Most foreign adults pay $200 to enter the Galápagos National Park, plus $20 for a Transit Control Card, so a couple should set aside $440 before spending anything on boats or hotels. The fee doubled from $100 on August 1, 2024, and it is collected the moment you land.
Here is exactly who pays what, how and where to pay, and the other entry rules that trip up first-time visitors at the airport.
Quick Answer
The Galápagos National Park entrance fee is $200 for foreign visitors 12 and over and $100 for children under 12, paid on arrival at Baltra or San Cristóbal airport (bring cash). Every visitor also needs the $20 Transit Control Card, completed and paid online, then validated at Quito or Guayaquil airport before the flight.
1. How Much the Park Fee Costs
Rates depend on nationality, residency and age.
The fee was set by the Galápagos Governing Council (CGREG) in Resolution 002-CGREG-24-02-2024 and took effect on August 1, 2024. A 2025 provincial ordinance kept the same amounts, and no new increase has been announced for 2027.
| Visitor category | Age 12+ | Under 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign visitors (US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia and most others) | $200 | $100 |
| Nationals of CAN or Mercosur countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay), not resident in Ecuador | $100 | $50 |
| Foreign students enrolled in Ecuadorian institutions | $50 | |
| Ecuadorians and foreign residents of Ecuador | $30 | $15 |
| Ecuadorians/residents 65+ or with a CONADIS disability card | $15 | $15 |
| Children under 2, any nationality | Free | |
Your passport determines your category, and the ranger checks it against your ticket, so dual nationals should travel on the passport that matches their booking. Residents need their cédula or residence visa to get the lower rate.
2. The $20 Transit Control Card (TCT)
A separate registration, required of everyone, children included.
The Transit Control Card, still often called the INGALA card, is issued by the Galápagos Governing Council, not the park. It records who is entering the islands and for how long. The process is now digital:
- Complete the CGREG online form with your passport details, flights, accommodation or cruise and dates.
- Pay $20 per person by credit or debit card.
- Save the QR code to your phone and print a copy.
- At Quito or Guayaquil airport, take it to the CGREG counter for validation before checking in for your island flight.
Keep the card for the whole trip; it is checked again when you leave the islands. Cruise and tour operators often register their guests, so ask before you fill it out yourself. If the online form fails, the counter at the airport can usually help, but arrive at least two hours before departure.
3. How and Where to Pay the Park Fee
On arrival, at the park counter in the terminal.
The park collects the fee in the arrivals hall at Baltra (Seymour) Airport, San Cristóbal Airport and the small Isabela airstrip, before you collect your bags. Visitors arriving by private boat or outside working hours pay at park offices in Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno or Puerto Villamil.
- Cash: US dollars, ideally clean $20 bills. Torn or heavily marked notes may be refused, and other currencies and traveler’s checks are not accepted.
- Cards and transfers: a 2026 park instruction lists card, transfer and online payment options, but in practice card terminals can be unreliable. Treat card payment as a backup.
- Operator prepayment: tour companies can prepay the fee for their passengers if they submit the list in advance. Your operator will tell you if this applies.
You receive a printed receipt and an electronic invoice by email. Keep the receipt with your passport. For more on carrying cash, see money in the Galápagos.
Let us handle the paperwork
When you book through us, we confirm which fees your cruise or tour includes and what you need on arrival day.
4. Is the Fee Included in Your Cruise or Tour?
Usually not, but read your inclusions.
Most Galápagos cruises and land tours, from tourist-class yachts to first-class catamarans, list the park fee and TCT as exclusions. A few luxury products include them: Celebrity Cruises currently includes park fees in its Galápagos fares, for example. Some lodge packages and older brochures still quote the pre-2024 $100 rate, so check that any quoted fee reflects the $200 figure. Our guide to Galápagos cruise cost lists the other common extras.
5. Other Entry Rules at the Airport
Biosecurity, documents and time limits.
The Galápagos has its own entry controls on top of Ecuador’s national ones, designed to keep invasive species out.
