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Our team of fully local and well-traveled experts knows each place of interest like the back of their hand and is ready to make your dream vacation a reality!
No massive ships sail in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. Contrary to mass-tourism-centered Caribbean cruises, Galapagos cruises focus on exploration. Therefore, ships are much smaller expedition vessels, carrying no more than a hundred passengers.
Galapagos National Park regulations do not count ship size to manage island visits, but group size. With the average number of passengers per vessel rounding 70, Galapagos cruises will have no more than 20 explorers per group. With Metropolitan Touring, groups will feature an average of 12 passengers per Naturalist Guide.
At first glance, you might think that these two places share a lot in common, but don’t be fooled! They couldn’t be further apart in terms of the experiences and memories they offer!
The Caribbean Islands are popular but a victim of mass-tourism, while the Galapagos Islands are a highly exclusive and excursion-focused destination (with smaller groups).
When it comes to visiting the Galapagos Islands aboard a multi-guided vessel (we’ll fill you in on what this means in the following section), it’s good to know that you’ll have an ample selection of activities to choose from that fall in line with your pace, style, and preference.
Here’s a brief look at how easy/difficult these Galapagos activities are!
On a scale from 1 to 10 (1= relaxing in a hot tub, 10= being in a swimming race): The difficulty level of aquatic activities in the Galapagos ranges from 3 to 6.
Keep in mind that the availability of aquatic activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat, etc. are contingent upon weather conditions.
The Galapagos National Park requires that all visitors be accompanied by a certified naturalist guide when exploring or partaking in activities within the park itself. However, ¡ts important to note that having the right number of guides (relative to the number of guests) aboard your expedition vessel is critical in either making or breaking your Galapagos trip.
Find out why below!
97% of the archipelago comprises the Galapagos National Park. The other 3% is designated for the human communities that live there.
Visitors can only enter the Galapagos National Park aboard any one of 69 vessels and/or 11 day cruisers that have been certified and approved by the National Park Authority.
Per day, only 1,860 passengers on boats and 180 passengers on day cruisers are allowed within the 4,970 square miles (8,000 square kilometers) of National Park.
Naturalist Guides are essential when exploring the National Park. However, the rest of the Galapagos and its towns can be explored entirely on your own.
Spectacular visitor sites—such as Tortuga Bay and Las Grietas—are notable mentions when it comes to places worth visiting outside of the National Park.
Exploring the Galapagos National Park affords travelers a greater variety and number of Galapagos iconic species and unique landscapes.
Given the Galapagos Islands are an expedition destination, you’ll want to dress accordingly. It is worth mentioning that any fancy or formal attire is the very last thing you’ll want to pack!
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