It's making the news and folks are wondering if/how it might affect their Galapagos visit.
The Charles Darwin Research Station recently posted a news item on it. You can see it here: https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-news-stories/el-nino-2026-in-galapagos/
It's making the news and folks are wondering if/how it might affect their Galapagos visit.
The Charles Darwin Research Station recently posted a news item on it. You can see it here: https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-news-stories/el-nino-2026-in-galapagos/
One thing that doesn’t get discussed enough when choosing a Galápagos expedition cruise is the operational culture of the ship. Different vessels can have surprisingly different ideas about what a day in Galápagos should look like.
Some ships operate very much as expedition vessels. You might be up at 5:30 or 6:00 AM and ashore shortly after sunrise. There are real advantages to this: wildlife is often active, the light is beautiful, and you can enjoy a walk before the equatorial sun becomes intense. You may then be back aboard for breakfast, with snorkeling scheduled later in the morning when being in the water is a lot more appealing than walking under the midday sun. Those same ships might have you lingering on a remote beach until sunset (when park regulations require you to be off any island).
Other ships take a more leisurely approach—perhaps getting up around 7:00, having breakfast and heading ashore around 8:00. That can be a better fit for travellers who aren’t keen on early starts or who simply want their Galápagos trip to feel more like a vacation than an expedition. These ships might have you back on-board by 4:30 or 5PM, in time to have drinks at happy hour.
Neither approach is necessarily better. But before booking, it’s worth asking how the ship actually structures its days. Make sure its operational culture matches the kind of Galápagos experience you’re looking for.
One thing that doesn’t get discussed enough when choosing a Galápagos cruise is the operational culture of the ship. Different vessels can have surprisingly different ideas about what a day in Galápagos should look like.
Some ships operate very much as expedition vessels. You might be up at 5:30 or 6:00 AM and ashore shortly after sunrise. There are real advantages to this: wildlife is often active, the light is beautiful, and you can enjoy a walk before the equatorial sun becomes intense. You may then be back aboard for breakfast, with snorkeling scheduled later in the morning when being in the water is a lot more appealing than walking under the midday sun. Those same ships might have you lingering on a remote beach until sunset (when park regulations require you to be off any island).
Other ships take a more leisurely approach—perhaps getting up around 7:00, having breakfast and heading ashore around 8:00. That can be a better fit for travellers who aren’t keen on early starts or who simply want their Galápagos trip to feel more like a vacation than an expedition. These ships might have you back on-board by 4:30 or 5PM, in time to have drinks at happy hour.
Neither approach is necessarily better. But before booking, it’s worth asking how the ship actually structures its days. Make sure its operational culture matches the kind of Galápagos experience you’re looking for.
One thing that doesn’t get discussed enough when choosing a Galápagos cruise is the operational culture of the ship. Different vessels can have surprisingly different ideas about what a day in Galápagos should look like.
Some ships operate very much as expedition vessels. You might be up at 5:30 or 6:00 AM and ashore shortly after sunrise. There are real advantages to this: wildlife is often active, the light is beautiful, and you can enjoy a walk before the equatorial sun becomes intense. You may then be back aboard for breakfast, with snorkeling scheduled later in the morning when being in the water is a lot more appealing than walking under the midday sun. Those same ships might have you lingering on a remote beach until sunset (when park regulations require you to be off any island).
Other ships take a more leisurely approach—perhaps getting up around 7:00, having breakfast and heading ashore around 8:00. That can be a better fit for travellers who aren’t keen on early starts or who simply want their Galápagos trip to feel more like a vacation than an expedition. These ships might have you back on-board by 4:30 or 5PM, in time to have drinks at happy hour.
Neither approach is necessarily better. But before booking, it’s worth asking how the ship actually structures its days. Make sure its operational culture matches the kind of Galápagos experience you’re looking for.
Hi again r/galapagos, and thanks to the mods for having us.
Marc (u/CNHTours) — I first worked in the Galápagos in 1998 and lived in Puerto Ayora with my family. I worked at the Charles Darwin Research Station alongside the Galápagos National Park Service, starting up the largest ecological restoration project in the history of the islands. I've run CNH Tours since 1999. About 25 years of watching how the islands, the boats, and the rules actually work, including the parts that didn't work.
Emile (u/bookcruisenow) — I'm Marc's son, and I built Book Cruise Now, a site for finding and booking Galápagos cruises. I'm the newer one here. What I can talk about is the money: how cruise pricing gets put together, why last-minute discounts exist and when they don't, what a park fee pays for, and the things I got wrong building the site.
Things we can actually help with:
We're online from 2 PM EST (Toronto and Miami) for about two hours.
Ask away!
Hi r/galapagos — We've been posting here for a few years, and with the mods' blessing we're going to do a proper AMA on Thursday, Aug. 6th at 2PM Eastern time (Toronto / Miami).
I'm Marc Patry. I lived and worked in the Galápagos from 1998 to 2002, helping launch conservation projects with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park Service. After that I spent years at UNESCO's World Heritage Centre working on natural World Heritage sites, including the Galapagos Islands. I've been running CNH Tours with my wife, Heather Blenkiron (TripAdvisor Destination Expert for Galapagos) since 1999.
Joining me is my son Emile (u/bookcruisenow). He was born in the islands and runs Book Cruise Now, a marketplace that connects travelers directly to ship owners we know personally. Between us we can cover both the conservation and ecology side and the unglamorous practical side of getting on a boat.
Some things we can probably answer better than a search result:
Drop your questions in the comments now if you won't be around at that time. We'll answer those first on the day, and we'll keep checking the thread for a few days after for anything late.
Thanks to the mods for making room for this.
Travellers planning a visit to Galápagos often ask: “What are the must-do visitor sites and activities?”
It is an understandable question. Galápagos may be a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and nobody wants to return home feeling they missed something essential. Yet before acting on the answers, it is worth questioning both the idea of a universal “must-do” list and the qualifications of the people offering one.
When advice is gathered from online forums, social media groups or fellow travellers, the respondents’ backgrounds are often unknown. Is the recommendation coming from someone who has travelled extensively and can compare Galápagos with wildlife destinations around the world? From someone who spent five days on the islands and visited only a handful of sites? Or from a Galápagos naturalist guide who has spent years observing seasonal changes, wildlife behaviour and the distinctive qualities of dozens of visitor sites?
These people may all answer confidently, but their answers are based on very different levels of knowledge and experience.
A traveller may describe one site as “the best in Galápagos” simply because it was the highlight of the only itinerary they experienced. They may have no basis for comparison with other islands, seasons or activities. A frequently repeated recommendation may therefore reflect familiarity and accessibility rather than exceptional quality.
This helps explain why “must-do” lists often favour the most famous, easily reached and widely visited places. These may be excellent experiences, but popularity does not necessarily mean they are the most rewarding choices for you.
The question also reveals very little about the person asking for advice.
Someone interested in evolutionary biology may value time observing finches, mockingbirds and the differences between related species. A keen snorkeller may prefer an hour among sea turtles, rays and reef fish to a celebrated viewpoint. A photographer may prioritize light, landscapes and patient wildlife observation. Someone interested in history or conservation may be drawn to scientific expeditions, settlement stories and the complex relationship between people and the islands.
Others may simply want quiet moments: watching marine iguanas on a beach, listening to a seabird colony or observing a giant tortoise emerge from the mist.
Before asking what you “must do,” first ask what you hope to learn, discover and experience. Which animals, landscapes or ideas interest you most? Do you prefer active exploration or slow observation? Are you drawn to geology, photography, natural history, conservation, human history or the underwater world?
Then consider the source of the advice. What did that person actually experience? How long were they in Galápagos? How widely have they travelled? Do their interests resemble yours?
