The Cost of Traveling the Galapagos Islands

The True Cost of Traveling the Galapagos Islands: A Budget Breakdown

ByJulia

The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador get a bad reputation for being horrendously expensive, but don’t give up on them just because you don’t have a trust fund. It can actually be affordable to visit the Galapagos Islands, particularly if you skip a cruise and travel by land. Here is my break down of the cost of traveling the Galapagos Islands by land.

Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

The Main Factors Impacting Your Budget for the Galapagos Islands

Planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands raises a lot of questions, not least of which is “How much does it cost to travel to the Galapagos Islands?” The cost of course varies quite a bit on how you decide to do your Galapagos Islands vacation. Fortunately, there are a lot of factors that you have a lot of control over to help influence whether you do a budget trip to the Galapagos Islands or a luxury trip.

Taking a Galapagos Islands Cruise vs. Traveling the Galapagos by Land

One of the biggest decisions you’ll face is if you want to explore the Galapagos Islands by sea or land. Traveling the Galapagos Islands by land is a much more affordable option and can offer a better experience for some. However, if you want to get to the furthest reaches of the Galapagos Islands a cruise may be the right option for you. Just make sure you budget appropriately!

DIY Tour of the Galapagos Islands vs. a Galapagos Islands Tour Package

Something else that will heavily impact your Galapagos Islands budget is if you choose to plan and book everything yourself or not. If you plan to simply jump on a tour of the Galapagos Islands, you will face a much higher cost but you won’t have to plan as much. There are definitely pros and cons to both approaches!

Accommodations: Budget Hotels in the Galapagos vs. Luxury Hotels in the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are on the more natural side, so you won’t find many all inclusive resorts in the Galapagos Islands…. Instead, you’ll find hostels, small guest houses, hotels, and some villas in the Galapagos.

For shared rooms in hostels in the Galapagos, you’ll find options as low as $10 – 15 per night and private rooms start at $20 – 25, but don’t expect a lot of luxury in these accommodations. For something a bit more upscale budget $50 – 150 per night. If you’re looking for the most luxurious hotels in the Galapagos Islands, expect to pay more.

Search Hotels in the Galapagos Islands now.

Galapagos Islands Tours & Day Trips

If you choose to do a “do it yourself” tour of the Galapagos, you’ll still want to book day trips to neighboring islands. There are a lot of great choices, and you really can’t go wrong as the islands have such dramatic landscapes and memorable experiences.

To get the best prices, wait and book your Galapagos day trips once you land on the islands. You’ll want to visit more than one tour operator to compare what they tell you about each of the trips as well as the cost and availability. This will help you fine tune your itinerary and keep your Galapagos budget in line!

Find out why I ultimately chose to travel the Galapagos by land in
Critical Things to Know Before Going to the Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos Islands Seals

DIY Galapagos Islands Trip Costs

The cost of a DIY tour of the Galapagos Islands will be the most affordable and is an awesome way to experience these pristine islands. This is the type of trip I ultimately decided on for my Galapagos Islands vacation (even though I originally planned to do a Galapagos Islands cruise).

Let’s take a look at the real cost of my 10 day trip to the Galapagos Island to help you create your own budget and know what to expect things to cost in the Galapagos.

Plane Tickets to the Galapagos Islands

The only way to get from Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands is by plane. I booked 2 one way tickets in and out of the Galapagos. This way I was able to fly from Guayaquil to Quito with a day long layover and then onward to Santa Cruz Island (Avianca for $227), and fly back direct from San Cristobal to Guayaquil (LATAM for $167). Whether you fly one way or round trip, the cost will be about the same.

Pro Tip: Make sure to book tourist rates on the airlines! Some of the flights from Ecuador to the Galapagos offer resident pricing for Ecuadorians. These prices are much lower than what the tourist rates, however if you book them as a tourist you may be denied boarding or stuck with a large bill at the airport.

Cost: $394

Galapagos National Park Fee

To enter the Galapagos Islands, you have to pay the Galapagos National Park Fee at the airport of $100. There’s no way around it. Plan it into your budget.

Cost: $100

Galapagos Islands Migration Card Fee

Similar to the Galapagos National Park Fee, you must pay a $20 fee for a Galapagos Migration Card at the airport. It’s your ticket to the Galapagos Islands.

