We've given each of our tours a comfort rating and a tour pace, walking or cycling grade to give you a general idea about the level of activity on each tour and the standard of accommodation you will be staying in at the end of your day's adventure.
Often you'll stay in different styles of accommodation during your tour; so we make an average rating across the entire tour. For more information on where you'll stay each night, please refer to the day by day tour itinerary.
Please be aware that if you purchase duty free on your return from your departing airport and are flying home via Madrid this will be confiscated as Madrid Airport check your hand luggage and you are not permitted bottled liquids over 100ml. We recommend you buy locally and pack in your main luggage.
The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these trip notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations.
Note that you will need approx US$42 for airport taxes.
From 7th November 2008 the Galapagos Authorities introduced the Galapagos Transit Control Card, where each person visiting the Galapagos must have US$10 This will be payable before entrance is permitted.
Accordingly, you should allow US$10 for the land portion of the trip and US$140 for the Galapagos portion of the trip: US$100 for the crew and US$40 for the guide portion of the trip.
Local Costs
| |
UK |
Ecuador |
Galapagos Islands |
| Tea/Coffee |
£1.50 |
$1.00 |
|
| Soft Drink |
£1.50 |
$1.50 |
|
| Bottled Water |
£1.50 |
$2.00 |
|
| Bottle of Beer |
£3.50 |
$2.50 |
|
| 2 Course Meal* |
£15.00 |
$15.00 |
|
| 3 Course Meal** |
£20.00 |
$19.00 |
|
| Bottle of Wine |
£14.50 |
$20.00 |
|
| Breakfast |
£5.00 |
$10.00 |
|
*Cheap local fare in a small cafe or restaurant.
**Typical food in a simple, reasonably comfortable mid-range restaurant.
Important Information
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of joining any of our tours that you must have valid travel insurance. It must indicate that you have cover for (at least) medical expenses and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. We also strongly recommend your policy includes cancellation protection as all deposit paid are non-refundable.
If you require travel insurance for your tour, Explore Worldwide is an appointed representative of Campbell Irvine Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services authority. Our travel insurance policy is specially tailored to the needs of the adventure traveller and will cover you for any included activity on any Explore trip. You can either purchase this at the time of booking or call us 0844 499 0901 after you have booked.
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Visa Requirements
No visa required for citizens of UK, AUS, CAN, USA or New Zealand. Please ensure your passport is stamped with the T3 permit (for 30 or 90 days) on arrival in Ecuador. Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
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Please note: Please note that flights on the tour may transit through the USA. According to US law, passengers will have to disembark, collect luggage and clear immigration before re-boarding for the onward flight.
Holders of the UK, AUS, NZ, CAN and several EU country passports can enter the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if they hold a machine readable passport. They must also be entering the country by sea or air on a carrier participating in the visa waiver scheme, holding a return/onward ticket. As well as being machine readable, if your passport was issued on or after 26 October 2005, it must contain both a digital photograph of the holder and also an integrated circuit chip that stores biographic information.
All passengers travelling to the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme must provide their details online no later than 72 hours prior to travel. British travellers who have not registered before their trip are likely to be detained and sent home. In addition to passport information, you must also supply the full address of your first night’s accommodation in the USA. This information can be obtained from your joining instructions which are sent out approximately 3 weeks before travel.
Anyone applying for ESTA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) to travel under the Visa Waiver system will be charged a fee of 14USD (9GBP).
For more information, and to apply online, please visit the following website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Once obtained, the application will be valid for a period of two years, or for the validity of your passport (whichever is shorter).
For more information about who is eligible for the VWP, or any other questions you may have regarding your eligibility, or machine readable passports, please contact your local consular office, or visit www.usembassy.org.uk
Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
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Vaccinations & Protection
We recommend protection against malaria, infectious hepatitis, tetanus, typhoid and polio. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria.
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The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at http://www.explore.co.uk/Travelhealth/ and from your local healthcare provider.
Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.
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Know before you go
We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs, including advice re: the legality of and local attitudes towards same-sex relationships. For UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice follow the link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Preparing for your tour
Additional Information for your Boat Journey
The Xavier is a comfort class vessel which has twin share (not bunks), en-suite cabins with air conditioning and hot water. The boat has indoor lounge and dining area, a sun deck and is equipped with life jackets and other necessary safety equipment. The boat has 6-8 fulltime crew on board plus a Level III naturalist guide, the highest level certified by the Galapagos National Park. We spend 7 nights on board, with all meals provided. Members of the Explore group will be joining an international complement of passengers on board as the tours are operated by a local company. Different languages may be spoken on board but the guiding is in English. Please note that cabins located towards the stern may be subject to slightly more noise at times, due to their proximity to the engine room. We are unfortunately unable to guarantee the location of your cabin on board.
