The Galapagos Islands appear on almost every diver's bucket list, but far fewer divers have actually made it to these fascinating islands. A combination of cost and logistics makes this trip a challenging one for many, and even more so with the current covid regulations. But fear not, here at Bluewater we have been running successful Galapagos trips for many years and have all the information needed to make sure your dive vacation runs without a hitch.
Check out these awesome photos of Galapagos from the Underwater Photography Guide.
Trip Itinerary
Galapagos can be visited via liveaboard or from a land-based resort, but for divers, a liveaboard is by far and away the best option. Galapagos liveaboards facilitate much better access to the remoter sites in the archipelago and divers can spend time diving or relaxing rather than transitting to and from shore. Itineraries tend to run for 7- or 10- nights and most will include several dives at the renowned Wolf and Darwin Rocks.
Getting to Galapagos
Arriving in Galapagos isn't as difficult as you might think. The first step is to fly internationally to Ecuador, landing in either Guayaquil or Quito. Then take a domestic flight out to San Cristobal on Galapagos. The flights to Galapagos normally depart mid-morning, so you may need to arrive in Ecuador the day before and stay overnight depending on your international arrival time.
Galapagos is perfect for wide-angle photography. Buy everything you need from the Blue water Photo Store.
What about covid regulations?
This is where it gets slightly more complicated. Both Ecuador and the Galapagos are accepting international visitors, however, Ecuador has a 14-day quarantine in place. If you are transiting through Ecuador on your way to the Galapagos, you are exempt from quarantine requirements, but you do still need to satisfy covid testing requirements as follows.
To enter Ecuador, you must provide a negative RT-PCR covid test taken no more than 7 days before arriving in Ecuador. To enter the Galapagos, you must provide a negative RT-PCR covid test taken no more than 96 hours before arriving in San Cristobal. If you can access rapid test results where you live, you may be able to travel from home to Galapagos within the 96-hour time frame. However, this is strictly enforced, so don't take the risk if you are not absolutely sure it's possible.
The alternative, and what most travelers will need to do, is land in Ecuador with an RT-PCR test taken within the last 7 days. You can then take a second test at the airport and book 2 nights in a local hotel to await the results. Once you have your results, you can continue your journey to Galapagos.
How can Bluewater help?
The team at Bluewater Travel knows everything there is to know about traveling to and from Galapagos - most of us have been there!
We can help in a variety of ways, from booking you a Galapagos liveaboard at a great price, helping to arrange international and domestic flights, or helping organize testing and accommodation in Ecuador. Some of our operators even offer an all-inclusive package where the domestic flights, covid testing, and accommodation are all arranged for you.
Check out our next group trip to Galapagos, or contact us for more info on bespoke packages.