirements
Marine protected area Regulations
Independent Galapagos Islands Travel
Var de ska bo
Where To Eat
Saker att göra
Slutsats
Galapagos Islands travel Information
To help you make the most of your trip to the Galapagos, it’s crucial that you understand a few things about this part of the world. There is so much information online about Galapagos Islands travel that it can feel overwhelming to do any productive research.
Don’t worry, we’re going to clear things up for you.
Where Are The Galapagos Islands?
The Galapagos Islands are situated roughly 900 km (560 mi) off the Pacific coast of Ecuador. The volcanic archipelago straddles the equator and spreads out over an area of a lot more than 45,000 km² (17,000 mi²). a lot of visitors arrive by means of a 2-hour direct flight from Quito or Guayaquil, or as part of a cruise from other parts of the Pacific.
Galapagos Islands travel Requirements
Before checking out the Galapagos Islands, you’ll need to pay a $100 park entrance fee as well as a $20 immigration control card fee. Both of these need to be paid for in USD cash only to INGALA at either Guayaquil or Quito airport before boarding the flight to the Galapagos.
There is a booth set up to pay for these and have your bag searched for contraband (there are strict policies on what can be brought into the national park), you can’t miss it. just look for a massive line-up of travellers and make sure you arrive at the airport early to make sure you have time to navigate the queue.
Marine protected area Regulations
The Galapagos Islands have been protected by the Galapagos Marine Reserve considering that 1998, which is a large part of the reason there is still such biodiversity here. Populations of lots of species are still in decline and tourism is having a massive impact on the vulnerable ecosystems here, so it’s crucial to adhere to the policies of the park.
Park Rules:
You are only permitted to visit protected areas when accompanied by a GNPD Authorized Naturalist Guide
Stay on the Trails
Stay at least 6 feet (2m) away from the wildlife in any way times (try your best, even if they technique you).
Never feed the wildlife
Don’t introduce any new food, animals, plants or seeds to the Galapagos Islands. You will be searched for these at the airport before boarding your flight to the islands.
Don’t use a flash when photographing wildlife
Camping is limited to a few authorized areas and need to be approved by the GNPD at least 2 days in advance.
Don’t take anything out of the environment including shells, sand, leaves, flowers etc.
No campfires
Fishing only permitted from GNPD licensed fishing vessels
No motorized aquatic sports or aerial tourism in the Marine Reserve or national Park
Lämna inga spår. Take out with you what you bring in and avoid purchasing single-use plastics including bottles and bags.
Each of these policies are in place for a reason and they help to keep the Galapagos the paradise that it is.
Independent Galapagos Islands Travel
The best way to see the a lot more remote areas in the archipelago and to see the a lot more undisturbed wildlife is to join a multi-day cruise around the Islands, but these cruises are expensive – often costing upwards of $500 per night per person – so lots of travellers opt to visit the islands independently instead.
Independent travel Budget
We checked out the islands independently and we were shocked at how budget-friendly it was. We flew from Guayaquil to San Cristobal Island, and then from Santa Cruz to Quito. It’s around $220 – $400 return from Quito, and $200 – $400 return from Guayaquil.
We selected a bit a lot more expensive accommodation on Airbnb, but we calculated that a couple could easily take pleasure in Galapagos Islands travel on as little as $100 / day.
Some Airbnbs and hostel private rooms are just $50 / night, while dorms are around $20 per bed, and there are plenty of cheap local restaurants to eat at.
If you want to save money here, make sure to venture back off the main roads in San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. find great local spots like lucky restaurant and Iguana point where you can pick up an almuerzo (set lunch), or set dinner for under $5 USD including soup, main course, and a drink.
The big expenses will be on tours. A day of diving will likely cost at least $220, while a taxi to take you inland on the island for 4-5 hours normally costs around $40 – $75 depending on where you go and how long you have the motorist for.
There are plenty of restaurants, bars and small supermarkets on Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal, making it quite easy to travel here independently.
Ferries between the islands cost around $50 and tickets can easily be purchased a day or two in development from one of the excursion operators on the main roads in town. We paid $25 each for a ferry ticket from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz aboard the Osprey.
*Note, we had calm seas, but this depends on which time of year you visit the Galapagos Islands.
Where To stay in The Galapagos Islands
We opted to use Airbnb during our time in Galapagos and it was perfect. We booked this charming little hostel in San Cristobal for $60 / night, and we stepped it up a notch a bit in Santa Cruz by staying in this beautiful private apartment or condo for $100 / night.
Both of these places were best for us and we highly recommend them, however, there are plenty of other hotels, hostels, and apartments available on Airbnb and other accommodation booking sites like Booking.com.
Our Airbnb on Santa Cruz
If you’re planning on booking with Airbnb, be sure to use our Airbnb voucher to save up to $55 off your first booking.
Where To eat in The Galapagos Islands
If you’re planning Galapagos Islands travel independently, then I’ll assume that you’re going to do what a lot of people do and visit the three main islands, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isla Isabela.
Here are our much-loved and a lot of recommended places to eat in each. We didn’t end up checking out Isla Isabela, so we’re instead providing those that were recommended to us and come highly rated online.
San Cristobal
The seafood Stands at Playa De Oro Beach: People say that the middle shack here serves up the best food and you can tell because it’s always the busiest. Be careful though, the owner here can be very disrespectful and tries to give tourists a 2x upsell on the cost of food. ask for the almuerzo set lunch and agree on a price before ordering.
