Galapagos Holidays

Unique and almost indescribably wonderful wildlife experiences.

Galapagos Holidays

A Galapagos holiday offers wildlife experiences that are uniquely and almost indescribably wonderful. Come face to face with some of the most compelling and unusual species on the planet that are totally unafraid of humans. From playful sea lions to centuries old giant tortoises, to diving marine iguanas, breeding boobies and iconic flightless cormorants to name but a few.

Tailor-made Holidays created just for you with all the support and guidance you need

Book with confidence, expert advice and support for you throughout your trip

Responsible Travel, better trips for you, better for wildlife, better for local communities

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Give Rachel a Call

Company founder and Galapagos expert, Rachel is on hand to help you plan your trip of a lifetime!

01482 887 453

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Galapagos tour ideas

These trips are purely for inspiration. Every Galapagos holiday we create at Think Galapagos is unique and tailored to match your interests, timescale and budget.

Why Travel with Think Galapagos?

We listen to you. We take the time to understand what you want your Galapagos trip of a lifetime to be. We then we use our decades of experience and unrivalled network of local contacts and team of top guides to make it happen. Find out more

ATOL Protected

“We understand travelling is more complicated now than before COVID. That’s why you need to use a company you can trust every step of the way.”

Travel in a time of uncertainty…

Now travel has resumed, planning your Galapagos holiday should be a source of excitement, but making sense of all the travel regulations can be a headache. We follow developments in Ecuador, Peru and Galapagos incredibly closely so we have all the latest information on hand.

Having all the latest information and expert teams on the ground helps us take the uncertainty out of your planning and give you the confidence to book, secure in the knowledge we have you covered! If you want to find out the latest advice on travel to Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru please contact us

Guest Reviews

Read our reviews on Tripadvisor

THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT SERVICE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANNING
Lesli and Michael, December 2023
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We just got home. It was an amazing trip!!! Thank you for the great service and all the exceptional planning. I highly recommend this yacht and vacation for future clients.
SUPERB TRIP, EVERYTHING RAN LIKE CLOCKWORK
Terry Brown, November 2023
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The trip was superb, everything we expected it to be. The boat was great, with good accommodation, food & company with plenty of activities to fill the day. We particularly enjoyed the cloud forest & the cocoa farm trip at Guayaquil was very interesting too. All the guides were brilliant too & everything ran like clockwork.
A WONDERFUL TRIP, I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN
Nancy and Geoffrey Mann, November 2023
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We made it home after a wonderful trip, thanks to your wonderful planning and organisation! I could do it all over again. This was a first time for us having an organised itinerary and we so enjoyed having every go ahead like clockwork.
WE WERE VERY GLAD WE USED THINK GALAPAGOS
Amber and Mark Alston, November 2023
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We had a really wonderful trip. We remarked at several points during the trip that we were very glad we used Think Galapagos, as there were so many different logistics we would have had to have figured out by ourselves if we had attempted to plan such a grand trip on our own.
STILL DAYDREAMING ABOUT SOME OF THE WONDERS WE SAW
Simona and Brian, October 2023
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We had an amazing trip - I am still daydreaming about some of the wonders we saw and we both agreed we could have stayed another week on the boat! The boat was great - the cabin was spacious; the staff was helpful and always made us feel at home; the food was gorgeous! All in all, you have two super happy clients.
THIS GALAPAGOS TRIP MAY HAVE BEEN MY BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!
John Gallaugher, October 2023
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I’ve travelled a lot - 50+ countries, 6 continents, Great Barrier Reef diving, Kenya Safari during the Great Migration, among many awesome experiences. The Galapagos trip may have been my best experience ever! …You did a great job understanding the type of traveller I am and you made great recs.
BOTH THE AMAZON AND GALAPAGOS WERE BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS
Karen and Wayne Pecar, October 2023
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We had a fantastic trip. Thank you so much for your suggestions and detailed organisation. It made our time in Ecuador stress free. Both the Amazon and Galapagos were amazing and beyond our expectations. Your knowledge and responsiveness made planning our trip very easy.
THE BEST TIME EVER AND EVERY DAY EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS
Mandy Holdstock, June 2023
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Thank you for the most amazing trip. The organisation you put into every aspect of the journey, the guides we had to help us along the way and the experiences we enjoyed were just perfect. It just could not have been better.
A HUGE THANK YOU FOR THE MOST AWESOME HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME
Neil Meakin and Debbie Soer, June 2023
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We have stayed at fantastic places, been looked after by the best people and had an absolutely amazing time. We know this has only been possible because of your meticulous planning and the great people you work with.
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Our GALAPAGOS CRUISES

