Independent guide.Not the Galápagos National Park, the Galápagos government or a tour operator.Not an official Galápagos site.
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🐢 Galápagos trip planner

Plan your Galápagos trip: costs, ferries, islands and wildlife.

Work out what your trip will cost, which islands to sleep on, when the boats leave and which animals you will see in your month.

Price my tripPlan my daysLand or cruise?
  • $200park fee for foreign adults
  • $1,845budget week on land, per person
  • 290,404visitors in 2025
EQUATOR · 0° Volcán Wolf≈ 1,670 mVolcán Wolf: highest point about 1,670 m in the GMRT elevation gridCerro Azul≈ 1,650 mCerro Azul: highest point about 1,650 m in the GMRT elevation gridSierra Negra≈ 1,110 mSierra Negra: highest point about 1,110 m in the GMRT elevation gridAlcedo≈ 1,130 mAlcedo: highest point about 1,130 m in the GMRT elevation gridVolcán Darwin≈ 1,370 mVolcán Darwin: highest point about 1,370 m in the GMRT elevation gridLa Cumbre≈ 1,440 mLa Cumbre (Fernandina): highest point about 1,440 m in the GMRT elevation gridSanta Cruz highlands≈ 820 mSanta Cruz highlands: highest point about 820 m in the GMRT elevation gridSan Cristóbal highlands≈ 680 mSan Cristóbal highlands: highest point about 680 m in the GMRT elevation gridSantiago≈ 890 mSantiago: highest point about 890 m in the GMRT elevation gridPinta≈ 610 mPinta: highest point about 610 m in the GMRT elevation grid ISABELAFERNANDINASANTIAGOSANTA CRUZSAN CRISTÓBALFLOREANAESPAÑOLAPINTAMARCHENAGENOVESASANTA FEPINZÓNBALTRA North SeymourBartoloméSanta FeSouth PlazaPinzónKicker RockLos TúnelesTintorerasTortuga BaySierra NegraPunta SuárezEl Chato Puerto AyoraPuerto Baquerizo MorenoPuerto VillamilPuerto Velasco Ibarra ✈GPSBaltra (GPS)✈SCYSan Cristóbal (SCY)✈IBBIsabela (IBB) 🐢Giant tortoises🐧Penguins🐧Penguins🦶Blue-footed boobies🦩Flamingos🦩Flamingos🦭Sea lions in town🦎Marine iguanas🦦Flightless cormorants🕊Waved albatross (Apr–Dec)🔴Red-footed boobies🐠Turtles & sharks (snorkel)🦈White-tip sharks ↖ Darwin & Wolf: dive boats only 050 km N

Five tools for your trip

🧾Trip cost calculatorAn itemised receipt: park fee, flights, ferries, hotels, tours, food. ⛵Land or cruise quizSix questions, a clear answer and the costs side by side. ⛴Ferry boardToday's departures between the islands and a seasickness meter. 🦭Wildlife bingo15 animals with real odds, where and when to see each one. 📅Month by month30 years of weather and sea data plus what the animals are doing.

Explore the archipelago

Switch layers on and off, tap an island to open its guide or an animal to see where and when to find it.

