Galapagos Islands Tours

Discover the wonders of the Galapagos Islands with our multi-day cruises, hotel packages, yacht tours, and trips for 2024-2025.

Experience the ultimate adventure with our Galapagos tours

Explore this iconic archipelago’s extraordinary wildlife and breathtaking landscapes, where species evolution has occurred uniquely. Join our Galapagos Islands tours for an unforgettable journey and witness giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, and other remarkable creatures in their natural habitats. Our Galapagos Tour deals provide an immersive and educational experience that will leave you in awe of this ecological paradise.

Top Galapagos Tour Deals FOR 2024

MACHU PICCHU & GALAPAGOS TOUR PACKAGE

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AND QUITO TOUR PACKAGE

MASHPI RAINFOREST AND GALAPAGOS TOUR PACKAGE

THE BEST GALAPAGOS FAMILY TOUR

Galapagos tours onboard our Cruises & Yachts

Yacht Isabela II

YACHT INFO

Yacht La Pinta

YACHT INFO

Santa Cruz II Cruise

CRUISE INFO

Galapagos Hotels & Island Hopping Tours

Pool Finch Bay Spaces
Relaxing In The Finch Bay Pool

Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel

  • Perfect land & sea holiday: Combination of yacht exploration with a land-based hotel stay. Join our Galapagos Tour deals
  • Puerto Ayora’s sole beachfront property, located in a pedestrian-only zone
  • A perfect combination for families and groups of all ages thanks to numerous activities, including hiking, mountain biking, snorkeling, and surfing
  • The best way to explore Galapagos for guests concerned about seasickness
  • The ideal “wind down” site to match with Galapagos Islands Tours.
  • Gourmet meals created by a Cordon-Bleu gastronomy director

Galapagos Islands Hopping

  • Galapagos Daily Yacht Tours: Take a trip to the nearby Islands of Santa Cruz
  • Finch Bay Galapagos Gastronomy: Le Cordon Bleu-trained gastronomic director, oversees all operations to offer Galapagos’s best culinary experiences.
  • Isabela Island: One of the most extensive and incredible islands, replete with beautiful beaches and one of the world’s most prominent craters.
  • A Luxurious Safari “Glamping” Experience
  • Take to the skies and experience our Galapagos Tours from a birds-eye perspective.
Galapagos Islands Distance View
Amazing Capture Of The Galapagos Islands.

What can you expect from Your Galapagos Tours?

Are you overwhelmed by the number of tour options you’ve seen for Galapagos Tours? Do you need help figuring out how to plan your trip to the Galapagos? Do you need help choosing the best Galapagos cruises to ensure you have the most fantastic trip? Or are you stuck on what makes the islands so unique? 

Talk to one of our Destination Experts for the best Galapagos Tour Tips!

Galapagos Islands Trips: Get informed

The Galapagos Islands are a lifetime experience; all you need to do to “prepare” for them is brace yourself for the amazing. With highly unusual wildlife and otherworldly landscapes that aren’t found anywhere else on Earth, the Galapagos dazzles with its vistas. Sunsets will cast a golden spotlight over the surrounding beaches and scenery, all as a delectable gourmet dinner is prepared by our world-class chef. On top of all this, you’ll also get a luxurious and remarkably experience, where every detail has been thought of before you even consider it. Naturalist guides will provide the perfect touch of an insightful narrative to complement your expedition activities throughout the archipelago as you snap hundreds of beautiful pictures. There are often so many different things to see throughout our comprehensive Galapagos itineraries that it is essential to receive the proper advice from a destination expert!

Talking about expertise, be sure to read this blog on Best Galapagos Cruise Hacks (as well as our other one about which types of Galapagos cruises to avoid and get to know all the curiosities about Galapagos)! From a myriad of options, choosing the right one can be challenging – that’s why we’ve narrowed them down for you. Our handy Choose Wisely e-book offers the best Galapagos Tour Tips to make your decision-making easier.

How do you choose the right Galapagos tours for you?

You’ve dreamt of it for a lifetime. 

The Galapagos Islands are a place where history has been made. For centuries, home to pirates and whalers but primarily to highly unusual fauna, the inspiration for Darwin’s theory as presented in On the Origin of Species. And one of the few places on Earth where the wildlife shows no fear of humans, meaning you can observe it from just a few meters away. You´ll want to see and do everything! But with so many options available in this magical, exhilarating, iconic destination, you know there will be some trade-offs when choosing your Galapagos Tours.

