Why visit the Galapagos Islands?
- You love nature & the outdoors
- Snorkeling with Sea Lions & Penguins gets you excited
- Discovering remote, white sandy beaches sounds blissful
Cruising in the Galapagos is not your average cruise with 1000s of people. This is an Expedition small ship cruise with only 100 guest allowed on board (50 cabins) per government environmental regulations. Most of the food you eat on board will be sourced from Ecuador (I had the most delicious ceviche) & the crew on board including the Expedition team will be from Ecuador. Each day you will stop at one of the 19 islands within the Galapagos Marine Reserve for a new adventure.
How to Get to the Galapagos Islands
We flew into Quito, Ecuador two days before the cruise began to sight see and then took another flight to San Cristobal Island where we joined the Silver Origin. Each cruise line may be different, but many will have you start your journey in Quito, Ecuador – easily accessible with many direct flights from Miami, FL.
Where to stay in Quito, Ecuador
JW Mariott Quito – we had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The location was near the city center and the service was 5 star.
EB Hotel Quito Airport – on our way back to Miami we stayed 1 night here. The rooms were large, had beautiful mountain views and dinner in the hotel restaurant was delicious.
Expedition Cruises in the Galapagos
Cruising to the Galapagos is considered a luxury expedition and not cheap! It is a bucket list destination for many. Here are are a few cruise lines to consider, we sailed on Silversea.
Non Cruise option to visit the Galapagos
If you decide to journey to Galapagos on your own and not cruise, you can fly into San Cristobal island and stay in an Airbnb, bed & breakfast or even a 5 star resort. There are options for everyone! Once you are in San Cristobal you can take day trips out to the island to explore & see all the wildlife.
What to pack for a Galapagos cruise
We traveled here at the end of May during the summer season and the water was very comfortable averaging 74°F each day. The winter season runs from November to March where the nights & water temperature will be much cooler.
- Multiple bathing suits (things get a little smelly!)
- Long sleeve Rash Guards with SPF
- Headband for snorkeling to keep hair out of your face
- Water shoes (preferably any you can’t get sand in)
- Mosquito Repellent lotion
- SPF Clothing if you sunburn easily
- SPF Hat & Neck scarf
- Waterproof walking shoes or sandals with good grip (there will be many wet landings)
- Optional – waterproof hiking shoes
- Binoculars
- Phone Lanyard
- Raincoat (weather can be unpredictable)
- Go Pro or Waterproof Diving Case for your phone (Get this for $50 on Amazon)
If you are traveling during winter months (November – March):
- Diving socks & Gloves
- Sweater/Jacket for night time when temperatures drop
Items included in our cruise (add to your list if your cruise line doesn’t offer)
- Short Sleeve Wet Suit
- Reef safe sunscreen (our cruise provided SPF50 in the cabin)
Things to do in Quito, Ecuador
Visit the Equator – Quito is the closest city in the world to the equator line and only a 30 min drive from the city center. Also known as The Middle of the World Ecuador is even named after this famous spot!
Quilotoa Lake – this is a large volcanic crater with emerald green water. You won’t find many other tourist here as the drive is about 3h drive from the city center. If you’re looking for a nice day trip into the countryside, this is the place to go.
La Capilla del Hombre (Guayasamin Museum) – a beautiful art museum overlooking the city and dedicated to the Latin American people. There are free tours available to help guide you through the cultural richness of the art.
Plaza Grande – The historic downtown area best seen in the evening when people are outside listening to music, dancing and enjoying ice cream. It was my favorite spot in the city, just to see everyone outside enjoying themselves with family and friends.
Artesian Market – save space in your luggage, this is the best spot for souvenirs. If you don’t make time for souvenir shopping in Quito, you wont have an opportunity elsewhere due to limited availability in the Galapagos islands.
El Panecillo – translating to “a small piece of bread” – this is the highest point in the city in the city showcasing beautiful views and an close up look of the Virgen del Panecillo. The angel statue standing high above the city.
La Compania – a historic Catholic church in the city center. Inside you’ll find golden arches and beautiful painted & engraved ceilings.
Night city tour – we had a night city tour included in our cruise package and it was a great way to see the city lit up at night & get away from the heat.
What to expect on your Galapagos Cruise
If you’re a wild life lover this destination is your playground! You’ll get a chance to see rare birds, swim with penguins, playful sea lions that may try to bite your flippers & are not camera shy, manta rays, sharks & sea turtles on volcanic islands.
Some of the animals you may see in this region are:
- Galapagos Sea Lions
- Giant Tortoises
- Land Iguanas
- Sally Light Foot Crabs
- Pacific Green Sea Turtles
- Galapagos Penguins
- Marine Iguanas
- Galapagos Sharks
- Darwin’s Finches
- Waved Albatross
- Blue-Footed Boobies
- Galapagos Gawk
- Galapagos Mocking bird
- Frigate Birds
- Galapagos Hawk
- Lava Lizard
Activities onboard the Expedition Cruise
- Snorkeling – you will likely have a snorkeling activity daily, one from the beach and one from the zodiac known as deep water snorkeling. If you are a strong swimmer I recommend deep water snorkeling where you’ll jump off the side of the zodiac (small boat) into the ocean. Here you’ll have the best chance to swim with penguins, sea lions, sharks, manta rays & sea turtles!
- Hiking – there will be various hikes available, many are just nature walks but there are more challenging options that take you for 3h hikes through lava fields
- Kayaking – each day the ship will offer kayaking, ask your expedition leader which day they will be going through the mangroves, this is the best one!
For more photos & videos of our Galapagos adventure checkout my Instagram story highlights, Reels and videos on Tik Tok.
