How to travel in the Galapagos Islands

There are many ways to visit the Galapagos Islands. When people think Galapagos, they automatically think they have to visit on a yacht cruise. For wildlife viewing Galapagos is a year-round destination. However, you will never have the same visit twice. The wildlife viewing opportunity is truly unparalleled particularly because the native animal inhabitants do not fear humans.

MULTIPLE Ways to travel in the Galapagos

There are three basic ways to travel in the Galapagos:

1) Traditional Yacht cruises
2) Combination Hotel and Day Boat Tours
3) Land based multi-sport tours

Contrary to popular belief, the Galapagos Islands are inhabited by people. There are three major islands that have towns - Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela. Then there is Floreana which is home to only 2 families.

There is no such thing as the BEST way to visit the islands. How you choose to tour the Galapagos depends on the interests and abilities of you and your group.  Read below and find out which style of travel is perfect for you.

Traditional Yacht Cruises

Traditional boat tours offer the visitor an opportunity to visit more distant islands such as Fernandina, Espanola, and Genovesa. If you are an avid birder, I would recommend yacht cruises so you have the opportunity to see the Flightless Cormorant, the Waved Albatross and the large colony of masked boobies up in Genovesa.

If mobility is an issue, you may prefer the boat tours where the activity can be limited to just walking. Some boats offer additional activities such as snorkeling.

Combination Hotel and Day Boat Tours
Most people are unaccustomed to being on water, and suffer some sea sickness on the yacht tours. To minimize that discomfort, I recommend the combination boat and hotel option. You travel to various islands by boat during the day, but in the evening, you can return to Santa Cruz and sleep in the comfort of your hotel. There is an excellent range of hotels available on Santa Cruz Island. Day boat tours are based out of Santa Cruz island.

Land-based Multi-Sport Tours
You can base out of any of the three islands: Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela. Travelers who prefer flexibility, mobility and activity would be better suited for land-based itineraries. Core Expeditions specializes in these custom multi-activity trips. You can participate in full-day hikes, snorkeling, sea kayaking (when available) and biking. We also offer social tourism options such as visiting farms and local co-ops.For families with younger children, this style of travel comes highly recommended. For more information about land-based Galapagos tours, read more >>