It comes as a surprise to many that you CAN travel the Galapagos on a budget! Here’s our experience.
When friends heard that we’d just visited the Galapagos islands, most of their reactions were ‘How could you afford it?’ Truth be told, it was the most expensive leg of our trip through South and Central America. But as huge wildlife buffs, we knew we couldn’t miss what’s lauded as one of the natural wonders of the world and best places to see wildlife. Despite traveling on a tight budget, we managed to come up with an affordable way to explore the islands without burning a big hole in our pockets.
Where Are the Galapagos Islands?
Over 972km west of continental Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands have been secluded from humans for thousands of years, resulting in unique and endemic species of wildlife. This volcanic archipelago of 13 islands is sprouting with marine lizards, giant land tortoises and blue-footed boobies everywhere. An opportunity to visit the islands makes one feels privileged to experience such rare sights in this modern world.
Because of the unique biodiversity found on these islands, the Galapagos are highly protected by the Ecuadorian government and an expensive tourist tariff (of around $100) is imposed on travelers visiting the islands. Many budget travelers are deterred from visiting due to the high price of entering the Galapagos, but I’m here to share how to travel the Galapagos Islands on the cheap.
Planning your Galapagos Budget Trip
Most travelers go on liveaboard cruises that bring them all over the islands, sailing at night and arriving to a different island every morning. This way, they save time and get to explore every single island. A 1-week cruise, however, sets you back around US$1,000 or more, depending on the level of luxury. This includes all expenses, food and snorkeling equipment.
A quick look at our tight budget (especially since we were travelling for four months), we knew the cruise was not an option for us. Even last-minute cruises (where you show up and shop around) cost around US$700-900 per person.
We did some research, and found out that it IS possible to travel the Galapagos without a tour. This is the most important myth to dispel, as there are four islands with hotels where tourists are allowed to stay, without being on any sort of tour. These islands are Santa Cruz, San Cristobal (a.k.a. Chatham), Isabela, and Floreana (a.k.a. Charles or Santa Marta).
Tips on How to Travel Galapagos on a Budget
1. Find a Base
From Guayaquil (you can also fly from Quito), we flew in to Baltra on TAME, the Ecuadorian national airline. All flight prices are the same, at US$117.90 each way, regardless of date/day. AeroGal also does the same route, with similar airfares. Whether you are taking a cruise or DIY, you still have to book a flight to the Galapagos islands due to its distance from the mainland.
From Baltra, the only way to town is to take an airport bus (free) to the crossing, where you can catch a boat (US$0.80) to the neighboring island Santa Cruz. From there, it is a 1-hour bus ride (US$1.50) to the port and main town on Santa Cruz, Puerto Ayora.
During the entire week that we spent on the Galapagos islands, we based ourselves in Puerto Ayora, and from there, we took excursions to other islands. Puerto Ayora has more budget accommodation and is generally cheaper than other islands.
>> Check for flights to Galapagos here
2. Get Cheap Accommodation
We found our reasonably-priced hostel, Hotel España (US$30 per double room), at Puerto Ayora after looking around for 15 minutes. It was relatively affordable, clean and very well located, just steps from restaurants and the port where sealions love to hang out. I definitely recommend Hotel España to those who are looking for somewhere cheap but comfortable and decent.
Most hostels are located on the main street of Puerto Ayora (pictured below), where the bus/boat drops you. There are definitely hostels cheaper than US$15 per person per night, it really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re the no-frills type of traveler who doesn’t give a care in the world where you stay, then you will definitely find something cheaper.
3. Make Your Own Food
To cut down on food expenses, we made our own lunch boxes or simply sandwiches. There is a big supermarket right by the port, where taxi boats dock. Many small grocery stalls along the main road also sell yogurt, bread and other basic food products.
Restaurants in Puerto Ayora can be quite expensive, at double the price of usual Ecuadorian food on the mainland. Most of them cater to tourists, and serve international food. Check out small local joints along the alleys. The food street opposite the hospital, is the best budget eating-out spot with economical burger stands and barbeque joints.
4. Island-hopping on Day tours
To see the other islands, we went on day tours organized by operators (cost around US$70). These tend to be easier to arrange and cheaper than going on a cruise. Most of the islands are impossible to visit on your own, except for big islands like San Cristobal and Isabela which rightfully deserve a few nights’ stay.
MoonRise has an excellent reputation for reliable and reasonably-priced tours. Although our boat broke down in the middle of the open sea, MoonRise still managed to get us onto a different boat and continue with our day tour.
Academy Bay Diving S.A. (Av. Charles Darwin, galapgs_academybay@hotmail.com) offers affordable diving packages (around US$110 for 2 dives) that includes lunch, all equipment and even underwater photos. Alberto went on two dives with them and had a blast. He saw plenty of turtles, sea lions, and extraordinary marine life that you wouldn’t find anywhere on Earth.
5. Take Public Transportation
Puerto Ayora is a small town, and everywhere is within walking distance. However, most interesting sites require a certain amount of walking, eg. tortuga bay is about 20 minutes’ walk from the center. Public water taxis are a cheap and fast way of getting around Santa Cruz island, eg. when you want to visit Las Grietas.
6. Keep Track of Your Expenses
By keeping check of what you spent on a daily basis, you are definitely more aware and conscious on what you will spend on.
In our 1 week on the Galapagos Islands, we spent a grand total of US$500 each, including food, day tours, hostel accommodation (except dive trip & airfare). Compared to the price of the cruises, we spent half the price! Honestly, ignore what they say about Galapagos being a rich man’s playground, because you, a budget backpacker, can make it there too!
Are you planning a trip to the Galapagos? Leave a comment if you have a question for me!
READ MORE: 7 Natural Wonders of the World
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