Where are the Galapagos Islands located? Everything You Need to Know

Where in the world are the Galapagos Islands and what makes them such a unique place? Well, the simple answer is that the Galapagos Islands are a one-of-a-kind archipelago that rests in the Pacific Ocean about 620 mi (1000 km) due west of Ecuador’s coast. They form part of the biologically diverse nation of Ecuador.

The Galapagos are often featured in nature documentaries, movies, and news, thanks to the rare animal species that inhabit the islands, such as giant tortoises, various iguanas, and some of the most remarkable birds in the world!

If you are getting acquainted with the Enchanted Isles for the first time, let this be a brief introduction to the location of Ecuador’s magical insular region—the Galapagos Islands!

Taken from Cruise Critic’s article ‘So Far from Mass Tourism’: How the Galapagos Islands Could Help Restart Cruises:

“One company has already quietly restarted its operations in the Galapagos. Ecuadorian-based Metropolitan Touring resumed its first post-shutdown operations aboard the 48-passenger La Pinta on August 2, 2020, and has committed to operating every sailing — even if only one passenger is on board.”

Interested? Read more here.

 

Galapagos Landscape Beach.
Beautiful Galapagos Beach.

First Thing First: Where is Ecuador?

Ecuador is one of South America’s smallest countries, and also one of its most fascinating. As its name would imply, it straddles the equator: latitude 0°. Packed with amazing landscapes and shaped by history and culture that go back millennia, Ecuador has tremendous a diversity of flora, fauna, landscapes, and people. There is something for every visitor to enjoy!

Immerse yourself in its rich Andean lifestyle, and discover the amazing sites by train, car bus, or even on foot! Adventure seekers and ecotourists will delight in the incredible natural surroundings that include, rivers, lakes, beaches, mountains, valleys, and forests—so many forests!

You can also simply sit back and relax with a glass of wine as you admire urban landscapes from any number of exciting hotels and restaurants in Ecuador’s handful of modern cities, including the capital of Quito, whose Historic Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Because of its superb location along the equator, Ecuador is blessed with relatively constant spring-like weather in the highlands, and a warmer, tropical climate along the Amazon basin region and the coastal and inland rainforests ALL YEAR LONG! It might get rainier or drier depending on the time of the year, but the weather is always agreeable!

Map Of Ecuador.
Ecuador Is Located Between Colombia And Perú.

Ecuador is located along the northwestern region of South America’s Pacific Coast, between the countries of Colombia (to the north) and Peru (to the south). Due to its compact size, from Quito, you can drive to the beach in about 4 hours, you can reach Colombia in roughly 5 hours, and Peru in approximately 15 hours.

Just a couple of hours away from Quito, is one of the most stunning and biologically diverse places on the planet—the Andean Choco rainforest! About 6 hours away from Quito, you’ll find the ever-impressive Amazon basin, not to mention the incredible snowcapped mountains of the Andes! Talk about being able to see some of the most varied landscapes in just one go and getting acquainted with the country’s people in very little time!

Where exactly are the Galapagos Islands located?

The amazing Galapagos Islands are located in Ecuador’s Pacific Ocean. A 2-hour flight from Quito and voilà! You’ll have arrived at that exotic location you’ve read about in books and travel magazines!

The Galapagos archipelago is a group of volcanic islands that are spread out across an area of 17,000 mi2 (45,000 km2) in Ecuador’s Pacific Ocean. They are located roughly 620 mi (1000 km) due west of Ecuador’s coast and they are their own province. Coordinates: 0.37°S 91.55°W.

They are also a National Park and Marine Reserve, which is a hint of just how wonderful the place really is. The equator goes through the archipelago, so you’ll find islands on both hemispheres, but most of them are located just inside the southern hemisphere.

The archipelago is located on the Nazca plate and atop the Galapagos hotspot. These features are responsible for the creation of its 19 main islands, 3 smaller islands, and 107 islets. Because the Nazca Plate moves under the South American Plate, volcanic activity is a recurring feature throughout the archipelago!

In the Galapagos, life evolved millions of years ago, but life is continuously being born every day!

Now that you know where the Galapagos Islands are, add them to your bucket list and book your flight now! It will be a transformative experience!

 

Updated:May 9, 2023

Published:January 26, 2018

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TravelandLeisure.com

Condé Nast Traveler ONLINE

This small, secret rooftop of the restored Casa Gangotena mansion peers over Plaza San Francisco in the center of Quito’s colonial Old Town, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Order a Cedrón Spritz, a refreshing mix of rum, lemon, sparkling wine, and fresh lemon verbena (cedrón) syrup and leaf, then revel in the mesmerizing, real-time montage of daily life in Ecuador’s capital as it parades past.

National Geographic Traveller

A Font of information, Klaus has spent decades in the field, leading tours in the Amazon, Andes and Galapagos Islands. He hung up his guiding boots a few years back and now creates itineraries for the tour operator, Metropolitan Touring. Adrift in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from mainland South America, Galapagos is one of the most biodiverse locales on Earth.

Cruise Critic

Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015.

Telegraph Ultra Travel: 50 Greatest Hotels in the World

When this modern, minimalist, glass-walled jungle lodge opened in 2012, it changed the accommodation game in South America. Arquitect Alfredo Ribadeneira’s “protective cocoon” would impress in a modern city; in the depths of an Andean cloudforest, it is wild, audacious and beautiful. Though only 70 miles from Quito, Maspi Lodge sits in splendid isolation, perched on a cliff at the end of an unsealed road.

Terms and Conditions

Itinerario de 5 días / 4 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (4214 USD + impuestos por persona)
Itinerario de 7 días / 6 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (5672 USD + impuestos por persona)
No reembolsable. Aplica únicamente para residentes ecuatorianos en nuevas reservas directas realizadas, hasta el 30 de junio del 2022, con un ejecutivo de ventas del hotel. Válido para estadías hasta el 31 de agosto de 2022. No puede ser combinada con otros descuentos, promociones u ofertas. El descuento no aplica para otros servicios. El precio no incluye recargo de combustible de $20 por noche de crucero.

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