Galapagos with a baby: a complete guide

When our son was a baby, we took a trip to the Galapagos as the final week of my maternity leave. Before we left, I found zero resources on what it could be like to go to the Galapagos with a baby. It made me wonder if anyone had really done it. Would it even be fun to the Galapagos with a baby, or would it be more work than it was worth? I’m here to tell you that it is DEFINITELY possible to go to the Galapagos with your baby, and that it can still be the trip of a lifetime! Read on for our itinerary, the logistics, and my suggestions for how to make the most out of your trip.

Health and safety for the Galapagos with a baby

We took our son when he was four months old. He had only had his 2-month vaccinations in the US, and did not require any additional vaccines in order to go. The Galapagos is a unique environment: the islands are near the equator, but are relatively dry, so there is not as much concern for mosquitoes or mosquito-borne diseases. Score!*

In terms of safety, the Galapagos islands are some of the safest places in all of Ecuador. They tend to be more protected from the types of crime on the mainland. As always, you will want to take normal precautions with your belongings, but I felt perfectly safe walking around even at night with a baby in the Galapagos (and I would NOT say the same for mainland Ecuador, as someone who lived there for four years previously!).

There are local medical facilities on each island that is inhabited, included actual hospitals on both Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. There is also a local health center on Isabela Island, but no hospital. But it is definitely a bit remote, as it’s a 2-3 hour flight back to the mainland for any super serious medical emergencies.

The official sign for Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos — At the Santa Cruz port area, just a few blocks from the hospital.

As a parent, it’s always a decision as to how much risk we are willing to take and this level of risk felt acceptable to me given the fact that there were accessible facilities in all the places we were staying.

* I will say that our pediatrician recommended waiting until after four months to travel (when babies get their second round of vaccines) but we were not too concerned since Nico had been very healthy up to then. He said that it just increases their defenses and reduces risk, but certainly did not say we SHOULD NOT go. As always, it’s best practice to consult your child’s physician.

Traveling with a baby to the Galapagos

Unless you’re Ecuadorian, you will need a passport for your baby to enter the Galapagos. Don’t forget that it can take months to process a passport application.

If you want to travel when your baby is very young, I suggest getting your baby’s birth certificate as quickly as possible and then getting an expedited passport appointment. We had our passport in hand before our son was two months old because we knew we wanted to go to Ecuador when he was 3 months old.

The wing of a plan as seen flying over San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos — Flying over the Galapagos! Such a surreal feeling.

I would recommend flying into Quito and spending a day or two exploring the city before heading to the Galapagos, to give your baby and yourself a break from all the travel. There is a lot to do in Quito, and you can read all about visiting Quito and the best attractions here.

A woman and a man hold a baby in the historic center of Quito, Ecuador — Plenty to do in Quito for a couple days!

Adults and all children between 3-12 will have to pay a $200 or $100 entry fee to visit the islands, but your baby will enter for free.

Finally, your experience in the Galapagos can vary significantly depending on if you do a land-based trip or a cruise. We opted for the land-based tour simply because the cost of a cruise was prohibitive.

Galapagos land tour with a baby

If you’re going to be island hopping, you’ll need to consider transportation. We brought our infant car seat, but only really needed to use it from the ride from the airport in Baltra to our accommodations in Santa Cruz and back (about 45 minutes of driving, each time). The rest of the time, we were mainly walking, or on boats as our transportation, or on very short car rides on dirt roads with low speed limits. If you need a lightweight baby car seat for travel, we have this one and it’s served us well.

Baby friendly accommodations in the Galapagos

Depending on your budget, you may have a range of options available to you. When we visited, we stayed in apartment-style lodgings, where he had living rooms and kitchens. This was nice because it allowed us space to play inside with our baby and more room to hang out in down time.

Definitely choose a hotel or apartment with air conditioning. One of the three places we stayed at did not have air conditioning and we suffered. I think this is especially true for babies who are more sensitive to heat and cold than adults.

For Puerto Ayora (on Santa Cruz), I’d recommend this guesthouse which has AC, has family style suites and standard rooms, free breakfast (a huge win when traveling with a baby), and excellent reviews.

