Galápagos Islands on a backpackers budget
Okay, let’s face it, there’s not a real cheap way to visit the Galápagos. However, if you’re ‘in the area’ and a nature and wildlife freak, it’s also not something you’re keen to miss out on. So, for that matter, here’s a breakdown of all the costs you will face, no matter how hard you try to keep your wallet closed, plus a guide to the free/cheap stuff you can do on the islands of Santa Cruz and Isabela. All prices are per person and we have noticed that prices tend to rise pretty quickly. These prices are effective in November 2018.

Inevitable expenses Santa Cruz
Immigration fee                          $20 (to be paid at the airport of Quito/Guayaquil)
Entrance fee                                 $100 (to be paid at the airport on Baltra Island)
Bus to the ferry                            $5 (free shuttle service is abolished as of September)
Ferry to Santa Cruz                     $1 (the airport is located on Baltra Island)
Bus to Puerto Ayora                   $5
Bus + ferry back to airport       $11 (2x $5 for the buses, $1 for the ferry. As mentioned above)

Ofcourse, you will need a place to sleep, the cheapest hostel we could find is Carliza II backpackers (approx. $25 for a double room). Located 1 km from the dock, it has a kitchen, fan and a great hot shower! We heard rumors that there’s actually a hostel where you can get a bunk bed for $10 dollars, but on the island itself, we couldn’t find the place.

Free and cheap stuff on Santa Cruz
First: food! There’s a reasonably priced supermarket near the dock in Puerto Ayora, but it’s wise to stock up on dry food on the mainland. We did some grocery shopping for $22 for pasta’s, pasta sauces (powder), soup (bouillon), candy and cookies which was enough for our 10 night stay. Fresh fruit and vegetables are widely available and cheap. Ofcourse there’s plenty of restaurants, ranging from cheap to very expensive. Be aware that water is really expensive here! Bottle of 6 liters will cost you around $4-5.

Tortuga Bay – free
A nice boardwalk pathway leads to this stunning beach! It’s a 5 km hike. It’s the best beach for surfing, downside is that you’d have to carry your board all the way to the beach 😉 There’s no place on the beach where you can rent boards. A little bit further, just along the same coastline, is a small bay, which is perfectly suited for swimming.
Wildlife to be seen: sea turtles, marine iguanas, black tip sharks, eagle rays, crabs, fish, boobies

Charles Darwin Research Center – free
No entrance fee and lots of information about the giant tortoises, a breeding centre and ofcourse, the tortoises! Can’t really call them wildlife, because they live in captivity, but it’s still worth it. There’s two beaches you can visit here, where occasionally you can see sea lions swimming around.
Wildlife to be seen: giant tortoises, land iguanas, sea lions

Fish market – free
That’s what it’s called, but it’s actually just 2 ladies :p But, nevertheless, you will be sure to see the cheeky sea lions waiting to be thrown some fish.

El Chato ranch – $5
We loved this place! It is by far the best place to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. They live in this area, but not in captivity, they can roam freely where ever they want. You don’t even have to go to the ranch, if you walk around in the neighbourhood, you will see them on the side of the road and in the bushes. But, if you’d like an encounter, the ranch is the place to be. Tortoises of 150 years old walk around there, they’ve made a nice pathway through their property where you can see hundreds of them. You could also visit the caves, it’s included in the price.

Las Grietas – free
To get there, you’ll have to take a lancha (local boat) for $0,50. You can hike to the beach, to a great lookout point and snorkel along the coastline.
Wildlife to be seen: sea lions, marine iguanas, boobies, crabs, sea turtles

Rent bikes – $10 for a whole day
Take the bus to Santa Rosa ($1), all buses bound for Santa Rosa have a rack on the back where you can put your bikes. From Santa Rosa you can bike all the way up to Los Gemelos (1 hr), but it’s a steep climb (gotta say, we turned around after 3 kms :p). You can make your way back down or go straight to El Chato Ranch from Santa Rosa. But, and I can’t say this enough, it’s a volcanic island, so a lot of hills and you will feel your legs! You can bike back to Santa Cruz or take another bus for again $1. From Santa Rosa to Santa Cruz it’s mostly downhill. Mostly.

Islandhopping
We wanted to see another island and chose Isla Isabela over San Cristóbal, because it’s a little bit cheaper and had more free stuff to do and better chances of spotting penguins and other wildlife. Although we didn’t spot the penguins, we absolutely enjoyed the arrogance of the sea lions, who are literally scattered along the beaches, pathways and in the middle of the road, causing a big line of waiting cars. Their pups are playful little animals who curiously check up on you on the beach or in the water. Absolutely amazing!

Inevitable expenses Isla Isabela
Boatticket Santa Cruz – Isla Isabela        $25 (agency next to the supermarket)
Lancha from dock to the boat                   $0,50 (never included in the boatticket price)
Lancha from boat to the dock                   $1
Entrance fee Isla Isabela                             $10
Boatticket Isla Isabela – Santa Cruz        $25
Lancha from boat to the dock                   $0,50

The best and cheapest place to stay we could find is Posada del Caminante (approx. $18 per person). Spacious rooms, hot shower and free water and fruit! Which is worth it, because water is even more expensive on this island.

 Free and cheap stuff on Isabela
Just like water, food is also super expensive, so the dry food you bought on the mainland, will definitely be of use here! Fresh vegetables and the bakery are reasonably priced.

Muras las Grimas – free
You can walk all the way as far as the lookout point called ‘radar’. It’s a nice walk, with poza’s, lookout points and beaches along the way. It’s a 7 km hike, slightly uphill. Ofcourse you’ll have to take the stairs to the lookout point, but it’s absolutely worth it. You’ll have a beautiful view on the volcanoes and the coastline.
Wildlife to be seen: giant tortoises, marine iguanas, flamingo’s

Concha de Perla – free
It’s a short walk to a salt water inlet where you can snorkel. Along the way, you’ll have to actually step over the sea lions and marine iguana’s. Some won’t let you and are grumpy because you woke them up. They can get pretty scary! The trick is to clap your hands and hopefully, they’ll get out of the way.
Wildlife to be seen: sea lions, marine iguanas, fish, crabs, sea turtles, white and black tip sharks (if you’re lucky)

Giant Tortoise Breeding Center – free
It’s a 2 km walk to the center, where you can see the small tortoises as well as the really old (150+) ones. They do live in captivity here, to get the population back to its original status, but it’s still very nice to watch them. Along the way there are poza’s where you can spot flamingo’s.
Wildlife to be seen: giant tortoises, marine iguanas, flamingo’s

Beach at the port – free
Our numer one place on Isla Isabela. Most sea lions will come here to sunbathe on the benches and it’s amazing to watch them. There are pups with their mother, the fathers who protect their family and the lazy ones that don’t move all day. They are literally everywhere and if you’re lucky enough to get a seat on a bench, big chance that one will climb up next to you, put its fins up and warm up their belly in the sun. The little ones in the water are playful and if you dare, you can snorkel around here and hope they will swim up next to you! Watch out for the human paparazzi though, they are everywhere!
Wildlife to be seen: sea lions, marine iguanas

Expensive stuff
Dive with hammerhead sharks at Gordon Rocks (Santa Cruz). Cheapest but good diveshop is Nauti Dive who will offer this day for $150.

Look for penguins on as snorkel trip to Las Tintoreras for $45 or to Los Tuneles for $100.