Galapagos Islands Tours & Ecuador Adventures

The Galapagos islands are located in a unique and remote part of the world, and to maintain an ecofriendly relationship with the environment, large modern hotels aren’t built. We prefer to stay in locally owned accommodation, which can be fairly rustic, to give you a better opportunity to meet the locals and gain a real understanding of life in the islands. We’re also lucky to be able to stay on land every night of the trip where as some operators aren’t permitted to do this.

Wetsuits are provided for diving and snorkelling – SCUBA is recommended for experienced divers only because of strong swells and currents. Snorkelling is equally as good. The diving option includes two dives (add US$250). Diving is “subject to conditions” for visibility and we have a qualified dive master on the trip.

If you’re travelling on a US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport, you’ll be issued with a T-3 embarkation card valid for 90 days upon arrival in Ecuador. If you’re a citizen of another country please check with your nearest Embassy about entry requirements and if you need any assistance let us know.

For travel to Ecuador we recommend getting vaccinated against Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid at least two months before your trip starts. For the most up-to-date recommendations please check with your doctor or travel clinic, and always go with their recommendations, as these can often change. There are no official vaccination requirements for entry, however if you’re entering from a country that is considered to be at risk from Yellow Fever, or when you go home afterwards, then you may be required to show a certificate of vaccination (to be obtained from your doctor prior to travel).

We recommend booking your flights through our preferred travel partner – Fuzion Travel. They’re our experienced hand-picked experts in travel, passionate about what they do, and will tailor-make your flight itinerary to match your Active Adventures tour. Get in touch with them directly by email – active@ fuziontravel.co.nz or on +1-833-244-5886. Let them know your preferred travel plans, including any stopovers or extra nights’ accommodation, and they’ll put everything in place for you. They offer a total travel solution and five star service that you’ll want to tell your friends about!

Accommodation

In Ecuador mainland you'll stay in hotels and jungle lodges, and on the Galapagos Islands you'll stay on dry land, meaning you're free to walk around each evening and get to know the residents of these famous isles.

Transport

Your transport will be a mixture of bus, plane, boat, bike and your very own two feet on our trips in the Galapagos. You'll spend most time on a boat in the Galapagos Islands as you make your way from island to island during the day. We have domestic flights included in our Galapagos Islands trips to shorten our travel times and to ensure you have the best experience possible. All your transport is included from the start of your trip and we'll drop you at the airport at the end. The details are all listed in the trip specific itineraries.

Meals

All your meals are included as described in the itinerary except on your free days. We have found that people enjoy checking out what is on offer by themselves sometimes, so you can go and see what's out there! On every other day and especially after any long hikes, we've chosen places to eat that can cater for our hearty appetites, work well with our small groups (they know we are coming) and provide us with an authentic destination specific culinary experience. There are always options for you, so you can either be brave or choose something more familiar. On the hiking portion of our trips (such as on the Inca Trail) we work with an outstanding team of cooks who will amaze you with what they can produce on a campsite miles from the nearest town. You can be assured that on all our trips we will make sure you are very well fed.

Trip leaders

Our trips are all led by an experienced Trip Leader. Our Trip Leaders are very proud to work with Active Adventures and often lead our trips for many years, for which we are very lucky and very grateful as it means we're able to consistently offer a fantastic level of service. They work closely with our local specialist guides to provide you with a seamless, fun, exciting and memorable trip. They will happily share with you as much or as little as you want to know about the history, culture, social aspects and lifestyle of the country you are visiting. In the Galapagos Islands you will be accompanied by a specialist Nature Guide, qualified to provide you with plenty of information about the species that make their home on the islands.

Once you've booked your trip, you'll have access to a gear list in your portal on exactly what to bring along. The gear list is carefully thought out to provide you with everything you need to be warm and happy, or cool and relaxed, whatever the weather! So it is best to bring everything we recommend along, if you don't bring everything you need, we can't guarantee your comfort.

If you have good ankles that will be able to cope pretty well with varied terrain, then good hiking shoes or sneakers should be fine, but if not then hiking boots will give you better support.

Ecuadorian base ingredients are usually combinations of chicken, fish, shrimp, corn, potato, quinoa, rice and seasonal fruit. If you’re vegetarian or vegan your options may be more limited. Vegetarians should ask for un plato vegetarian (a vegetarian dish). Vegan choices may be limited though we’ll do our best to help find things you may like.

We are accustomed to catering to the following special diets:

• vegan (no meat or animal products)
• vegetarian (no meat products)
• fishatarian (vegetarian, and eat fish)
• no red meat (eat chicken & fish)
• gluten intolerant (no wheat, rye, barley or oats)
• lactose intolerant (no dairy products)

You will get the opportunity to specify your particular requirements when you fill in our pre-trip questionnaire. If you have any other dietary requirements please let us know well in advance, via email or the online questionnaire.

The currency of Ecuador is the US dollar (USD)

Your trip fare includes all transportation, guiding, meals and activities (except any optional activities). We recommend bringing around US$100-200 with you, and have the option to withdraw more if required. 