EQUATOR · 0° Volcán Wolf≈ 1,670 mVolcán Wolf: highest point about 1,670 m in the GMRT elevation gridCerro Azul≈ 1,650 mCerro Azul: highest point about 1,650 m in the GMRT elevation gridSierra Negra≈ 1,110 mSierra Negra: highest point about 1,110 m in the GMRT elevation gridAlcedo≈ 1,130 mAlcedo: highest point about 1,130 m in the GMRT elevation gridVolcán Darwin≈ 1,370 mVolcán Darwin: highest point about 1,370 m in the GMRT elevation gridLa Cumbre≈ 1,440 mLa Cumbre (Fernandina): highest point about 1,440 m in the GMRT elevation gridSanta Cruz highlands≈ 820 mSanta Cruz highlands: highest point about 820 m in the GMRT elevation gridSan Cristóbal highlands≈ 680 mSan Cristóbal highlands: highest point about 680 m in the GMRT elevation gridSantiago≈ 890 mSantiago: highest point about 890 m in the GMRT elevation gridPinta≈ 610 mPinta: highest point about 610 m in the GMRT elevation grid ISABELAFERNANDINASANTIAGOSANTA CRUZSAN CRISTÓBALFLOREANAESPAÑOLAPINTAMARCHENAGENOVESASANTA FEPINZÓNDARWINWOLFBALTRA North SeymourBartoloméSanta FeSouth PlazaPinzónKicker RockLos TúnelesTintorerasTortuga BaySierra NegraPunta SuárezEl Chato Puerto AyoraPuerto Baquerizo MorenoPuerto VillamilPuerto Velasco Ibarra ✈GPSBaltra (GPS)✈SCYSan Cristóbal (SCY)✈IBBIsabela (IBB) 🐢Giant tortoises🐧Penguins🐧Penguins🦶Blue-footed boobies🦩Flamingos🦩Flamingos🦭Sea lions in town🦎Marine iguanas🦦Flightless cormorants🕊Waved albatross (Apr–Dec)🔴Red-footed boobies🦈Hammerheads & whale sharks🐠Turtles & sharks (snorkel)🦈White-tip sharks 050 km N
sea depth 3,000 m → shore land 0 → 1,400 m+ FerryAirportTown Relief and depth: GMRT (Ryan et al. 2009, CC BY 4.0). Not for navigation.

Plan it in four steps

  1. Pick your month

    Warm and calm (December–May) or cool and lively (June–November). Month-by-month guide

  2. Choose land or cruise

    The biggest decision for budget and what you see. Quiz

  3. Set your islands and days

    Santa Cruz as the hub, plus Isabela or San Cristóbal. Itinerary planner · ferries

  4. Book the boat trips early

    Small boats, limited visits: day trips sell out in high season. Day-tour finder

The four inhabited islands

Santa Cruz

The hub: most hotels and boat day trips, wild tortoises in the highlands.

 Isabela

Penguins, flamingos, Los Túneles and the Sierra Negra volcano.

 San Cristóbal

Sea lions in town, Kicker Rock and an airport next to town.

 Floreana

Tiny, quiet, best as a day trip from Santa Cruz.

Most-reviewed day trips

All Galápagos tours →

Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure

Guided island-hopping packages

Hotels, boats and naturalist guides in one booking, from established operators. Land or cruise?

All Galápagos tours on TourRadar →

Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. Many multi-day packages start in Quito, so check what is included. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure

Quick answers

How much does a 7-day trip to the Galápagos cost?

About $1,845 per person on a budget and $2,268 mid-range for a land-based week from mainland Ecuador (two people sharing), including the $200 park fee, the $20 transit card, flights from Quito, hotels, ferries, three day tours and food. Your flight to Ecuador is extra. Price your own trip.

Where are the Galápagos Islands?

In the Pacific Ocean on the equator, about 2 hours by plane west of mainland Ecuador, which they belong to. Flights leave from Quito and Guayaquil. How to get there.

How many days do you need?

Five days for one island and its day trips, a week for two islands (Santa Cruz and Isabela), ten days for three. Every island change costs about half a day on a boat. Itinerary planner.

What is the best month to go?

There is no bad month. The sea is warmest around March (25.7°C) and calmest from February to April; June to November is cooler and choppier but the sea is most alive. September is the quietest month for visitors. Month by month.

Cruise or land-based?

A cruise reaches remote islands day boats cannot; a land-based trip costs less and suits families and anyone who gets seasick. Take the quiz.

Which island is best to stay on?

Santa Cruz for the most day trips, Isabela for penguins, flamingos and the volcano, San Cristóbal for sea lions in town and the easiest airport. Island chooser.

Sources (8)· checked 2026-11-06

Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.