How Much Does a Galapagos Trip Cost? A Realistic Budget, Fees and Ways to Save

Quick answer

Foreign adult visitors pay a USD 200 Galapagos National Park fee (USD 100 for under 12s) and a USD 20 Transit Control Card before anything else, plus flights, which vary by season. Then you choose: a cruise, priced per person, or a hotel plus day trips. Always confirm the current official amounts before you travel.

Key facts

• National Park fee: USD 200 for foreign adults and USD 100 for under 12s (confirm the current amount)
• Transit Control Card (TCT): USD 20, obtained before flying from Quito or Guayaquil
• The park fee is paid in cash on arrival at Baltra or San Cristobal
• Isabela dock tax: USD 10 (not included in our programmes)
• Maximum tourist stay in the Galapagos: 60 days
• Currency: US dollar

A Galapagos trip has no single price, because it is built from parts that move independently: some are fixed and compulsory, some depend on the season, and some on how you choose to see the islands. The clearest way to budget is to split it into four blocks and work out which one drives your total.

• Compulsory and fixed: the national park fee and the Transit Control Card.
• Variable: flights from home and from mainland Ecuador to the islands.
• The big decision: sleeping on a boat (cruise) or in a hotel with day trips.
• Extras: meals, tips, wetsuit, insurance and transfers.

Below, each block shows what we know for certain and what changes with the dates. Where you see a "from" price, it comes from our current rates and updates itself; final amounts depend on dates, cabin or room category and occupancy.

What do you have to pay to enter the Galapagos?

Before hotels or boats, there are two charges everyone pays. These are official amounts and can change, so confirm the current amount before you travel on the official websites.

For example, a couple of foreign adults pays USD 440 between the two items, and a family of two adults and two children under 12 pays USD 680. Rates differ by nationality and residency, so if you are not a standard foreign tourist, check the figures that apply to you.

In our programmes, these two charges and the Isabela dock tax (USD 10) are listed as not included, along with international flights, the domestic flight to the islands and tips. That is the usual way to present them, and it is wise to add them to your budget from day one.

How much are flights to the Galapagos?

We will not give you a figure here, because any number would be out of date quickly: prices vary by season, airline and how early you book. What we can do is explain how the cost is structured.

• The international flight to Quito (or Guayaquil) depends on your home city and travel dates.
• The domestic flight to Baltra (Santa Cruz Island) or San Cristobal leaves from Quito or Guayaquil. From Guayaquil it takes about 2 hours; from Quito it is somewhat longer and usually includes a stop in Guayaquil.
• The domestic flight is not included in our hotel-based programmes and is quoted separately once dates are fixed. It is not listed in the cruise programmes either.

If your dates fall in high season (late December to early January, and the northern-hemisphere summer holidays), book flights early. That is when fares climb and seats run out.

Cruise or hotel with day trips: which costs more?

There is no universal answer because you are comparing different things. A cruise is priced per person in double occupancy and covers your bed on board and the ship's itinerary; a hotel is priced per room per night, and day trips are added on top. For a full comparison of what you see and how each format feels, read Galapagos Cruise or Hotel: Which Is Better?.

As a budgeting rule of thumb:

• On a cruise you pay one closed block per person; in a hotel the total depends on how many nights and excursions you add, so you can tune it more finely.
• Higher-category and longer cruises rise quickly: between the shortest and longest departure of the same ship there is a big gap.
• If you travel alone, the single-occupancy supplement on a cruise is significant; in a hotel, a single room costs somewhat less than a double.

Our reference cruise rate is for Coral I or Coral II and Galapagos Legend: From USD 2,605.00 per person in a double, for the 3-night Standard Plus option. At the premium end, Monique starts at From USD 4,190.00 and Endemic at From USD 4,990.00, also per person in a double on their shortest departure. 4- and 7-night departures and higher cabins cost more, and flights and fees are added to all of them.

Cost components: what each option pays for

This table shows where the money goes in each format, using "from" rates from our catalogue as examples.

How much do hotels and day trips cost on Santa Cruz or Isabela?

On a hotel base, your cost is spread across as many nights as you spend on the islands and as many day trips as you choose. Hotels cover a very wide range.

• Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora): from From USD 151.27 at Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar 3*, through Ikala Galápagos 4* (From USD 299.80), up to Finch Bay Galápagos 5* (From USD 753.97).
• Isabela: from From USD 149.48 at La Laguna Galápagos 3*, with options such as Albemarle Galápagos Beachfront 3* (From USD 238.66).

All of these are per room per night with breakfast. Split the figure in two if you share a room.

As for excursions, boat trips from Santa Cruz to other islands cost noticeably more than those on Isabela: Bartolome starts at From USD 451.32, North Seymour at From USD 410.16 and South Plaza at From USD 389.58, per person. They include a guide, lunch, towel and snorkelling gear. Excursions from Isabela are cheaper: Tintoreras from From USD 128.90 and the Lava Tunnels from From USD 252.38.

