Galapagos FAQs

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GALAPAGOS ISLANDS FAQs

Where are the Galapagos Islands?

The Galapagos Islands (or Archipelago de Colon) is a Province of Ecuador located 600 miles (1000 kilometers) west of the Ecuadorian coast. These tiny volcanic islands lie directly on the equator in the Pacific Ocean. There are 19 islands in total ranging in size, landscape and wildlife.

Do I need a passport or visa to go to Ecuador and Galapagos?

A passport is required and most North American and European citizens do not need a visa in advance. Visit (www.embassy.org/embassies/pe.html) for entry requirements if your passport is from another country; or (http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html) for further details pertaining to US citizens.

What kind of currency is used in the Galapagos Islands?

In the year 2000 the Ecuadorian government adopted the US Dollar as the national currency of Ecuador.

How long is the flight from Ecuador to Galapagos?

It takes 30 minutes to get from Quito to Guayaquil and about one and a half hours from Guayaquil to the Galapagos archipelago. Only Guyaquil and Quito offer direct flights on either Aerogal or Tame Airlines. Check with your package for your specific flights.

What are the luggage and weight restrictions?

Luggage should way less than 44lbs for flights; otherwise each airline does charge an overweight luggage charge. One carry-on bag is allowed in flight. Keep in mind that there is not a lot of room on yachts for excess luggage, so try not to over-pack. Soft-sided luggage is recommended so it fits in tighter spaces more easily.

Are vaccinations required to visit the Islands?

To visit the Galapagos Islands there are no vaccinations neither required nor recommended. If you are planning to spend more time in Ecuador, especially in the rain forest or Amazon area, vaccinations and immunizations are strongly recommended. Since this varies from time to time please consult with your local health office (or the Institute for Tropical Diseases) several weeks before your trip. You should also visit www.cdc.gov for more information.

Can we smoke on the Islands or on the boat?

One of the main rules for visitors to the Galapagos is that there is NO SMOKING allowed on the Islands. On the boats, however, you can smoke on deck but not in the inside the cabins or in most social areas, however check with your specific boat for their on-board smoking rules.

Why is a Park Fee charged when I visit the Galapagos Islands?

The Galapagos Islands are part of the Ecuador National Park system and a $100 US per adult, $50US per child (12 and under), fee is charged. The fee must be paid in cash upon entry at the airport. The funds collected by the Park are used for the protection and preservation of the Galapagos Islands. We do recommend that you ask for a receipt and be sure you don't lose the copy, as officials upon leaving might request it. You will find that this is money well spent, as the Galapagos are perfectly cared for and preserved despite the dramatic increase in tourism.

Is this cost included in my Detour Destinations trip?

Generally speaking, this cost is not included in your trip; however it is recommended that you check the details of the trip you are interested in to be sure.

Is seasickness common?

Most travelers do not get sick, as generally speaking the boats are anchored in calm bays during the day. There will be moderate movement of the Galapagos vessels while navigating during the night. However mostly the waters are calm. If you are prone to seasickness or motion sickness, we suggest you bring along a supply of whichever form of medication works best for you (pills, patches or wristbands).

What other medications do you recommend I bring?

It is a good idea to bring medications for travelers’ diarrhea. Approximately 50% of travelers to South America experience diarrhea. The best way to prevent travelers’ diarrhea is to be careful of the food and water that you eat and drink. Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or Levofloxacin (Levaquin) are good choices for treatment of traveler's diarrhea. See your physician for specific recommendations. Pain relievers such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol are also recommended to help with head aches, or any muscle aches or discomfort. Keep in mind that all food is healthy and prepared with fine ingredients while aboard your boat. All water is safe to drink, however if you prefer bottled water most boats will have it available.

What type of electrical outlets & currency is on-board?

Yachts operate on 110-volts/60-cycle currency, with standard North American outlets, as do all the hotels in Galapagos.

Are there any banks in the Galapagos Islands?

Yes. There is a bank in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island) and Puerto Baquerizo (San Cristóbal Island) that both have ATM machines. It is advised to bring enough cash with you because there is a chance the machines might be out of order.

Are there any special regulations I should know about?

To preserve the fragile environment of the national park and marine reserve please listen carefully to the orders of your guide. In addition we ask you not to take any food to the islands, not to throw litter (!!), not to remove anything, not to touch or feed the animals and never to leave the path. Always follow Leave no Trace policies.

Is it possible to make phone calls to my home country?

