The hard part of packing for Galapagos is not the weather. It is that half the list depends on which boat you booked. Some programmes include snorkel gear, wetsuits, towels and even shampoo, while others rent them by the day. On top of that, you pay two compulsory fees in cash on arrival.
So before you buy anything, find out what your programme already carries. Here is what our Galapagos trips hand over, what they do not, and what you genuinely need in the bag.
First, check what is already provided
Snorkelling equipment and towels come with every yacht excursion on our land-based island hopping programmes. That covers Santa Cruz and Isabela, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal and the two six-day routes that add Española. Also on board: a bilingual naturalist guide licensed by the Galapagos National Park. Hotels have air conditioning, a private bathroom and unlimited drinking water 24 hours a day. So there is no reason to carry bottles from the mainland.
On cruises it changes boat by boat, and the item to check is the wetsuit:
- Included in the rate: five boats carry wetsuits at no extra charge. They are the Eden Yacht, Bonita Yacht, Hermes Catamaran, Monserrat I and La Pinta. The Bonita adds kayaks, paddleboards and even shampoo, conditioner and soap.
- Rented on board: seven boats charge for it. Aida Maria US$10 per person per day, Nemo II US$5 per person per day. Archipel I US$45 for four days and US$50 for five, Grand Daphne US$20 for four days and US$25 for five. Seaman Journey US$40 for five days rising to US$100 for eleven. Tip Top IV US$30 for a shorty or US$35 for a full wetsuit on the four-day route. Finally, Treasure of Galapagos US$50 for five days or US$80 for seven.
- Not carried at all: the Anahi Catamaran does not supply wetsuits. Its own packing list says to bring one if you feel the cold.
- Snorkel gear: in the rate on every cruise sheet but one. The Aida Maria charges US$5 per person per day for it, so that boat bills twice over. You pay US$5 for the mask and US$10 for the wetsuit, each per person per day.
- No data: the Tip Top V sheet lists neither inclusions nor rental prices, so confirm the wetsuit before you fly.
The cash you have to carry
This is what travellers forget most often. You make two payments on arrival, and they sit outside any tour price:
- Galapagos National Park entrance fee: US$200 per person, or US$30 for Ecuadorian nationals.
- Transit Control Card: US$20 per person, issued by the Galapagos Governing Council and subject to change.
Then come the small ones, which depend on the route. Several cruises add an Isabela docking fee of US$15 per person. The Grand Daphne adds a US$10 Isabela arrival fee paid on the spot. Meanwhile, the Aida Maria bus between Baltra Airport and the Itabaca Channel costs US$5 each way. Tips for the guide and crew sit outside the rate on every cruise sheet that lists its exclusions. On island hopping, dinners sit outside too – the rate covers breakfast and lunch.
Bring all of it in US dollars, in cash: Isabela has no ATMs. The one exception in our catalogue is the Hermes Catamaran, an all-inclusive boat. Its rate already covers the park fee and the Transit Control Card. Also, gratuities of US$70 per day can go straight onto your invoice.
Clothes for three surfaces
A Galapagos day runs on three surfaces – boat deck, lava trail, water – and our packing lists cover each one:
- Swimwear and a quick-dry change of clothes. Count on going into the water more than once a day, often before lunch.
- A windbreaker or light jacket. Less for temperature than for the crossings. The speedboats to Isabela and San Cristobal take two hours each, and evenings on deck are cool.
- Closed walking shoes with grip. Lava is sharp and uneven. The two-hour walk on Española and the Las Grietas trail both want real shoes.
- Water-friendly shoes. Every cruise packing list asks for them. On the Isabela days, several snorkels start straight from the beach.
- Sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen. On the island hopping programmes we ask for reef-safe sunscreen.
- A quick-dry towel on a cruise. On island hopping, towels come with the snorkel gear.
Camera, binoculars and paperwork
Carry your passport, and not only to fly. The Governing Council asks for it when it issues the Transit Control Card. On the six-day routes, check your flights carefully. Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Española lands at Baltra and flies home from San Cristobal. San Cristobal, Española and Santa Cruz does the reverse. Both need an open-jaw ticket. Also, the island hopping programmes do not include flights to and from the islands.
On the cruises the rule changes with the boat. The Tip Top IV normally has the Quito or Guayaquil – Galapagos ticket built into its rate. If you buy the flight yourself, it takes US$350 per person off. The Anahi, the Bonita and the Hermes require that we issue the island flight. Otherwise, they charge a penalty.
Binoculars and a camera are on the packing list for both six-day routes. The waved albatross colonies on Española nest between May and December. Meanwhile, the walk passes nesting marine iguanas and blue-footed and masked booby colonies whatever the month. Pack more memory and battery than you think you need: the Hermes is the only boat whose rate lists WiFi.
What you can leave at home
- Heavy hiking boots. The five-day island hopping programmes carry an Easy rating, and the six-day ones Moderate. Besides, the longest walk is around two hours on Española. Trainers with grip do the job.
- Bottled water. Every cruise that lists its drinks includes unlimited purified water, tea and coffee. Likewise, the island hopping hotels supply drinking water 24 hours a day.
- The large suitcase. The days run on small yachts and speedboats. On island hopping, we handle the ferries, water taxis and hotel taxes for you.
Ready to pack for Galapagos?
We are an Ecuadorian operator based in Quito. So we can tell you exactly what your boat carries before you buy a wetsuit you will never use. Start with the land-based option on the Santa Cruz and Isabela page. Then browse the full catalogue of Galapagos cruises and tours. You can also send us a WhatsApp at +593 98 094 2338 with your dates. After that, we will send the Galapagos packing list for your exact boat.
