Planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands can be daunting and full of questions — one of the main ones being, should I island-hop, or cruise? We put together a handy guide to help you answer this question so you can move onto getting excited about your upcoming adventure!
There are two sides to every story, and there are two ways of exploring the Galapagos Islands: by island-hopping and by cruise. Travelers are commonly paralyzed by these options, and rightly so — if you’ve never been to the Galapagos, how are you supposed to know how you should experience them? Let’s be clear about what the difference is between these two in the first place. Island-hopping (also referred to as land-based) means you’ll be staying at hotels on the main islands, and doing day trips (‘hopping’) from there. A cruise involves you travelling on a boat during the duration of your trip, and the boat being your base for all activities (lodging, meals, excursions, etc.).
While we hope this guide is thorough, any well-planned trip involves your own research and having a clear idea of the kind of Galapagos experience you’re after. So, our biggest recommendation as you decide is to do your homework on the islands and the wildlife, and map out what your priorities are — this will be the main driver behind the type of tour you choose. It all comes down to a matter of preference, so knowing what you want is key. Finally, keep in mind that careful planning is especially important during Galapagos high seasons, which are: 1) the last two weeks of April, 2) July to mid-September, and 3) the last two weeks of December. For cruises, the months of May and November are also considered high season, since many boats are on deck receiving maintenance.
Below, we break down the main differences between each type of tour: cost, accomodation, flexibility, range of visit (including wildlife sightings), activities, duration of trip, and overall comfort. To make the differences even more clear, we go into further detail (including pros and cons) in the last part of this guide. We hope this is as handy for you as it has been for all our travelers!
The main differences:
Cost: The cheaper option is definitely island-hopping. The all-inclusive nature of cruises makes their rates higher and less flexible. That said, the variety of cruises do suit different budgets, but even your cheapest option will be comparable or more expensive than an island-hopping itinerary. Island-hopping allows you to be more flexible with your budget, as you can choose which excursions and activities to engage in, and where to stay for any given day. For reference, a 5-day cruise can go anywhere from $ 2,000 – $ 4,000, while a 5-day island-hopping tour ranges from $ 900 – $ 2,500.
Accomodation: The biggest difference here is that for cruises, your lodging (including meals!) will be on the boat, whereas for island-hopping you will stay at a hotel on one of the main islands. Lodging options on the islands range from hostels to high-end hotels, so again, island-hopping has more flexibility built into it. Cruises usually include the following accommodation categories: Luxury, First Class, Tourist Superior, and Tourist (and the main difference between these is of course, space and comfort). If you’re particular about space, be sure to inquire about specifics for your boat.
Flexibility: Simply put, cruises lack flexibility and independence, whereas island-hopping is fully dependent on them. When you book a cruise, you book a package deal — your schedule, excursions, and activities are pre-determined for you (and if you want to take the hassle out of planning, this can be a good thing!). With a cruise, the only thing you’ll get to decide is its duration. With island-hopping, you get to choose where to stay, what to do, when to do it, and at what pace (although it may take more planning on your end!)
Range of visit (islands and wildlife): The Galapagos archipelago consists of 13 major islands, 5 medium-sized islands, and 215 islets. That’s a lot of ground to cover! And you’ll get to see a lot more of it (including wildlife) by cruise. Cruises do most of their travel by night, so you’ll get to reach more remote areas that otherwise cannot be reached by day tour. Additionally, some places are strictly accessible to cruise boats. Island-hopping means you’ll remain mainly on the three main islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, and Isabela), and your visits to other islands are limited to those that can be reached during the day.
Activities: Island-hopping offers a wider range of activities than cruises, and these activities tend to be more active and adventurous. Island-hopping gives you an opportunity to do a little bit of both, and to choose how adventurous you want the activity to be. The activities that are more available to island-hoppers are: hiking, cycling, surfing, kayaking, scuba diving, and snorkeling. Cruise-based excursions tend to be wildlife-focused, and you have more limited time for activities on land (such as hiking). They don’t include as wide a range because of scheduling limitations, but also because activities have to accommodate all passengers (and not everyone has the same comfort level or physical ability to participate).
Trip duration: Typically, cruises are 4,5,6,8, or 15 days long (there are very few in between). For reference, a semi-loop of the archipelago is 8 days, and a full loop is 15 days (but these terms can mean different things for each travel company, so be sure to ask about that). Island-hopping allows you to be more flexible in choosing the duration, although most agencies have set itineraries that you can request to customize if you so wish. Another thing to consider is that cruises do maximize your range of visit on a shorter time frame — that is, you’ll get to see significantly more on a 4-day cruise than on a 4-day island-hopping tour.