One detail catches people out: a wetsuit is not included on these excursions, and with the cooler water from June to November a 3 mm suit is welcome. You will usually rent or bring one, so put it in your budget.

Three ways to travel to the Galapagos and the budget each needs

Rather than invent totals, these three profiles help you organise the budget. Concrete amounts come from a quotation based on your dates.

1. Island base, controlled budget. A 3-star hotel on Santa Cruz or Isabela, short or land-based excursions and a few boat trips. This route keeps spending most in check, in exchange for seeing fewer of the remote islands.
2. Balanced: hotels and several excursions. A mix of Santa Cruz and Isabela. Our Quito, Santa Cruz & Isabela programme follows this line: 3 nights in Quito and 4 in the Galapagos, with a naturalist guide.
3. Cruise. A fixed itinerary, more of the northern or western islands in fewer days, but a higher price per person. One example is the Quito & Galapagos · Coral I / Coral II East programme: 7 days with 3 nights in Quito and 3 on board.

None of them is "the best": it depends on whether you prioritise savings, flexibility or sites that only a boat can reach.

Which extra costs do people forget?

Small items add up. These are the ones that surprise travellers most, with no invented figures because they depend on each person:

• Tips: for guides, crew, drivers and hotel staff. They are not included in our programmes.
• Meals: hotels include breakfast only; dinner and many lunches are on you, apart from what each excursion includes.
• A 3 mm wetsuit for snorkelling, if you do not bring your own.
• The Isabela dock tax, if you include that island.
• Travel and health insurance: strongly recommended; neither the programme nor the cruise includes it.
• Extra nights in Quito before or after the islands, because of flight times or acclimatisation. One city hotel example is Wyndham Garden 4*, from From USD 141.25.

How can you save money without missing the essentials?

Saving in the Galapagos is possible, but it helps to know where to cut without hurting the experience.

• Choose the season carefully. The warm season (January to May) has calmer, clearer water; the garua season (June to November) is cooler but good for wildlife and hiking. June and November are quieter. We go month by month in Best Time to Visit Galapagos: Month by Month.
• Avoid late December and early January and the summer peak if your dates are flexible.
• Combine islands. One or two nights on Isabela, with hotels starting at similar prices to Santa Cruz, give you access to Tintoreras, the lava tunnels and the wetlands.
• Book early: more choice and better cabins on cruises.
• Share a cabin: on a cruise, double occupancy avoids the single supplement.

One caution: you cannot cut the park fee or go without a guide. Visits are made with an authorised naturalist guide, and that part of the price is not negotiable.

Next step: ask for a quotation with your dates

With three details (approximate dates, number of travellers and whether you lean towards a cruise or hotels) we can send you a closed proposal with domestic flights, fees and extras added up. Contact us and we will send one or two alternatives so you can compare real numbers rather than generic ranges.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to enter the Galapagos?

The National Park fee for foreign tourists is USD 200 for anyone aged 12 and over and USD 100 for under 12s, paid in cash on arrival at Baltra or San Cristobal airport. On top of that comes the USD 20 Transit Control Card. Confirm the current amounts before you travel.

Is a Galapagos cruise or a hotel stay cheaper?

It depends on how many nights and excursions you add. A cruise is one block priced per person in double occupancy; a hotel is priced per room per night, plus paid excursions. Premium and longer cruises rise considerably, and the single supplement on a cruise is significant.

Are flights to the Galapagos included in your programmes?

No. In our hotel and cruise programmes, international flights and the domestic Quito-Galapagos-Quito flight are not included and are quoted separately for your dates. From Guayaquil the flight to the islands takes about 2 hours; from Quito it is slightly longer, usually with a stop.

What extra costs should I plan for in the Galapagos?

Plan for tips to guides, crew and staff, meals that are not included (hotels usually include breakfast only), a 3 mm wetsuit if you want to snorkel and do not bring one, the Isabela dock tax, and travel and health insurance, which we always recommend. None of these are included in the programmes.

When is the cheapest time to visit the Galapagos?

Avoiding high season, late December to early January and the northern-hemisphere summer holidays, usually helps. June and November are transition months with fewer visitors. Prices still depend on each departure and hotel, so the reliable way to find out is to request a quotation for your dates.

Can I visit the Galapagos independently to spend less?

You can arrange flights and lodging yourself, but most of the National Park can only be visited with an authorised naturalist guide at designated sites, and you need proof of lodging or a cruise with an authorised operator. Savings come more from choosing the season and format than from skipping a guide.

Want us to organise it for you?

Tell us your dates, travellers and interests and we will prepare a personalised proposal with accommodation, transfers and detailed services.

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Fees, prices and official requirements can change: always confirm current details before you travel. Information reviewed on 8 October 2026.

Sources and official links

• Galapagos National Park (official site)
• Galapagos Special Regime Government Council — online TCT
• Oceanic Society — Best time to visit the Galápagos