Galapagos Family Tours: Land Trips with Kids from Quito

Our Galapagos family tours are land-based. You sleep in a hotel, eat where the kids will actually eat, and reach the animals by short walks and day boats. Children who can swim enjoy these trips the most, and we adapt the pace to your family. Here is how to choose, by age and by budget.

Land or cruise with children

With younger children, we almost always suggest land. Nobody has to share a small cabin, there is no sailing at night, and if someone is tired you can spend the afternoon at the beach. A family of four also pays much less, because four people can share one room.

A cruise can work with older children who want to see remote islands such as Genovesa. Some ships set a minimum age, and a few run special family departures, so check that first. Our guide to the Galápagos trip cost compares both.

Which tour for which age

These are our suggestions, and we will adjust them once we know your children.

What kids remember

• Giant tortoises walking through the pastures of the Santa Cruz highlands, and the babies at the breeding center.
• The lava tunnel, which feels like walking through a cave made by a volcano.
• Sea lions and pelicans waiting beside the counter at the Puerto Ayora fish market.
• Playa Mansa at Tortuga Bay, a calm lagoon where marine iguanas walk past your towel.
• Penguins on the rocks at Las Tintoreras, and reef sharks resting in a narrow channel below.
• Snorkeling with sea turtles at Los Túneles, if they are confident in the water.

Snorkeling with kids

Start somewhere calm. The lagoon at Tortuga Bay and Concha Perla on Isabela are good first places, and Las Grietas is a clear channel of still water near Puerto Ayora. Our Galápagos snorkeling guide goes through each site.

From June to November the water is cool, and children get cold fast, so ask us about a wetsuit in their size. If your child has never used a mask, try it in a pool at home first. It saves a lot of tears on the first day.

What a family of four pays

These are totals for two adults and two children sharing one room, with flights from Quito or Guayaquil at $350 to $600 each and $680 in fees.

Meals not listed on each tour, tips, insurance and your flight to Ecuador are extra. The price changes with the rooms you need, the hotel category and your dates, so send us the children's ages and we will quote the real number.

Best time for a family trip

Most families travel in the school holidays, from December to February or in July and August. Those weeks cost more and fill up first, so book three to six months ahead. December to May brings warm water and calmer seas, which makes life easier with children. July and August are cooler and greyer, with more wildlife activity and colder water. The best time to visit the Galápagos has the full calendar.

Adding mainland Ecuador

An Ecuador family vacation is easy to build around the islands, and the two make a good contrast. Our 3 days in Otavalo and Mindo start at $705 per person for two travelers, with a market and cloud forest. At Casa del Suizo in the Amazon, you choose one guided activity each morning and afternoon, so children and keen walkers can share the same lodge.

Altitude deserves some thought with children. Quito sits at 2,850 m and Cotopaxi reaches close to 4,800 m, so give them a slow first day, and ask your pediatrician if you have any doubts. Our list of things to do in Ecuador has more ideas for the mainland.

Tips for the Galápagos with kids

• Teach the two-meter rule before you land. Park rules ask everyone to keep their distance from the animals, and kids are good at reminding the adults.
• Bring hats, long-sleeved swim shirts and plenty of reef-safe sunscreen. The sun on the equator is strong even on grey days.
• Give seasickness tablets before the speedboat, if your doctor agrees. The two-hour crossing to Isabela can be rough.
• Pack snacks and a water bottle for each child. Some boat days run long.
• Carry cash for the park fee on arrival: $200 per adult and $100 per child.

One hotel, tortoises and calm water for younger kids

4 Day Galapagos Tour on Santa Cruz

Tortoises, Tortuga Bay and the Bay Tour

• 4 days
• Medium effort

From $569 per person

View itinerary

Galápagos with kids: questions we get

Traveling with grandparents as well? Our page on Galápagos tours for seniors shows how hard each day is.