Quite often the first thing travelers need to decide when they plan a trip to the Galapagos Islands is whether they want to do a land-based tour or a cruise.

They are very different types of tours, which we’ll compare in a future post. Galakiwi made a conscious decision years ago to operate land tours because they allow us to offer an exceptional amount of flexibility, control and variety of activities on our tours, while getting to meet many locals on the inhabited islands of the Galapagos.

The Galakiwi Gear Office – Getting Ready to go Biking!

When it comes to visiting the Galapagos Archipelago, the best way to experience the full range of ecosystems, landscapes and cultures is with a land tour.

Galakiwi has been operating active land tours in the Galapagos longer than anyone else, so over the years we’ve developed some great relationships with local families who own restaurants, hotels, ferry boats and souvenir shops. The people who live in the Galapagos Islands have become part of our family, just as each of our travelers becomes part of our family.

Going for a BBQ meal of lobster, steak, fish, chicken or shrimp at a family house (cooked by a former gourmet chef from one of the cruise ships) is just one way a land tour brings travelers closer the culture of the Galapagos. Waking up each morning in a comfortable bed and being able to go for a walk around town is another perk many travelers enjoy with land tours.

Every day, you’re able to experience the islands as you desire. Free time is spent at your leisure, doing what you want – shopping for souvenirs, watching the sun set from a hilltop, enjoying a beer or glass of wine at a local restaurant, reading a book in a hammock of playing volleyball on the beach.

Hanging out at La Loberia, San Cristobal Island

Volleyball is one of those optional activities, but hiking, biking, kayaking, snorkeling and even diving are all activities that you can enjoy on land-based Galapagos tours. These type of tours are for people who crave more active, adventure type travel experiences, as well as people who may not want to spend a lot of time on a boat.

Avoiding seasickness is another factor for taking a land tour in the Galapagos Islands. With that said, land tours do visit different islands, meaning you will have some 2-hour speedboat rides to endure. The beauty of doing these quick transfers between islands is that they’re done on private transfer boats. The friends we work with who operate these boats have a deep passion for the wildlife and marine life in the Galapagos. It is common for the 2 hour ride to turn into a 3 hour ride because our captain stops to allow a pod of dolphins to play in the wake of the boat, or watch rays jump out of the water, or marvel at the sight of a whale shark or orcas during our transit.

Obviously, most of the time you will be on land. A typical day on a land tour starts with a morning coffee and breakfast (some fresh ground Galapagos coffee if you stop by our office!) Then you’ll head off for some time snorkeling or hiking around one of the inhabited islands. Activities can range from leisurely strolls to a giant tortoises breeding center, to heart-pumping hikes around a volcano or exciting bike rides in the highlands.

From cloud forest like environments to beaches laden with sea lions and marine iguanas, land tours allow you to see the full diversity of the Galapagos Islands. Visiting more remote inland visitor sites is another benefit of doing island hopping tours in the Galapagos. There are pirate caves, hidden beaches, highland coffee and fruit farms, volcanoes and historic sites to be seen that are often only possible on an active land tour.

Hiking up to El Junco, the only Freshwater Lake in the Galapagos Islands!

Time on your own, away from the group, is something that many travelers take advantage of on land tours as well. With some meals free to enjoy on your own, we provide suggested places to dine as a group, but if you and your partner want a quiet romantic dinner on your own, we’re happy to suggest somewhere special. Don’t worry we know where the best ceviche is in the Galapagos, as well as the best desserts, pastries and everything in between!

With only 3% of the land in the Galapagos available for development, even in the largest town of Puerto Ayora, it does not take long to hike out to a remote beach or find an area where the animals dominant the landscape. Wildlife is an essential part to any Galapagos vacation, and we’re happy to take travelers to a variety of landscapes on the islands where marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, lava lizards, frigate birds, sea lions, Galapagos penguins, sally light foot crabs and many other special creatures live. Traveling on land also is the only way to see the giant tortoises in their natural habitat in the highlands.

If you’re not shy of getting a little active, maybe even sweaty during the humid months, then a land tour is the ultimate way to see all that the Galapagos has to offer. Not only will you see an abundance of wildlife, but you’ll meet some great people and enjoy some local cuisine.