Galapagos DIY
Traveling to the Galapagos is fairly simple. You will fly to either Quito or Guyaquil Ecuador and then fly to either Santa Cruz (Baltra) or San Cristobal. Before you travel, it is advised to register with the Governing Council of the Galapagos.
Travel to Ecuador
For our trip, we flew via American Airlines from Atlanta to Miami to Guyaquil. The flight from Miami to GYE is about 4 hours. You can also fly to Quito, but you will still have to fly to Guyaquil to catch the flight to the Galapagos.
We spent the night in Guyaquil before flying to the Galapagos. I read a number of travel websites that advised spending the night in Ecuador just in case there are delays. Unfortunately, one of our checked bags got delayed in Miami and didn't catch up with us for several days (trip advice: pack a set of clothing and swimsuit in your carry on bag). No form is required to go through customs at this airport, and our bags were not checked - they waved us through.
Taxis are cheap in Ecuador and are a safe way to get from the airport to your hotel. We stayed at the Courtyard on the way to the Galapagos and at the Wyndham on the way back. I highly recommend the Wyndham - it was fabulous and is only 5 minutes from the airport.
Travel to Galapagos
We flew Latam Airlines from GYE to Santa Cruz (it was all on one ticket with American Airlines; we bought our tickets on Priceline.com). You can also fly into San Cristobal. We decided to fly into Santa Cruz and out of San Cristobal. This is a good way to ensure you spend time on both islands.
It's a good idea to get to the airport 2-3 hours early. We had a fairly easy time getting through the process. When you arrive, you check in at the kiosk first. Then, your bags are screened for produce and food. You then buy transit cards for each person at $20 each (cash). Be sure you hold on to these transit cards and keep with your passports. You can then check in your bags and go through security. Security was minimal as we did not have to take off our shoes or jackets, take out liquids or electronics. There is a nice shop at the terminal in case you need some basics.
Tip: If you are not fluent in Spanish, consider downloading an app to help you translate. We used google translate.
The flight is about 2 hours and before you land, the flight attendants will spray the stored carry on bags with a pesticide approved by WHO. This pesticide helps ensure that potentially invasive species from other places are not introduced to the Galapagos. Once you land and deplane, you will walk across a disinfecting mat to sterilize your shoes. This airport is special because it is the world's first "green" airport: http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/galapagos-ecological-airport-wind-and-solar-power/index.html.
Once you are in the building, you will get in line and provide passports and transite card and pay the $100 per person national park fee (CASH only). For children under the age of 12, it is $50. Once you pay the fees, then you get in line for baggage check (provide customs form you filled out on the plane); they will ask if you have fresh foods like fruits and vegetables). Carry-on bags are scanned. You will then pick up your checked bags and go to the exit!! There is a nice shop at the exit where you can pick up hats, shirts, pants, etc. I recommend that you pick up some water for the travel to Puerto Ayora.
The plane actually lands on an island adjacent to Santa Cruz called Baltra. The only thing on this small island is the airport, which is an old military base. When you land in Baltra, you will need to make your way to Santa Cruz which is a little complicated, but I will outline the steps for you.
1. Load onto a bus that will take you to the ferry. This is free and takes about 10-15 minutes.
2. Take a ferry to cross over to Santa Cruz. The ferry takes only 5 minutes. The workers will load your bags onto the roof of ferry (don't be alarmed; it's fine). The ferry is $1 per person.
3. Take a pick-up truck taxi to Puerto Ayora. The taxi ride, if there are no stops, is about 45 minutes and should cost about $25 for a group of 4 persons.
Getting to the Galapagos
