Galapagos Island Hopping

The only way to access some of the islands in the Galapagos is by boat. The good news is that seasickness can often be managed with medication – just consult a health professional before your trip.

This trip includes a 17 km hike (approximately 6 to 7 hours) on rocky terrain. We would recommend that you bring comfortable walking shoes that offer good support.

The sun in the Galapagos Islands is incredibly strong due to its proximity to the equator, so it’s hot and easy to burn. Make sure you bring sun protection and wear layers to combat the heat.

Snorkelling excursions are included throughout the itinerary. Confident swimming skills are required to take part in these activities.

The Galapagos is a great place to switch off and take a break from your phone, as internet access can be patchy and wi-fi is not always available or reliable.

Hot water can be sporadic in some parts of the Galapagos so there may be a few cold showers on the trip.

There is an opportunity on the final day to forgo your flight back to Quito to stay on and go scuba diving. We can assist with booking this activity on the final day, but it will require an extra night on the islands, and you must have a scuba certification. See ‘Important Notes’ on the left for details.

1. Intrepid offers a longer version of this tour (search trip code GGTF), which includes flights to and from Quito.
2. A Galapagos Transit Card fee of US$20 must be purchased at Quito Airport (or whichever airport in Ecuador you are flying to the Galapagos from) before your flight to the Galapagos. Without this card, you might be denied boarding. After you have purchased your Transit Control Card, you will have to check your luggage at the SICGAL counter, where they will seal your checked bags; then proceed to the check-in counter of your respective airline. You will need to be at the airport at least 2 hours prior to the departure time, as this can be a lengthy process. You will also need to have cash on hand, as credit cards are not accepted.
3. The Galapagos park fee (US$100) and Isabela Port fee (US$10) are payable upon arrival to the islands (cash only). These amounts are in addition to your trip payment.
From the 1st of August 2024 the Galapagos Islands National Park fee will be increasing from USD100 to USD200
4. Full passport details are required at the time of booking. Please ensure all your details are correct and that they match your passport. The passport you travel with must match the booking details provided to us. This information is necessary to purchase entry permits to certain sites. Please note that delays in providing this information could result in additional booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
5. Please refer to the ‘Special information’ section on Day 1 of your itinerary for detailed instructions on how to join your group.
6. Strict rules apply in the Galapagos Islands aimed at protecting and preserving its unique biodiversity. Intrepid strongly agrees and supports these rules, which range from times of the day that a destination can be visited to the distance kept between people and wildlife and especially not removing anything from the environment ( shells and corals, for example) – all these rules will be explained in more detail by your Leader on the ground. Not adhering to these rules can lead to hefty fines for travellers and can result in Intrepid losing the license to operate in the Galapagos Islands – these rules must be adhered to by all, without exception. Failure to adhere to the rules can result in being removed from the trip without a refund.
For more information, please follow this link: http://www.galapagos.org/travel/travel/park-rules/
7. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible. You'll also need a day pack/bag for activities and day trips. In terms of weight, airlines generally allow a maximum of 20kg for check in luggage.

Other than the items and clothing you always need on a trip, below we have listed packing suggestions specific for this trip:, ESSENTIAL:
- Closed-in shoes will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through cities as well as bush/grass-lands, and will also act as a barrier protection in rare cases against bites or stings
- Sun protection - hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, RECOMMENDED:
- Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
- Water bottle. We recommend at least a 1.5 litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
- Electrical adapter plug (view the following sites for details: https://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm or https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/)
- Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and bandaids.
- Insect repellent
- Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both
- Swimwear

OPTIONAL:
- Ear plugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate
- Phrase book

VALUABLES:
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

LAUNDRY
Laundry is available at many hotels and towns during this trip, although you might need to wait for a two-night stop in order to make sure you get it back in time. While laundry at hotels is usually charged by the item, laundromats usually charge by the kilo, which is generally inexpensive (about USD 2 per kilo), GALAPAGOS SPECIFIC
In addition to our packing list above, you may want to consider bringing the below items when traveling to the Galapagos:

Sandals (something with a hard sole that you can get wet)
Rash Guard to prevent sun exposure

Beach Towels: It's not necessary to bring a beach towel as all of our hotels provide them for the duration of your stay.

We recommend that you undertake regular aerobic exercise in the weeks before you travel, particularly if you are not in the habit of regular exercise. Walking, jogging, swimming or riding a bike are all good ways to increase your aerobic fitness, which will allow you to enjoy the trip to its fullest.

Casa de Nelly Hotel, Peñas bajas Av. Alsacio northia s/n, Isla San Cristobal, ECUADOR

Alternate Joining Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
22 May 2024 (GGTG240522)
02 Jun 2024 (GGTG240602)
12 Jun 2024 (GGTG240612)
26 Jun 2024 (GGTG240626)
05 Jul 2024 (GGTG240705)
Grand Hotel Paraíso Insular
Av Alsacio Northia y Esmeraldas
Isla San Cristobal
200150
ECUADOR

Lobo de Mar Hotel, 12 de febrero y Avenida Charles Darwin, Isla Santa Cruz, ECUADOR, Phone: 593 526569

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 7

Lunches included: 4

Dinners included: 

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Please let us know your diet requirements before your trip starts.
Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.

More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. We recommend that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.

For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, we understand your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. We recommend researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home. 

SEA SICKNESS- GALAPAGOS:
Please note that from June to August the water is rougher than usual. Consequently travel times will be longer than usual. If you suffer from seasickness you may want to reconsider travelling during this period.

Being located on the equator, Ecuador is a year round destination. In Quito temperatures do not fluctuate that much throughout the year with average temperatures around 19°C to 24°C during the day with lows of 9-10°C in the evening. There are two 'seasons', the wet and dry. The dry season runs from June to September and the wet season is from October through to May. The surprisingly thing with Quito is its altitude and proximity to the equator means that the sun has a little more kick to it so it can feel like it's warmer than it actually is. Even on cooler days, if the sun comes out make sure you use sunscreen.
The Galapagos weather is pretty reasonable all year round, so it is never freezing cold but it can get very hot [February-May being the hottest months]. The seasons are not exactly fixed and weather conditions are changeable around the ends of the seasons. Note that the "wet" season is still drier than many places in the world.
Daily temperatures range from 22°C to 25°C with overnight temperatures dropping to around 10°C. Up in the highlands [which you will cross on your way from Baltra to Puerto Ayora] it is cooler and the garúa mist hangs about as a kind of permanent dampness, and sometimes descends to the coast as well.
The waters surrounding the Galapagos are influenced by the Humboldt Current. Water temperatures sit around 20°C to 24°C from January through to May and drop to 18°C to 20°C from June through to October. Although you may be required to wear a wetsuit at this time of year the same currents that bring the cooler water temperatures also bring nutrients which means wildlife are very active at this time of year.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid’s Local Operator Ecuador: +593 9 94014877