Most ships only have a phone to contact the mainland in cases of emergency. But all of them have a stop over in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) where you can call home or use an internet café.

What is the weather like in the Galapagos Islands?

The islands lie directly on the Equator, so you can expect it to be warm for most of the year. The hottest season is generally from December to April with average temperatures ranging from a low of 70 F to a high of 84 F (22 - 31 C). It’s also the rainy season. The sea is generally calm this time of the year and the water temperature is warmer which is ideal for snorkeling. The skies are often clear during the warm rainy season, but heavy downpours are common. May to November is considered the "cool" season with average temperatures ranging from a low of 68 F to a high of 82 F (19 – 27 C) and frequent overcast skies. Normally from June to December, the cold Humboldt Current comes from the South and creates an inversion that traps a cool moist fog called a Garúa near the ocean which creates a cool, dry climate. In December, normally the trade winds die down and the ocean currents change, bathing the Galapagos in the warm Panama Current from the North.

When is the best time of year to go SCUBA diving?

The best time to go with the clearest water is from September to November and in this time seal pups are abundant, booby, frigate and albatross chicks can be seen. However, also rougher seas can be present in these months.

Do I need to bring my own wetsuit and snorkeling gear?

Wetsuits are only recommended when the water temps are cooler (April to November). Even during this time of year it is still possible to go in without one. Some boats provide snorkeling gear, some rent and some may not have it at all. If you have your own gear, go ahead and bring it, as it is most convenient and more sanitary. It could also be possible to rent gear in Quito as well. Check with your specific trip for the details.

Who is Lonesome George and will I see him?

The rarest animal in the world today is a giant tortoise, which lives in the Galapagos Islands.
There is only one Pinta Island tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus abingdoni). It is a male known by his keepers as Lonesome George. In 1971, National Park wardens hunting goats on Pinta Island came across a single male tortoise. He became known as Lonesome George. It was decided to bring the animal back to the Charles Darwin Research Station, where there was already a captive breeding program for the giant tortoises. Unfortunately, there has been no success when trying to breed Lonesome George, so when he dies the Pinta Tortoises will be extinct. Visitors can visit this magnificent reptile while at the Charles Darwin Research Station which is located on Santa Cruz Island.

Will we visit Charles Darwin Research Center?

Most boats will stop at the Center, which is located on Santa Cruz Island. You can see an array of iguanas and giant tortoises. You can also learn about the tremendous efforts made by the center and about how well they preserve the conservation of the environment and the biodiversity of the Galapagos Archipelago through scientific research and actions. As always, check your specific itinerary to see if a trip to the research center is included.

What wildlife will I see while visiting the Islands?

Although never guaranteed, chances are that you will see an abundance of wildlife each and every day you are visiting the Galapagos Islands. There are 27 species of reptiles found on the Galapagos, which are divided into five families as follows: snakes, geckos, Iguanas, lava lizards and the giant tortoises. There are around 29 types of land birds in the islands and 70% are endemic while such birds as the lava gull, swallowtail gull, Galapagos penguin and the waved albatross can be found. The main mammals on the islands are rats, sea lions, seals and a couple of bat species. It is currently reported that there are over 400 different species of fish roaming the Galapagos Islands surrounding waters with 17% endemic to this area only. This includes 12 types of sharks and 18 types of morays. Whale Shark Season, from April to November, is when the chance to see whale sharks is almost 100% when SCUBA diving.

What are the differences between the nineteen Islands of the Galapagos? What birds/wildlife will I see on each one?

1. Genovesa Island: A small island (10.5 km_) in the shape of a horseshoe - the interior bay is an old imploded volcano. A wet landing on Darwin Bay beach starts your tour with colonies of Frigates, Red Footed and Masked Boobies. Just behind the beach one sees inland tide pools and outcrops of black rock and saltbushes, frequented by feeding Wandering Tattlers, Turnstones, Whimbrels, Lava Gulls and Fiddler Crabs. This is also home to four of the 14 species of the finch found in the Islands; the Large Ground Finch, the Sharp-beaked Ground Finch, the Large Cactus Finch and the Warbler Finch. Genovesa is also home to the indigenous Galapagos Mockingbird and to the Galapagos Dove. If you're lucky, you might even see a Short Eared Owl. Genovesa is home to what is probably the largest collection of red-footed boobies (up to 140,000 pairs), who nest in the gray polo Santo trees dotting the cliffs. The southeastern cliffs are alive with one of island's largest colonies of wedge romped petrels (up to 200,000 pairs), tiny, nocturnal birds that share the small point of land with their daylight-loving relatives, the delicate band-trumped petrels.