Our hand-picked selection of the very best Galapagos yachts with top guides and exceptional wildlife encounters.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT GALAPAGOS?

There isn’t really a right answer to this question! Galapagos is a year round destination thanks to its location on the equator. Each month has its own highlights. Hopefully this month by month guide to the climate and the wildlife activity can help you decide the best time for your Galapagos holiday.

GALAPAGOS Weather

Although the weather and temperatures in Galapagos don’t vary hugely, the islands do have two distinct seasons. These seasons are determined by the ocean currents around the Galapagos, principally the cool north-flowing Humbolt and the west-flowing Peruvian Ocean Currents both of which originate in Antartica.

Generally December to April are the warmest months with daily highs of between 26°C–31 °C (79°F –87°F) and the coolest from May through November with daily highs of between 24°C–26 °C (76°F –79°F) with August and September the coolest.

The islands only receive around 25 cm (10 inches) of rain per year, so it is rarely ‘rainy’ although you can expect some rain year round in the highlands of some of the islands.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Daily High
ºC (ºF)
29 (85)
29 (85)
31 (87)
31 (87)
27 (81)
26 (79)
25 (77)
24 (76)
24 (76)
25 (77)
26 (78)
26 (78)
Daily Low
ºC (ºF)
22 (71.6)
24 (76)
24 (76)
24 (76)
22 (71.6)
21 (69.8)
20 (68)
19 (66.2)
19 (66.2)
20 (68)
21 (69.8)
22 (71.6)
Sea Temp
ºC (ºF)
24 (75.2)
25 (77)
25 (77)
25 (77)
24 (75.2)
23 (73.4)
22 (71.6)
21 (69.8)
22 (71.6)
22 (71.6)
23 (73.4)
23 (73.4)
Rainfall
mm (inch)
68.6 (2.7)
91.4 (3.6)
94 (3.7)
71.1 (2.8)
33 (1.3)
22.9 (0.90)
15.2 (0.60)
5.1 (0.20)
5.1 (0.20)
5.1 (0.20)
7.6 (0.30)
30.5 (1.20)

The temperature of the air and water in Galapagos varies depending on the strength of the trade winds. December through March, the winds are at their weakest and the cooling currents subside and temperatures rise. The waters are warmest during this period (65-80F). In April, the trend begins towards stronger winds and cooler air and water temperatures with the strongest trade winds and coolest temperatures usually being in late September. In October the trend reverses and so the cycle begins again with the occasional appearance of the El Nino and La Nina phenomena.

The larger islands with volcanic peaks have a dramatic range of climactic zones (Isabela, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Floreana). Whilst the coastal areas are arid, and covered with plants adapted to desert conditions with very infrequent rain, the highland parts of these Islands receive moisture almost year-round in the form of garua (thick fog, mist or drizzle), which supports a lush forest area where all of the giant tortoises live.

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Galapagos Travel Guide

Be it a birding holiday, a multi-generational family holiday, a honeymoon or a special birthday trip we will use our decades of experience living and working in Ecuador and Galapagos, and unrivalled network of local contacts to create an exceptional holiday for you. Find out how to get to the Galapagos Islands. 

The best way to start planning your Galapagos trip is to give us a call or contact us by email. We are always genuinely delighted to answer any questions and help get you started planning your trip. But in case it is helpful, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about travel to the Galapagos Islands.

IS A CRUISE THE BEST WAY TO SEE GALAPAGOS?

A resounding yes! A cruise is the ultimate way to experience Galapagos. Cruising mostly at night between the islands Galapagos cruises ensure you maximise your wildlife viewing during the day and take you to the best and most pristine islands in the archipelago.