Midori Sushi: We ate at this little sushi bar that looks over the harbour and was surprised at how delicious it was. It’s absolutely a a lot more Americanized version of sushi, but it still satisfied my cravings. If you’re lucky enough to come here on the first Thursday of the month you can get all-you-can-eat sushi for just $30! Dariece’s meal was cheap at around $5 for a chicken breast and salad.
Restaurant Lucky: This was our much-loved place to eat budget-friendly local food on San Cristobal. Come here for set lunch or set dinner and get soup and a main course with a drink for $3 (lunch) or $4 (dinner).
Guiseppes: This place serves up the best pizza in the Galapagos and it’s actually surprisingly budget-friendly when compared to other restaurants on the Malecon. The pizza here is massive and a large ($15 for a pepperoni) can absolutely be shared by two people.
Muyu: An upscale restaurant / lounge with sensational outdoor seating and bar area — overlooking the sea lions, a pier and some boats. the food here is locally sourced, however, we only stopped here for sundowner drinks.
Fresco Cafe: A good option for breakfast and for vegetarian meals. There are hammocks for chilling in, good music and budget-friendly food. DeAvokado på rostat bröd med ett pocherat ägg är välsmakande och cirka $ 4.
Nativo: En annan exceptionell plats att njuta av solen gå ner … med en sida av lekfulla sjölejon! Detta är en fantastisk plats för glada timdrinkar, men de serverar också skaldjur, sallader, pasta, hamburgare och mer.
Santa cruz
Kioskos: Denna hektiska nattmatmarknad på gatan är ett utmärkt ställe att prova den lokala skaldjuret. Fisken är ute på skärmen så se till att du kontrollerar den du kommer att serveras för att se till att den fortfarande är tydlig och färsk.
Det finns inte mycket poäng som skiljer dessa kiosker i olika restauranger eftersom de alla serverar ganska mycket samma sak, men vi har personligen nöje med den italienska standen som är till vänster när du först går in från staden. Klicka här för vägbeskrivningar.
Coffee Lab 1835: Detta kommer inte att vara det billigaste kaffet du någonsin har haft, men det kan bara vara det mest utsökta. Denna funky lilla stop-and-go kafé serverar fantastiska lattes (lokalt framställda bönor), kallbrygg, bakade snacks och mer. Klicka här för vägbeskrivningar.
Almar: Denna restaurang är nr 1 på Trip Advisor (vid vår resa och i skrivande stund) och av goda skäl. Det ligger på en brygga med utsikt över bukten och trots dess extraordinära plats är maten och dryckerna här förvånansvärt prisvärda. Vi fann att priserna här var jämförbara med vissa platser på bakvägarna i Puerto Ayora, så vi valde ofta att spendera samma summa pengar och ha bättre mat och en bättre utsikt hos Almar. Klicka här för vägbeskrivningar.
Kale: Detta var den bästa lokalt ägda och drivna restaurangen vi hittade på Santa Cruz. Almuerzo -luncherna här är $ 5 och är enorma. Det finns också Empanadas tillgängliga och en BBQ -natt. Klicka här för vägbeskrivningar.
IL Giardino: Denna flernivåbar och restaurang var hot-spot under våra Galapagos Island Travels. Det var alltid packat med turister – utländskt och lokalt. Priserna är bra, och det är också maten. Klicka här för att hitta den på kartan.
Isla isabela
Booby Trap: Denna plats är primär på Trip Advisor och har en blandning av lokalt kök, skaldjur, amerikanska klassiker och några vegetariska alternativ.
Shwarma Hot: En populär plats med billig mat i Mellanöstern som shwarmas och några fiskrätter samt ett respektabelt Almuerzo (set lunch).
Iguana Point Bar: Förmodligen det bästa Almuerzo -alternativet på ön, detta är en fantastisk liten plats med fantastisk utsikt och kommer starkt rekommenderat av andra resenärer.
Galapagosöarna reser: Saker att göra
Varje ö är mycket annorlunda och har massor av saker att göra. Många människor baserar sig i huvudstaden på varje ö: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno i San Cristobal, Puerto Ayora i Santa Cruz och Puerto Villamil i Isabela. Från dessa städer kan du organisera nästan alla utflykter eller dagsturer samt färjor mellan öarna.
Ta en flerdagskryssning
Många organiserar Galapagos-kryssningar med flera dagar innan de ens anländer till öarna, men det finns också några sista minuten-erbjudanden. När du går runt huvudstäderna på varje ö ser du skyltar för dessa rabatter, ofta med upp till 35% rabatt.
En flerdagskryssning är det enda sättet att se de mycket mer avlägsna områdena och endemiska arter i Galapagos. Du kommer sannolikt inte att se Galapagos Penguins om du inte hoppar på en 2 eller 3-dagars kryssning, så massor av resenärer till Galapagosöarna reser skärgården på detta sätt.
Kostnaden för dessa kryssningar varierar från $ 200 per natt per person, hela vägen upp till $ 500 per natt per person och tjänster och kvalitet på båtar varierar mycket mellan företagen.
När vi valde Independent Galapagosöar reser har vi inte direkt erfarenhet av något av dessa företag, men goda vänner gick med Ecoventura och var glada över sin erfarenhet.
Hyra en taxi för att köra runt ön
Du kan hyra taxibilar från huvudstaden på var och en av öarna. Detta är det bästa sättet att få