It’s About to Get More Expensive to Visit the Galapagos — What to Know
16.03.2024 - 13:12
/ travelandleisure.com
It’s about to get more expensive to visit Ecuador’s popular Galapagos Islands as the country prepares to double entry fees this summer.
Starting Aug. 1, most travelers to the diverse islands will have to pay $200 per person to visit, CNN reported, citing Ecuador’s Ministry of Tourism. That is double the $100 it currently costs to enter.
This is the first fee increase since 1998, according to the Galapagos Conservation Trust, a United Kingdom-registered charity.
The new fee will apply to visitors from most countries, except those from many South American nations, whose visitors will have to pay $100 (up from $50). Children 12 and younger will pay a reduced fee.
“The Galapagos Islands are not only a national treasure but a global one. It is our collective responsibility to protect and preserve this unparalleled ecosystem for future generations,” Niels Olsen, Ecuador’s minister of tourism, said in a statement, according to the Galapagos Conservation Trust. “The adjustment in the entry fee, the first in 26 years, is a necessary measure to ensure that tourism in the Galapagos remains sustainable and mutually beneficial to both the environment and our local communities.”
The Galapagos Islands have been considered a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1978 and are made up of 19 different islands, which sit about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. The islands are considered a “living museum and showcase of evolution.”
In total, about 30,000 people live on the islands and about 170,000 tourists visit each year, according to UNESCO.
There are many ways to visit, including planning a land-based trip or on a luxury cruise.
Ecuador also isn’t alone in increasing entry fees. Last week, Japan’s Mount Fuji announced plans to implement a daily visitor cap and charge a fee for climbers, and cities like Venice in Italy are selling tickets for day visitors on certain peak days.