First, you must get to Ecuador Mainland. Make sure you arrive to Quito or Guayaquil at least one day before your departure to the Galapagos; there are no direct connections with international flights and flights to Galapagos Islands depart from mainland Ecuador early in the morning from Quito and/or Guayaquil.
Visitors arrive by plane from Mainland (flight takes about 2 ½ hours) with three main Airlines: AVIANCA, LAN and TAME and arrive to Galapagos to one of its two Airports: One in Baltra Island and one in San Cristobal.
Although the Galapagos Islands are located in the Equator, but it has moderate, drier climate rather than typical tropical weather. This because of three confluent Ocean currents that determine the two yearly seasons in the Archipelago: cool/dry season from mid-June to early-December and the wet season from mid-December to early-June.
Average temperature range: 69°-84°F / 21°-30°C. Weather in Galapagos has variations on each season.
It depends especially on the level of comfort and facilities on board you are looking for:
Land visits are, just as cruises, subject to National Park regulations for all departures; this means that all the day-visits are subject to a pre-determined schedule for the day’s activities and visits to one or more sites in one Island and they cannot be modified in any way.
During your free time in one of the populated Islands, you can stroll within the Town and enjoy many local attractions, good restaurants and bars, visit Darwin Research Center (Santa Cruz) or Interpretation Center (San Cristobal) and, of course, feel surrounded by many birds and playful Sea lions, especially at the Town’s Docks