Galápagos travel advice
Tips on choosing a boat
“Many people feel they should go on larger boats because they’re better for seasickness, but I just think you lose a kind of intimacy with the experience. In a small boat with 16 people you get to know all your fellow passengers. You certainly spend less time getting on and standing around waiting to disembark, which is an issue on bigger ships. But there's also a romance with a smaller ship, you feel like the first pioneers that went to Galápagos. It's such a special place and it's all about getting up so much closer to nature than you normally would – if you're in a massive group you lose that to an extent. Of course, they're good ships - you have more facilities, more space... but having done it both ways, I'd always go with the smaller boat.”
Our Galapagos Holidays
Galapagos cruises
Cruise the Galapagos Islands on sailing boats and yachts
Galapagos land based adventure holiday
Amazing wildlife, both on land and underwater
Galapagos activity holiday
Trek, bike, kayak and snorkel on this fantastic adventure
Galapagos cruise options, tailor made
The greatest wildlife experiences tailor made
Galapagos cruise holiday
Discover rich marine life, abundant bird colonies and stunning landscapes
Costa Rica and Galapagos wildlife holiday
Galapagos wildlife cruise plus Costa Rica nature/beach week
Galapagos activity & wildlife holiday, land based
Tailor-made land-based activity holiday in Galapagos
Flexible Galapagos Islands tailor made tour
Your choice of four to eight-day land-based adventure
Ecuador and Galapagos tour
Explore the Andean landscapes in Ecuador and the Galapagos
Budget Ecuador and Galapagos holiday, 23 days
Experience all of Ecuador for travelers on a budget
Galapagos multi activity holiday
An amazing adventure Galapagos Multi-sports
Galapagos Islands cruise, 10 days
A fantastic, in-depth Galapagos experience
Classic Galapagos Island hopping
Highlights of the Galapagos, discover the main Islands
Galapagos adventure holiday
An active Galapagos Islands adventure holiday
Galapagos adventure holiday
Unique Wildlife, Snorkeling, Hiking, Cycling, Kayaking
Galapagos family holiday
Follow in the footsteps of Darwin on this family holiday
Floreana Island wildlife tour, Galapagos Islands
A wildlife holiday on Floreana Island, Galapagos Islands
Ecuador highlands tour & Galapagos cruise
Experience Ecuador's stunning highlands and the Galapagos
Galapagos holiday cruise options
Excellent selection of small and midsize Galapagos cruises
Galapagos cruise plus Ecuador and Peru
Combine two truly outstanding places in South America
Galapagos & Ecuador holiday for families
Active family holiday in Ecuador and Galapagos
Peru and Galapagos active holiday
Private Inca Trail away from crowds & small boat cruise.
Ecuador & Galapagos holiday, tailormade
Discover the Andes, Amazon and Galapagos
Galapagos Islands holiday
Home to many interesting species of endemic wildlife
Peru and Galapagos holiday
An inspirational tour combining Peru, Ecuador & the Galapagos
Peru and Galapagos Islands luxury holiday
Luxury holiday exploring Machu Picchu and the enchanted isles
Ecuador and Galapagos wildlife holiday
Wildlife encounters in the Amazon, cloudforest and Galapagos
Galapagos cruise and Ecuador tour
Explore the Amazon, Cloud Forest, Andes & the Galapagos!
Tailor made tours Ecuador and Galapagos
Explore Quito, Cloud Forest, Santa Cruz & remote islands
Ecuador railway holiday with Galapagos cruise
Step into Darwin's shoes and explore the Galapagos
Charles Darwin Research Station tips
Tim Winkworth, from our supplier the Family Adventure Company, shares a Galápagos travel tip: “If the Charles Darwin Research Centre was anywhere else, it would be really interesting and really important. But because you're surrounded by such great, real-life experiences in the Galápagos, the centre is just a bit dry in comparison. Especially these days, when there are such great museums with interactive experiences and all these things kids can get involved in – it’s a bit of a disappointment. I can understand why they don't put more money into it, because no matter how much they spend, they won't get any more visitors; everyone who goes to the Galápagos already goes to the centre. And it's never going to be the major draw. The best thing about it is that first and foremost it's a research centre, and that's why it’s there. They open it up to let people learn – but they're not trying to be an open museum or education centre for the public. That’s the secondary aspect of it. And I do quite like that.”Culture tips
Our top Galapagos Holiday
Galapagos cruises
Cruise the Galapagos Islands on sailing boats and yachts
Daily departures throughout the year.
Health & safety in Galápagos
HEALTH
SAFETY
Galápagos tips from our travellers
We have selected some of the most useful Galápagos travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.


“If, like me, you are in your sixties, make sure you are as fit as you can be before you go. We had 6am starts and activities on many days until 10pm so it was tiring and you need to be pretty fit to snorkel from a rubber boat twice a day as we did in the Galápagos.” – Mary Lee
“If going in the wet season be prepared to get soaked in downpours and for it to be difficult to dry clothes out. Take dry clothes and a separate bag to put wet stuff in - particularly if, like us, you are travelling around a lot with little time in one place to give stuff a chance to dry out.” – Moira Butcher


“Choose your cruise boat carefully, read reviews of other travellers' experiences so you know what you're getting. There are a huge variety of boats with differing standards and it’s a bit of a minefield.” – Elaine Edmondson
“A pair of open-toed, sturdy sandals AND a pair of sturdy tennis shoes are a must!! Be prepared for walking and balancing on volcanic rock - the point of the vacation is to be somewhere where there are no sidewalks or escalators!! And the intensity of the sun cannot be overemphasized – you cannot wear enough sunscreen and I snorkelled mostly in long-sleeved tee-shirts and scrub pants for sufficient protection.” – Caroline Hoke