Know Before You Go: Galapagos Tours
Where Will I Stay in the Galapagos?
Accommodations in the Galapagos range from small expedition yachts carrying as few as 14 guests to larger ships and a limited number of land-based lodges. Options are designed to balance comfort with the strict regulations that protect the islands.
What Are the Accommodations Like in the Galapagos?
Because 97% of the archipelago is designated as a national park, accommodations are both limited and highly regulated. Most travelers stay aboard expedition ships or small yachts that move between islands. On land, select ecolodges and private camps provide a rustic but comfortable base. Nat Hab’s Tortoise Camp, for example, sits in highland habitat where wild tortoises roam freely.
Should I Cruise or Stay on Land?
Both are possible, but each has trade-offs. Cruises allow travelers to experience more of the archipelago, waking each day to a new landing site without long transfers. With 13 major islands, six smaller islands and more than 100 islets, ship-based travel makes it possible to explore remote and uninhabited areas.
Land-based trips, based from towns such as Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) or Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal), appeal to travelers who prefer staying on shore at night. These itineraries offer more downtime but require long boat rides for day trips and generally reach fewer islands.
What’s the Difference Between Small Ships and Large Ships?
The size of your vessel shapes how you experience the Galapagos. Because the national park regulates landing sites and group sizes, ship capacity directly influences access, timing and atmosphere.
Small expedition yachts (14–20 passengers):
Traveling aboard a yacht feels intimate and flexible. Smaller groups can adapt more easily to weather, wildlife activity and park schedules, often reaching remote sites that larger vessels cannot access. With fewer guests, disembarkation is quicker, leaving more time for hiking, snorkeling or kayaking. Naturalists lead small groups, allowing for deeper interaction and interpretation, while the relaxed atmosphere fosters camaraderie and keeps the focus squarely on nature.
Large cruise ships (up to 100 passengers):
For some travelers, large ships are appealing for their range of amenities. These vessels provide a comfortable cruising experience and can be an excellent choice for those who enjoy resort-style travel at sea. However, by regulation, large ships are limited in where they can go, and excursions involve more guests, which means landings may take longer and feel less secluded.
Why it matters in the Galapagos:
Because park authorities strictly manage visitor numbers at each site, smaller yachts spend less time on logistics and more time ashore or in the water. Larger ships deliver comfort and variety onboard, but they cannot match the same level of access, intimacy and efficiency that a small expedition yacht provides. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference.
What are Nat Hab’s Galapagos Boats and Lodges Like?
Nat Hab charters small expedition yachts exclusively for its guests, so the entire ship is dedicated to one group. With only 14–16 travelers on board, the experience is quiet, flexible and focused on wildlife.
On our yachts, you can expect:
What to Expect | Highlights |
|---|---|
Intimate groups | Just a handful of fellow travelers, making landings unhurried and personal |
Exclusive charters | The ship is reserved for Nat Hab guests, with a crew and naturalist guides who travel with you the entire journey |
Wildlife-driven itineraries | Routes are planned to maximize variety, from volcanic shores to lush highlands |
Comfortable simplicity | Private cabins, locally inspired meals and attentive staff keep the focus on the islands, not the ship |
Access to quieter sites | Smaller vessels can anchor in bays and reach landing sites that big ships often miss |
On land, travelers may also stay at Nat Hab's Tortoise Camp, our private highland reserve on Santa Cruz where giant tortoises roam freely. This secluded setting offers a rare, close connection with the islands’ most famous inhabitants.
What Is Nat Hab’s Tortoise Camp Like?
On select Galapagos adventures, guests spend nights at Tortoise Camp, a collection of elevated, safari-style tents and treehouses tucked among Santa Cruz Island’s lush highlands. The property lies within the natural range of several dozen giant tortoises, which can often be seen ambling around the camp from July through February.
Accommodations feature real beds, flush toilets, showers, sinks and large windows that frame views of the surrounding forest and distant Pacific. Evenings bring gourmet meals in a thatched dining area, with stars overhead and the calls of the highlands around you. By day, guests may explore unique lava caves beneath the property, and those who wish can join in a Scalesia forest restoration project that helps sustain this fragile ecosystem.
Nat Hab’s combination of private yachts and Tortoise Camp creates a close, unhurried way to experience the Galapagos—one that feels as natural as the islands themselves.