086 Galapagos Islands Vacation

The Galapagos Islands are on just about everyone's travel bucket list, but trying to figure out how to plan a trip there is overwhelming. Cruise, land, both, tour, on your own? There are so many choices. This week Kellie from 4 Worn Passports gives us her well-researched advice on how to plan a trip to the Galapagos with kids.

ON THE PODCAST

00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about wildlife

01:20 - Bear sightings

04:15 - Kim’s safari experience

07:20 - Airboat tour in New Orleans

13:23 - Talking with Kellie

18:25 - Kellie’s trip to the Galapagos

20:19 - Cruise or not?

21:23 - Biggest experience for the best value

23:35 - Creatures of the Galapagos

25:50 - Booking tours

31:21 - Cruise boat experience

33:50 - Days on each island

35:03 - Must-see locations

41:58 - Weather and seasons

43:30 - Where to stay in Quito

44:48 - Budgeting your trip

48:54 - Galapagos tips

52:20 - Packing tips

54:43 - Best place for a family photo

56:14 - Favorite travel gear

1:00:38 - Tip of the week

ABOUT KELLIE MCINTYRE

Kellie McIntyre is the founder of 4 Worn Passports. Her blog is dedicated to inspiring family gap years and global adventure travel. Follow Kellie on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

PLANNING A TRIP TO THE GALAPAGOS WITH KIDS To fly into the Galapagos Islands you must first fly into either Quito or Guayaquil. Quito is a beautiful city and totally worth seeing. That being said most flights from the US into Quito arrive really late at night, so you will need to stay the night anyway. It is recommended to spend at least two nights in Quito that way you can explore the city before continuing you trip to the Galapagos Islands. Keep in mind that only two of the Islands, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal, have modern airports. Then the Island of Isabela only has a basic landing strip. The rest of the islands you can only get to by cruise ship. The island of Santa Cruz has Tortuga Bay, which is probably the most beautiful beach in the Galapagos. There are also a lot of free things to do on the island including Las Grietas, which is a fantastic swimming hole. Post Office Bay on Floreana Island has a lot of history about Whaling ships leaving letters that other ships would come and take letters if they were going to that area. This is still a tradition for the bay but instead travelers leave postcards for others to take and deliver. As per tradition you also must Hand Deliver the post card to the recipient. The temperatures year round stay around the 70’s but the water temperature will change in different seasons. It is always recommended to snorkel with a wetsuit but in the summer time it seems that the water is a bit warmer. Make sure you bring a lot of cash with you. A lot of the places only take cash and may not have ATMs. If they they do take credit cards there will most likely be a hefty surcharge. BEST PLACE TO TAKE FAMILY PHOTO

Kellie and her family love the photo they took at the top of the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito. Then when you are on the islands getting a photo with a giant tortoise is a fantastic idea and really shows that you were in the Galapagos Islands.

FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR

Learning it the hard way, Kellie found out that Chaco’s are great sport sandals to wear around and don’t cause blisters from wearing them in the sand and water.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Keep in mind the expiration date on your passport. Some places require you to have your passport valid for at least six months out from your trip.

MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST

Chobe Safari Lodge

Pahoehoe

Galeodan Suites

Recommended 10-12 day itinerary

Detailed Comparison of Itineraries and Costs

History of Post Office Bay and Tips for Visiting

Delivering the Postcards from Post Office Bay

What’s the best Galapagos Airport?

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If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!