The next decision is then which Galapagos cruise is the right one. There is a huge amount of choice out there and it can be quite overwhelming. Some Galapagos cruises are very slick at marketing (though not always so good at delivering!), other Galapagos cruises don’t have such slick marketing, but are exceptionally good and conservation minded locally run operations that offer outstanding wildlife experiences.

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE BEST GALAPAGOS CRUISE?

Just looking online it is incredibly hard to decipher what actually is the best option for you. This is where Think Galapagos can help. Decades of living and working in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands means using our local knowledge we have handpicked the very best Galapagos cruises across a range of budgets.

All cruises are on small yachts, for 20 guests or less. They work with very good Galapagos National Park guides, have very good itineraries offering a fantastic mix of Galapagos wildlife and scenery and are locally owned operations where possible. We listen to what you want out of your Galapagos tour and then advise on which Galapagos cruises will be best for what you are looking for and find who has spaces around the time you want to travel.

WHICH GALAPAGOS CRUISE ITINERARY IS BEST?

There is no right answer to this question. Both the Eastern and Western parts of Galapagos are equally wonderful in their own way. Usually it comes down to personal preference as to which itinerary appeals most to you or if you have any particular wildlife you want to see one itinerary maybe better for you than another. Again we can help give advice on which itineraries will best suit what you are looking for in your Galapagos trip.

HOW DO I GET TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS?

The Galapagos Islands lie 600 miles (1000 km) off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. Every Galapagos holiday starts and ends in mainland Ecuador. There are no direct international flights to Galapagos, so you need to take a domestic flight either from Quito, Ecuador’s capital city nestled high in the Andes, or Guayaquil, Ecuador’s steamy commercial capital on its coastal planes. There are now several flights each day to Galapagos which take around two and a half hours.

Galapagos has two airports that receive flights from mainland Ecuador, either Baltra islet which is close to Santa Cruz Island in the centre of the archipelago or San Cristobal in the Eastern part of the Galapagos. Once you arrive here and have passed through the Galapagos National Park controls and collected your luggage, your guide and the crew from your cruise will be there to greet you and take you to your yacht, and your Galapagos adventure will begin!

Pre-Trip Information

This downloadable pre-trip information document will help you plan for your Galapagos trip as well as answering some key questions you may have. Despite being quite long it is by no means exhaustive, so please do get in touch with any questions you may have and we would be delighted to help.

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Top Four Reasons Why Galapagos is the Ultimate Wildlife Holiday Destination

We could talk all day about how amazing the wildlife of the Galapagos are, and why they make for such an amazing wildlife holiday! Here we have narrowed down to four key points why we think this group of 127 islands, islets and rocks that emerged from the ocean floor only a few million years ago and are still forming today make for such a special trip.

1. No fear of humans

What makes the Galapagos Islands truly unique is that they have remained isolated from predators (most notably humans) for most of their history. The result is a unique and diverse range of animals that are totally unafraid of humans. From breeding boobies, to flightless cormorants, to iguanas and giant tortoises, the fearlessness of the fauna here is astounding.

2. A living laboratory

Each island is host to its own extraordinary mix of flora and fauna that has been blown or washed across from mainland South America and forced to adapt to survive. From the youngest Island Fernandina which is still being formed, to the oldest island Espanola formed 3.5 million years ago, each has its own unique landscape and set of ecosystems.

3. Pristine natural habitat

97% of the total land surface of Galapagos was declared National Park in 1959 and thanks to ongoing conservation work by the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Research Station, the Galapagos remain largely the way Darwin saw them almost two centuries ago — a pristine natural habitat and an inspiration for anyone with a love of the natural word.

4. Amazing marine life

The Galapagos Marine Reserve is the largest marine reserve of any developing country and second largest in the world. It covers over 133,000 square klm (51,352 square miles) surrounding the archipelago. Sea lions, marine iguanas, rays, flightless cormorants, penguins, whales and dolphins are just some of the amazing underwater life found here with over 2,900 marine species identified according to the Galapagos National Park.