How to determine what works best for you? 

How to separate the essential from the merely beautiful?

The transformative from the enticing?

Find out more about our Galapagos Tours!

Download our e-book “Choose Wisely.” 

Tips You Should Consider Before Your Galapagos Tour

  • Choose a multi-guided vessel, as this will allow you to choose from many different activities.
  • Does your vessel have a doctor on board? It is essential, considering that you’re traveling in a remote region.
  • What is the guest-space ratio of your vessel? Plenty of space in public areas should be more than 26.
All of these Tips are met and exceeded in our Galapagos Islands Tours.

When Is The Best Time To Travel to Galapagos?

The good thing about the Galapagos Islands Tours is that they can visit them all year! During hot and dry seasons, the Galapagos weather is excellent, and wildlife is always on display. Choosing a time to go depends on what Galapagos Tours speak to you. Make sure you know HOW you want to experience the Galapagos before booking your tour.

Ask us about the best Galapagos Tour Tips. 

Check out our Galapagos Tour Deals!

  • Warm Season: December through May. Temperatures are hot and humid, and range anywhere from 26ºC-30ºC (79ºF-85ºF), while the water temperature averages 26ºC (79ºF). An average day is primarily sunny, but may experience a short, sharp tropical storm similar to those that dictate Florida summers. At the height of the warm season (March), the islands begin to develop a lush, tropical look. During this season, the waters that surround the islands are much warmer and clearer, with visibility reaching over 30 feet, and; benefitting those who enjoy a more relaxed swim. This season is also marked by increased numbers of tropical fish, as well as the occasional manta ray.
  • Dry Season: June through November. Sea temperatures drop to 20ºC-23ºC (70ºF-72ºF), cooling the air temperatures to 23ºC-26ºC (72ºF-79ºF). This season is particularly popular among professional divers as the cool waters are also extremely rich in nutrients and attract an astonishing assortment of marine life. The rich waters also provide more food for terrestrial life that depends on the ocean for food, such as sea birds and sea lions, providing an excellent time for breeding and reproduction. Mating rituals are commonly seen among several bird species, not to mention the adorable fluffy chicks that begin appearing on the islands.

IT IS TIME TO START YOUR EXPEDITION!

We offer an unparalleled experience with activities that allow you to explore your destinations and live an adventure surrounded by magical nature. You can only get the best Galapagos Islands tours with Metropolitan Touring. Build unforgettable experiences.

Hurry up and invest in our Galapagos Islands Tours, the opportunity of a lifetime!

Traveling to Galapagos allows you to feel free and break the routine. Fulfill your dreams with the best activities in our Galapagos tours that Metropolitan Touring offers you.

Live, feel, explore, and relax.

Espanola Galapagos Places Destinos
Sea Lions Posing For The Camera

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: GALAPAGOS Islands Tours

Consider these Galapagos Tours FAQs

Galapagos ISLANDS General Questions

Where is the Galapagos archipelago located?

The archipelago sits 926 km (575 mi) off the coast of Ecuador and covers an area of almost 8,000 km2 (3,030 mi2). Flights to the Galapagos from Guayaquil and Quito on mainland Ecuador take under 2 hours. Fun fact: As a result of its equatorial location, days in the archipelago are 12 hours long, no matter when you go!</p>

No seasons exist in the Galapagos Islands because they’re along the equator. However, two weather patterns are recognizable every year:

  • The Hot Season is from December to June when humidity is high and average temperatures are in the 80s F (26°-30° C). There may be occasional showers (downpours), but days are generally hot and sunny.
  • The Dry Season From June to November, you can expect cool breezes, occasionally bringing with them a light misty-type drizzle called “garúa.” Temperatures average in the 70s F (20°–24° C) during the day and lower at night. The islands may resemble a subtropical weather pattern.
  • They have belonged to Ecuador since 1831, and before that, remained unclaimed.

