What's the best time of year for tours starting in Quito to visit the Galapagos?

Tours from Quito are most popular from June through August when temperatures are mild and rainfall is minimal in both locations. The period from December through May brings warmer weather and occasional showers to the Galapagos but offers better underwater visibility for activities at locations like Tortuga Bay and Las Grietas. A TourRadar traveler mentioned: "We went in July and had perfect weather for hiking Sierra Negra Volcano on Isabela Island and snorkeling with sea turtles at Puerto Egas."

How many islands can I expect to visit on a typical tour starting in Quito?

Most itineraries cover 3-4 principal islands using Santa Cruz as the central point with excursions to Isabela Island San Cristobal and uninhabited locations such as Santa Fe or Bartolomé. Tour boats for island hopping leave from Puerto Ayora's harbor on Santa Cruz. One TourRadar traveler noted: "Starting from our arrival from Quito we managed to explore Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristobal islands which gave us a great overview of the diverse Galapagos ecosystems."

What type of accommodation can I expect throughout the tour?

The journey begins in Quito at tourist-class properties like Embassy Hotel followed by nature-oriented lodging in the Galapagos such as Hotel Ninfa or Galapagos Dreams in Puerto Ayora. A TourRadar traveler shared: "The hotels were well-located - from our base in Quito to the waterfront property in Puerto Ayora which made daily excursions convenient."

What's included in the flight arrangements from Quito to Galapagos?

Tour packages typically cover internal flights between Quito and the Galapagos Islands with morning departures between 6:40-9:40am including a fuel stop in Guayaquil. Travelers need to budget for the $100 USD National Park entrance fee and $20 USD Transit Control Card payable in cash upon arrival at Baltra or San Cristobal airports. A TourRadar traveler mentioned: "The flight arrangements were smooth - our guide met us at the Quito airport and helped facilitate all the necessary paperwork and payments."

How do I get from Quito to the Galapagos Islands?

The journey starts with a 3-hour flight from Quito to Baltra Island with a short layover in Guayaquil. A naturalist guide meets visitors at Baltra airport followed by a ferry transfer to Santa Cruz Island where Hotel Galapagos Dreams in Puerto Ayora serves as a base. According to a TourRadar traveler: "The transitions were seamless - from hotel pickup in Quito to the flight connections and meetup with our Galapagos guide at Baltra."

What's the recommended physical fitness level for these tours?

These tours need moderate physical ability for activities such as the Sierra Negra Volcano hike on Isabela Island (5-6 hours) the walk to Tortuga Bay (45 minutes) and snorkeling sessions at locations like Las Grietas. Properties such as Hotel Ninfa in Santa Cruz offer comfortable rest between activities. As noted by a TourRadar traveler: "While some hikes were challenging like Sierra Negra our guide paced the group well and there were plenty of breaks to rest and photograph wildlife."

Galapagos Islands Tours from Quito

An adventure starting in Quito is a great way to see Galapagos Islands. We have 112 tours that range from 5 days up to 24 days. The most popular time for tours from Quito is August, which has the most tour departures.

