Travel as if the islands’ future depends on it

Because, in small but real ways, it does.

A visit to the Galapagos can change how a person sees nature. The best journeys also reduce pressure on the islands and strengthen the people and institutions working to conserve them.

Before you go

• Choose licensed operators and naturalist guides with credible environmental practices.
• Favor longer, richer visits over repeated short trips and unnecessary inter-island movements.
• Pack clean clothing, footwear and equipment; never transport seeds, soil, insects, food or organisms between islands.
• Review current entry, biosecurity, protected-area and marine-reserve requirements—and budget for the Galapagos National Park entrance fee (US$200 for most foreign adults since 2024) plus the INGALA transit control card—before travel.
• Learn about the inhabited islands as communities, not only as gateways to wildlife sites.

Around wildlife

• Keep the legally required distance from animals—at least two metres—and follow your guide’s instructions.
• Never touch, feed, chase, surround or call wildlife to obtain a photograph.
• Do not use flash where prohibited, and never block an animal’s route to the sea, nest, shade or young.
• Stay on marked trails and within authorized visitor sites.
• If an animal approaches, remain calm and allow it to move away freely.

Reduce the hidden footprint

• Carry a refillable bottle and avoid unnecessary single-use packaging.
• Use water and energy sparingly; island supplies and waste systems have limits.
• Buy locally owned services and locally made products where possible.
• Do not buy wildlife products or items made from protected or introduced natural materials.
• Report suspected wildlife disturbance, illegal fishing or biosecurity concerns through official channels.

Photography and respect

The book’s photographs are based on patience and observation. The objective is not simply a close image, but an image of natural behavior. Let the animal set the terms of the encounter. A photograph is never worth stress, displacement or a broken park rule.

Check current rules

Galapagos National Park Directorate — galapagos.gob.ec | Galapagos Biosecurity Agency (ABG) — abgalapagos.gob.ec

Further reading on responsible travel

• Galapagos Conservation Trust — Travelling responsibly
• Charles Darwin Foundation — Galapagos National Park rules
• Galápagos Conservancy — Sustainable tourism