Understanding how to island hop in the Galapagos when there are more than 16 discoverable islands is one of the most confusing parts of planning a first visit.
We visited the Galapagos islands on a 2-week self-guided vacation in April 2023. During our time, we visited six islands in total, including overnight stays on the three major ones.
In this guide, we will explain everything we learned about Galapagos island hopping. This includes insight on which islands to begin and end a multi-island vacation, options for inter-island transport, prices, times, and all other pertinent information.
If you still have any questions after you’ve finished reading, let us know in the comments section at the end so we can answer them directly!
π Galapagos Island Hopping Overview
There is a lot to understand about inter-island travel within the Galapagos. Here are some of the most important foundational points to understand from the beginning:
π There are at least 19 Galapagos Islands. The exact number depends on the minimum size qualifier the reporting source uses to differentiate a “rock” from an “island.”
π‘ Only 4 of the Galapagos Islands are inhabited and each have overnight accommodation available. In order of population, they are Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana.
βοΈ Santa Cruz and San Cristobal are the only two Galapagos islands you can fly in and out from. Isabela Island also has an airport, but is only available for inter-island flights.
*The airport for Santa Cruz (GPS) is technically on the directly adjacent island of Baltra.
β΄ A ferry service is available and connects all four inhabited islands.
π The uninhabited Galapagos islands can only be visited on a day tour or cruise. Official National Park guides are required to visit uninhabited islands.
Understanding these key points, most of your island hopping in the Galapagos will be via boat tours to smaller islands with a few ferry rides between the major islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and potentially even Floreana.
πΊοΈ Map of the Galapagos Islands
The map of the Galapagos Islands above shows the archipelago in its entirety.
It has been color-coded to indicate the islands that are inhabited and can be stayed on, those accessible by day tour, and those that are accessible via cruise ship only.
In addition, ferry services and airports are indicated by the appropriate symbols.
ποΈ DISCOVER MORE:
BEST ISLANDS IN THE GALAPAGOS TO VISIT
β΄ Galapagos Island Hopping by Ferry
There are ferries that service the four main islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana, allowing visitors to easily get around.
Each ferry route will have two departure times per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with the exception of Floreana which has only one departure daily.
The only direct ferries are to and/or from Santa Cruz Island as it is centrally located. To travel between any of the other islands, you will need to go through Santa Cruz.
As a common example, travelers going from San Cristobal to Isabela island will have to take one ferry to Santa Cruz, then catch the next one the rest of the way to Isabela.
While you will have the option to book this journey on one ticket, in actuality it is just combining the morning ferry to Santa Cruz with the afternoon ferry onward!
βοΈΒ Pro tip:Β The ferry is more of a large speedboat and can be very bumpy, as well as warm and stuffy if youβre sat inside. If youβre prone to motion sickness, you may wish to take aΒ motion sickness tabletΒ or useΒ acupressure bands.
Galapagos Ferry Pricing
The ferries cost $35 online or $30 locally and typically fill up in advance. Therefore, it is worth paying the extra $5 to pre-book online and have your seat guaranteed.
In addition to the ferry price, you will also take a small taxi boat from the pier to the ferry, which will cost $1 per person.
Upon arrival at your destination island, you will need to take another water taxi from the ferry to the pier, which will cost another $1 per person.
Finally, you will also have to pay a pier fee when arriving on Santa Cruz or Isabela. This is $1 on Santa Cruz and $10 on Isabela.
Be sure to keep some cash accessible for these numerous small fees.
π° DISCOVER MORE:
GALAPAGOS TRIP COST + HOW MUCH TO BUDGET
Galapagos Ferry Routes & Times
As previously discussed, there are no direct ferries between San Cristobal and Isabela. While you can book the journey on one ticket, you will actually be booking the morning ferry from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz and then the afternoon ferry from Santa Cruz to Isabela.
Due to the amount of time lost and a relatively small difference in price, we recommend island hopping, specifically between San Cristobal and Isabela by plane.