Without knowing the background of the respondent, a confident recommendation may not be especially useful. Galápagos is too varied, and travellers are too different, for one person’s highlight to become everyone else’s obligation.
The best experience is not necessarily the one mentioned most often. It is the one that most closely matches your own curiosity.
We've just received the news (and video).
It looks to have run into the shoreline at Academy Bay (where the town of Puerto Ayora is located). It's not clear if the ship was significantly damaged or not. But if you're booked on it in the coming weeks, it might be a good idea to reach out to your booking agent and get more info.
This lovely ship is a wonderful alternative for those who may be anxious about booking on a small ship (14-20 guests) but not keen on embarking on the largest ships allowed in Galapagos (100 guests). We've chartered it on a couple of occasions for our own "not for profit" friends trips over the past 4-5 years.
Let's hope the ship was not damaged / only had minor damage, and will be back in operation soon.
We've just received the news (and video).
It looks to have run into the shoreline at Academy Bay (where the town of Puerto Ayora is located). It's not clear if the ship was significantly damaged or not. But if you're booked on it in the coming weeks, it might be a good idea to reach out to your booking agent and get more info.
This lovely ship is a wonderful alternative for those who may be anxious about booking on a small ship (14-20 guests) but not keen on embarking on the largest ships allowed in Galapagos (100 guests). We've chartered it on a couple of occasions for our own "not for profit" friends trips over the past 4-5 years.
Let's hope the ship was not damaged / only had minor damage, and will be back in operation soon.
Galapagos bound travelers may have heard / will likely hear about a gang shooting just outside the arrivals hall at the airport, with the person having been targeted and killed being a criminal gang leader. The two assailants were captured and a few bystanders were injured. This happened outside of the airport.
While insecurity due to criminal gang / drug gang activities has become a bigger issue in Ecuador, it's important to remember that these gangs do not target tourists they target each other.
Every year, over 1.3 million people visit Ecuador. We help over 500 of these people arrange their trips, with the vast majority of them spending time in Quito, some in Guayaquil. None of our guests has ever reported having been assaulted or having been the target of criminal activity.
While the risk is never zero, not even in your home town, it's important to understand that it remains small.
NOTE: Anyone using illegal drugs is part of the reason such incidents occur. Buying illegal drugs creates an illegal economy worth so much money that criminals will resort to violence to protect their revenues.
INCIDENT AT GUAYAQUIL AIRPORT YESTERDAY
Galapagos bound travelers may have heard / will likely hear about a gang shooting just outside the arrivals hall at the airport, with the person having been targeted and killed being a criminal gang leader. The two assailants were captured and a few bystanders were injured. This happened outside of the airport.
While insecurity due to criminal gang / drug gang activities has become a bigger issue in Ecuador, it's important to remember that these gangs do not target tourists they target each other.
Every year, over 1.3 million people visit Ecuador. We help over 500 of these people arrange their trips, with the vast majority of them spending time in Quito, some in Guayaquil. None of our guests has ever reported having been assaulted or having been the target of criminal activity.
While the risk is never zero, not even in your home town, it's important to understand that it remains small.
NOTE: Anyone using illegal drugs is part of the reason such incidents occur. Buying illegal drugs creates an illegal economy worth so much money that criminals will resort to violence to protect their revenues.
Shark incident yesterday
Local reports indicate a woman snorkeling at Santa Fe Island yesterday, as part of a day tour there, was bitten on the leg by a shark. She was transported to Santa Cruz hospital. This is the 2nd time in our memory (the 1st being maybe 10 years ago) that we have heard of a shark bite incident at Santa Fe.
Sharks are very common in Galapagos, yet incidents such as these are very rare. We do see reports of a shark bite every few years (no reports of deaths).
Given that on any one day, there are likely thousands of people snorkeling and swimming in Galapagos, 365 days / year, the risk is indeed extremely low - but not zero. Everyone should be aware of that.