- Biosecurity declaration: complete the Agency for Biosecurity (ABG) sworn declaration online, typically 48–72 hours before your flight.
- Luggage inspection: before check-in in Quito or Guayaquil, all bags are scanned and sealed with a tag. Keep the seal on until you reach your boat or hotel.
- Banned items: fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds, plants, soil, live animals and unprocessed animal products. Undeclared items are confiscated and can bring fines.
- Documents: a passport valid for at least six months, a return or onward flight and a hotel booking or cruise voucher from an authorized operator.
- Length of stay: tourists may stay up to 60 days in the islands.
- Health insurance: officials may ask for proof of health cover. Carry a PDF of your policy. Compare options on our Galápagos travel insurance page.
The full list of what you can bring and do is in our Galápagos biosecurity rules guide.
6. Why the Fee Doubled
Funding conservation and managing visitor numbers.
The $100 rate had stood for decades, while annual visitor numbers climbed past 250,000. The government presented the increase as a way to fund conservation, island infrastructure and community services, and to ease pressure on fragile sites. Revenue is shared among the national park, local governments and other island institutions. Whatever your view of the price, it helps to know where it goes: rangers, patrols, invasive species control and the visitor-site maintenance that keeps landings safe.
7. Smaller Fees to Expect
Cash charges that are easy to forget.
| Fee | Amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Isabela arrival fee (Puerto Villamil dock) | $10 foreigners | Land travelers arriving by ferry |
| Itabaca Channel bus and ferry (Baltra to Santa Cruz) | About $5 bus plus $1 ferry | Independent travelers; cruises usually arrange transfers |
| Water taxis in port towns | $1–$2 per ride | Land travelers |
See how to get to the Galápagos for flights and arrival logistics.
Arrival-Day Checklist
| Item | Cost | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCT online registration and payment | $20 per person | Before travel | CGREG website |
| Biosecurity sworn declaration | Free | 48–72 hours before flight | ABG website |
| TCT validation and bag inspection | None | 2+ hours before island flight | Quito or Guayaquil airport |
| National park fee | $200 adult, $100 under 12 | On landing | Baltra, San Cristóbal or Isabela airport |
| Passport, return ticket, booking proof, insurance PDF | None | Throughout | Carry on your phone and on paper |
Galápagos Entrance Fee FAQ
How much is the Galápagos National Park entrance fee?
Foreign visitors aged 12 and over pay $200, and children under 12 pay $100. Nationals of Andean Community and Mercosur countries pay $100 (adults) or $50 (children), and children under 2 are exempt.
Can I pay the Galápagos park fee by credit card?
Bring cash. The park's 2026 rules list card and transfer payments at its counters, but terminals and lines are unpredictable, so $200 in clean US bills per adult remains the safest plan.
Is the Galápagos entrance fee included in my cruise?
Usually not. Most cruises and land tours exclude the park fee and the $20 Transit Control Card, but some luxury lines, including Celebrity's Galápagos sailings, include park fees, and some operators prepay the fee for their guests.
What is the Galápagos Transit Control Card?
The Transit Control Card (TCT) is a $20 registration required of every visitor, issued by the Galápagos Governing Council. You complete it online, pay by card, and have the QR code validated at the council counter in Quito or Guayaquil airport before your flight.
Do I pay the park fee again if I visit more than one island?
No. One payment covers every island and visitor site for the length of your stay. You only pay again if you leave the Galápagos and return on a new trip.
Do I need travel insurance to enter the Galápagos?
Not at the moment. A 2018 Galápagos rule lists private health insurance, but enforcement was postponed and the official Transit Control Card requirements do not include it. Some operators require it, and medical evacuation cover is sensible on remote islands either way.
Notes: prices are per person in USD, checked October 2026, and fees and procedures can change with little notice. Fee amounts are from the Galápagos National Park Directorate’s published rates and CGREG Resolution 002-CGREG-24-02-2024; TCT process from the Galápagos Governing Council as described by Galápagos operators; Isabela fee from Galápagos ferry and tour sellers.
Read the complete Galápagos travel guide →
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