10 best Galapagos Islands tours from Quito

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Explorer
Galapagos Outdoor 9 Days Tour
4.9 (7 traveler reviews)
"Excellent trip and coordination, I never had to worry about getting picked up or dropped off."
Jeffrey, traveled in December
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Santa Cruz Island,Isabela Island,Bartolomé Island,Baltra Island+3 more
Age Range
Ages 10+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English, Spanish
Operator
GUIDEcuador Travel
From
US$3,300per person
+$690 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
- Booking needs min. 2 travelers
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Explorer
Galapagos Discovery
4.4 (19 traveler reviews)
"Her knowledge, personality, patience, organization, fun demeanor was outstanding."
Cindy, traveled in December
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Santa Cruz Island,Isabela Island+1 more
Age Range
Ages 15+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Intrepid Travel
15% Off
From $2,190
US$1,862per person
+$230 local payments
Price based on Shared Room
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Explorer
Galapagos Islands a Dream for Naturalists & Local Encounters
5.0 (4 traveler reviews)
"Amazing trip! I love the Galapagos."
SARO, traveled in January
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Santa Cruz Island,Floreana Island,Baltra Island+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English, Spanish
Operator
Signature DMC
15% Off
From
US$4,990per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Galapagos Islands Explorer - 7 days
Duration
7 days
Destinations
Quito, Baltra Island, Puerto Ayora,Puerto Baquerizo Moreno,Lobos Island+2 more
Age Range
Ages 8+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
On The Go Tours
15% Off
From $2,720
US$2,312per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Ocean Cruise
Galapagos Discovered - 6 days
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Española Island,Floreana Island,Santa Cruz Island+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Ship
M/C Anahi Galapagos Cruise
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
On The Go Tours
10% Off
From $3,915
US$3,524per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Ecuador & Galápagos: 8 Days of Nature’s Magic
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Quito, Baltra Island
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Wanderful Holidays LLC
21% Off
From $4,499
US$3,554per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
10 Days Galapagos Highlights Small Group Tour
5.0 (1 traveler review)
"The canoe rides and sightseeing were unforgettable. The food and restaurant service was great."
Andrew, traveled in August
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Quito, Santa Cruz Island, San Cristóbal Island,Isabela Island+1 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English, Spanish
Operator
Responsible Travel South America
21% Off
From
US$2,788per person
Price based on Private Single Room
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Sailing
Complete Galapagos (Grand Daphne)
4.6 (8 traveler reviews)
"Amazing trip and amazing destination. We saw pretty much everything we had hoped for and more."
Sarah, traveled in March
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Quito, Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island, Floreana Island,Española Island,San Cristóbal Island,Santa Fé Island,South Plaza Island,Genovesa Island,Santiago Island+6 more
Age Range
Ages 12+
Ship
Daphne
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Intrepid Travel
21% Off
From
US$7,735per person
+$220 local payments
Price based on Shared Room
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Ocean Cruise
Galapagos at a Glance: Southern Islands (Grand Daphne)
5.0 (1 traveler review)
"The boat lacks nothing. The rooms are enough, with the bottom bunks being able to fit 2 people."
brooks, traveled in February
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Quito, Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island, Floreana Island,Española Island,San Cristóbal Island+2 more
Age Range
Ages 12+
Ship
Daphne
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Intrepid Travel
21% Off
From
US$4,340per person
+$220 local payments
Price based on Shared Room
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Explorer
Luxury Galapagos 8 Days Tour
5.0 (1 traveler review)
"Weather was awesome, the hotels were nice, thank you for everything!"
Amida, traveled in February
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Quito, Baltra Island, Isabela Island,San Cristóbal Island,Santa Cruz Island,Bartolomé Island+3 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
GUIDEcuador Travel
21% Off
From
US$7,900per person
Price based on Private Double Room
- Booking needs min. 2 travelers
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Explorer
10 Days Galapagos Island Hopping in Santa Cruz and Isabela
4.7 (19 traveler reviews)
"The experience of viewing wildlife and exploring was amazing. I highly recommend this company."
Roberta, traveled in April
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Quito, Galapagos Islands, Baltra Island,Santa Cruz Island,Isabela Island+2 more
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English, Spanish
Operator
Responsible Travel South America
21% Off
From
US$2,310per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Galapagos Ultimate 6 Days Tour
4.5 (11 traveler reviews)
"We had a great time. Covid 19 didn't affect our vacation. All our guides, drivers and the people of Ecuador were doing everything right to avoid covid."
Sandra, traveled in December
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Leon Dormido,Santa Cruz Island,Baltra Island+2 more
Age Range
Ages 12+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English, Spanish
Operator
GUIDEcuador Travel
21% Off
From
US$1,390per person
Price based on Private Double Room
- Booking needs min. 2 travelers
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Explorer
7 Days Galapagos Express Adventure
5.0 (1 traveler review)
Duration
7 days
Destinations
Quito, Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island
Age Range
Ages 12+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English, Spanish
Operator
Responsible Travel South America
21% Off
From
US$1,295per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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Explorer
Galápagos Multisport
4.9 (45 traveler reviews)
"I find the accommodation suitable enough for my needs: comfortable bed, air condition, water, electricity, wifi."
Max, traveled in February
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Floreana Island,Isabela Island,Santa Cruz Island+2 more
Age Range
Ages 12+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
G Adventures
25% Off
From $4,279
US$3,209per person
Price based on Shared Room
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Explorer
Best of Galapagos
4.5 (43 traveler reviews)
"We saw everything!!! 10 days was the perfect amount of time to immerse ourselves into everything the islands have to offer."
Ella-Lisa, traveled in February
Duration
10 days
Destinations
Quito, San Cristóbal Island, Floreana Island,Isabela Island,Santa Cruz Island+2 more
Age Range
Ages 15+
Regions
PacificGalapagos Islands+1 more
Operated in
English
Operator
Intrepid Travel
10% Off
From $3,860
US$3,474per person
+$230 local payments
Price based on Shared Room
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