For Puerto Villamil (on Isabela), I’d recommend this hotel, which also has AC, family style apartments (with kitchen!), and excellent reviews. We loved our stay here.

Which islands should I visit with a baby?

I would have liked to stay on all 3 of the inhabited islands, because there is a lot to see on each island. However, with a baby, I did not want to spend as much time in transit as I may have done if I were just with my husband.

The official sign welcoming guests to the island of Isabela in the Galapagos — Isabela was amazing, and I wish we had had more time here! Much more relaxed and rural than Santa Cruz, with a long sandy stretch of beach to greet you. You won’t want to leave.

For context, to get from Santa Cruz to Isabela is about two hours on a ferry. It’s about 3 hours to get from Santa Cruz to San Cristobal on a ferry. And there’s no direct ferry from Isabela to San Cristobal. This would have meant 5 hours on a ferry to get between Isabela and San Cristobal or vice versa and with only a week on the islands and a baby, I didn’t think that was a good use of time.

A woman holds a baby in a baby carrier in the Galapagos while on a boat — I didn’t get any photos on the ferry, but did get this snapshot on the water taxi from the ferry to the dock. I held or nursed Nico during the ferry ride and he slept a good chunk of it!

We chose to visit Santa Cruz and Isabela islands. Santa Cruz because it’s where our flights arrived (well, technically on Baltra but it’s super close to Santa Cruz) and there were many options for local day activities there. I chose Isabela for the more remote experience (it has the fewest people) and because I wanted to visit Los Tuneles more than any other activity on the islands. I was very happy with the choice and would have liked more time on Isabela.

What should my baby wear in the Galapagos?

In general, we kept our son in lightweight clothing. We had muslin blankets to provide shade and covering, we kept him in a hat, and for swimming his bathing suit had long sleeves. It was definitely VERY sunny so it’s critical to keep your baby’s skin as protected as you can.

A man holds a baby with a blanket while watching the sunset in the Galapagos — The sun is very strong in the Galapagos. Here you can see our son in a cotton short sleeve onesie with the muslin blanket. We used this to create shade for him or as a beach “mat”.

Depending on your baby’s age, it may or may not be recommended to use sunscreen. Check labels and check with your child’s pediatrician.

Galapagos day trips with a baby

One of the most important things to know about traveling to the Galapagos is that large areas throughout the islands are ONLY accessible by formal tours with local guides. This is excellent for nature preservation.

It also makes planning excursions more challenging. And if there’s one you REALLY want to do, it can be a good idea to book in advance, as tours are small (generally 12 people maximum) and can sell out. The government limits the number of tours in a given area each day, too, so it’s not always as simple as just finding another tour boat if one agency doesn’t have availability.

One of our day trips, to Los Tuneles on Isabela

We elected to do two paid day trip tours: one to Pinzon, and one to Los Tuneles. With six full days, I think I would have enjoyed doing one more (I am a chronic “maximizer”), but this was also totally fine. I’m going to get more into detail with a full itinerary below. But be sure to ask when booking if infants are allowed. Not all tour companies allow babies!

Santa Cruz is a good island to base yourself on if your budget is tighter as there are more activities that you can do self-guided here that are free or have very minimal cost. This includes activities like Tortuga Bay, the Charles Darwin Research Center, Garrapatero Beach, Laguna de las Ninfas (lagoon), hiking Cerro Crooker, visiting the lava tunnels, tortoise reserves, and more.

One week itinerary for the Galapagos with a baby

Day 1

We flew in from Quito in the late morning and arrived at Baltra in the afternoon. We took transportation to our Santa Cruz accommodations, had dinner, and went to bed.

Day 2

On day two, we spent most of the day at Tortuga Bay beach area. It’s about a 20 minute boat ride from the port in town to the beach area, or you can walk. It was a bit hot for us to want to make the trek, especially carrying a baby, so I definitely recommend doing the roundtrip boat ticket.

A woman holds a baby in the waters of the Galapagos — This small protected area is where the water was gentle enough that swimming is allowed. Warm, calm, and shallow, it is the perfect place to play with your baby.

