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Costs, timing, flights, entry rules and packing, in the order you’ll need them.
Planning a Galápagos trip is mostly about doing things in the right order. The cruise or tour sets your dates and start island, which sets your flights, which sets your hotel nights on the mainland.
Work through the six steps below. Each links to a full guide when you want the detail.
Plan in this order: budget, season, cruise or island hopping, trip length, then flights. For holiday dates, start 9 to 12 months ahead.
Trip style drives cost more than anything else. Island hopping is usually cheapest per day; luxury cruises the most expensive. Budget for flights, the park fee and tips too.
| Typical range | A few thousand dollars per person to $12,000+ |
|---|---|
| Fixed costs | $200 park fee, $20 Transit Control Card, flights |
There is no bad month. December to May brings warm water and calm seas. June to November brings cooler water, more marine life and choppier crossings.
| Warm season | December to May |
|---|---|
| Cool season | June to November |
A cruise reaches the remote islands and wakes you up somewhere new each day. Island hopping is cheaper, flexible and easier on anyone who gets seasick.
| Cruise | Wildlife range, remote islands |
|---|---|
| Island hopping | Budget, families, flexibility |
Most travelers need 7 to 10 days including flights. Shorter cruises lose a lot of time to transfers, so the cost per day can be higher than it looks.
| Most common | 8-day cruise or 7-night island hop |
|---|---|
| Add | 1 to 2 nights in Quito or Guayaquil |
There are no direct flights from the US. Fly to Quito or Guayaquil, then take a domestic flight to Baltra or San Cristóbal. Book your cruise first, then match flights to its start port.
| Airlines | LATAM, Avianca, Equair (from the mainland) |
|---|---|
| Airports | Baltra (Santa Cruz), San Cristóbal |
You need a valid passport, a Transit Control Card bought at the mainland airport, the park fee paid on arrival and proof of health insurance. Fresh fruit, seeds and soil are not allowed in.
| Park fee | $200 for most foreign adults |
|---|---|
| Insurance | Proof required for entry |
Fees, entry rules and airline information checked October 2026. Confirm entry rules with your airline or operator before you travel.
Tell us when you want to travel, your budget and who’s coming. A trip planner will reply with cruise or island-hopping options, usually within one business day.
