FAQs about Galapagos: When is the best time to travel to Galapagos?

On some luxury class cruises you can buy wonderful souvenirs and pay with your preferred Credit Card as major ones are accepted: MasterCard, Visa, Amex, among others; also you can pay for souvenirs at local shops in Puerto Ayora or San Cristobal with your Credit Card, but some of them will only accept cash payments. On board other category of cruises, payments must be done in cash (U.S. Dollars) for souvenirs and consumption.

Depending on the time you have available for your Galapagos once in a life time adventure, and considering your budget, we recommend taking at least a 6 or 8-days cruise; of course, taking a longer cruise (12-15 days) will definitely give you a complete and very active adventure in the Galapagos paradise.

It depends especially on the level of comfort and facilities on board you are looking for:

• On board Luxury class yachts & vessels you can expect large cabin or suites with panoramic windows, suites with balconies, large lower beds, high-end amenities, exceptional cuisine, personalized services, VIP services, cruise director, spacious social areas, sun deck with Jacuzzi plus special treats to complement your trip.
• On board First class yachts services are also quite personalized, large cabins with lower beds and large windows (some yachts have cabins with balcony), excellent cuisine, ample social areas, ample sun deck (some with Jacuzzi) plus complete amenities.
• On board Midrange or Economy class yachts you can still expect good quality service from the crew and your guide, good meals (mostly small buffet), cabins regularly have bunk-beds and port-holes (upper decks offer cabins with windows), cozy and comfortable social areas and sun deck.

For cruises and tours, we have flexible payment policies:

• Tours booked from 91 days or more, small 30% deposit is requested to pre-confirm, 70% balance is needed 90 days before tour dates.
• Tours booked 90 days or less, complete payment is needed to confirm your trip.

There are a couple of ATM’s in Puerto Ayora and San Cristobal, but sometimes they ran out of cash to withdraw, therefore is recommended to bring enough cash (U.S. Dollars) from the Mainland for peace of mind and be able to pay for additional matters during your trip. You will find ATM’s at Quito and Guayaquil’s Airports and on main tourism districts on both cities.

The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean about 1000 kilometers (563 miles) from Ecuador, South America. The 19 Islands are distributed on both sides of the Equator surrounding the Western Hemisphere to the west of Continental Ecuador.