Note that some areas of the beach are NOT safe for swimming due to currents. We got off the boat and headed LEFT to the protected cove where swimming is safe and allowed. This is where I would recommend going with your family, too.

A man holds a baby in a baby carrier underneath large cacti near tortuga bay beach in the Galapagos — The terrain on the brief walk from the boat dock to the beach is quite intriguing. Lava rocks, catcti, and sand. Never seen a place like this before!

Day 3

Day three was our biggest excursion, a full day trip to Pinzon Island. One thing to note is that the majority of the day trip are water-based activities, including swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. The land based are mainly related to bird watching. For snorkeling-centered tours, the options from Santa Cruz were Santa Fe and Pinzon. They seemed pretty comparable so we went with Pinzon at the recommendation of the agency.

A couple near the snorkeling areas of Pinzon Island while in the Galapagos with a baby — This was near the area where we snorkeled at Pinzon. It was UNBELIEVABLE – we saw over 20 sharks sleeping and relaxing in the area! An unforgettable experience.

The day was incredible. It’s a lot of time in transit (about two hours to get to the destinations you are exploring) but what we saw was unreal. One of the snorkel spots had fish and turtles. The other had DOZENS of sleepy sharks and playful sea lions and the most vibrant turquoise water against the most barren red volcanic island backdrop. It was one of my favorite days for sure.

A grandma holds her grandson on a boat with her son in the Galapagoss — Nico was very chill on the boat and enjoyed being cuddled, fed, and held by mom, dad, and Grandma.

When doing water-based activities with a baby, you will naturally need someone to hold your baby while you explore. We were lucky on this boat that the boat captain offered to hold our son while we snorkeled in one of the spots (briefly – we only were all in the water for about 20 minutes, at which point one of us took him) and then at the second spot my mother in law held our son.

A woman holds a sleeping baby on a boat in the Galapagos — Nap time on a boat? No problem! At four months old, our son was still napping 2-3 times a day and spent a good chunk of the day asleep. Rocked by the ocean waves isn’t a bad way to nap! The boat was also very comfortable, with cushioned seats and plenty of shade.

If you don’t want to do this style of activity, where you and your partner may be split up to enjoy the water, you might want to book a land-based birding or hiking tour.

Day 4

On day four, we headed to Isabela Island on the morning ferry. There are two ferry departures: one at 7 and one at 3 pm. The ferries themselves vary significantly in terms of comfort. I recommend two things: one, getting on the morning ferry even though it’s early, because the water is calmer and it’s cooler. Two, ask the agency you book through which boats are most comfortable. We had a very comfortable boat on the way to Isabela thanks to a local guide’s recommendation…and a very uncomfortable one on the way back, when we just booked whatever we could find.

a woman in a hat and glasses points at a large tortoise on the island of Isabela in the Galapagos — Checking out the land tortoises at the rehabilitation center! A classic activity in the Galapagos, and very easy to do with a baby.

After arriving at Isabela, we headed to the Centro de Crianza Tortugas Gigantes Arnaldo Tupiza Chamaidan, via a quick taxi, to see the giant tortoises and learn how they grow and develop. Afterwards, we walked back to town (and got to see flamingos!) and spent the afternoon at Puerto Villamil beach enjoying the sand and tropical cocktails. It’s an awesome place to watch the sunset, too.

A woman nurses her baby on the beach at Isabala Island in the Galapagos at sunset. — One of my favorite memories from this trip: nursing my baby on the beach at sunset. I felt such peace, such joy, such awe…it was really special.

Day 5

On day five, we took our half day tour to Los Tuneles, which was another incredible highlight of the trip. Our boat explored rocky lava formations unlike anything I’ve ever seen, with cacti and so many sea animals. In those formations, we saw the spotted eagle manta rays, turtles, and beautiful fish. During snorkeling sessions, we saw the Galapagos penguins, sharks, turtles, sea horses, and fish. It was a magical day!