For all other inter-island journeys, the ferry is a good option as it is more affordable than a plane and delivers you directly to the main town on each island.
All ferry rides between the islands take around 2-2.5 hours and take you to the main pier at each town.
Below are the ferry schedules for each route.
| Santa Cruz β San CristΓ³bal: 7am and 3pm | San CristΓ³bal β Santa Cruz: 7am and 3pm |
| Santa Cruz β Isabela: 7am and 3pm | Isabela β Santa Cruz: 6am and 3pm |
| Santa Cruz β Floreana: 8am | Floreana β Santa Cruz: 3pm |
βοΈ Galapagos Island Hopping by Plane
The only two airports on mainland Ecuador that fly to the Galapagos islands are in Quito and Guayaquil.
From mainland, you can only fly into Santa Cruz (GPS) or San Cristobal (SCY) in the Galapagos. It is worth noting that the Santa Cruz airport is technically on the neighboring island of Baltra, requiring a short bus and water taxi ride.
Accordingly, your Galapagos journey will have to begin and end with any combination of these airports.
Typically, we recommend booking flights from Quito to San Cristobal on your way to the islands, but flying back from Santa Cruz to Quito.
Galapagos Inter-Island Airlines & Prices
There are currently only two airlines that offer inter-island flights, these are Emetebe and ESAV. Both airlines offer morning and flights between Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, and Isabela.
Emetebe has been in operation far longer and has an online booking platform on their website, whereas ESAV only started operations in 2022 and is still without one. However, you can reach out via their website to make a booking.
Prices are reasonably comparable, ranging from $140-$190 one-way depending on luggage allowances and airlines.
It is worth noting that your luggage allowance will be significantly less than the flight from Quito.
For inter-island flights, you will typically have a maximum allowance of 15-35lbs, depending on the fare you choose.
You will want to take this into consideration when packing for Galapagos if you plan on flying between islands.
βοΈ NEED MORE HELP PLANNING?
HOW TO TRAVEL TO GALAPAGOS IN 10 EASY STEPS
Galapagos Inter-Island Flight Routes & Times
The flight time between the islands is about 45 minutes, making flying a faster alternative to the ferries.
However, keep in mind that if you fly into or out of Baltra (Santa Cruz), you will also need to factor in almost an hour to get from the airport to the main town of Puerto Ayora.
This journey includes a bus from the airport, followed by a water taxi to cross the Itabaca Canal, then another bus or taxi to Puerto Ayora.
Both the airports on San Cristobal and Isabela are within walking distance or a 5-minute taxi ride from town. This is another reason we recommend flying between these two islands but taking a ferry to or from Santa Cruz.
ESAV Galapagos Flight Schedule
ESAV has one daily direct flight between each island and a couple with layovers.
You can check the current flight schedule on the ESAV website.
| Morning Itinerary | Afternoon Itinerary |
|---|---|
| San CristΓ³bal β Isabela: 8:30am | San CristΓ³bal β Baltra: 12pm |
| Isabela β Baltra: 9:30am | Baltra β Isabela: 1pm |
| Baltraβ San CristΓ³bal: 10:30am | Isabela β San CristΓ³bal: 2:30pm |
Emetebe Galapagos Flight Schedule
Emetebe offers similar morning and afternoon flights. However, their flights between Baltra and San Cristobal will always include a layover at Isabela.
Therefore, if you are looking for a direct flight between these two options, ESAV can be the better option.
You can also check up-to-date flight times and make bookings on the Emetebe website.
| Morning Flights | Afternoon Flights |
|---|---|
| San CristΓ³bal β Isabela β Baltra 8:15am β 9am / 9:15am β 9:45am | Baltra β Isabela β San CristΓ³bal: 1pm β 1:30pm / 2pm β 2:45pm |
πΊ Galapagos Island Hopping Itineraries
If you want to do any amount of island hopping in the Galapagos, you will need at least 2-3 days per island you wish to stay on overnight, plus an additional day for any uninhabited island you wish to visit by day trip.
