Visit the Galapagos without a Cruise: a COMPLETE Guide

Last Updated on 1 day by Victoria

The Galápagos Islands, an enchanting archipelago of volcanic isles off Ecuador’s coast, are known for their endemic wildlife and their role in inspiring Darwin’s theory of evolution.

While cruises often take center stage in Galápagos travel, you don’t need to board a ship to experience the islands’ magic. For travelers seeking a more flexible, immersive, and budget-friendly adventure, visiting independently offers an intimate and rewarding experience.

Before our trip, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would we actually see much wildlife? Would it be accessible? Were the islands going to feel overrun with tourists (including us)? 

I can honestly say the Galápagos exceeded every expectation. We encountered incredible wildlife up close—without disturbing them—and found the islands to be peaceful, welcoming, and refreshingly undeveloped.

Exploring the Galápagos without a cruise might seem like the lesser option, but it turned out to be an unforgettable experience. In this guide, I’ll share everything I learned so you can create your own land-based Galápagos itinerary and enjoy the islands’ wonders to the fullest. 

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Is a land based trip to the Galapagos worth it?

Absolutely!

Cruises take you to some of the more remote islands and save you time on transportation. But cruises are significantly more expensive than the land based option, and you will spend most of your time on a boat – which is definitely not for everyone!

A land based trip to the Galapagos gives you the opportunity to explore inland. Visiting the giant turtle reserves and hiking Sierra Negra on Isabela are a few of the things you can only do on a land-based trip.

Even if you aren’t on a cruise, you’ll be able to visit other islands – such as Bartolomé, Santa Fe, and North Seymour – with day tours. By doing this, you can experience the varied flora and fauna the islands are known for!

Most importantly, a land based approach to the Galapagos still gives you access to most of the wildlife on the islands, including sea lions, turtles, iguanas, sharks, penguins, blue footed boobies and more!

What to do in the Galapagos without a cruise

If you decide to skip the Galapagos cruise, don’t fret! There is so much to do there, you probably won’t have time to check it all off your list.

Our trip to the Galapagos was 5 days long, including travel days, and it was not nearly long enough! If you can, I highly recommend you stay on the islands for at least 7 days.

There are three main populated islands where you will likely stay overnight: Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the most populous of the islands, so it has the largest town: Puerto Ayora.

Most people who visit Santa Cruz stay in Puerto Ayora as it offers easy access to boat tours, lots of restaurants and lodging options, and plenty of nearby attractions. This is also the island you will probably fly into.

Some of the most sought after activities on Santa Cruz are lounging on the beach at Tortuga Bay, snorkeling in Las Grietas, and visiting the El Chato and Las Primicias turtle reserves.

We only spent a day on Santa Cruz but we really enjoyed hanging out at Tortuga Bay with the iguanas and seals and spending a few hours watching the giant turtles at Las Primicias. 

Popular Tours from Santa Cruz

There is a lot to do on Santa Cruz on your own, but if you’d like a guide or want to explore one of the uninhabited islands on a day trip, a tour is the way to go.

Day Trip to Bartolome Island | The view from Bartolome is the iconic image of the Galapagos. The tour will take you up to a high point on the island where you can get a view, and you may get to swim with penguins and turtles.

Day Trip to North Seymour Island | This tour is ideal for birdwatchers, since you may be able to see frigate birds, blue footed boobies, and swallow tailed gulls. You’ll also get to snorkel and see sea lions.

Day Trip to Santa Fe Island | One of the shorter day trips from Santa Cruz, you’ll get to see lots of sea lions and yellow iguanas here.

Adventure with Turtles, Lava Tunnels, and Los Gemelos | This tour takes you to the highlights of Santa Cruz’ highlands.

Isabela

Isabela is the largest of the islands, but its main town, Villamil, is very laid back compared to Puerto Ayora.

If you’re looking for a vacation, this is your island!

