How to Get to the Galápagos Islands: What You Need to Know

For trips of a lifetime, the Galápagos are a natural selection. The archipelago that famously inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was declared a national park in 1959 on the centennial of the publication of Origin of Species. Travelers exploring this natural wonderland can expect epic eco-adventures and one-of-a-kind wildlife encounters.

 

First, though, you will need to know how to get to the Galápagos, and how to get around the archipelago once you are there. Going straight to a trusted and experienced source, like Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, is also essential.

 

Lindblad Expeditions has been visiting the archipelago for more than 50 years, ever since Lars-Eric Lindblad led the first international group of citizen explorers in 1967. Today, we sail the Galápagos year-round aboard four purpose-built expedition vessels and our veteran expedition teams include many Galápagueños who have extensive knowledge of island species and habitats. 

 

Below we’ll help you learn everything you need to know about getting to the Galápagos—and getting the most out of your visit once you are there. 

 

 

Where Are the Galápagos Islands Located? 

 

Straddling the equator (at roughly zero degrees latitude and 91 degrees west longitude) in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Galápagos Islands lie due west of Ecuador in northwestern South America. One of the youngest and most volcanically active archipelagos on Earth, these geologically diverse islands are scattered over 20,000 square miles in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

 

Created in 1959, the federally protected Galápagos National Park covers 97 percent of the archipelago’s land mass, while the Galápagos Marine Reserve, established in 1998 and further expanded in 2022, now protects 76,000-plus square miles of ocean surrounding the islands.

 

How Far Are the Galápagos Islands from Ecuador?

 

A province of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands sit some 600 miles from mainland Ecuador. The archipelago’s remote, insulated location not only helped it remain undetected until Spanish noble Tomás de Berlanga’s fateful visit in 1535, but also helped spawn its singular collection of flora and fauna, prompting Darwin’s apt descriptive of the islands as “a little world within itself.” 

 

Because the archipelago’s wildlife evolved without land predators, they remain famously fearless of visitors. Travelers can walk among legendary animals like marine iguanas, giant Galápagos tortoises, and blue-footed boobies, all unperturbed by their human spectators. 

 

 

What Airport Do You Fly into for the Galápagos Islands?

 

Getting to Galápagos is a two-step process: Flying to mainland Ecuador, then flying to the Galápagos Islands.  

 

Fortunately, both of Ecuador’s main gateways to the islands—Quito and Guayaquil—offer regularly scheduled flights to the archipelago. Considering either gateway a mere stopover would be an oversight, however, as both destinations make for more-than-worthy add-ons for anyone traveling on to the Galápagos. 

 

Visits to Quito, Ecuador’s capital and cultural center, offer opportunities to explore its well-preserved Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Guayaquil, a vibrant economic hub and port city stretched beside the Guayas River, you can rest and relax before your adventure begins in the islands.

 

Major airports in both cities then offer regular, direct flights to the archipelago as you’ll see below. Galápagos flights from both Quito and Guayaquil typically depart in the morning, so count on spending at least one overnight in either gateway city. 

 

Ecuador Airport Name	City	Airport Code	Flight Time to Galápagos
Mariscal Sucre International Airport	Quito, Ecuador	UIO	2h 10m
José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport	Guayaquil, Ecuador	GYE	1h 55m

 

 

How to Get from Quito, Ecuador to Galápagos Islands

 

Wondering how to get to Galápagos Islands from Quito? You'll need to fly there, since it is high in the Andes Mountains, and few ships or ferries ply the waters between coastal Ecuador and Galápagos, a two-day sail west.

  

Travelers can fly independently to the Galápagos from Quito (along with Guayaquil, either directly or on a stopover from Quito) to experience the archipelago on their own or join tours. 

 

Visitors can also explore the islands via a Galápagos cruise that begins and ends in the archipelago. One benefit of this option is that cruise lines often help book their guests’ flights from the mainland, in part to ensure that everyone arrives on time for embarkation. 

 

Option 1: Flying to the Galápagos from Quito

 

Regularly scheduled, direct departures leave from Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) to the Galápagos Islands. Additional flights from Quito include brief stopovers at Guayaquil’s José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE). 