ATMs are a convenient way of getting cash in Ecuador. In cities they are readily available but in smaller towns they may occasionally be out of order. 

Credit cards can be a great back up in Ecuador in larger establishments, but may not be accepted in smaller places. Visa and MasterCard are the most widely accepted, whereas AMEX is less readily accepted. 

Quito is located at 2,850m (9,350 feet) and the highest elevation reached in the Galapagos is 1,000m (3,300 feet). If you’re concerned about the altitude on your arrival into Quito, chat to your doctor about a Diamox prescription or consider taking alternative treatments of ginkgo or Oxyshot/Oxishot.

Spanish is the main language of Ecuador with English being spoken in some hotels, airports and tourist areas but not everywhere. Your Active Adventures South America trip leader will be there to translate for you in most scenarios though it’s worth learning a few basic Spanish phrases before hand!

The Galapagos & Ecuador are in the Peru/Ecuador Standard Time. It is -5 hours behind of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Ecuador operates on a 110V AC system and uses the same type of plug as the USA (two vertical prongs side by side)

WiFi is available almost everywhere in cities and easy enough to find in most towns/villages so you can rely on having regular access during your trip. If you have data roaming switched on, then you'll be able to use the internet on your smartphone, but beware of the fees! WiFi is available at some of the accommodations that you'll be staying at, usually for a small cost so check this out at each location when you arrive, though it may be sporadic.

There are two main weather seasons in Ecuador – the rainy season and the dry season - but these vary depending on your region, as the unique geography means the weather can be very localized, and the temperature will change with your elevation. There are four main geographical areas of Ecuador as follows.
Galapagos: The islands have two distinct seasons. The warm/wet season from January to June, where there can be strong but short periods of rain, but it’s generally sunny and warm. The cool/dry season which lasts from July to December when water temperatures can be chillier and a misty precipitation known as garúa surrounds the highlands. From July to October the seas can be a little rougher, so if you’re prone to sea sickness bring some ginger tablets or something similar.
Highlands/Quito: The climate here is often described as one of ‘perpetual spring’, with warm days and chilly nights and little variation of temperature around the year. June to September is the dry season here, with the wetter months being December to March. Higher altitudes mean average temperatures are very cool, especially at night. Rain can happen in any season, so quality rain gear is essential.

Every three to seven years, for a period of anything from 6-18 months, the normal climatic pattern is dramatically disrupted. There is no 'sea of confusion' about temperature zones when El Niño swells into Galapagos waters. The sea becomes uniformly tropical, which for most creatures reliant on phytoplankton-rich oceans is a catastrophe of dire proportions. The cool Cromwell and Humboldt currents that nourish life vanish, replaced by warm, clear waters that are almost entirely devoid of phytoplankton. Starvation hits whole populations, often whole species, with astonishing mortalities. In the last 40 years there have been 5 big El Niño events in the Galapagos, the last one in 1997-8.

Here’s our list of recommended books to read before your trip with us and also great books to bring with you!

• 'Charles Darwin Slept here' by John Woram - The book focuses on the human history of the Galapagos Islands, all the way from a to z.
• 'Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galapagos Islands: An Identification Guide' by Andy Swash - Simple, easy to use pocket field guide with excellent photos for identifying species throughout the archipelago. Encompasses all the birds, mammals and reptiles that a visitor might encounter.
• 'The Galapagos: A Natural History' by Henry Nicholls - Great book to read prior to visiting the Galapagos. Provides general and useful information regarding the history, geology, fauna, flora and conservation of the islands
• 'Volcanic Galapagos Volcanico' by Theofilos Toulkeridis - The true rock star! Animals aside, Galapagos is a wonderland for geologists. Theo makes geology (with a focus on vulcanology) fun and easy to comprehend. Colorful images and plenty of photos, this book explains the unique geology of every island.
• 'The Beak of the Finch' by Jonathon Weiner - while the book focuses on the field studies done by the Grants (Peter and Rosemary Grant), Weiner updates the history of the idea of evolution, examining it from its inception with Darwin all the way to the modern-day DNA era The book focuses on the meticulous study of over 20 generations of finches by the grants.
• 'Flowering Plants of the Galapagos' by Conley K. McMullen - Botany of the Galapagos made simple. This is a great guide of the Galapagos flora, covering endemic, native and exotic plants with a detailed explanation of each species. Conveniently gives a list of plants likely to be seen at popular tourist sites. The introductory bit not only assists readers in knowing where to find specific plants but also provides insight about the ecology of the plants. Beautiful photos accompany the text as well
• 'Reef Fish Identification: Galapagos' by Paul Humann - The best companion guide for snorkellers (keep in mind that non-snorkellers can use our glass-bottom boat) that are looking to marvel at the fascinating underwater creatures of the Galapagos. As an added bonus, the book also details the ranges and depths at which the fish are likely to be found. Definitely a must-have for all those willing to check out the underwater life of the Galapagos.