Galapagos Travel by Cruise or Land Tour with hotel

By chance the low travel season for the Galapagos, matches the transition weather months in the islands. Based on arrivals and departures of foreigners, the low Galapagos travel season starts on May 1 and ends on June 14 and also runs from September 15 to October 31, Additional to that, due to the impact of the global crisis, from February to May the number of passengers has not increased due to the high price comparative with cheaper cruise destinations. This means that you can book a really good deal with excellent prices direct with Galapagos cruise operators.

Book in these seasons to increase your opportunity to enjoy the best Galapagos climate and the low season prices. Galapagos visitors on a budget (with the freedom of extra time) can get excellent deals that are offered by tour operators and/or Cruise operators with last-minute, discounted Galapagos tours during the low seasons.

During the high Galapagos travel season months, you won’t get a lot of Galapagos deals. Travel behavior is changing in the Northern Hemisphere. We strongly recommend that travelers book Galapagos summer travel in advance, no later than during February to May. This improves the visitor’s chances of finding spaces. Leaving planning a trip to the last minute means that travelers need to accept the risk that there will not be anything available, because the demand for cruises is so high. Attempting to book at the last minute will most likely result in waiting lists, and paying a rack price, draining the visitor’s budget significantly. Logically Galapagos Cruises and Galapagos land tours are more expensive in the high season.

Finally, if you are a novice naturalist, keep in mind that migration of bird and sea mammals
coincides with the changing seasons. If you are desperate to see the albatross or humpback whales, for example, plan to visit while these animals make their stops in the Galápagos (April-December for the albatross, June-September for the whales).

Those who choose to travel on a cruise are likely to visit more islands and sites than those who do not. Whereas Galapagos cruise tours almost always come as package deals with transportation, accommodation, meals and guides included, the case is not always the case for land-based tours.

Nearly all Galapagos cruise tours can be booked in advance over the internet. Here we have listed all the Galapagos Islands cruise tour operators that are registered and controlled by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism. It is possible to book through a travel agency on the internet or in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca. All of these companies are resellers of the main cruise companies and the only advantage of booking with them is that there is a chance of a 10 or 20% discount off the list price of a Galapagos cruise. Also, the Galapagos cruise operators can offer the same prices for the air ticket and extra benefits so if you do the math you realize that in the end you will pay the same price if you book with the Galapagos cruises direct operator or through an agency.

If organized tours aren’t your thing, you can also make arrangements to hop between island hotels and go on day excursions—hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, camping etc.—through smaller, locally-based tour agencies. Do know, however, that many of the best sites are only accessible to guided tours.

Back to "Galapagos travel tips, weather & climate, part 1"

Galapagos Weather & Climate

The Galapagos Islands are located on the equator, so visitors hardly need to worry about cold temperatures. The Galapagos Islands has two main seasons, each of which has an effect on the flora and fauna: the warm and wet season from January to June and the cool and dry ”garua” season, from July to December. During the garua season, cooler waters from the Humboldt Current are driven to the Galapagos by the southeast trade winds, with an average sea temperature of 22°C (71°F).

As a result, there is warm tropical air passing over cool water. The moisture evaporating from the sea is concentrated in an inversion layer (300 to 600 m above sea level) and the higher parts of the islands, which intercept this layer, receive precipitation in the form of garua (mist rain). While lowland areas remain dry though cool.

During the warm season the southeast trade winds diminish in strength and warmer waters from the Panama Basin flow through the islands. The average sea temperature rises to 25° C (77°F). Warmer waters cause the cool season inversion layer to break up, and the Galapagos Islands experience a more typical tropical climate with blue skies and occasionally heavy showers. In some years, the flow of warm water is much greater than normal, and an "El Niño" year results. Surface water temperatures are higher and rainfall can increase greatly. Life on land blossoms but seabirds and sea life, which depend on the more productive, cooler waters, may experience dramatic breeding failures.

Galapagos travel tips

Many visitors neglect to consider the difficulties and hazards of traveling by boat. The constant switch from land to water in the different Galapagos islands visitor sites, can be tough for people who aren’t used to it, and tight cabin quarters make motion sickness a serious problem. Regardless of your boating experience, it is recommended that you bring some Dramamine or get a prescription for a motion sickness patch. Another medication, called Mareol, is available for purchase on many ships and in Puerto Ayora. It’s also a good idea to bring painkillers, decongestants and any allergy medications you might need. Many ships will have first aid kits and medics available, but it never hurts to bring your own.