 

Option 2: Taking a Galápagos Cruise

 

Once your flight from the mainland arrives, a variety of small ship Galápagos cruises help travelers make the most of their time in the archipelago—and see as much of it as possible. What's more, the number of visitors at any one site is limited by the Galápagos National Park in order to protect the islands as well as the visitor experience. 

 

One benefit of choosing this option is that many cruise lines help book their guests’ flights from the mainland, in part to ensure that everyone arrives on time for embarkation.

 

 

If you visit the archipelago with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, you can choose from an array of Galápagos itineraries spanning an array of Galápagos itineraries at varying lengths, including options that combine an exploration of Peru with the islands. Sailing aboard one of four ships in our Galápagos fleet, which range in size from 16 guests to 96 guests, travelers explore travelers explore both land and sea alongside a veteran expedition team of naturalists, expedition leaders, undersea specialists, and Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructors. 

  

Our small-ship expedition cruises also include a one-night stay at a hotel in Guayaquil or Quito, from which we coordinate round-trip flights to the Galápagos Islands. Guests can also select optional extensions in Quito or Guayaquil. 

 

Select Galápagos departures allow for pre-voyage explorations of Ecuador’s mainland, from its capital to cloud forest, while two of our itineraries journey on to Peru, where travelers can explore three incredible UNESCO World Heritage sites: Iconic Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Cusco, and Lima.

 

 

Flying to the Galápagos

 

Flights arriving from Ecuador’s mainland touch down either at Seymour Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island or San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) on San Cristóbal Island. San Cristóbal is home to the capital of Galápagos Province, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and is one of the four inhabited islands along with Isabela, Floreana, and Santa Cruz (which is home to both the National Park and Charles Darwin Research Station.)

 

Where Do You Fly into for the Galápagos Islands?

 

Flights arriving from Ecuador’s mainland touch down either at Seymour Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island or San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) on San Cristóbal Island. Along with Isabela and Floreana, Baltra and San Cristóbal islands comprise the archipelago’s four inhabited islands. San Cristóbal Island is also home to the capital of Galápagos Province, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. 

 

Galápagos Islands Airports and Airport Codes 

 

Two principal airports are located on two of the archipelago’s main islands. Below you'll find the codes and locations. 

 

Galápagos Airport Name	Galápagos Island	Galápagos Airport Code
Seymour Airport	Baltra Island	GPS
San Cristóbal Airport	San Cristóbal Island	SCY

 

Can You Fly Directly to the Galápagos Islands?

 

There are no direct international flights to Galápagos Islands. Allowing flights to arrive only from the mainland helps Ecuador’s government ensure that essential bio-security measures are met so that the archipelago and all its wonders can be preserved. 

 

Strict baggage control screening, meant to prevent passage of invasive species or non-native fruits and vegetables, begins at airports in Quito or Guayaquil. Flight crews also fumigate plane cabins and overhead bins with insecticide prior to landing to deter introduction of any new pests which could, for instance, which could wreak havoc on the islands’ wildlife. 

 

 

Sustainability is also central at Balta Island’s Seymour Airport, aka Galápagos Ecological Airport. Among its many accolades, the renewable-energy-powered airport counts LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and Carbon Neutral Accreditation by Airports Council International. 

 

Galápagos Ecological Airport also partners with CarbonClick so visitors to the islands can offset any of their own carbon emissions produced during their stay. 

 

 

What Airlines Fly to the Galápagos? 

 

Both Avianca and LATAM Airlines service the Galápagos Islands from Guayaquil and Quito airports. All flights originate and end in Quito, while many stop in Guayaquil en route to the islands.

 

How Much Does It Cost to Fly from Ecuador to the Galápagos Islands?

 

Price points vary based on departure airport, timing, and class, of course, but flights from mainland Ecuador to the archipelago generally start at around USD $500. For additional pricing details, see our guide on how much it costs to visit the Galápagos.

 

Getting to the Galápagos Islands by Ferry Boat

 

In the past, ferry or cargo boats offered an alternative, and especially economical, means of traveling to the Galápagos Islands from mainland Ecuador. This type of transit is no longer available to travelers, however, due to a number of reasons.