Isabela has lots of beautiful beaches, including Concha de Perla (which is great for snorkeling), and Playa Puerto Villamil.

It also has some of the best snorkeling on the Galapagos at Las Tintoreras and Los Túneles. Los Túneles is further away, so it requires a longer tour to visit and can only be done if you are staying on Isabela. 

Read more: Snorkeling at Los Tuneles, Galapagos: Tour Review

The Los Tuneles tour was a highlight of our trip. We saw sharks, giant sea turtles, manta rays, penguins, blue footed boobies, and lots of colorful fish!

TIP: the water is cold, so make sure you bring layers so you can bundle up after snorkeling.

Other popular activities on Isabela include hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano, visiting the sulfur mines, biking along the wall of tears, and checking out Flamingo Lagoon.

Popular Tours from Isabela

Isabela has a lot of cool tours, and it was honestly very hard to pick just two! Here are the most popular options for travelers staying on the island.

Las Tintoreras Tour | This half day tour takes you to an islet near the coast of Isabela to see sharks, manta Rays, turtles, and other fish.

Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa Tour) | This tour takes farther form from the port to see sharks, turtles, and other fish. You’ll also walk on the lava tunnels for an opportunity to see blue footed boobies.

Sierra Negra Volcano Tour | This is a 17 km round trip hike on Sierra Negra volcano that you can only do with a tour.

San Cristobal

San Cristobal is another popular destination for travelers. It has its own airport, which makes it easy to fly in and out of. In fact, some people even recommend flying into Baltra and leaving from San Cristobal to spare yourself a ferry ride.

Like Santa Cruz, San Cristobal has incredible beaches and highlands. In the highlands you can visit El Junco crater lake, see giant turtles, and check out the giant cacti garden.

Some of the most famous beaches are La Loberia, Puerto Chino, and Playa Mann are great places to see wildlife and relax.

There are a few tours that are unique to San Cristobal, like the 360 tour, which takes you to see Kicker Rock among other things, and a day trip to Española island. Because Española is one of the more remote islands, it has a number of endemic species, including the Española lava lizard, and the Espanola mockingbird, among others.

Popular Tours from San Cristobal

While there is a lot of hiking and beach-lounging you can do in San Cristobal, there are a few worthwhile tours to consider if you’re staying here.

360 Tour | You’ll get a great overview of the island and go snorkeling at Rosa Blanca, Sardinia Bay, and Kicker Rock. On the tour you can expect to see turtles, manta rays, sea lions,a nd hammerhead sharks!

Adventure Tour at Kicker Rock | This full day tour takes you to Kicker Rock and Lobos Island. You’ll snorkel ans see turtles and sharks, and hike, and see sea lions and blue footed boobies.

Española Island Tour | A full day tour to explore this remote island and its endemic species.

Should you book tours in advance?

Based on our experience, the decision to book a tour in advance is a personal one. If you book before arrival, you will guarantee your spot on the tour you want on your preferred day. There is always a chance that all options won’t be available once you arrive. If this is a short trip, we recommend you book at least one tour in advance!

On the other hand, if tours aren’t full, you will probably pay between $10-$20 less if you book once on the islands. If this is a longer trip, you can easily reserve tours once there.

We booked the Los Túneles tour in advance because there was only one day on our itinerary we could have done it. 

We also did the Sierra Negra hike, but booked it on the island for $40, although it was listed for $60 online.

Tip: while prices don’t vary significantly from one tour operator to another, we recommend you shop around a bit. The Sierra Negra tour we wanted to do was $15 more elsewhere!

How much does it cost to go to the Galapagos without a cruise?

As you might expect, visiting the Galapagos isn’t cheap. That said, opting for a self-guided land-based tour of the island over a cruise will make the trip much more affordable.

How much you spend on this trip will mostly depend on how many guided tours you go on, and what type of accommodation you choose. We stayed in mid-range B&Bs, did two tours, and had a mix of inexpensive and pricier restaurant meals. The nice thing about the land based option is that you get to choose!

