Thank you for trusting Galapagos Alternative with the great responsibility of helping you make your Galapagos dream come true! 

You are getting more than just a customized itinerary and a local concierge service with Galapagos Alternative. We know this is a significant trip and we are genuinely concerned about ensuring you have the best Galapagos experience possible. We have welcomed guests like family and friends for almost two decades. That's actually how it all started! We know and love these islands and it's our top priority to share them in a way that is respectful, responsible, and enjoyable.

Your local Galapagos Alternative concierge will meet you at your hotel the day you arrive and check in with you daily to make sure everything is going as planned. We often go out of our way to ensure you are comfortable and have everything you might need. You will also have a Galapagos Alternative concierge on all the inhabited islands you visit. 

No request is too big or too small.

Need a birthday cake or the best table at a busy restaurant? Or maybe a good snorkel spot close to the hotel? Or a local food joint that won't ruin the rest of your trip?

We have you covered, no matter what!

Our guests are always very grateful to have Galapagos Alternative available when unexpected incidents occur such as lost luggage, flight issues, illness, and injury. We can also help adjust your itinerary if last-minute issues arise concerning the hotels, the Galapagos National Park policy changes, mechanical problems, or even tsunami warnings. Our local knowledge is also useful when you have downtime or if just looking for a good restaurant suggestion. 

We are confident you will be pleased with Galapagos Alternative and the valuable services we provide. Our travelers find our prices very fair considering all the extra service and attention they receive throughout the booking process and their trip. Check out all of our 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor if you haven't already. We look forward to reading your glowing review, too!

We thank you for being a responsible traveler and supporting the local, family-owned businesses of these small island communities. These families will continue to love and preserve the Galapagos for generations. 

Please let us know how we can revise the itinerary to better suit your expectations and/or budget. Our goal is to help you create your ideal Galapagos experience with real locals there to back you up 110%. 

How do I get there? 

Galapagos flights depart from Guayaquil (GYE) or Quito (UIO). For Santa Cruz Island, you can fly into Baltra/Seymour Airport (GPS) or you can choose to fly to San Cristobal Airport (SCY). If you want to limit your time on boats between Islands, you can fly into Baltra and out of San Cristobal. 

Seasons/ What time of year should I come?

The Galapagos Islands are enjoyable all year round.  There are only two seasons here: the cool wet season (June-November) and the warm wet season (December-May). Between those seasons the weather is usually dry and breezy.  The high season is generally late December and early January, though the towns never feel crowded.  New Year's Eve and Carnaval are the only days you will find everyone in the streets celebrating but it’s a wonderful cultural experience.

June through November is when the colder ocean current comes through which can make for rough waters, though the visibility is usually better and there are more large pelagics like whales, dolphins, and mantas.  We recommend the closer islands in the northern waters that tend to be calmer.  You can choose to wear wet suits while snorkeling or diving.  That is also the Garua season which means there is a rolling mist that can cover islands at times and they seem to disappear from the horizon - another reason these are the "enchanted islands".  Feel free to come any time of the year.  We will make sure you enjoy activities that are appropriate for the season.  

How far in advance should I book my Galapagos trip? 

We recommend you make your reservations for Galapagos as early as possible to book the best hotels and tours that fit your travel preferences.  Most people book 1-6 months in advance.  For high-season winter holidays (Dec. 20 - Jan. 5) we recommend booking 6-12 months in advance.  Depending on availability, we may close reservations for busy months to assure the high-quality service our travelers expect.  We are happy to help with a last-minute reservation, when possible (one or two weeks before the arrival date).  

Should I just book last-minute tours when I get there? 

Your options will be very limited if you decide to book everything once you get here. You might save some money booking last-minute spaces but at the expense of losing hours or days, and possibly your patience, comparing options with the vendors on the street. You might get lucky with some good options but you will most likely have to go with the leftovers.  Some tours and boats are just not recommendable (like the day tours to Isabela or Floreana) and these are often the best sellers for the last-minute offers because they are cheap but they use the ferry boats for transportation and the service is usually poor. We recommend booking the day tours well in advance so we can make sure you get the best, most comfortable boats with the best guides and service onboard. 

Should I choose a land-based tour over a live-aboard cruise tour? 

Live-aboard cruises used to be the only option for visiting the Galapagos Islands. That has changed. The hotels and local tour operators have improved the land-based island hopping option to the point that it is often the more comfortable choice that offers more options and flexibility while still being able to see all of the wildlife on your list. The most compelling part about choosing the land-based option is that you are supporting the local communities and locally owned businesses. The more the locals are involved in tourism the more they appreciate where they live and take care of it.

The main advantage of staying land-based is being able to explore the quaint towns and culture of the inhabited islands like Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana during your downtime and in the evenings. Another plus is that the land-based itineraries offer more of a variety of activities including diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, and of course snorkeling. You will have more flexibility in your itinerary by staying land-based and the ability to visit unique places that you can explore on your own, without a guide and group tagging along.

