Galapagos land-based travel guide

Although the islands of the Galápagos instantly call to mind small ship cruising, there’s much to be said for swapping berths for beds. Those staying on dry land get a deeper understanding of the landscapes and culture of the Galápagos that life afloat often fails to reach. Hiking up the Sierra Negra volcano on Isla Isabela or to the unmissable Tortuga Bay on Santa Cruz, are definitely recommended, whilst the tiny coastal village of Puerto Velasco Ibarra on Floreana offers simplicity in its purest form, as well as intriguing insight into the island’s past. Throughout a land based holiday you’ll get to stay at locally-owned hotels and eat out at restaurants, alongside local residents – called Galapagueños. This provides a beneficial experience for everyone, as well as presenting lots more chances to discover the delights of sweet and sour ceviche, complete with popcorn.

You may be on dry land but a land based holiday is certain to still make a splash.

Read on in our Galápagos land based holidays guide.

Galápagos land based holidays feature accommodation on dry land rather than overnight on a boat. Trips can be tailor made to suit families or couples, or they can be organised small group holidays accompanied by a tour leader. Most land based tours will feature two or three nights spent on the inhabited islands of San Cristóbal, Floreana, Isabela and Santa Cruz where you’ll make short journeys by boat, bus and on foot to snorkelling spots, research centres and uninhabited islands renowned for wildlife. Your tour guides will have been certified and trained by the Galápagos National Park Authority which means that not only will you benefit from their expert knowledge of the wildlife that lives on the Galápagos but you'll learn more about the islands' human communities, too. Staying in small, locally-owned hotels and eating at island restaurants also puts money into the pockets of local people who need it most.