This is how much I spent for a 5 day trip to the Galapagos; all prices are in USD. I should note that because I traveled with my partner, some costs – like accommodation and taxis – were shared. However, I am showing the total, not the split, cost of these items.

Galapagos Entry Fee	$200
Airport Fee	$20
Flight to/from Quito	$380
Ferry to/from Isabela	$70
Accommodation	$275
Food/Drinks	$120
Tours (2)	$190
Taxis	$50
Total	$1305

If you’re considering visiting the Galapagos with a cruise, that’s great! Just keep in mind that they don’t include your flights nor the Galapagos entry fee.

Getting there

To get to the Galápagos Islands you will need to fly into Baltra airport, on the island of Santa Cruz, or San Cristobal Island Airport. There are several direct flights a day departing from Quito and Guayaquil.

Tip: Don’t forget to get your transit control card (TCT) at the airport before you arrive in The Galapagos. You’ll have to pay $20 and have your luggage checked by the biosecurity agency.

The flight is about 2 hours long from both Quito and Guayaquil. Once you’ve landed at the airport, there are a few more hoops you have to jump through to arrive at your accommodation. 

First, airport staff will check your documents and you will pay the $200 USD entry fee (applicable to all foreigners). The fee went up from $100 a person in August 2025 – it’s hefty, but supports conservation efforts on the islands! 

After that, your bags will be checked for any organic items, like fruits and seeds, and single-use plastics.

Most people fly into Baltra, since it has more flights to the mainland and is slightly cheaper than flying to San Cristobal. Baltra is a separate island from Santa Cruz, so once you are out of the airport you will need to:

1. Take a bus to the ferry ($5 USD)
2. Cross the channel on the ferry ($1)
3. Take a taxi to your accommodation, which will likely be in Puerto Ayora ($25 USD)

The good news is that you don’t have to book any of this ahead of time. When we landed we were able to figure out where to go pretty quickly, and our taxi driver found us.

This process takes about an hour and half, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport when you return!

Tip: you can ask your cab driver to give you a quick highlands tour on your way to Puerto Ayora.

You’ll notice that your trip hasn’t even started and you’ve already spent over $250! While expensive, we promise the Galapagos are worth it!

Traveling between the islands

To get from one island to another you’ll need to take a small ferry that costs $30-$35 USD, plus $1 for a water taxi that takes you from the dock to the ferry.

You can buy your ferry tickets in advance online, but this is probably not necessary unless it’s peak season.

If you buy the tickets online, someone from the agency will reach out to you and ask for your information via WhatsApp. They are supposed to send you a PDF of your ticket a few days before your departure.

We actually didn’t receive ours and we had to contact them day of to ensure we’d be able to travel. Knowing what I know now, I’d skip the hassle and buy tickets at the dock!

Travel time between Santa Cruz and Isabela is 2 hours and ferries leave at 9 am and 3 pm daily.

TIp: the ferries are more like small-ish boats. This means the ride can be quite choppy, so bring dramamine if you’re prone to sea-sickness.

You will need to arrive at the dock at least 30 minutes before departure time as they will scan your bags and you’ll need to take a water taxi to your ferry.

Best time to go

Given its proximity to the equator, the weather in the Galapagos Islands is pretty even year round, with temperatures ranging from the 60s to the 90s. There is still a warmer and a cooler season.

From December to May the weather is slightly warmer, with more rain. From June to November the islands are cooler with less rainfall.

We were there in August, when the days were warm (but not hot!), and the evenings were cool. It drizzled for a few hours every day, but it always cleared up eventually. 

Something to note is that the busiest time in the Galapagos is during holidays – Christmas, spring break, and Easter – and during summer break. 

Where to stay

Each of the three populated islands of the Galapagos have their own character and range of accommodation options. Here are some top-rated choices (and the accommodations we stayed at) at each island.

Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora is the main town on the island and where you would likely stay while in Santa Cruz. Puerto Ayora is a fairly busy town, so there are plenty of accommodation options for all budgets, as well as lots of shops and restaurants. 

Hotel Villa Escalesia $$$ | An elevated hotel with a jacuzzi and pool overlooking the beach. Guests say you can even see wildlife!

La K-Leta Boutique Guesthouse $$ | This guest house is centrally located, with friendly staff. The rooms all have kitchens for travelers that like to do some of their own cooking.

La Peregrina B&B $$ | We stayed here and loved the central location, the beautiful garden, and the breakfast!

Galapagos Morning Glory $ | This highly-rated budget option has private rooms with ensuite bathrooms for a great price.

Isabela

Isabela is the most rustic of the islands. Its main town, Puerto Villamil, is quite small and offers much more limited options compared to Santa Cruz. On this island you’ll find more homestays and B&Bs than large hotels –  and that’s fine! Isabela is, above all, a true vacation island.

Mi Playa Beachfront $$$ | Guests love the location of this beach side accommodation, as well as the delicious breakfast.

Cartago Bay $$ | We loved the hospitality of our hosts, the delicious breakfast, and felt very comfortable when we stayed here. The rooms are simple, but we didn’t need anything else!

Hostal Punta Arena $ | This hostel has private rooms with private bathrooms and a shared kitchen. Guests rave about its cleanliness, peacefulness, and friendly hosts.

San Cristobal

Travelers looking to visit San Cristobal will more than likely stay in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, although there are options along different beaches and farther inland. Puerto Baquerizo has easy access to tours and plenty of restaurant options.

Hotel Indigo $$$ | A modern hotel that is part of IHG. Centrally located with great ocean views, a fitness center and restaurant on site, this is a great option for travelers looking for a more upscale option.

Galapagos Casa Playa Mann $$ | A beautiful, family-run hotel with ocean views. The rooms are private and each have their own balconies, and the staff is friendly and helpful.

Hostal Cattleya $ | An affordable option with private rooms with their own kitchenettes. Guests rave about the hospitality and breakfast.

What to pack

Before we started planning our trip to the Galapagos we were unaware of how mild and varied the climate on the islands was. We visited in August and wore everything from shorts and sandals to jackets and hiking boots.

Necessary items

• Light, warm weather clothing: when the sun’s out, it can be quite warm along the coast.

• Rain jacket and layers: in the summer it will often drizzle in the morning and late afternoon, so come prepared! The temperature can often drop enough to warrant a sweater or light jacket also.

• Bathing suit: you’ll need this for the beach and snorkeling/diving tours!

• Water shoes or sandals: the rocks on the beach are pretty sharp, so having water shoes with a decently thick sole is a must.

• Hiking shoes: if you’re planning on hiking while here, we definitely recommend them!

• Refillable water bottle: tours will not provide water so you need to bring your own. While the water in the islands is not potable, many hotels have filtered water available for guests.

• Reef safe sunscreen: to protect yourself from the strong Ecuadorian sun and the ecosystem from harsh chemicals, choose reef safe sunscreen.

• Hat and sunglasses: the sun is strong! Make sure you can cover up easily

• Dramamine: the water can be choppy and most boats are fairly small.

• Travel towel: you will need this for the beach!

• Cash: cash can run low on island ATMs, so bring what you’ll need just in case.

Optional items

• Wetsuit. The water is cold so if you don’t have one you’ll need to rent one! At $5 a day in many shops, you can easily rent them though.

• Snorkeling equipment: tours include this gear but if you prefer to have your own or would like to do some self guided snorkeling, consider bringing

Final Thoughts

Travelers looking to visit the Galapagos without a cruise have an incredibly wide range of options to choose from. The important thing to remember is that there is no wrong answer – choose the activities and sights that inspire you the most and go for it.

I hope you found this guide helpful! As always, if you have any lingering questions, leave a comment below.

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