Land-based tours can offer all the most sought-after animals and up-close encounters as a live-aboard boat. Giant Galapagos tortoises, blue-footed boobies, nazca boobies, pelicans, frigate birds, tropic birds, gulls, marine and land iguanas, sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, rays, and penguins are all common sites on land-based itineraries. There are also the possible encounters with whales and dolphins during crossings. If you would like to see the more rare animals like the red-footed boobies, waved albatross, or flightless cormorants just let us know and we can arrange longer day tours to visit these particular animals.  There are only a few islands that you cannot reach by day tour boats (Genovesa, Fernandina, and Santiago). With access to all of the other islands (Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal, Floreana, Bartolome, Seymour, Santa Fe, Plazas, Daphne, and Pinzon) we can easily provide a well-rounded Galapagos experience that meets and exceeds all of your expectations.  You would need two or three weeks to visit ALL of the islands (by cruise or land-based) but we recommend focusing on a few islands to get a good feel of Galapagos without feeling rushed. And of course, all the while, enjoying the flexibility and connection with the local communities that only the land-based option provides.

In the unfortunate case that you can't come to the Galapagos, we do our best to get your money back no matter the reason for the cancellation.

We have wonderful relationships with the hotel and boat owners and they are usually open to trying to resell the spaces so we can attempt to get you your money back.

Sometimes the boats and hotels are more willing to move reservations to different dates with little to no penalty. 

Please see our official terms and conditions on this invoice for more details. 

Terms and Conditions 

Galapagos Alternative / Jimo Tours Cia. Ltda.

If your arrival date is more than six weeks away, a 50% deposit is due right away.  

You will have the option of making a partial payment.

Full payments are due at the six-week mark or if your arrival date is less than six weeks away.

Reservations:

We recommend making your reservations for the Galapagos Islands well in advance. Holiday dates, including Christmas and New Year, are in high demand and can sell out up to two years in advance. April and May also tend to sell out, so booking early for these months is also advised. Booking earlier allows for more hotel and tour options that will fit your interests.

The status of all itineraries is “tentative” until we begin the reservation process. After a proposed itinerary is agreed upon, the reservation process will be initiated. All accommodations, tours, and activities are subject to availability. A final itinerary with any necessary changes will be presented for final approval. At this time, you will receive payment option details as well as a final invoice with due dates for your tour. Once your initial payment clears, we will confirm all reservations. The final itinerary and cost are subject to change if payment is not made by the invoice due date.

Responsibility:  

Any payment made to Galapagos Alternative (Jimo Tours CIA LTDA) to confirm the reservations is the acknowledgment by the payer that they agree to accept the Terms & Conditions stated herein. By making payment to Galapagos Alternative, you assume all liability for yourself during your visit to the Galapagos Islands and/or Ecuador and/or Peru and relieve Galapagos Alternative (Jimo Tours CIA LTDA) and affiliates of all legal responsibilities, including death or injury to any member of your group.  

Galapagos Alternative and its affiliates will do everything within their control to ensure you are safe and well during your trip. As a preventative measure, we STRONGLY recommend that you purchase travel insurance. The hospitals on the islands are poorly equipped and staffed. There is an emergency helicopter service between the islands.  Your insurance should cover emergency medical evacuation to the mainland or home.  

Payment Policy:

All reservations require a deposit according to the following table:

Reservations made more than six weeks before the arrival date require a 50% minimum deposit, which must be made within seven days after the booking request date.

Reservations made less than six weeks before the arrival date require immediate payment in full.

Payment can be divided into three installments upon request. 

Cancelations:

If a trip is cancelled for any reason, Galapagos Alternative (Jimo Tours CIA LTDA) will promptly refund the portion of the trip cost not already advanced to suppliers and use its best efforts to recover and refund the balance as quickly as possible. However, we do not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advanced payments made, and our use of best efforts to recover these payments will not include the institution and/or cost of any legal proceedings.

Refunds are based on the following table:

  •  Bookings canceled more than 91 days before the arrival date or prior have a 20% booking fee.

  •  Bookings canceled between 90 and 61 days before the arrival date have a maximum of 50% penalty.

  •  Bookings canceled between 60 and 0 days before the arrival date may imply a 100% penalty.**

Galapagos Alternative (Jimo Tours CIA LTDA) allows changes to existing reservations and is willing to work with local service providers to limit fees and secure refunds if possible. All hotels, operators, and guides have different policies regarding changes to reservations, and some fees may apply. Guests will be responsible for any change fees.

**For last-minute COVID-19-related cancellations, we will do our best to move your reservations to new dates without penalties. Date changes, refunds, and credits are subject to the discretion of our service providers.

Day 1

Oct. 27

Free time suggestion - La loberia beach snorkel

Day 2

Oct. 28

Free Half Day Suggestion: Interpretation Center, Tijeretas, Punta Carola beach - (hiking/snorkeling) on your own

Day 3

Oct. 29

Kicker Rock/León Dormido - guided group tour (snorkeling) - superior class boat

Day 4

Oct. 30

Plane San Cristobal - Isabela - Departure at 8:30am

Send extra bags by boat (San Cristobal - Santa Cruz)

Free Day Isabela - Arrive, settle in, explore and relax!

Day 5

Oct. 31

Lava Tunnels/Los Tuneles - guided group tour (snorkeling) - standard class boat

Day 6

Nov. 1

Sulfur Mines - Volcano Hike - guided group tour

Day 7

Nov. 2

Free Time Option: Breeding Center, Wetlands, Wall of Tears - on your own

3 PM boat Isabela / Santa Cruz - standard class boat