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Climate
On the Galapagos, the hot season is January to April with largely sunny days and the possibility of heavy showers; the cool season runs May to December and is generally more cloudy with much cooler seas. Please note that although it is windier from July to November the sea can be rough at any time of the year. On the mainland the dry season lasts from June to October, though September can be wet.
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Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable. For up-to-date information on the weather worldwide please visit www.bbc.co.uk/weather.
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Packing for your tour
To assist with packing for your tour, we have detailed some of the essential items you should take with you.
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Luggage
Unfortunately it does occasionally happen that luggage does not always reach its destination on the same flight as its owner, or possibly it may be damaged in transit. If you are unlucky enough for this to occur, it is important that you file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) with the airline before leaving the airport. This is essential when you come to make a claim either against the airline or from your travel insurance company
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One main piece of soft luggage and a daysac. You are expected to carry your own luggage – don’t overload yourself. Whilst travelling on the boat, we recommend that your does not exceed 33lbs/15kgs as space will be limited.
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Trek Kit Bag
For an exclusively designed Explore Trek Bag, follow the relevant link at www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore
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Clothing
Pack essentially for ‘All Tours’ plus ‘Hot Conditions’. Daytime clothing should be lightweight and loose fitting, but warmer clothing is needed at at night. Long lightweight clothes are useful to avoid sunburn. Bring a swimsuit, sunhat, sunglasses and sweater/fleece. Lightweight windproof/waterproofs are essential.
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Footwear
Comfortable walking boots or shoes and trainers or sandals with a good grip. Plastic sandals (not flip flops) are useful for wet landings
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Equipment
A torch, water bottle, insect repellent, high factor sunscreen, ear plugs, binoculars, camera film/memory card, waterproof bag for camera and motion sickness tablets or patches. Snorkelling equipment is available on the boat, however we cannot guarantee the quality or size of the equipment so we recommend you bring your own. Disposable waterproof cameras can be purchased locally.
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Personal First Aid Kit
For an exclusively designed Explore Medical Kit, visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore
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Need help on Clothing or Equipment?
Then we suggest you contact Nomad Travel, our equipment partner, who specialise in kitting people out for adventurous travel. You receive a special 10% discount in-store or online. Visit one of their stores, phone 0845 260 0044, or visit their website www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore for further information.
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General Information
Trip Summary
Situated 600 miles to the west of the mainland of South America, the Galapagos are an isolated chain of volcanic islands supporting a distinct and unique flora and fauna, including prehistoric creatures found nowhere else on earth. Darwin wrote of the islands: “The country was compared to what we might imagine the cultivated parts of the infernal regions to be.” As oceanic islands born out of mighty eruptions below the sea, the Galapagos have never had contact with continental land masses and thus started their existence as barren lands of lava and ash. Because of their isolation, most species have evolved in different ways to their mainland relatives and even within the archipelago species have developed differently. Of the extraordinary animals to be found many are reptiles, such as the great tortoise, large land iguanas, numerous lizards and three species of non-poisonous snakes. There are also several species of turtle which come ashore to mate. Up to three quarters of a million seabirds flock to the islands, including a third of the world’s blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, pelicans, cormorants, albatross and petrels. Most out of place of all the animals on the equator, perhaps, is the penguin; only 35cm tall, the Galapagos penguin can be seen swimming amongst tropical mangroves! Offshore it is common to see dolphins, sea lions and fur seals frolicking in the water. Apart from the extraordinary wildlife, the islands themselves are a fascinating place to walk around, with dramatic volcanic cones and solidified lava flows.
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Please note:
At the time of booking we require your full passport details and Place of Birth. Due to a change in regulations travellers over 70 must fill in a medical questionnaire (sent with your confirmation invoice).
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The boat section of this tour is run in association with a local specialist operator & is therefore not exclusive to Explore travellers.
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The boat’s exact itinerary is determined by the Galapagos National Park Authorities and this can make the route subject to change at any time of the year.
In the event that our boat is unavailable for operational reasons, a vessel of the same category or superior will be provided.
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Please note that there is no Tour Leader on this tour. In the Galapagos you are accompanied by a naturalist guide and boat crew. In Quito you will be accompanied by a local representative.
Flight times to and from the islands can change at short notice.
Tourism in the Galapagos is quite rudimentary yet expensive.
Please only use bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth in Ecuador and the Galapagos.
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Electric Supply & Plugs
For comprehensive information regarding voltages and plug types in use in the countries visited, follow the relevant link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Toll Free USA - 1 800 715 1746 
Toll Free Canada – 1 888 216 3401
This is the North American website