2. Isabela Island: The largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago and is over 100 kms long and extremely narrow. Six volcanoes are found on Isabella, of which two are over 1,700 meters, which are Wolf and Cerro Azul. The most commonly visited sites are Punta Garcia to see the Flightless Cormorants, Volcano Alcedo for Land Tortoises, Tagus Cove for Blue Footed Boobies, Flightless Cormorant, Galapagos Penguins and Marine Iguanas, and Urbina Bay for Marine Turtles.

3. Santiago Island: James Bay is the most visited point on the west side of the island for its salt crater (Puerto Egas), Sugarloaf Volcano (450 m), fur seal grottos and Espumilla Beach with its flamingo lagoon. Most visitors to this area of James Bay come to see the shoreline south of Puerto Egas, with its striated yellow, brown, and black cliffs of tuff stone, or hardened volcanic ash, which has also been eroded, molded, and polished by the sea into coves and elaborately patterned rocky beaches. Hikers on the coastal trail may be privileged to spot whales or dolphins cruising by offshore or a feeding frenzy of hundreds of boobies or pelicans attacking a school of fish.

4. Darwin Island: This Island is named after Charles Darwin. It has an area of 1.1 km and a maximum altitude of 168 meters. Here fur seals, Frigates, marine iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions, Whales, marine turtles, dolphins, red footed and Masqued Boobies can be seen.
5. Fernandina Island: Located on the west side of Isabela Island, it is the western most island in the Galapagos and is one of the most volcanically active. It is visited to see the black lava rock, mangroves, a variety of herons, Yellow Warblers, Pelicans, Frigates, the Mangrove Finch, petrels, shearwaters and Marine Iguanas. With its dark, rocky shores, black sand beaches, and frequent volcanic upheavals, Fernandina, west of Isabela, seems in many ways the most forbidding and yet the most fascinating of the Galapagos islands. Like hundreds of small dragons, enormous armies of marine iguanas guard the coastlines, in particular at Punta Espinosa, at the northeastern edge of the island. These creatures are the only known lizards to have adapted themselves to a life dependent on the sea, feeding on the green algae that blooms in the inter-tidal areas and on the lush carpet of seaweed several feet below the water's surface. A vast array of animal life, comparatively rarely touched by human contact, thrives in these nutrient-laden waters, and the profiles of the endemic flightless cormorant, with its ancient looking ragged wings, Galapagos penguins, and sea lions can be distinguished among the rocks.

6. Bartolome Island: A small rugged island off the eastern shore of Santiago, Bartolome lies opposite Sulivan Bay. Together, Bartolome and Sulivan Bay evoke a lunar landscape of cones and craters in varying shades of deep chocolate and light brown, black, and gray. The guardian point of Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome, the worn away remnant of a cone composed of spewed ashy particles, is one of the best known landmarks in the archipelago. Galapagos penguins are frequently seen, and a small cave behind Pinnacle Rock houses a breeding colony. Green sea turtles and. herons make use of the gentler beaches.

7. Rabida Island: A small island just over 2 kms in width and 400 meters at its highest point, located to the south of Santiago Island. Rabida is known for its unusual red colored beaches. The vegetation consists mainly of Opuntia Cactus, Palo Santo tress and scrubby bushes. Upon your wet landing you will probably see various sea lions and after a short hike you will reach the lagoon to see Flamingos and Pelicans.

8. Baltra Island: For most visitors, Baltra is their entry point into the Galapagos. Home to main airport, this island sits just 27 km off the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island and has no real tourist attractions. You will find animals such as land iguanas, marine iguanas and marine turtles on Baltra Island.

9. Seymour Island: Located directly to the north of Baltra Island, Seymour is famous for its colony of Frigates found on the southwest side of this small island. Also found on this island are Blue Footed Boobies, Land Iguanas, Swallow-tailed Gulls, Pelicans and Red-billed Tropic Birds.

