Organized Tours

Choosing a Boat Tour

Hundreds of companies offer trips through the Galápagos, and trying to sift through all the tourist brochures is a daunting task. First and foremost, let me warn you that you tend to get what you pay for here. There are four classes of boats: economic, tourist class, first class, and luxury. The economic boats have shared dormitories and bathrooms, inexperienced (and non-English-speaking) guides, and mediocre food. On a tourist-class boat you may have your own private quarters, but expect them to be cramped. You probably won't have air-conditioning or hot water, and your guide might not have a good command of the English language. First-class ships have excellent guides, small but private cabins with hot water and air-conditioning, and passable food. The main difference between first-class and luxury service is the food; some luxury boats also have swimming pools or Jacuzzis, but the cabins are not necessarily much bigger.

Another word of caution: Don't expect your cruise in the Galápagos to be a typical pleasure cruise; the boats are used mainly for lodging and transportation purposes. During the day, small dinghies, known as pangas, will transport you to the actual islands. Once you're on land, the excursions often involve long, uphill hikes. The Galápagos are not a place for relaxing -- expect to participate in strenuous activities. The larger ships, while very pleasant, accommodating, and efficient, definitely have a slight cattle-car feel. If you're looking for a more intimate experience, you'll want to book one of the smaller yachts.

Trips to the Galápagos venture out to the high seas, and the waters can be rough. Be sure to bring Dramamine or another anti-seasickness medication with you. Candied ginger also helps settle small stomach upsets, and is an alternative to medication. If you know that you are prone to sea sickness, you'll definitely want to book on one of the larger ships, which are much more stable and comfortable. Also note that although the lower cabins tend to be a bit darker, with portholes as opposed to larger windows, these cabins are also the most stable. (In other words, it's easier to get seasick when you're sleeping higher up.)

Scuba-Diving Trips -- The waters surrounding the Galápagos offer some of the best diving in the world. If you want to dive here, you have two options: book a tour on a dedicated dive boat -- and dive every day -- or take a nondiving cruise and then spend a couple of extra days in Puerto Ayora and arrange diving excursions from there. Two of the best diving outfitters in Puerto Ayora are SCUBA Iguana (tel. 05/2526-497; www.scubaiguana.com), located at the Hotel Galápagos on Avenida Charles Darwin, right below the Darwin Research Station; and Sub-Aqua (tel. 05/2526-633; www.galapagos-sub-aqua.com), on Avenida Charles Darwin and Avenida 12 de Febrero.

Recommended Tour Operators & Ships

Every travel agency and tour operator in Quito and Guayaquil offers package tours to the Galápagos, as do many international operators. In most cases they just book space, either by reserving in advance or on a first-come, first-served basis, on the set number of boats touring the archipelago. Profit margins are very low, and prices tend to be standardized -- meaning it's very rare for any agency or operator to severely undercut another for the same berth on any one boat or ship. Below I list recommended Ecuadorian and international tour operators that specialize in Galápagos trips, as well as descriptions and direct contact information, when possible, for my favorite boats and ships.

Ecuadorian & International Operators
Butterfield & Robinson (tel. 866/551-9090 in the U.S. and Canada; www.butterfield.com) specializes in the very high-end market. One of its most interesting options is a trip designed for families with children over 8 years old. The trip provides a wealth of activities and adventures for parents and children to enjoy both together and apart. These folks charter out the luxury cruise ship Isabela II, and pay particular attention to the small details. Of course, this level of service and luxury doesn't come cheap. A 9-day/8-night trip costs around $7,500 to $11,600 (£4,124-£6,380) per person.

Galacruises Expeditions (tel./fax 02/2509-007 in Ecuador; www.galacruises.com) runs four ships of their own and can book passage on a wide range of other boats and ships. Their boats range from tourist-class monohulls to modern luxury catamaran yachts. They do full-service tours around Ecuador and the region.

Linblad Expeditions (tel. 800/397-3348 in the U.S. and Canada; www.expeditions.com) is another luxury-oriented tour agency with decades of experience in the Galápagos, and a particular commitment to protecting the environment and raising environmental awareness. The company operates two small, luxurious cruise ships here, the M/V Islander and the M/V Polaris. Their 10-day program costs $3,650 to $6,280 (£2,008-£3,454) per person. Various extensions are available, as is a Machu Picchu combination tour.

Metropolitan Touring (tel. 02/2988-200 in Ecuador; www.metropolitan-touring.com) runs two luxury ships (M/V Santa Cruz and M/V Isabela II) and one luxury hotel (Finch Bay Hotel), and is one of the largest and most professional tour agencies in Ecuador. Consider booking with them especially if you want to mix and match time on shore with time on a ship, or if you want to design a package that includes a Galápagos excursion as well as trips to other destinations in Ecuador.

Overseas Adventure Travel (tel. 800/493-6824 in the U.S. and Canada; www.oattravel.com) offers good-value itineraries, often combining a Galápagos cruise with time in Ecuador's Amazon or a side trip to Machu Picchu. Tours are limited to 16 people and are guided by experienced naturalists. Their 11-day Galápagos-and-Amazon package is a very good deal at $2,795 (£1,537) per person, including round-trip airfare from Miami.

Surtrek (tel. 02/2231-534; www.surtrek.com) is one of the better Quito-based general tour-and-adventure tour operators. And their Galápagos connections and experience are top-notch. They can book a wide range of cruises and mixed itineraries, and are often good at finding last-minute bargain berths on ships.

Tauck (tel. 800/788-7885 in the U.S. and Canada; www.tauck.com) is a well-established soft-adventure tour company, catering to higher-end travelers. They do an excellent job across the board, and have various itineraries, ranging from a combination Galápagos-and-Peru trip to a family excursion through the Galápagos. Tauck always charters an entire ship, usually one of the better luxury cruise ships plying these waters.