The Galápagos Islands is a dream destination for wildlife lovers and scientists all over the world, and for good reason! It was the birthplace of modern Theory of Evolution and where Charles Darwin made his famous observations that led to the discovery. However, the islands are known for being relatively expensive compared to the rest of South America and difficult to get to. How much does it really cost to visit the Galápagos Islands? Here’s what to expect, and some budget tips to help you during your visit!
Cost to Enter the Galapágos Islands
Before you even step foot on the islands, you will have to pay entry and visa fees. Unfortunately, there’s no way around this. Every visitor to the Galápagos Islands must purchase a visa at the airport prior to leaving and pay an entrance fee upon arrival. Luckily, these fees all help maintain the islands and protect the wildlife and ecosystems. These fees MUST be paid in cash. If you are staying for longer than 60 days, you have to apply for an extended visa prior to your visit. Otherwise, you can just purchase a regular visa at the airport the day you leave.
Galápagos Visa: $20 for up to 60 days
Galápagos Entrance Fee: $100 per visitor
Total visa and entrance fees: $120 USD per person.
Note: The Galapagos Islands only have these two airports, so you will have to start your trip in either Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island or Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island.
Cost to Get to the City from the Airport
I flew into the Baltra airport near Santa Cruz from Quito. From there, you have to pay to get to the nearest city: Puerto Ayora. Again, you really don’t have a choice, as it is the only way to leave the airport. The other major airport you may fly into is on San Cristobal Island where the nearest city is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
From Baltra to Santa Cruz:
Free bus from airport to ferry
Ferry to Santa Cruz: $1-$2 per person
Taxi to Puerto Ayora: $20-$25 for up to 4 people OR
Bus to Puerto Ayora: $5 per person
From San Cristobal:
Taxi to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno: $5-$10 for up to 4 people
Total cost to get to the city from the airport: Between $5 and $32, depending on the number of people in your party, the airport you arrive to, and what form of transportation you choose.
It’s much faster to get to the city from the airport if you fly into San Cristobal, but the costs are about the same as long as you take public transit in Santa Cruz to Puerto Ayora.
Cost of Transportation Between the Islands in the Galápagos
The biggest money drain for me while visiting the Galápagos Islands was the ferries between the islands. At $25-$35 per passenger for a one-way ticket, it makes day trips to neighboring islands very expensive! In addition, you must pay a ferry $0.50 per passenger to get to and from the ferry to the island. How much does it cost to visit the Galápagos Islands from neighboring islands? More than you’d think.
Water taxi to ferry: $1 per person, one-way
Public ferry to islands: $25-$35 per person, one-way
Total cost of transport between islands: $26-$36 per person, one-way, per island.
Cost of Food and Meals on the Galápagos Islands
Just like accommodation, there is a huge variety of food options on the Galápagos Islands. I ate at a number of budget mom-and-pop restaurants for only a few dollars per meal. However, there are some really incredible high-end restaurants around, especially if you love seafood!
Be wary of the overly touristy restaurants. They will overcharge visitors for the same meal you can get at a smaller local joint a block away!
Cost of Accommodation in the Galápagos Islands
The cost of where you decide to stay really depends on what type of accommodation you prefer and what island you are visiting. Accommodation can range from five-star hotels at $200-$300 a night to more budget-friendly hotels and hostels ranging from $16 to $50 a night. There is a massive range of accommodation options on the islands, so it really depends on your preferences.
I stayed in a private hostel room for $50 USD with my husband. This is more than I would normally pay for a hostel room, but I decided to splurge a bit after spending 2 weeks in the Amazon Jungle. I just wanted some quiet!
Cost of Tours and Activities around the Galápagos Islands
Due to the Galápagos Islands being one of the most protected areas in the world, licensed tour guides are required for adventures to a national park and off-island excursions. This is solely to protect the wildlife, marine life, and ecosystems from tourists.
I highly suggest shopping around for tours and activities you are interested in. Don’t be afraid to haggle, especially for a last-minute deal! We were able to save $20 a person for a last-minute snorkeling trip AND get free wetsuit rentals just by bargaining with a tour director. They’re often desperate to sell those last-minute trips! Be sure to ask if transport fees, meals, and dive or snorkeling equipment are included. If they aren’t, budget that extra money for the excursion, or haggle the price down.
Budget Tips for the Galápagos Islands
If you really want to stretch your money as far as it will go, here are some final tips:
- Stay in a hostel or budget hotel. How much will you really be hanging out in your room?
- Search for local restaurants and don’t be afraid to try street food. My favorite meal I had in Puerto Ayora was at Los Kioskos: a street that is lined with food kiosks and vendors. Each meal was only $5-$10, including fresh lobster dinners!
- Visit grocery stores for lunches and snacks. You’ll save some serious money!
- Shop around multiple tour and activity offerings. A tour director on one side of the street may be offering the same tour for half the price as another nearby!
- Don’t be afraid to haggle on experiences. Many companies will upcharge western travelers because we are not used to haggling.
- Limit your day trips between islands. Instead, island-hop with one-way ferry tickets to save time and money.
- Learn some Spanish to help you communicate. You will be less likely to be ripped off.
- Do a lot of research before booking flights. Flights can vary wildly in price from Quito or Guayaquil on the mainland arriving at Baltra or San Cristobal on the islands. It was the cheapest for us to fly from Quito to Baltra during our visit. You have to fly out of Ecuador – no other country in South America has direct flights to the islands.
- Very few locations will accept credit cards. Be sure to bring plenty of cash in USD.
- Book travel insurance. There is too much that can go wrong, and it will protect you!
There were loads of hidden costs and fees I did not expect while visiting the Galápagos Islands. Ultimately, the average cost to visit the Galápagos Islands depends on your research, where you decide to stay and eat, and how many islands you plan to visit. For a budget traveler, I would have at least $500 per week to cover accommodation, food, and travel costs. You can definitely get by on less, just don’t forget about the entrance fee!
I hope this article has helped you budget for your vacation to the Galápagos a little better and visit the Galápagos Islands on a budget.
Learn more about the history of the Galápagos Islands in this podcast episode!
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We loved the Galapagos Islands!
The Galapagos Islands was a once-in-a-lifetime, amazing experience for my mother, brother, and I several years back. While it wasn’t in any way a budget trip for us, we figured it was a splurge because it wasn’t something we’d ever do again and an opportunity to experience and see things we couldn’t experience or see anywhere else. And though it cost far more than the average trip for us, I’d say it was worth every penny of the splurge.
We spent two days in Quito on our return back to the United States and really enjoyed the opportunity to see a bit of that city as well, while we were in Ecuador. It has a very European feel and is worth a visit!
I absolutely agree! My husband and I got engaged on the islands and spent a month in Ecuador all together. We want to go back for our anniversary!
The Galápagos is definitely more expensive than mainland Ecuador, but we didn’t spend nearly as much as we thought we would