Before travelling please be sure to consult any up-to-date travel advice.
I had always dreamed of travelling to Ecuador and the Galápagos but it never really felt attainable. It was quite surreal to realise that dream when we found ourselves there along our South American journey.
Both mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos did not disappoint, living up to their hype as the land of volcanoes and adventure with an immense diversity of wildlife.
Despite being a revered bucket-list destination the Galápagos is often neglected along the backpacker trail. Even for those, like myself, who were first captivated by the voyages and discoveries of Charles Darwin the archipelago is still even more synonymous with one other thing: cost.
We are here to share that this doesn’t have to be the case.
Costs
CURRENCY: US Dollar
1 GBP = 1.27 USD
*As of May ‘2024
In Ecuador and the Galápagos, the country’s official currency is the US dollar. This at least makes standard cost caparisons a breeze!
Accommodation and groceries are more than reasonable in mainland Ecuador. Maybe marginally more so than Colombia but nothing to complain about.
Tour prices varied massively, most notably between mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos. The latter certainly tended to have more western prices, although there were deals to be found.
Similarly on the mainland, some excursions seemed like a bargain ($35 ziplining adventure) while others felt a bit more pricey ($70 for a day trip up Cotopaxi). Some good advice, we feel, is to research in advance but book when you arrive at a destination to keep costs down; we often found booking online costs way more!
Lastly, when in the cities you should have no issue withdrawing money as there are ATMs aplenty. This is not the case when visiting more rural mainland areas and certainly not so when visiting the Galápagos so be prepared!
Food
Food is a big part of Ecuadorian culture. Fresh seafood, mouth-watering hornados and the largest array of exotic fruits we have ever seen!
We gorged on many local almuerzos for as little as $3-5 USD; a great way to fill up for cheap! For a really unique culinary experience, then cuy (guinea pig) is a delicacy you might want to try.
The Journey
Our most rehearsed phrase while travelling was “If only we had more time“, and it certainly applied to Ecuador. We spent just over 3 weeks here travelling between Quito (the capital), Banos (the adventure capital) and the Galápagos.
Hopefully our travel guides on each of these destinations should give you the knowledge to make the most of your time on your own travels to this incredible country.
Quito
Walk the beautiful colonial streets of Quito’s centro historico and enjoy all of the rich culture the country’s capital has to offer.
Banos
We heard that Banos is the unofficial adventure-capital of South America and it’s not a surprise. There are plenty of adrenaline-pumping activities to get your heart racing!
The Galápagos
I could honestly go on and on (and on) about how much I loved this place. Sorry we loved this place.
Addressing the cost again of visiting this archipelago, we have to clarify: it’s not cheap but it can be done on a budget at a fraction of the cost of what the majority pay; get those $5,000pp+ cruises out of your head!
We spent just over $1,000 each in two weeks, which included our return flights from Quito to the islands and our park entrance fee (>$100 each).
It sounds like a lot. And it is, really. But if you are able to include this additional expenditure in your South America itinerary, we promise you will not regret it. The memories you will create in exchange will be priceless.
Our below blogs highlight our time on each of the three islands we visited in the Galápagos and how we managed to experience them on a budget.
San Cristóbal
Geographically the oldest of the Galapagos islands and definitely the best to spot countless sea lions. We loved San Cristóbal and found it the perfect place to begin our adventure of the archipelago.
Isla Isabela
The Galapagos’ largest island and one of the most volcanically active places on earth.
Santa Cruz
Home to Puerto Ayora, the most developed and populous town within the archipelago.
