Definitely on our bucket list. Looking forward to learning from you all.
If you want the Galapagos company…that’s @happy1 !
My friends went about 2 years ago. They used a company out of Canada and the boat was small, maybe 20 cabins? They are NOT big hikers and they had to take swimming lessons before they went to even be able to snorkel. The funniest picture was of her husband wearing the life ring, looking like Gilligan off the boat (the crew was afraid he was going to drown, so just shoved the ring over his head. I believe it was pretty expensive.
She said if they went again they’d be fine on a traditional cruise with excursions to the islands for bird watching (what they really like).
I think the hardest part was getting there as they stayed over in Miami, and then the cruise required them to get there 1 day early, so it was only on the 3rd day they got on the boat.
We also had a day touring in Quito with our trip (which we found quite enjoyable). I think that is pretty typical – it gives a day of cushion in the event someone misses a connection, has a cancelled flight, has lost luggage, etc. It would be much easier to “catch up” in Quito – before flying to Baltra and then boarding a boat in the Galapagos.
(FWIW we had a similar experience in Kenya years ago where the tour spent the first day in Nairobi before we took a small plane to the first safari location – I imagine with the same reasoning).
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We had one day in Quito (old town, standing on the equator etc) and one day a short drive away (cloud forest & chocolate plantation). A day or two downtime inbetween is definitely worthwhile especially if, like us, you also have to fly from elsewhere to connect to Miami. (And of course, it’s interesting.)
Yep, it makes sense. Our Antarctica trip later this year does this too - we get to Buenos Aires the day before the flight down to Ushuaia (where the cruises leave from). You don’t want a flight delay to mess up the start of a bucket list trip. I hope you enjoyed Kenya!
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For the trip we are in now, we arrived to the port city (a 17 hour flight from JFK) on December 31. Cruise didn’t depart until Jan 4. New England winters are not predictable…and the huge time change also. This also gave us time to see the departure city, which is a great place.
No last minutes for the Thumper family!
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Is there much to see/do in Galapagos if we aren’t into strenuous hikes and also I sadly get hives from swimming?
Yes please!
We went to Galapagos in 2022 with Celebrity. There were about 40 passengers (48 max). There were always several options of activities at each stop. We generally did 2 stops per day plus extra snorkeling. The experience was amazing and I would love to do it again.
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Do you enjoy wildlife, different landscapes, etc.? Our trip usually had less strenuous excursion options…but some level of walking/hiking (at times on uneven terrain or up stairs) is required. Not a destination for everyone.
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We enjoy wildlife and are fine walking on uneven terrain. Just don’t like long, arduous hot hikes.
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Oh ok, here are some too. I could post dozens but will spare you. Some of the best have us somewhere in them (including the snorkeling videos) so I’ve unfortunately left those out. I know we already have a giant tortoise pic, but I thought I’d add the hot’n’heavy version 
The beach view is from our one hotel. There were dozens and dozens of iguanas on the beach and lots of different birds, crabs etc.
(Yes, those are sharks. They get trapped in this channel at low tide)
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I’ve been twice, once land based and once on a cruise. Pluses and minuses to both depending on what you want to see and if anyone in your group gets seasick. There are also big differences between large cruise ships and small 16 person catamarans - they can access different islands.
There are very few tour companies that own and operate private trips in the Galapagos. Most of the cruises are boat companies that book through other vendors. You can look on any tour company’s list of cruises and find one whose itinerary and schedule you like. You can then book that tour through any other company that operates in the Galapagos. Just web search for the name of that boat. Everyone on the boat, regardless of who they booked through, will have the same food, park guides, excursions, etc.
I recommend looking for an Ecuadorian travel company - they may have better rates and you are helping the local economy. Some companies will bundle in airfare from Guayaquil or Quito, so you need to know details in order to compare prices.
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FYI, our land based trip was all in except the international flights to and from Quito - hotels, food and internal flights as well as all the tours, excursions, inter-island transfers, entry fees etc were all included in the final pricing (initial quote varied according to hotel class). The only thing we had to pay extra was the per person fee at the airport to get to Galapagos (I forget now how much that was - $80? $100?) Nice to know your budget is your budget!
Yes, definitely important to know what is included. Our Galapagos cruise was all inclusive from airport pickup to airport drop-off returning home (including excursions, touring in Quito, alcohol, tips, all tramsportation and fees). We just paid for souvineers.
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Assuming no seasickness, do you have a preference for land versus cruise. What did you like/dislike about each?
I went a few decades ago on a very small boat. (5 guests!) It was a great trip - one of my favorites, in fact - , and we spent a LOT of time in the water. None of our hikes were “strenuous “ but the whole thing would have been impossible for anyone with limitations on mobility. There are undeniably more options now, but it would behoove you to fully understand what will be required of you to enjoy your trip.
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Oops! @happy1 - I would like the name of the company too.
Sorry about that Thumper1!
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Can I please have name of company? My son and DIL plan to go soon.
If you can handle the boats, you’ll see more on a cruise so that’s my preference. Look closely at all the itineraries - every boat will have a few different ones (A, B, C). They visit different islands. Unless you’re taking a long cruise, you won’t be able to see everything, so I recommend reading up on the animals and deciding what is most important to you. Some nicer travel companies have great websites with wonderful descriptions and pictures of what you’ll see on each island. You don’t have to book with that company, but they’re a great resource. Do you want to see penguins or magnificent frigates? They’re not in the same place, and some itineraries may see both but some may not.
Have fun planning, but definitely do your homework and don’t rush the process!
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