 

 

Traveling in the Galápagos Islands on a Cruise

 

Exploring the Galápagos on a small-ship cruise brings the best of all worlds: time on land and at sea, along with well-deserved time-outs while relaxing on board with like-minded explorers. 

 

Even better, exploring by ship allows travelers to channel their inner Charles Darwin while easily island hopping across the archipelago to behold its, in his words, “endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful.” 

 

As an example, on one Lindblad-National Geographic expedition, travelers can visit a new island or visitor site every day, comparing Darwin’s famous finch species on Española, scoping out flightless cormorants on Fernandina, and spotting endemic lava lizards on San Cristóbal. 

 

The waters surrounding Galápagos National Park make up one of the world’s largest marine reserves and it is teeming with incredible wildlife. Exploring on an expedition cruise gives you direct access to immersive water-based adventures that get you up close.

 

 

Where Do You Fly into for a Galápagos Cruise?

 

Travelers embarking on voyages from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristóbal Island should fly into San Cristóbal Airport. For voyages sailing roundtrip from Baltra Island, you’ll want to fly directly into Seymour Airport.  

 

Should I Fly the Exact Same Dates as My Cruise?  

 

Because flights to the Galápagos Islands depart Quito or Guayaquil in the morning, and last roughly only two hours, flying to and from the archipelago on the same dates that your cruise embarks or disembarks is recommended.  

 

In fact, most cruise lines coordinate embarkation and disembarkation times around flight schedules. Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, for example, coordinates same-day Guayaquil or Quito flights for our guests that sync up with our voyage schedules.   

 

With careful planning though, independent travelers can extend any pre- or post-cruise stay in the archipelago. Hotel accommodations are available on Isabela, Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, and Floreana.  

 

These four islands, as you will see below, can be accessed via inter-island ferries and flights on light aircraft. To explore other islands in the archipelago, cruises or day trips are necessary.   

 

Be sure to check schedules frequently and, if possible, book your inter-island ferries or flights in advance. To ensure you’re on time, also look to overnight on the particular island where your cruise embarks or your return flight to mainland Ecuador departs. 

 

 

Are Galápagos Cruises Worth It?

 

In a word: absolutely. Although it is possible to explore the archipelago independently, or through land-based tours, Galápagos cruises offer a bevy of benefits.  

 

This starts with the number of islands cruises are able to reach, the variety of water-based adventures that can be taken directly from smaller expedition ships, the accessibility of corresponding land excursions, and the plus of traveling with professional naturalist guides.  

 

The peace of mind cruises can bring, and the time and potential hassle they can save, is also invaluable.  

 

Airport transfers, overnights on the mainland, and round-trip flights to the archipelago are all pre-arranged when you book with a quality cruise company. Throughout your cruise, meals are planned and accommodations are secured. And expertly crafted itineraries are poised to deliver prime wildlife encounters.  

 

What’s more, choosing a company, like Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, that prioritizes sustainability and conservation can help ensure that you leave the lightest footprint possible.  

 

Read more about how Galápagos cruises compare to land-based tours.

 

 

Getting Around the Galápagos

 

You could spend your entire stay on a single island, San Cristóbal, say, given its airport. But the Galápagos is an archipelago, after all, and visiting a variety of its islands will enhance your experience and offer a deeper understanding of the varied flora and fauna. Fortunately, several transportation options exist for inter-island travel. 

 

If you are wondering about when to visit, the short answer is, anytime. Due to its position on the equator, the archipelago enjoys mostly pleasant weather year-round, and its wildlife is always active so there is always something interesting to see or do.  

 

Count on warmer air and water December through May. June through November brings the Humboldt Current, and with that, additional nutrients that attract more fish, the better for snorkeling, if you don’t mind cooler water temps.

 

Read more about the best time to visit the Galápagos.

 

 

How to Get to the Different Islands in the Galápagos

 

Galápagos cruises naturally provide access to the greatest number of islands. Depending on their length and current Galápagos National Park regulations, cruises, for example, may visit North Seymour, Fernandina, Española, Floreana, Bartolomé, Santiago, Genovesa, or San Cristóbal islands.  

 

Learn more about the islands to visit in the Galápagos.

