The Galápagos Islands are a place I’ve always wanted to visit at least once in my lifetime. 

And unfortunately I still am not going. 

Yet. 

But you know who is? My partner, Will, with his absurd amounts of vacation days (I promise I’m not jealous.)

Even though I can’t go myself, I do get to help him plan the Galápagos trip of my dreams. So welcome to the Galápagos series where I will be going over preparations, precautions, and other considerations as I help him get ready over the next few months. 

In exchange he promised to bring back some souvenirs! (or else.)

You might remember that the Galápagos Islands were where Charles Darwin formed his theory of natural selection (shout out to high school science). But that’s not enough to help us prepare for this trip. 

The Galápagos Islands are made up of 19 islands in the Pacific Ocean and located approximately 1000km from the coast of Ecuador. Of the 19 islands, only 4 of them are inhabited giving you an idea of how remote this place really is. 

What makes it special is that it is home to some of the world’s most diverse wildlife species and habitats, earning its spot as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

We’re talking about iguanas that can hold their breath and swim, penguins near the equator, giant tortoises, flightless cormorants, and sea lions – the natural beauty here is unmatched. The archipelago is rich with unique creatures that you will not see anywhere else in the world, born from centuries of evolution with minimal human interference.

Because of that, the ecosystem is fragile.

This makes tourism tightly controlled and the several conservation efforts currently in place extremely important to preserve the Galápagos Islands for generations to come. 

As part of these conservation efforts, tourists are required to pay the Galápagos National Park Entry Fee, which as of April 2026 is $200 for tourists over the age of 12. You will also have to fill in a Biosafety Affidavit before or on the day of your arrival to the Galápagos Islands. Check out the link below for more information.

https://www.Galápagosislands.com/travel/transportation/entry-fees.html

For this trip, Will has booked a group tour, which adds another layer to how I plan for this trip. 

He will be spending a few days in Quito to explore and acclimate before going to the Galápagos. From the Quito airport, he will then shuttle to and board a ferry to Isla Santa Cruz. 

This tour will cover the 5 different islands over the course of 6 days. As you can expect, there will be lots of time spent transiting via bus or ferry, and going between islands. Travel days can start as early as 4am depending on your flight into Quito, so he should be prepared for that. 

Some of the activities you can expect on this tour obviously include sightseeing, so expect to be walking for hours in various conditions. Snorkelling is also possible on some of the islands, and that’s one activity he will definitely be doing. 

This is definitely not a “sit and relax” kind of trip and can be physically demanding. 

This isn’t meant to be a perfect packing list but things I think would be very practical.

Gear

• Camera/Go Pro
• Backpack/Day bag
• Water bottle
• Binoculars
• Snorkel mask (optional)

Clothing

• UV-Protective clothing
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Hiking shoes/Comfortable shoes

Toiletries

• Reef-Safe Sunscreen

Medication (These are optional)

• Bug spray
• Motion sickness tablets
• Allergy tablets
• Altitude sickness medications
• Diarrhea meds (Loperamide, antibiotics)
• Pain relief (Tylenol, Advil, etc)

Miscellaneous

• Travel insurance

Check out Think Galápagos’ packing list for a more comprehensive list

https://thinkgalapagos.com/the-ultimate-galapagos-packing-list

What makes this trip to the Galápagos a bit different than our usual trips is how remote it is.

Healthcare will be harder to access if something goes wrong, and with a group tour it’s harder to slow down and adjust your plans.

I want to be more intentional in my planning without feeling over-prepared.

In the next part of this series, I will go over the vaccines I’m considering for this trip.