The table below provides a good rule of thumb for how many islands you can reasonably visit based on the number of days you have available and links to our suggested itinerary for each:
| # DAYS | ISLAND(S) TO VISIT | RELEVANT GUIDE |
| 5 Days | Santa Cruz and/or San Cristobal | 5 Day Galapagos Itinerary |
| 7 Days | Santa Cruz & San Cristobal + 1 uninhabited | 7 Day Galapagos Itinerary |
| 10 Days | Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela + 1 uninhabited | 10 Day Galapagos Itinerary |
| 14+ Days | All 4 inhabited + multiple uninhabited islands |
π’ Island Hopping Galapagos by Cruise Ship
The easiest way to visit lots of Galapagos islands (and the only way to visit some of them) is to book a cruise.
While we typically prefer DIY travel and rarely recommend cruises, the Galapagos islands are a unique destination where the difficulty in organizing a self-guided vacation adds much value to having someone do it for you.
Additionally, it is by far the most time-efficient option for traveling around the islands.
Recommended Galapagos Cruises
There are a number of other Galapagos cruise options, each with different itineraries, lengths, and inclusions.
The maximum ship size in the Galapagos is 100 passengers, so you can expect smaller ships than elsewhere in the world.
Additionally, island hopping the Galapagos islands by cruise is a much less formal affair than other destinations. The main focus will be adventure and exploration rather than dinner formalities!
ππ½ββοΈ Galapagos Island Hopping FAQs
Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions for first-timers hoping to island hop around Galapagos.
Simply click the drop-down arrows to reveal answers.
Which islands can you stay on in Galapagos?
You will find accommodation for tourists to stay overnight on any of the 4 inhabited Galapagos islands. In order of population and popularity, these are Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana.
Can you island hop in the Galapagos?
Booking an inter-island Galapagos cruise is the easiest way to explore multiple islands in the Galapagos and is the only way to reach many of the uninhabited islands. However, there are inter-island ferries as well as flights available that allow visitors to island hop around the Galapagos, as well as boat tours to visit some of the nearby uninhabited islands.
How do you travel between islands in the Galapagos?
The inter-island ferries are the cheapest and easiest way to travel amongst the 4 inhabited Galapagos islands, including Floreana. There are also flight services connecting the three most populated islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, and Isabela.
Traveling to the uninhabited islands requires boat tours or cruises.
π More Galapagos Islands Travel Guides
The two of us work very hard to create these free travel guides to help you plan your dream vacation. If you think we’ve done a good job and would like to say thanks, please consider clicking the donate button below π
Hopefully, this guide has answered all of your questions, now it’s time for the rest of your planning!
These guides will help you through the process step-by-step, providing insight on everything from finding flights to top activities and so much more.
Planning Guides
- Where to Stay in Galapagos
- How to Travel to Galapagos in 10 Easy Steps
- Galapagos 5-Day Itinerary
- Galapagos 7-Day Itinerary
- Galapagos 10-Day Itinerary
- Best Time to Visit the Galapagos Islands
- How to Island Hop the Galapagos
- Galapagos Packing List
- Galapagos Trip Cost & How to Budget
- How to Visit the Galapagos on a Budget
Local Guides
- Santa Cruz Island Ultimate Guide
- San Cristobal Ultimate Guide
- Isabela Island Ultimate Guide
- Bartolome Island Ultimate Guide
- Pinzon Island Ultimate Guide
Things to Do Guides
- Top 50 Things to Do in Galapagos
- Best Islands to Visit in the Galapagos
- Best Galapagos Day Tours
- Galapagos Photography Guide
- Best Beaches in the Galapagos Islands
- Why You NEED to Visit the Galapagos Islands
- Best Galapagos Snorkeling Spots
- Iconic Galapagos Animals & Where to See Them
π Final Thoughts
The two of us work very hard to create these free travel guides to help you plan your dream vacation. If you think we’ve done a good job and would like to say thanks, please consider clicking the donate button below π
We truly hope you have found this guide useful for learning how to island hop around the Galapagos archipelago.
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