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Introduction
 There
are 13 major islands in the Galapagos archipelago which lies 373
km/600 miles from mainland Ecuador. This incredibly special
place is home to plant and animal species whose ancestors floated
of were blown there.
In 1959 in order to preserve the original ecology and to control
the introduction of new and potentially harmful species 90% of the
land surface and all of the ocean out to the national limits was
designated a national park.
Indigenous fauna lives without natural predators, the birds and
animals are virtually fearless. Visitors can walk along trails
and pass within inches of numerous species.
To minimize your impact on the fragile ecology, the park authorities
have established rules which visitors must abide by and these will
be explained by your guide. On land, trails have been established
and visitors are expected to keep to the trails. Please respect
all of the rules that you will be told about once there.
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Climate
The Galapagos Islands have a sub-tropical climate.
From the end of November to June is the rainy season, however,
March and April are generally the best months to visit the islands
as the weather is warm, the winds light, and the sea is calm.
From July to November is the dry season although it does become
progressively overcast on the southern sides of the islands as the
months pass. August and September tend to be considered the
'worst' months to visit as there is hardly any sun and it can be
quite cold.
From December to March the El Niño current, may flow which
brings heavy rain from the north. This does not happen every
year.
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Cruise Information
 On
most cruises you sleep on board, traveling between the islands at
night and visiting the islands during the day.
Boats are organized into three classes - Economic, Tourist and
Luxury. The reality however is that a good economic boat will
be better than a poorly run but more expensive luxury boat,
so these distinctions can mean very little. It is really important
to get accurate information about the choices available.
Tours vary in length from eight days, seven nights to as short
as four days, three nights. Because two of these days are spent
getting to and from the islands an eight day trip will give you
six full days in the islands whereas a four day trip will give you
only two.
There are now very few class III naturalists guides able to work
in the islands however the new generation of bilingual-lingual national
class II guides are receiving a thorough training at the National
Park by the Charles Darwin Foundation.
Prices range from $350 for a five day cruise on an Economic class
boat to $3,000 for an eight day trip on a Luxury boat. Your
cruise includes food, accommodation, transfers to/from the boat,
guiding and shore visits.
Not included are the park entrance fee of $100, the air ticket to
the islands $378*, life and accident insurance, gratuities to the
crew ($15-$30) per cabin, any alcoholic beverages or soft drinks.
*Air fares and taxes are subject to change without notice.
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Diving
Some of the best diving in the world is available to experienced
divers. The minimum of Open Water Diver certification is required
and your log book showing that you have made some dives within the
previous 12 months. In addition you must bring a medical certificate
showing that you are fit to dive. Sea conditions can include
strong currents and open, cold waters.
There are three ways to go diving in the Galapagos.
- Diving Charters are the way to get to the best selection of
dive sites and can be combined with a second charter to visit
the land sites.
- A few boats offer mixed land and dive itineraries. The
problem is that the good land visits are not the same as the good
dive sites. The tour is quite a compromise.
- Day trips from Puerto Ayora to the nearby dive sites. The cost
is approximately $100 per person per day for a 2 tank dive.
It is better to plan this after your cruise around the island
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What to bring
Dress is casual and informal and you should bring:
- shorts
- long and short sleeve lightweight shirts
- a windbreaker and light sweater (July to November can be chilly)
- walking shoes or tennis shoes
- bathing suit
- long trousers
- passport
- a lockable suitcase or backpack
- sunglasses with a strap
- wide brimmed hat
- really good sunscreen or suntan lotion (SPF 25) and chapstick
- camera with UV and/or polarizing filter)
- plenty of film (64 and 100 ASA work best)
- a day pack
- a 1 liter water bottle
- snorkeling equipment (ask to see if your boat has it on board)
- towel (not needed on all boats)
- $100 USD Galapagos Park Entrance Fe
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