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For
complementary information see Galapagos
FAQ.
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Best
time
to visit
|
You
can, in fact, visit any time of the year. You
can always see the birds' courtship, chicks hatching,
and the rearing of chicks. So
any time is good although there are some differences
with respect to birdwatching and diving. See the Galapagos
calendar for variations during the year.
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Galapagos visitor
numbers
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There are up to 60,000
people visiting each year, of different nationality and age. |
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Reservations |
Although
shorter reservations are increasingly possible, to ensure
your preferred choice of yacht we recommend you make your
reservation at least 3-6 months prior to your intended
date of departure and 6-12 months prior to book during
the holiday seasons. |
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Passports
& visas
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To
enter Ecuador only a valid passport is required. No visas
are required for U.S., Canadian, and most European citizens
unless you plan to stay more than ninety days. Check
with local immigration offices or the Ecuadorian consulate
prior to sailing to determine if a visa is necessary. |
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Entrance
fees
|
Most of the islands are part of
the Ecuador National Park system and there is a one-time
entrance fee of $100 to access the islands. This
funds the maintenance of the parks and other national projects. |
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Payment &
Credit Cards
|
U.S. dollars and travellers checks
are accepted on the islands. Mastercard
is the most commonly accepted credit cards while Visa and
American Express are not usually used. |
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Currency
|
Sucre and US dollar (sucres are
still around but the economy is largely dollarized). |
Taxes |
With each purchase you must pay
a tax of 12%. For
hotel and restaurants services you have to add another tax
of 10%. A $30
per person tax is collected upon arrival to San Cristobal
airport and $12 upon arrival to Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz)
for usage of the port and public facilities. A
$25 departure tax is paid on flying out of Ecuador. |
Tipping |
There is no clear rule on this,
and you will always be told that it depends on you and the
service you received. The following is just an indication
for yachts and cruise ships: tip the guide around $6-9 per
person per day, and give the captain $5-10 per person per
day for the crew. Often these are put in envelopes, and in
smaller yachts the passengers sometimes combine all the tips
together. |
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What
to pack
|
Most
of the yachts and cruises advise you to dress informally,
so it is probably a good idea to bring casual and comfortable
cloths. The lists of necessary attire includes shorts, bathing suits,
shirts preferably cotton, rubber-soled walking shoes, a
jacket, and a backpack to carry other items such as film,
cameras, sunglasses and sunscreen. See what
to bring
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Luggage
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From the mainland to the Galapagos,
airlines only allow one checked suitcase weighing up to 44
lbs and one carry-on
bag. |
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Time
zones
|
GMT minus 5
hours for the mainland and GMT minus 6 hours for the islands. Daylight
Savings Time is not observed in Ecuador. |
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Electricity
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110V, 60Hz |
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Health
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We
recommend that you drink bottled water to prevent illness. No
immunizations required at the time this was written, for
the mainland and the Galapagos islands, excluding some
deeply forested areas. Check
with a local health official at least two week prior to
departure. To
avoid getting sick the US Center
for Disease Control recommends:
- Don't eat food purchased from street
vendors
- Don't drink beverages with ice.
- Don't eat dairy products unless you
know they have been pasteurised.
- Don't share needles with anyone.
- Don't handle animals (especially monkeys,
dogs, and cats), to avoid bites and serious diseases.
- on't swim in fresh water. Salt water
is usually safer.
For
more information see the Center
for Disease Control`s recommendations |
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Medical care
|
Health care is not the best of quality
in Ecuador. Your
cruise ship probably will have a doctor and an infirmary
on board. If
not they have first-aid kits and the guides are trained in
first-aid procedures. Almost
all vessels have radio contact with the mainland in case
of emergencies. For complicated injuries go to the
Red Cross hospital. |
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Dietary
requests
|
If you have
allergies or are vegetarian it is recommended that you
inform airlines 72 hours in advance
and cruises 30 days in advance. You may have to inquire
if such services are available. |
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Shore
excursions
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It
is park regulations that you do not disturb or remove anything
(not even a rock or shell), do not touch or feed the animals,
do not leave any litter and to stay on the marked trails.
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Diving
|
The
best times to dive are October to July when water temperatures
are warmer and visibility is best. Galapagos
is recommended for intermediate to advanced divers due
to strong currents, cold water, thermoclines and large
marine life. The
closest decompression chamber is in Guayaquil, something
that divers should be aware of.
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Departure
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It
is highly recommended that you confirm your return flight
72 hours before your departure. Although not essential, it is better to arrive at least
2 hours before the departure time.
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Geology
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The
Galapagos Islands are all volcanic islands, formed by under
water volcanic activity. They
are thought to have formed about 3-5 million years ago. The
islands also have one of the most active volcanic chains. All
of the volcanoes are still active (with the exception of
the Ecuador Volcano on Isabela Island), but most of the
eruptions have been small.
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Flora
& fauna
|
There
are 58 resident birds of which 28 are endemic, six native
mammals, 22 species of reptile, 307 species of fish,
and a various number of crabs and other invertebrates. There
are also between 700 and 800 plants.
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Weather
|
The
Galapagos Islands have two seasons, the wet season and
the dry season otherwise known as the garuha season. The
wet season lasts from December
and June with sunny weather with occasional heavy rains. The
dry season is best known for the garuha, a damp mist, which
descends from the highlands. Despite
its name, the dry season often provides more moisture to
the highlands than the wet season did.
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Banking
|
El
Banco de Pacifico in Puerto Ayora cashes dollars,
the rates are a bit lower than on the mainland. The bank
is open Monday to Friday 8:00 - 3:30 and Saturday 9:30
-12:30. Personal
checks are not accepted. The
ATM operates between 7 am-11: 30 pm and accepts only Cirrus
and Mastercard. The
ATM is not totally reliable but if it is not working you
can ask the bank teller to make a cash-withdrawal with
your Mastercard (not with a Cirrus card).
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