10. Santa Cruz Island: The central island in the Galapagos and home to the main port, Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station, which you will most likely visit during your trip. The largest town in Galapagos hosts numerous hotels, restaurants, shops, a post office, small supermarket and two diving companies. Santa Cruz, the most frequently visited island in the archipelago, is often described as the point of embarkation for any Galapagos journey. Centrally located, it is only a short ferry ride away from the Baltra airstrip, the most common means of entry to the islands. Santa Cruz is truly an island of diversity, from its precarious balance of settlement and conservation to its wildly differing landscape, vegetation, and animal life. Reaching almost 3,000 feet above sea level, Santa Cruz offers visible, dramatic changes in its flora and fauna from one area to another. At the sea's edge is a tangled fringe of mangroves and green, salt-tolerant plants. The area just inland from this littoral "zone" is arid forest, dominated by Polo Santo trees (the name Polo Santo is Spanish for "holy stick," which refers to this normally leafless (to conserve water), silver-barked plant's characteristic of coming into flower around Christmastime the start of the rainy season) and the Opuntia, or prickly pear cactus. Lava lizards, mockingbirds, and ground finches are the most obvious denizens of this region. Farther inland and upward, the vegetation becomes denser and more varied, slowly becoming transformed into an almost magical, mist-shrouded region of tall trees, covered with mosses and liverworts. This area, originally marked by the native evergreen scalesia, was one of the earliest regions to become cultivated, and consequently much of the zone has given way to pastures and small plantations. Tropical, yet temperate, these beautiful forests are home to the vermilion flycatcher and many species of tree finch.

11. Santa Fe Island: This may well be the oldest island in the Galapagos. It is considered one of the most beautiful and most sheltered bays in the archipelago, and some of the best snorkeling is here, with its crystal clear and Santa Fe Island - Mapshallow waters. It’s certainly one of the best locations for swimming with sea lions and for a glimpse of the Galapagos White-tipped Shark and a sea turtle. Other animals present are the Galapagos Hawk, owls, Frigates, Pelicans, Manta Rays and mockingbirds.

12. San Cristobal Island: Home to the capital and administrative center of the Galapagos Islands, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, situated on the west side of the island. The airline SAN operates from the airport here. The two main visitor sites here are Kicker Rock and Isla Lobos. On approach to Puerto Baquerizo it is not unusual to see a school of dolphins swimming alongside your yacht.

13. Floreana Island: The island of Floreana rests south of Santa Cruz, rising and falling in a proliferation of volcanic cones, which are often gentled by a thin mantle of Polo Santo forest. The sterner, western part of the island consists of bare lava flows and a striking black sand beach. The most popular spot on Floreana Island is Punta Cormoran, a green olivine beach. You can see sea lions and it’s just a short walk past a lagoon to see Flamingos. Then visit a gorgeous white beach, whose sand is as fine as talcum powder. There are also many chances to see rays, sea turtles and Ghost and Sally Lightfoot crabs.

14. Española Island: This is one of the most popular islands visited due to the variety of animals seen here. Its spectacular 30 meter high cliffs inhabited by numerous birds: Masked Boobies, Blue Footed Boobies, Galapagos Doves, the indigenous Hood Mockingbird, the Cactus and Warbler Finches, Waved Albatrosses. Walking on the edge of the cliffs you will have a spectacular view of the blowhole, a tunnel connected with the sea that spurts a shower of water 15 to 30 meters high. You will also see sea lions and Marine Iguanas basking in the sun, and the largest Lava Lizard in the Galapagos.

15. Plaza Island: This Island is full of life. There are colonies of sea lions and land iguanas. On the steep banks it is possible to see a great number of birds such as nesting tropic birds and fork-tailed seagulls, but most of all, enjoying the beautiful view from atop the steep banks or strolling along the base of the cliff is an extremely pleasurable experience. The Opuntia cacti grow here too and the vegetation changes color according to the season of the year.

16. Pinta Island: The original home to Lonesome George, perhaps the most famous tortoise in the Galapagos Islands, Pinta Island is also known as Abingdon Island. The ninth largest island in the archipelago, Pinta Island has no real visitor or tourists sites. Swallow-tailed gulls, marine iguanas, sparrow hawks, fur seals can be seen here.

17. Marchena Island: The seventh largest island in the Galapagos, Marchena Island is just 130 sq km in size. Also known as Bindloe Island, Marchena Island is off limits to visitors due to the sensitive nature of its environment. However, there are a number of good scuba diving sites in the area around the island, which make a boat trip out here definitely worthwhile. Sparrow hawks and sea lions inhabit this island.

18. Pinzon Island: This Island sits on the northwestern side of Santiago Island, and is home to the rather odd looking red-lipped batfish. An excellent dive site, Pinzon Island offers some wonderful scuba diving opportunities and lets you get up close and personal with a plethora of marine life like sea turtles, eels, eagle rays, marine iguanas, dolphins and even lobsters. Sea lions and sparrow hawks can also be seen here. This island is off limits to visitors.