 

Eleven languages are spoken in Ecuador, but Spanish and Kichwa are the official languages of the country. Kichwa is mainly spoken by indigenous groups in the Andes region and, to a lesser extent, in the Amazon region. Most tourism-related services and providers have multilingual staff, particularly in English, with some German, French, and Italian speakers. You will find that most people in Galapagos can converse in English and various European Languages.

The United States dollar is the official currency of Ecuador. All services and products in the Galapagos can be purchased in US dollars. Currency exchange services for major forms of tender are widely available. 

Galapagos Time is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This is 6 hours behind standard UK time, 2 hours behind standard time in New York, and 14 hours behind Canberra. The mainland of Ecuador is 5 hours behind UTC.

Locals of the islands are known as galapagueños. As per the last census, their population is around 25,000. Most have come from mainland Ecuador to live on the islands in recent years. Most of them are part of the Mestizo ethnic group and, as such, are descendants of Spanish and indigenous ancestors. A small minority consists of recent European emigres.

Near the end of the century, members of the ethnic group called the Salasacas started migrating from the mainland to the most populated islands of the archipelago and formed small colonies. They keep mostly to themselves in closed communities, in which they have their own schools and speak only Kichwa. However there are no indigenous groups autochthonous to the Galapagos Islands.

The name Galapagos is said to come from the Galapagos giant tortoises that are endemic to the archipelago. The Spanish word for a type of saddle is galapago, and the Spanish explorers often used it to refer to the giant tortoises that populated the islands with their iconic saddle-like shells.

Galapagos Tour Tips

Can you provide a Packing list for the Galapagos Islands?
  •  Hat
  •  Sunglasses
  •  Sandals
  •  Sneakers
  •  Swimsuit
  •  Umbrella (for sun protection during island hikes)
  •  Waterproof Sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)
  •  Binoculars
  •  Flashlight/head lamp
  •  Water bottle
  •  Dry bags (to keep things from getting wet)
  •  Snorkel and mask (if you wish to use your own instead of the boats’)
  •  Windbreaker jacket
  •  Light sweater
  •  Extra memory cards
  •  Extra batteries

Our naturalist guides always have a pair of binoculars that will be available for use. Feel free to bring your own if you are really into wildlife viewing.

A good pair of walking shoes, ideally with a good level of traction and grip on the bottom.

Batteries, weatherproof camera bags, and extra memory cards will come in handy. Waterproof housings will be necessary if you wish to take your camera underwater.

Flash photography is not permitted when taking photos of wildlife. Professional photography and videos recorded for commercial purposes must be authorized by the Galapagos National Park. Drones can only be used with a special permit.

Yes! You really need goggles to enjoy everything that the Galapagos offers underwater. Snorkeling gear will be provided to you on board our cruises.

No. Sports fishing is prohibited inside the Marine Reserve. Local fishermen are allowed to fish, however.

Of course! Check out this blog on our Top 7 Galapagos Books.

Yes. We sell these on our ships and you can find them on the inhabited islands.

Why Travel with Metropolitan Touring?

  1. More than seven decades of operations in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
  2. We always offer the best Galapagos Tour deals.
  3. We wrote the book on Galapagos tour tips!
  4. Pioneers of Galapagos Islands Tours and cruises in the industry.
  5. Environmental and Community Responsibility are essential components of our operations.
  6. Teams of experts who know the area like the back of their hand.
  7. Owners of 3 vessels and 1 hotel in the Galapagos Islands.
  8. Owners of Mashpi Lodge, a natural reserve in the Rainforest/Cloudforest.
  9. Owners of the most luxurious hotel in Quito: Casa Gangotena.
  10. Regional offices in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador allow visitors to combine all three experiences into a seamless South American adventure.

TALK TO ONE OF OUR GALAPAGOS TOURS EXPERT

Let’s plan together your next Galapagos Tours. Have a chat with our Destination Experts that have enjoyed our Galapagos itineraries!

Please select your country of residence*
Are you a direct customer?*
* I've read and accept Metropolitan Touring's privacy policies (i)
At METROPOLITAN TOURING we process the information you provide us with in order to respond to the request made by you in relation to the services we provide and the products we supply. You can exercise the rights of access, rectification and updating of inaccurate data or, where appropriate, request the deletion or elimination, limitation or suspension of the processing of your data or oppose the processing of your data. You can contact us at [email protected]


Galapagos Peguin Footer
Please select your country of residence*