Galapagos - Land based tour
Jul 22nd, 2018, 11:05 AM
#1
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Galapagos - Land based tour
Hi all,
I am planning to spend 10-12 days in Ecuador at the end of Dec.- beginning of Jan and am looking for recommendations for a fantastic land-based tour operator for a trip to the Galapagos. We are 3 generations travelling together - 8, 45 and 76 years old. So, want a family-friendly company. I know that most people spend their touring by boat, 2 of us get seasick so would prefer to spend the majority of our time on land...
In addition, I am looking for suggestions for the Galapagos - It seems like 10 days would be a lot to spend there and that maybe we could go to 1 or 2 other places in Ecuador for a few nights each - but, i don't want to rush too much, Any thoughts on timing and best places to go before/after the Galapagos, would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
I am planning to spend 10-12 days in Ecuador at the end of Dec.- beginning of Jan and am looking for recommendations for a fantastic land-based tour operator for a trip to the Galapagos. We are 3 generations travelling together - 8, 45 and 76 years old. So, want a family-friendly company. I know that most people spend their touring by boat, 2 of us get seasick so would prefer to spend the majority of our time on land...
In addition, I am looking for suggestions for the Galapagos - It seems like 10 days would be a lot to spend there and that maybe we could go to 1 or 2 other places in Ecuador for a few nights each - but, i don't want to rush too much, Any thoughts on timing and best places to go before/after the Galapagos, would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
Jul 25th, 2018, 07:12 AM
#2
I don't know of any tour companies, but if budget isn't an issue, you could stay at Finch Bay Hotel and see a few things on Santa Cruz island. There are also much less expensive hotels if you are on a budget, and the town is full of travel agencies or you can ask your hotel to call taxis to take you to various places.
E.g. go to the Darwin Research center (sort of a zoo), into the highlands, to Tortuga Bay, Las Grietas.. so about 3-4 days worth of sights.
However it seems silly to me to go to the Galapagos (and quite expensive and time consuming by the time you pay for the extra airfare from the mainland, and park admission fee which totals about $600) if you can't go out on the sea at all (eg to Bartolome or North Seymour as a day trip). Most people who do "land based tour" also often do diving excursions or take an uncomfortable small boats to San Cristobal which is mostly of interest to surfers and snorkelers.
December is rainy season on mainland Ecuador. I don't really have any places to suggest for you...I think I would suck it up if you must do this trip and the two who get seasick get some medications. There was only one night on the itinerary I took where anyone felt ill...
December is a VERY busy time due to school holidays.
E.g. go to the Darwin Research center (sort of a zoo), into the highlands, to Tortuga Bay, Las Grietas.. so about 3-4 days worth of sights.
However it seems silly to me to go to the Galapagos (and quite expensive and time consuming by the time you pay for the extra airfare from the mainland, and park admission fee which totals about $600) if you can't go out on the sea at all (eg to Bartolome or North Seymour as a day trip). Most people who do "land based tour" also often do diving excursions or take an uncomfortable small boats to San Cristobal which is mostly of interest to surfers and snorkelers.
December is rainy season on mainland Ecuador. I don't really have any places to suggest for you...I think I would suck it up if you must do this trip and the two who get seasick get some medications. There was only one night on the itinerary I took where anyone felt ill...
December is a VERY busy time due to school holidays.
Last edited by mlgb; Jul 25th, 2018 at 07:19 AM.
Jul 29th, 2018, 04:33 PM
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I get really sea and car sick and was able to do an 8 day boat trip with scopolamine patches - like a miracle, just slight nausea 2 nights when our small boat hit rougher patches. We read ahead that the larger boats rock less but not of the boats are huge, 100 passengers at most by regulation. We were thrilled with everything about our small boat experience.
The locations for both day trips from the major islands and stops for cruises are very tightly controlled and the best stops according to our research and experience are not on offer as day trips, even when they're close enough. You just can't have anything like the same sort of mind-blowing experience with a land-based tour and I wouldn't consider it worth it. That $600 for the round trip from the mainland and the park pass is per person, by the way, not for your group.
After our 8 day trip we stayed an addition 4 or 5 nights in Santa Cruz in an Airbnb place, lots of options. I'm a diver so did a few tanks and we visited the places named above. To see anything off the mainland you would be pounded into the surf in small boats for hours - in the end that was part of the reason I searched for a seasickness remedy because the alternative was giving up Galapagos altogether.
Before you were thinking just 4-5 nights, definitely not worth the cost. With time for an 8 day cruise, maybe worth it if solve the seasick part like I did. Also a note about Quito - the new airport is more than an hour from town; if you're just going to stay one night (and risk leaving for the islands without luggage if it doesn't arrive with you!), consider staying near the airport in an Airbnb place as we did, saved us a lot of time on the road. Our 1 night in Quito was the night of the huge earthquake in April 2016 so we were lucky indeed to make our flight and boat the next day.
Here's the fantastic company we used, owners of the Angelita - highly recommended! TONS of value added if the Belgian-born wife of one of the owners, Maya, is the naturalist guide during your week.
Home - Cometa Travel
My photos with blog links on the main page of each collection are below in case you're interested.
Happy trails!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections
The locations for both day trips from the major islands and stops for cruises are very tightly controlled and the best stops according to our research and experience are not on offer as day trips, even when they're close enough. You just can't have anything like the same sort of mind-blowing experience with a land-based tour and I wouldn't consider it worth it. That $600 for the round trip from the mainland and the park pass is per person, by the way, not for your group.
After our 8 day trip we stayed an addition 4 or 5 nights in Santa Cruz in an Airbnb place, lots of options. I'm a diver so did a few tanks and we visited the places named above. To see anything off the mainland you would be pounded into the surf in small boats for hours - in the end that was part of the reason I searched for a seasickness remedy because the alternative was giving up Galapagos altogether.
Before you were thinking just 4-5 nights, definitely not worth the cost. With time for an 8 day cruise, maybe worth it if solve the seasick part like I did. Also a note about Quito - the new airport is more than an hour from town; if you're just going to stay one night (and risk leaving for the islands without luggage if it doesn't arrive with you!), consider staying near the airport in an Airbnb place as we did, saved us a lot of time on the road. Our 1 night in Quito was the night of the huge earthquake in April 2016 so we were lucky indeed to make our flight and boat the next day.
Here's the fantastic company we used, owners of the Angelita - highly recommended! TONS of value added if the Belgian-born wife of one of the owners, Maya, is the naturalist guide during your week.
Home - Cometa Travel
My photos with blog links on the main page of each collection are below in case you're interested.
Happy trails!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections
