Galapagos Planning tips
Land vs Cruise:
What is the best way to see the Galapagos? Cruise or Land?
“Should I take a Galapagos cruise or a land-based tour‘ is usually one of the first questions travelers face when planning a Galapagos vacation.
Much like the question, “When is the best time to visit the Galapagos?”, the answer very much depends on the individual, and their needs and preferences.
Galapagos by Land or Cruise?
To help find the right experience for you, we have created this comprehensive guide to planning the perfect Galapagos vacation. In it we compare the experience of a Galapagos cruise with a land-based (or hotel-based) tour, outlining the pros and cons of each.
Ask a Galapagos Expert
If, after reading our guide, you are still undecided, please do not hesitate to contact one of our expert Safari Designers for advice. Although we specialise in land-based tours, we can also create itineraries that incorporate both experiences.
PLANNING A GALAPAGOS CRUISE
Galapagos Cruises
Galapagos Cruises – Points to Consider
- Cruises are great for exploring the remote landscapes on the outermost edges of the archipelago; islands that can’t be reached by any other means.
- Cruises have fixed departure dates.
- Cruises have fixed itineraries.
- Although excursions on uninhabited islands are in groups of max. 16 passengers per guide, larger boats still have to disembark up to 100 people in one go, and get them back on board after that. Some medium (30-passenger) and small (around 16 or 20) vessels offer better passenger-to-guide ratios.
- Wildlife – Depending on your cruise itinerary, you will likely see many of the flagship species, and possibly a few island-specific species on the outermost islands, such as the waved albatross.
- The choice of boats can be overwhelming. At Galapagos Safari Camp we only work with a very small selection of cruise ships we deem reliable and responsible.
- Due to the rules of the National Park and the boat’s operating schedules, the routine on-board is pretty rigid. You’ll be woken up early (often by piped music); have breakfast and disembark, visit an island, embark, etc. with no room for flexibility or personalization.
- If you suffer from seasickness, you probably won’t enjoy the experience much!
- Unless there’s a doctor on-board your vessel, you can be a long way from the nearest medical treatment.
PLANNING A GALAPAGOS TOUR
Land-based Tour at Galapagos Safari Camp
Galapagos Safaris – Points to Consider
- Departure dates are flexible. Our safaris can be tailored around your dates.
- Itineraries are flexible and are fully customized according to your needs and interests.
- Excursions can be fully-private (chartered boat, private land excursions and private guide throughout) or semi-private (your guide accompanies you on the shared boat excursions).
- Wildlife – Depending on your itinerary, you will likely see many of the flagship species.
- You will wake up in the wilderness, with birdsong.
- Your Safari will include excursions by sea to neighbouring uninhabited islands. These sea voyages are short (1-2 hours, each way) and you’ll be back on dry land at the end of the day. You will also have the opportunity to visit some of the best beaches in the Galapagos (which cannot be accessed by cruise ships and are rarely included in cruise itineraries).
At a Glance: Land vs Cruise
Cruises | Land-based Safari at GSC | |
|---|---|---|
Islands | Can include remote islands on the outermost edges of the archipelago that can't be reached by any other means | Based on Santa Cruz. Islands visited include Bartolomé, North Seymour, South Plaza, Santa Fe, Isabela. |
Dates | Fixed | Flexible |
Guided Excursions | Can imply quite a bit of logistics on larger boats. | Can be Private or Semi-Private |
Wildlife | Flagship species + a few extra species on outermost islands. | Flagship species |
Accommodation | Boat cabins | Luxury Safari tents |
Sea sickness | Constant | Only for days at sea. |
Wifi | Many boats charge extra for WiFi. | Wifi is included and available in the main lodge. |
Wifi | Whether on sea or land, WiFi is considered weak, slow and unpredictable in the Galapagos Islands (e.g. strong enough for social media but not for streaming video). | Whether on sea or land, WiFi is considered weak, slow and unpredictable in the Galapagos Islands (e.g. strong enough for social media but not for streaming video). |
Doctor | Only on larger boats | Available 24/7 |
While it is true that you may see more islands on a cruise, you won’t necessarily see more wildlife.