These are two very distinct jobs. We've published a short article highlighting the differences.
Hello. I'm planning a trip with my 12 year old daughter. We're considering a 5 day/4 night cruise on a 16 passenger catamaran (the Nemo II) on a Southeastern itinerary. We're also considering a much more luxurious ship - that not surprisingly costs more than double what we'd pay for the Nemo II.
My question is: is it worth the extra cost to take the nicer ship? Will we have much downtime where the nicer accomodations would make a difference? Or will we be so tired, we'll just want to nap in our cabin?
It would be fine if it were me alone but my concern is my daughter getting bored between excurisions (even though I'm not sure what she'd do on the nicer ship).
I was recently on an 8-day active cruise with CNH Tours, which meant snorkeling or kayaking, and hikes everyday. The sun is no joke out there, so I’m sharing this in hopes you’ll arrive better prepared. Take this with a grain of salt since I may have forgotten a thing or two!
Clothing:
Shoes / Water Gear:
Sun + Bug Protection:
Misc:
Notwithstanding some bees and wasps, the only poisonous land species in Galapagos are scorpions and centipedes. There are two Galapagos scorpion species - the Hadruroides maculatus galapagoensis, which occurs on most of the major islands and the Centruroides exsul, which occurs on Española, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Pinta islands. You will likely not see them unless you have a good guide who knows how to find them. None has a particularly dangerous sting, though they may cause a bit of pain. There is also the Galapagos centipede, Scolopendra galapagoensis, which can grow up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) long, and has a wonderful pair of venomous pincers which can deliver a painful, poisonous bite but not deadly.
It has become easier to make one's own flight arrangements from continental Ecuador to Galapagos. Before considering doing so, it is very important to note that cruise ships have rigid schedules. They sail at a set time, from one of three places in Galapagos, and drop off passengers for flights back to the continent at set times, again in one of three places in Galapagos. Ship owners have access to guaranteed spaces aboard specific flights that ensure a seamless trip from the continent, to Galapagos, to the ship. It is strongly recommended that you have the ship book your flights to avoid any problems. Anyone booking flights independently assumes the consequences of being on the wrong flight and arriving after the ship has sailed, flying to the wrong airport in the islands. This might mean missing your cruise, or having to hire a private transport to your ship at a cost of $1,000 or more.
Taking a few days post-cruise to relax and enjoy the local scene is a great idea.
Cruises typically end at one of three places: i) Baltra Airport - from there, you can get to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island. ii) Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal island and iii) In Puerto Ayora proper (Santa Cruz Island).
Once off your ship, if you're just thinking of taking a couple of extra days, it's usually easier to just stay put in the nearest town. If you have more time, you can consider checking out other places as well.
Towns are:
i) Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. This is the largest (accessible via Baltra Island airport, a 1.5-hour trip by land and ferry) and has the most services in terms of restaurants, shops, bars, scuba outfitters and hotels. The Charles Darwin Research Station is located here.
ii) Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristobal Island. This is the seat of the provincial government and comes across as more of a government town. It has all the necessary infrastructure for visitors, but is about ¼ the size of Puerto Ayora. Access is by San Cristobal airport, just 3 minutes away by taxi, or a 15-minute walk down the road! The town is also connected to Puerto Ayora via a 3 hour ferry "speed boat" ferry service.
iii) Puerto Villamil, on Isabela Island. Sand roads, a fairly quiet little town, ¼ again the size of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno but located close to many good natural visitor areas. Hotel and restaurant options are more limited here. Access is by boat from Puerto Ayora or via small inter-island plane service.
iv) Puerto Velasco Ibarra, Floreana: A tiny settlement, with only 110 residents, and extremely limited hotel/restaurant options. You can't just show up - make sure you plan ahead. Access is by boat from Puerto Ayora, but service is not regular.
