Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 627

The hikes are about three hours long
and there's no shade, so bring sunscreen
and a hat. The close encounters with the
friendly boobies, which peer at you with
mild curiosity, are the main highlight, but
also watch out for colourful caterpillars
crossing your path. Cool off after the
hike with some snorkelling among an
array of marine life including parrotfish
and clownfish. Peak season is June to
September (particularly July-Aug) when
humpback whales arrive for the mating
season, which is an awesome spectacle.

are better than ever. However, a week
in the Galápagos will cost considerably
more than one on the Ecuadorian
mainland. The low season is May/June
and September/October, while
December to mid-April and July/August
is high season , though cheap deals can
still be found.
The Galápagos is a year-round
destination, but conditions are best
between December and April, with
calmer seas and sunny weather with
occasional rain on larger islands. From
June to October the weather is cooler and
the sea rougher. Whenever you choose to
visit, you can only see a tiny percentage
of the islands because 97 percent of the
area is protected by the national park and
the 70 registered visitor sites comprise
only 0.01 percent of the landmass, a
comforting fact for environmentalists.

6

TOUR OPERATORS
The day-trip to Isla de la Plata can be arranged at several
local tour operators and hotels on the Malecón in Puerto
López. It generally costs $35-40/person including guide
and light lunch but not including the park entrance fee.
Recommended companies include:
Bosque Marino T 099 707 1320, W bosquemarino.com.
Exploramar Diving T 05 256 3905, W exploradiving.com
(which also offers diving trips along the coast).
Naturis T 05 230 0218, W machalillatours.com (specializes
in community tourism and offers a wide range of multi-
activity trips including kayaking, fishing and snorkelling
($25/person) as well as tours to San Sebastián).

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Return flights to San Cristóbal or Baltra cost
about $350 from Guayaquil and $400 from Quito with
TAME (Quito T 02 397 7100, Guayaquil T 04 231 0305) or
Aerogal (Quito T 02 294 2800, Guayaquil T 04 231 0346).
Chilean airline LAN ( T 1800 101075, W lan.com) has
recently launched flights at slightly cheaper rates. In San
Cristóbal it's a $2 taxi ride to the port, Puerto Baquerizo
Moreno. If arriving on Balra, it's more complicated. To get
to the main port Puerto Ayora involves a 10min bus ride
south, a 10min ferry crossing and then a $2.50 bus (45min)
or $15 taxi (40min). Note that to return to the airport from
Puerto Ayora, the last bus usually leaves about 9.30am,
after which a taxi or private transfer is the only option.

The Galápagos
Islands
Charles Darwin developed his
monumental theory of evolution after
travelling to the GALÁPAGOS in the
1830s, and it's no exaggeration that the
creatures of these unworldly volcanic
islands, 1000km west of the Ecuadorian
coast, were fundamental in changing
the way we view ourselves.
The array of wildlife in the Galápagos
is spellbinding. From giant tortoises to
marine iguanas, sea lions to sharks and
blue-footed boobies to magnificent
frigate birds, it's hard to know which way
to turn. Nowhere else on earth can you
view wild mammals, reptiles and birds
that are utterly unconcerned by human
presence - a legacy of there being few
natural predators on the islands.
Visiting the Galápagos independently is
now relatively easy and last-minute deals

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information The Ministry of Tourism ( T 05 252
6174, W www.turismo.gob.ec) has iTur o ces in Puerto
Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and Puerto Villamil.
Alternatively contact the Galápagos National Park ( T 05
252 6511, W galapagospark.org). The Galápagos National
Park entrance fee is $100, payable in cash on arrival. There
is also a $10 transit card, which must be purchased in
Quito or Guayaquil airport, that regulates the length of
stay in the archipelago (3 months maximum).
Tour operators The price of tours, accommodation and
cruises varies hugely. When booking from abroad, tours
cost $2000-5000 for a week. Booking last-minute in Quito
and Guayaquil brings the prices down to $500-1500 (not
including flights). However, the most common way for
backpackers to visit is to buy flights, stay in budget
accommodation ($10-20/night), eat at cheap restaurants