 

Independent travelers exploring via land can island hop to four major islands with the help of ferry boats and flights on small aircraft. Both can be booked online, for example, through Grupo Galápagos. 

 

Speedboat ferry rides between islands typically take two hours and access Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristóbal, and Floreana islands. Flights aboard small aircraft access the same islands, aside for Floreana.  

 

Flights also offer the fastest way to island hop (roughly 45 minutes each way), though are more expensive. Be aware that strict checked baggage allowances typically run between 20 and 30 pounds. 

 

Getting Around on Land While on a Galápagos Island 

 

Cruise passengers are covered, as lines pre-arrange transfers for land excursions. Independent travelers can look to hire white pick-up taxis or, for carbon-free wanderings, rent bikes at local hotels and shops.  

 

See suggested trip lengths in our guide on How Much Time to Visit the Galápagos.

 

 

Important Things to Know About Getting to the Galápagos Islands 

 

When it comes to visiting the Galápagos, there are no small details. Knowing—and following—each one, from baggage allowances to proper eco-etiquette, will not only help ensure your trip goes smoothly, but will also help sustain the islands for future generations. 

 

Galápagos Baggage Allowance

 

Two rules of thumb when packing for the Galápagos: Less is more, and know there’s a solid chance your luggage will be weighed.  

 

Flights from mainland Ecuador to the archipelago allow for one checked bag of up to 50 pounds per passenger. Carry-on bags can weigh up to 22 pounds, though cameras are not included in this restriction. 

 

SIGCAL Baggage Control Screening 

 

Your luggage must be inspected, at mainland airports and upon arrival in the islands, by the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency. To help safeguard the archipelago’s wildlife and ecosystems, no organic matter (think seeds, soils, plants, fruits, and vegetables) can be brought into the Galápagos.  

 

Plastics, including straws, bottles, and bags, are also not allowed in the islands so you’ll want to pack a reusable water bottle. If you travel aboard a Lindblad-National Geographic expedition, note that you’ll receive a complimentary reusable water bottle.  

 

Galápagos Transit Control Card (TCT) 

 

All visitors to the archipelago must complete a Galápagos Transit Control Card (TCT), available at mainland airports or online through the Governing Council of Galápagos website. Be prepared to enter your personal info (full name, passport number, and date of birth, along with airline and lodging information).  

 

Galápagos National Park Entry Fee 

 

Galápagos National Park entry fees help fund conservation efforts throughout the archipelago. The cost non-Ecuadorian or Andean Pact adults is is USD $200 and USD $100 for children under 12 years of age. Children under 2 are free.  

 

Some cruise companies, like Lindblad-National Geographic, will take care of all the paperwork and fees for guests ahead of the voyage. All you need to do is provide your passport information at least three weeks ahead of your expedition.  

 

 

Galápagos National Park Visitor Rules

 

Following the golden rules of responsible tourism is imperative for preserving the archipelago. For a full list of Galápagos National Park rules, visit the Galápagos Conservancy’s website. Here are a few essentials to keep in mind. 

 

• Visitors in protected areas must stay on marked trails and be accompanied by an authorized naturalist guide.  
• Feeding wildlife is prohibited, as is using a flash when photographing them.  
• Wildlife should be given their space—a distance of at least six feet.  
• Fishing is only permitted in authorized tour boats. 
• Collecting or purchasing any products made from banned substances such as native wood and black coral is illegal.  

 

Galápagos Passport and Visa Requirements

 

U.S. and Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. Passports, however, are mandatory and must be valid for six months after the end of your trip. 

 

Traveling to the Galápagos with Minors

 

Kids thrive in the Galápagos. But for guardians, grandparents, and any single parents, be sure to bring a notarized document, signed by both parents or legal guardians, that includes a child’s age, relationship to traveling adult(s), dates of travel, and destinations you will be visiting.

 

 

No doubt, getting to the Galápagos requires careful planning and plenty of know-how. But now that you have the facts, you can focus on essentials like detecting the differences between the archipelago’s land and sea iguanas or identifying each step in elaborate mating dances performed by blue-footed boobies on North Seymour. Successful trips of a lifetime, after all, always come down to the last details. 

 

 

Browse Galápagos itineraries >