Hello!
Here are our tips for planning your much-anticipated trip to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador
A. Experts at work – Here at Galapagos PRO, we specialise on the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador. Very few people and tour operators know the country and islands as thoroughly as we do. Even the local Galapageños are not as certain about the hotels, cruises and the best places to visit as we are.
B. Galapagos National Park Rules – 97 Percent of the land area in the Galapagos Islands is now a national park. All trips to the Galapagos Islands must strictly comply with the Galapagos National Park rules. You should be travelling with a nature guide and in small groups during your excursions.
From the beginning of 2018, all travellers travelling to the Galapagos Islands must provide proof of their return flight and accommodation on the Galapagos Islands. You are also expected to have a pre-booked travel plan (including all return flights and transfers) before leaving the mainland and entering the Galapagos Islands.
These measures are necessary to ensure the protection of the fragile ecosystem on the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands are not for surfers and party goers as this would cause great disturbance to the wildlife.
With the implementation of the Galapagos National Park regulations, one cannot expect to get cheaper excursions and cruises in Ecuador upon arrival. Due to limited places in hotels and cruises, last-minute bargains are rarely available and extremely difficult to find. Therefore we strongly advise you to have your trip all set and planned out before your trip. This allows you to enjoy the Galapagos Islands to the fullest.
C. The best way to travel – Combining a cruise with spending a few days on the islands is the best way to experience the Galapagos Islands. However, you could also explore the islands solely with a cruise or completely without (island hopping). The cruises do not begin every day but once every 15 days. The same routes are travelled once every two weeks.
Under our travel categories, ‘Our Galapagos Cruises’ and ‘Our Galapagos Bestseller’ on our homepage, travel recommendations, hotels, cruises and all details regarding your trip can be found in our travel planner. Try it out and you will find your perfect tour!
D. Flight Connections – We recommend you to book your flight through us, be it an international flight or a domestic flight within Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. This way, you are fully protected by our secure payment guarantee. When you book with us, any flight cancellations will be replaced by us without extra cost. Furthermore, this allows you to make changes and cancellations up to 30 days before departure.
E. Galapagos PRO trip planner – Behind every travel category on our homepage, there is a trip planner which helps you to plan and design your very own unique trip to Ecuador. The steps for planning your trip are as follow :
- Click VIEW DETAILS to select your trip.
- If your tour offers a cruise, you will be able to choose your desired cruise.
- From then on everything is customizable (eg. the transfer, the hotel, the daily activities, etc.)
- Click CUSTOMIZE and then choose to REMOVE / REPLACE and SELECT an alternative.
F. Cost of travel – The trip planner only shows the total price and not individual prices (eg. for each hotel, excursion and cruise …etc) However you can compare prices by adjusting your preferences, this way you will be able to see the price difference. It is our goal to provide our customers with the best prices out there and we work actively together with tour providers in Ecuador to create the best trip possible for you.
G. A personalised and unique travel plan – When you travel with us, your trip is designed to suit your needs. If you are travelling with more than 4 persons, you are considered as a mini group. Individual activities for mini groups are cheaper.
H. Family trips – Prices for children are definitely lower. However special prices for children are not shown online and are only available upon request from cruise providers. From there we will adjust the prices accordingly. Ecuadorians are very welcoming towards children and there are family rooms in almost every hotel.
I. Combined tour for Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands –
Our recommendation: Exploring Ecuador -> Galapagos cruise tour -> Staying on the islands
You can design your trip by adding mountain climbing tours, booking a stay at one of the lodges in the Amazon, choosing excursions for bird watching and many other options available on our site.
If you want to travel to other South American destinations besides Ecuador and the Galapagos Island, this is also possible. We offer tours to Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil as well. Simply contact us for more information.
J. Secure booking – We are a German tour operator and we operate under the German Travel Law. When you book with us, you will receive a secure payment certificate which guarantees your bookings and payments. Read more about travelling safely in Ecuador here.
K. Comprehensive tours – Our booking platform is constantly renewed and updated. At the moment we have one of the most comprehensive tours in the market with a large variety of options. Have a look around and design your dream holiday.