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Galápagos
Ninety-seven per cent of the land is national park, and most of it needs a licensed guide.
Ecuador declared the archipelago a national park in 1959, and only about three per cent of the land — the settled parts of four islands — sits outside it. Visitors pay an entrance fee on arrival, most landing sites can only be reached with a licensed naturalist guide, and daily numbers at each site are controlled. It is the reason the animals still do not move when you walk past them.
Charles Darwin arrived on the Beagle in 1835 and spent five weeks here; the finches he collected were only sorted out later, in London. The cold Humboldt current explains the oddities that follow — the only penguin that lives north of the equator, and the marine iguana, the one lizard in the world that feeds in the sea.
Quick facts
Currency
USD
USD accepted
Language
Spanish
Power
—
Driving
Right
US-style
Airport
GPS
SCY
Emergency
—
Police · Fire
When to go
Monthly breakdown
Storm risk: NoneJan
Best
Feb
Best
Mar
Best
Apr
Best
May
Best
Jun
Best
Jul
Best
Aug
Best
Sep
Best
Oct
Best
Nov
Best
Dec
Best
Major events
Carnival
Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno mark carnival with water fights, parades and beach parties, the busiest domestic tourism week of the year.
Provincialization Day
18 February marks the islands becoming an Ecuadorian province in 1973, celebrated with civic parades in San Cristobal.
Ano Viejo
On 31 December, papier-mache effigies of the outgoing year are built along the seafront and burned at midnight, an Ecuadorian tradition done here on the beach.
Hidden gems
Las Grietas
A flooded fissure between two lava walls near Puerto Ayora where brackish water sits over salt water in visible layers. Reached by a short water taxi hop and a 20-minute walk.
Tortuga Bay
A 2.5-kilometre paved path from Puerto Ayora leads to a long surf beach and, past it, a sheltered lagoon where marine iguanas and white-tipped sharks gather. No boat needed.
Post Office Bay
A wooden barrel on Floreana used as an unofficial mail drop since 1793, when whalers left letters for homebound ships. Visitors still sort through it and hand-deliver postcards.
Local food
Encebollado
A soup of albacore, cassava and pickled red onion, eaten at breakfast; the Ecuadorian mainland claims it as a hangover cure.
Ceviche de camaron
Shrimp cooked briefly then served cold in its own tomato and lime broth, with popcorn and plantain chips on the side.
Bolon de verde
dietary_tags.vegetarianGreen plantain mashed with cheese or pork crackling and rolled into a ball, then fried; the standard island breakfast.
Safety tips
Nature
Park rules require staying two metres from wildlife and on marked trails, with a licensed guide for most visitor sites. Fines are real and the rules are why the animals stay unbothered.
Health
Crossings between islands are two to three hours in open water on a fast boat and are genuinely rough. Take something for seasickness before boarding rather than after.
General
ATMs exist only on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal and run out, and card acceptance is patchy. Bring enough cash for the whole trip plus the park entry fee.
Sustainability
Eco rating
Reef: Protected97 per cent of the land area is national park
Most visitor sites require a licensed naturalist guide
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