Cost: $20

Budget Hotels & Hostels in the Galapagos Islands

My accommodations varied from a hostel with a shared room with 2 – 3 people in Santa Cruz for $20/night to my own hotel rooms in Isabela and San Cristobal for $25/night. I did not book ahead, but I did negotiate. If you’re willing to find accommodations once you land, you are more likely to get great prices, but you won’t be able to read reviews prior to booking.

Cost: Average $20 – 25/night x 9 nights = $205 total

Food and Drink

Meal prices vary all over. I splurged sometimes on fresh tuna steaks (~$10) and other times I was super satisfied with an empanada or two ($1 – 2). Also, my accommodation in Santa Cruz provided a great breakfast and most day trips cover the lunch. As such, my food expenses were very reasonable. I did however go out for drinks a few times with new friends I met along the way so it averaged out to about $20/day. You can easily spend more or less in this category.

Cost: Average $20/day x 10 days = $200 total

Inter-Island Ferries in the Galapagos

Traveling by land means you’ll be taking the inter-island ferries. There are a number of companies that run them, but the prices are fixed so it does not matter where you buy your ferry tickets. I went from Santa Cruz to Isabela, Isabela to Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruz to San Cristobal. The cost of the ferry in the Galapagos is $30 each way.

Cost: $30 x 3 = $90

Galapagos Islands Day Trips and Excursions

This is a bucket that can have great variation by person. From booking ahead to booking in person, to choosing a flexible tour operator or getting discounts for booking multiple tours at once… Make sure to talk to more than one tour agency before booking your day trips in the Galapagos Islands.

Here are the day trips I took and their associated costs:

  1. Las Greitas (Santa Cruz): $1.60 – Just take a water taxi there and back
  2. Cabo Rosa Tunnels (Isabela Island): $120
  3. Sierra Negra Volcano Hike (Isabela Island): $40
  4. Tintorones (Isabela Island): $50
  5. Scuba Diving Gordon’s Rock + Punta Carrion (Off of Santa Cruz): $185
  6. Floreana Island Tour (From Santa Cruz): $140
  7. 360 Degree Tour (San Cristobal): $130

Cost: $667

Total Cost for 10 Day Trip to the Galapagos Islands by Land

In adding all of these expenses together, you can understand why the cost of traveling the Galapagos Islands by land is so much more affordable than the cruises. To answer the age old questions of how much does a trip to the Galapagos Islands cost? $1,676 for 10 days. Not bad at all, and it’s an amazing bucket list trip!

  • Plane Tickets: $394
  • Galapagos National Park Fee: $100
  • Migration Card: $20
  • Accommodation: $205
  • Food and drink: $200
  • Ferries: $90
  • Day Trips: $667

Total cost of Galapagos trip: $1,676 for 10 days

Giant Tortoise on the Galapagos Islands

Cost per Day for a DIY Tour of the Galapagos Islands

Now, I realize not everyone is going to the Galapagos Islands for 10 days – some may be more, some may be less. So let’s break it down another way – the per day cost of travel in the Galapagos Islands.

Fixed Costs When Traveling to the Galapagos Islands

The fixed costs will not change no matter how many days you stay or how you travel around the Galapagos (unless of course you want to fly business class). In this scenario they would be:

  • Plane Tickets to the Galapagos Islands: $394
  • Galapagos National Park Fee: $100
  • Galapagos Islands Migration Card: $20

Total fixed cost: $514

Daily Costs for the “Full of Adventure” Galapagos Trip

If we average out the remainder of the costs, assuming you also are planning some day trips and island hopping into your schedule to maximize your time in the Galapagos, we come up with:

  • Accommodation: $205
  • Food and drink: $200
  • Ferries: $90
  • Day Trips: $667

Total cost per day: $1,162 for 10 days or $116/day

Daily Minimum Cost to Travel the Galapagos by Land

You can dramatically bring down the cost per day if you decide to just hang out for a while rather than exploring other islands and taking day trips. This would of course cause you to miss out on some of the things that make the Galapagos Islands great, but if you go this route you’ll still love your trip.

In this case, the only daily costs you HAVE to incur are:

  • Accommodation: $205 for 9 nights
  • Food and drink: $200 for 10 days

Minimum cost per day: $43/day

I’d consider $43/day to be very reasonable considering the exotic bucket list destination. Now, let’s take a look at one other type of expense, just to make you feel a little bit better about your cost and decision to travel the Galapagos by land.

