Matador Network Readers' Choice Awards 2024: Adventure Destination

A walk on Santiago Island. Photo: Jesse Adams

That said, one of the best ways to see as much wildlife as possible is to get active. Walking, hiking, kayaking, SUPing, snorkeling, diving, swimming, and more show a deeper side of Galápagos than one can get from staying on the boat. Still, to get there, you’ll need some help: Galápagos National Park, which covers 97 percent of the islands, require a permit ($200 per person for non-Ecuadorian travelers) or a licensed naturalist guide by your side. While you are allowed to snorkel on your own near the inhabited communities, the best snorkeling and diving spots are only accessible with knowledgeable experts.

The good news is that it’s easy to hire a licensed naturalist guide, take a guided day trip, book a cruise, or a scuba liveaboard trip. There are many tour operators and outfitters on the four islands that have human settlements: Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela, and Floreana, and there are options for every budget.

A Galapagos giant tortoise using a hiking trail as its own personal highway. Photo: Jesse Adams

Picking just a few animals to focus a trip around can lead you down a long rabbit hole. The good news is that you will likely see more types of animals for the first time here than anywhere else. Focus your hikes and snorkeling around seeing the marine iguana and the Galápagos giant tortoise and you won’t be disappointed. While you’ll see the iguanas even on the busy sidewalks of Santa Cruz and San Crisóbal, the biggest specimens are on Isabela and Fernandina islands. A guided hike around Punta Espinoza on the island of Fernandina is the best way to see thousands of them basking in the sun on the volcanic rocks. A snorkeling session nearby will allow you to get close to see the lizards swimming and feeding on algae underwater. A forest walk through the El Chato Galápagos tortoise reserve in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island is the best place to encounter hundreds of tortoises that (slowly) run wild.

While remote, the islands are well connected to the Ecuadorian mainland. There are two airports in the archipelago that welcome flights from the continent: Seymour Galapagos Ecological Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island, and San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) on San Cristóbal Island. Both Avianca and LATAM fly to the two airports multiple times daily from the cities of Quito and Guayaquil.

A few inter-island flights shuttle people to certain islands, while ferries link the four inhabited islands of Isabela, Floreana, Santa Cruz, and San Cristóbal for the travelers who want to explore what they can of the archipelago on their own.

Ecoventura ship anchored near Rabida Island. Photo: Jesse Adams

The best way to see the island and its unique wildlife, however, is to take a small-ship expedition cruise. There are nearly two dozen cruise operators in the islands, all of whom have naturalist guides on board to take you on and around many of the otherwise inaccessible islands, and guide you during outdoorsy activities like snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, and more.

Photo: Pikaia Lodge

Because there are only four human settlements in the archipelago, on the islands of Isabela, Floreana, Santa Cruz, and San Cristóbal, those are the only places where you can find accommodations if you’re not staying on a ship. There are Galápagos Airbnbs available, as well as hotels, but note that there are very few of them and they tend to be very costly.

The Pikai Lodge, an adventure-focused, five-star eco hotel located on the island of Santa Cruz, is one of the most reputed – and one of the best alternatives to cruising. The lodge offers land-based excursions guided by experts, as well as comprehensive tours at sea on board their luxury yacht, the M/Y Vision – Pikaia. The Pikai Lodge also has a private giant tortoise reserve so you won’t have to go far to see one of the most emblematic species of the archipelago.

The more adventurous travelers may want to give camping a try while in the islands. Just know that pitching a tent and sleeping outdoors is only allowed in a few places and requires prior authorization from the Galápagos National Park.

In the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, the Matador Network audience voted on their favorite adventure destination, sustainable destination, wellness destination, airline, and what they thought will be the next big destination everyone will travel to. The poll included nominations from the Matador Network team as well as a write-in option. Voting took place through November, and the poll was sent out to our 600,000-plus Instagram followers and 300,000 global newsletter subscribers.