Providing the aim of your Galapagos vacation is to see the flagship species, your chances of encountering these animals will likely be the same whether you’re on a cruise or a land-based tour. If, however, you want to see the Waved Albatross on Española Island or another island-specific animal or plant species on the outermost parts of the archipelago, then a cruise is the way to go!
One journalist described his cruise experience as ‘very intimate, with only 100 guests onboard’. If this is not your idea of intimacy, rest assured that there are both cruise and land-based options in the Galapagos that feel considerably more intimate than this. As island excursions are capped at 16 people per guide, the passenger capacity on cruise ships tends to be in multiples of 16.
At Galapagos Safari Camp we pride ourselves on having only nine Safari Tents and one Family Suite, and our Land-Based Safaris can be either fully private or semi-private (for island excursions).
Nestled in the pristine highlands of Santa Cruz Island, and far from the coastal crowds, our camp is spread out over acres of forested land, giving our guests plenty of space to connect with nature, with their loved ones, and with themselves.
While it’s true that the main towns in the Galapagos — Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristóbal Island, Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island and Puerto Velazco Ibarra on Floreana Island — have grown significantly over the last decade, Galapagos Safari Camp has always, since its inception, concentrated on generating the least impact possible on the environment and focusing on the positive transformative power of the islands. Read more about our measures towards sustainability.
97% National Park
We are confident the authorities will direct development in the towns towards a more sustainable future, with more alternative energy, greater control of migration, and restrictions on expansion. It’s worth noting that only 3% of the archipelago’s land is outside the Galapagos National Park’s jurisdiction.
Carbon Footprint
In terms of carbon footprint in the islands, Galapagos Safari Camp is committed to reducing its water and energy consumption with its cutting-edge water treatment systems, solar panel installations and responsible use of electricity (our tents do not require air-conditioning due to their elevated positions which take advantage of the cooler, highland air currents).
Fuel efficiency
Many cruise ships and boats in the islands unfortunately still use bunker fuel which is shipped to the islands aboard cargo ships that, in turn, burn bunker fuel. If you are keen on exploring the Galapagos on a cruise, it’s worth enquiring about the age of the engines and their fuel efficiency: the newer the engine, the more efficient it will be.
Historically, tourism in the Galapagos developed aboard ships that began navigating its waters commercially in the 1970s. Over the years, the standards of these ships improved, to the extent that there are now several Ecuadorian- and internationally-owned luxury vessels plying their waters.
Hotel infrastructure at the luxury level has been slower to develop, but is today very much at the same level as ship-based experiences, particularly on Santa Cruz Island.
At Galapagos Safari Camp, we strongly believe in the concept of Appropriate Luxury and its importance in the Galapagos Islands. We strive to offer our guests the highest levels of comfort and service, but without taxing the environment in the process.
Many people are put off land-based tours because they believe the inhabited islands are over-crowded and lacking in privacy.
The main ports such as Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz can certainly feel crowded during the high season. But Galapagos Safari Camp is located up in the highlands, far away from the coastal crowds. Our camp overlooks miles of pristine national park, without any other hotels, buildings, or Homo sapiens in sight. It is about as far from the tourist crowds as you can get in the Galapagos.
Many families feel more comfortable on land-based tours, but there are pros and cons to both. We weigh up the options in our blog post, ‘Galapagos With Kids: Family Cruise vs Family-Friendly Hotel’.
“Would we, like most visitors to the famous islands off of Ecuador’s coast, explore by cruise ship? The see-sawing surf keeping us awake at night, a cabin too minuscule in which to cartwheel, a father constantly on edge as his daughter careers towards the precipice of the deck… Hmmm. There had to be something more soothing, more expansive. Enter Galápagos Safari Camp.” – Nick Howells, Evening Standard
If you are based on the coast or on a boat, you will likely benefit from having air-conditioning.
Galapagos Safari Camp, however, is based in the highlands of Santa Cruz where air-conditioning is not necessary. All our Safari Tents are carefully positioned to take advantage of the natural cool breezes.
Our three-bedroom Family Suite is the only exception and comes with the option of air-conditioning. However, most families find they don’t need it.
LAND VS CRUISE