Blue Footed Booby Bird

The Cost of Galapagos Islands Tours

Another popular option for visiting the Galapagos Islands by land is to do a pre-planned tour of the islands or a Galapagos travel package. Most tours in the Galapagos Islands will run you far more than doing it yourself, but it does take the guess work out of the planning.

You’ll find most Galapagos tours start from $1000 and go up depending on how long they are, where they take you, and the type of accommodations included.

Sample Galapagos Islands Tour Costs

As noted above, make sure to factor in your fixed costs which include your plane tickets, National Park fee, and migration card fee. From there, to get an idea of what multi-day tours in the Galapagos Islands cost, check out these four sample tours.

  • 7 Day Galapagos on a Budget Experience: Includes Santa Cruz Island, Isabela Island, Flamingo Lagoon, Los Tuneles, Kayaking Puerto Villamil, the Isabela Highlands, Tintoreras, the Wetlands, the Charles Darwin Research Station, and more!
  • 6 Day Galapagos Island Hopping Budget: Includes Santa Cruz Island, Isabela Island, Flamingo Lagoon, Tintoreras, Los Tuneles, the Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Fe Island, and more!
  • 4 Day Galapagos Budget Tour: Includes Santa Cruz Island, Isabela Island, Flamingo Lagoon, Los Tuneles, Charles Darwin Research Station, and more!
Galapagos Iguana

The Cost of a Galapagos Islands Cruise

If you were concerned about the cost of traveling the Galapagos Islands by land, l think it’s time to just consider that the Galapagos Islands might not be for you. But never fear – there is also “The Poor Mans Galapagos” or Isla de la Plata, which is just off the main land of Ecuador and avoids the $500+ fixed costs.

If you weren’t concerned about the cost and were thinking it sounds like a great deal – I’m with you! Visiting the Galapagos Islands is much more affordable than I was expecting it to be. The reason for this is so often people think you have to take a cruise to see the best of the Galapagos Islands. This was my original thought until I arrived and started talking to the locals.

Now, let’s take a look at the cruise costs and see if that’s the right trip for you. We’ll of course start with those fixed costs as they do not change whether by land or cruise, long trip or short trip – they will still be incurred.

The Average Cost of Cruising the Galapagos Islands

The average cost of a 5 day Galapagos cruise is about $3,500 per person. However, this can increase or decrease drastically depending on the category of boat and how many days you will be cruising for.

Part of the reason the cost of Galapagos cruises are so high is simply because of the supply and demand. Cruise ships in the Galapagos are limited to only 100 passengers and often have higher demand than the available slots.

If you’re on a strict budget or timeline, plan to book in advance. However, if you’re looking to find the best rates, wait to book until you land in the Galapagos Islands. Unfortunately, this does come with risks of missing the chance to cruise the Galapagos – particularly if you’re traveling with a group of people! But, you’ll be able to ask questions and learn more about the cruises to select the best Galapagos tour for you and at a price much lower than online or through a tour agency.

Sample Galapagos Islands Cruise Costs

As noted above, factor in your fixed costs of your plane ticket to the Galapagos Islands, Galapagos National Park Fee, and your Galapagos Islands Migration Card (~$500). These will not change whether you travel the Galapagos Islands by land or by cruise.

Here are some sample Galapagos cruises to get a sense of what a trip to the Galapagos costs and routes available:

Other great Galapagos cruise websites include:

Sunset in the Galapagos Islands

Plan Your Bucket List Adventure

Now that you have answered the burning question of how much a trip to the Galapagos Islands costs, you’re all set to start planning your bucket list adventure – particularly since the Galapagos trip costs can be surprisingly affordable!

Before I went, I didn’t know that you could travel the Galapagos on a budget, so you’re well ahead of the curve! The most important thing to keep in mind is that a land-based itinerary will take your Galapagos Islands trip cost down substantially. And, you’ll still have the trip of a lifetime!

Learn more about How to Travel to the Galapagos Islands on a Budget.

Interested in other bucket list adventures? Check out these posts!

Like this post? Pin it for later.

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Julia is the founder of The Cure for Curiosity, a North Carolina-based traveler with experience across 100+ countries, from the pyramids of Egypt to Everest Base Camp to the Blue Hole in Belize. After years of fast travel and slow travel, solo journeys and road trips, she now helps curious travelers understand how to choose destinations wisely, pace trips intentionally, and experience places beyond the surface.

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