19. Wolf Island: Wolf Island is said to be one of the best diving destinations in the Galapagos as well as in the world. One can swim with schools of friendly dolphins, dangerous-looking hammerhead sharks, huge whale sharks and giant manta rays. Among the other fish found here are Galapagos Grunts, Amberjacks, Trumpet Fish, Hogfish, Butterfly Fish, eels, Coronet Fish and Marbled Rays. On a good day, you can even see sea turtles swimming with the graceful marine iguanas.

When are most birds and animals mating? What is best time to witness?

Although Mother Nature has a mind of her own and doesn’t always adhere to the following, below you will find what is most common to each month of the year regarding mating season and best chances to see mating rituals, nesting and offspring:

January-
* Land birds start nesting, generally after the first rain
* The green sea turtles arrive to beaches in GPS for egg laying period
* Land iguanas begin reproductive cycles on Isabela Island

February-
* On Floreana Island greater flamingos start nesting
* Bahama pintail ducks (Black-tailed pintail) start their breeding season
* Nazca (masked) boobies on Hood are at the end of their nesting season
* Marine iguanas nest on Santa Cruz Island
* Nesting season of the Galapagos dove reaches its peak

March-
* Marine iguanas nest on Fernandina Island
* March 21st, the beginning of the summer equinox signals the arrival of the waved albatross to Española Island.

April-
* Massive arrival of waved albatrosses to Española Island, where an amazing courtship begins.
* End of hatching season of the giant tortoises
* Eggs of green sea turtles begin to hatch
* Eggs of land iguanas hatch on Isabela Island

May-
* North Seymour's blue-footed boobies begin their courtship
* Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant, and Puerto Egas
* Most of marine iguanas' eggs hatch from nests on Santa Cruz
* Waved albatross on Española start laying their eggs
* Ban-rumped storm petrels begin their first nesting period

June-
* Giant tortoises on Santa Cruz Island migrate from the highlands to the lowlands in search of suitable nesting places
* Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises
* Southern migrants have started their journey towards the north. Galapagos is a rest stop for such birds. Some species of cetaceans (Whales and Dolphins) also follow this pattern of migration.
* Some groups of Humpback whales that migrate up to equatorial latitudes along the coast of Ecuador can reach the Galapagos too.

July-
* Sea bird communities are very active (breeding), especially the Blue footed boobies on Española Island. Flightless cormorants perform beautiful courtship rituals and nesting activities on Fernandina.
* If you walk along the shores of Puerto Egas (Santiago Island) you could find American oystercatchers nesting.
* Lava lizards initiate mating rituals until November
* Cetaceans (whales & dolphins) are more likely to be observed, especially off the western coast of Isabela Island
* Great month to see the four stages of nesting in Blue footed boobies: eggs, chicks, juveniles and sub-adults.

August-
* Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago Islands
* Nazca (masked) boobies and Swallow-tailed gulls nest on Genovesa Island
* Giant tortoises return to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island
* Pupping season (births) of sea lions has started. Western and central islands are common places for such sightings.

September-
* Peak of the cold (Garúa) season
* Galapagos Penguins show remarkable activity on Bartolome Island. Since May swimmers and snorkelers can be delighted at Bartolome with penguins active at the surface or torpedo-like while underwater.
* Sea lions are very active. Females have reached estrus stage, and so harem-gathering males are constantly barking and fighting. Shore fighting is heavy. Western and central islands are the most active ones in terms of sea lions' activities.
* Most species of sea birds remain quite active at their nesting sites.

October-
* Lava herons start nesting until March
* The Galapagos Fur Sea lions begin their mating period
* Blue footed boobies raise chicks all over Española and Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela)
* Giant tortoises are still laying eggs

November-
* Pupping of sea lions occurs
* Sea lions are sexually active on the eastern part of the archipelago
* Breeding season for the brown noddies
* Band-rumped storm petrels begin their second nesting period
* Sea lion pups (especially at Champion Islet) play aqua-aerobics next to snorkelers. Most pups here are curious enough to nibble at fins of snorkelers. The average age of most pups is 3-4 months.

December-
* Hatching of giant tortoise's eggs begins and lasts until April
* Green sea turtles display their mating behavior
* The first young waved albatrosses fledge
* First red pouches of Great frigate birds seen at Genovesa

[sharrychrist]

Hi, this post is very informative; however I would like some specific information. If someone can help me then please send me a private message. Best Regards,