A visit to the famed Galapagos Islands is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With its rich and distinctive flora and fauna that clearly demonstrates the concept of evolution for which Charles Darwin made the archipelago justly famous, the islands offer an unparalleled opportunity for educational travel. This is surely a trip that is on nearly everyone’s bucket list.
The islands lie scattered in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ecuador, and access is via the airports of capital city Quito or coastal hub Guayaquil. A 2- to 3-hour flight from the mainland will take visitors to the airport of Baltra (most popular) or San Cristobal. Flying is the only means of arriving in the Galapagos unless you happen to be sailing your own yacht!
There are two options for exploring the Galapagos Islands. The first is on a boat cruise, with boats from regular tourist class up to luxury yachts. These run on regular 28-day cycles and are broken into shorter itineraries of 4, 5, 7, 8, 12 and 14 days. With prices ranging from $1,700 to over $5,000 for a 7-day cruise, this is an option beyond the reach of many pockets.
The other option to visit the Galapagos are land-based tours such as are offered by True Ecuador Travel. These tours range from 5 to 10 days in length and are fully customisable. With hotel accommodation on two or three islands depending on the length of your stay, and day excursions to another two to four islands, these land-based programs offer a great way to experience the diversity that the archipelago offers. In addition, they are much more economical than the cruises with an average price of just $1,200 for a 7-day program.
Other advantages that the land-based or hotel-based Galapagos programs offer is the chance to sleep on a bed that is not moving, and to be able to wander around the towns in the evening and decide where and what to eat. This is especially relevant to families with younger children who can get very “antsy” being confined on a relatively small boat for days at a time.
True Ecuador Travel’s land-based Galapagos tours offer the best way to get the most out of visiting the Galapagos Islands without breaking the bank. Check out our website to learn more!
Hello, I’m Rex Crist. My goal is to show that traveling can be affordable and fun! I love to explore new places and experience different cultures. I also like iced coffee, iced tea, and ice cream (in that order).