A woman stands with her baby in the Galapagos while visiting Los Tuneles — Exploring the other-worldly lava formations of Los Tuneles with my baby

I will note that our boat was significantly less comfortable for this tour than the Pinzon tour as it was a much smaller boat to navigate the tight rocky formations. You may want to bring sea sickness medication and will definitely want plenty of sun protection.

Day 6

On day six we took a taxi as far as cars can go along the coastal road that leads to the Muro de Lagrimas, or the Wall of Tears. Many people rent bikes and ride the entire way, but with a baby that was not very appealing. We just wanted to explore the local beach areas on foot.

a man stands at playa del amor with his back to the camera in a shallow pool — These shallow pools would be great for playing with your baby!

We stopped by Playa del Amor and then ventured into Los Esteros, a mangrove that is stunning. We were able to walk through the water all the way to a peaceful, shallow swim area where the mangrove meets the ocean. Be sure to check the tides, however, because the water was definitely higher on our walk back (about hip height) so you will want to go at lower tides.

A woman and her baby at Playa de los Esteros in the Galapagos — About to head into the mangroves! We literally walked straight through the water and followed it left until we reached a beach with shallow waters

A man in a sunhat holds a baby in the water at Playa del Estero — The peaceful area where we swam at Playa del Estero. It was so shallow and perfect. I just love this picture so much.

Day 7

In the morning, we headed to La Concha de Perla, an area right outside of town where you can snorkel for free. We didn’t see a ton of fish compared to what we had seen on our tours, but we did see some very playful sea lions and some swimming iguanas. And, La Concha de Perla is a very pretty place to swim and hang out anyways.

a sea lion swims near the dock at la concha de la perla — Cute sea lion near the dock in the Concha de la Perla. They’re very curious and playful!

A father holds his baby son, both smiling, at La Concha de la Perla in the Galapagos — I mean, come onnnnn! Cannot handle the cuteness here. This is the dock area where you can snorkel from at La Concha de la Perla. Plenty of benches there too where whoever wasn’t snorkeling/swimming could hold our baby.

We took the afternoon ferry back to Santa Cruz as our flight out was the next morning, and it was definitely less pleasant than the ferry to Isabela as the sun was brutal and our ferry did not have fully covered passenger areas.

Day 8

Depart for Quito! Goodbye to the beautiful Galapagos Islands.

A note on the age of your baby for your trip to the Galapagos

As parents know, babies change and develop constantly and at an unbelievable speed during the first year (even two!) of their lives. This means that your experience traveling to the Galapagos with a baby will likely look very different depending on your baby’s age.

We went when our son was about four months old (he hit four months during our trip). This was an awesome time to go for a few reasons. One, I was more comfortable in motherhood and therefore more confident. Two, he was still sleeping a lot, so boat time was a great time for napping. He was also only breastfeeding still, so no need to worry about solid foods.

A man in a sunhat holds his infant son in a sunhat in the water at Tortuga Bay — Nico was so easy to travel with at this time!

I think I’d recommend 3-7 months as the most ideal time. Essentially, going before your baby is too mobile. However, I think it would totally be doable even with a crawling baby. Beaches are awesome for tiny explorers.

I would probably NOT bring an active toddler to the Galapagos. People definitely do, but I personally wouldn’t because it would be really hard to enjoy snorkeling and boat trips with a child who needs to be moving around and exploring constantly. You could probably stick to more land-based tours more easily with a toddler, but to me the most magical parts were the underwater experiences like swimming with sharks.

As I noted in this piece, On Adventurous Motherhood, type two fun will not earn you a prize. Only you can decide what challenges are worth it for you when traveling with your little one.

What if I need baby supplies?

If you forgot something, don’t worry. In Santa Cruz you can probably find what you need. They have pharmacies with things like baby bug repellent and baby soap and diapers. I always like to remember that people live in places I visit with babies, so it should never be too difficult to find what you need!

However, everything is VERY expensive in the Galapagos because of how remote it is, so to avoid paying a lot, it’s best to bring your baby supplies from home. Check out this other post I wrote all about the Galapagos on a budget.

What you are NOT likely to find is things like a baby pack and play, or high chairs at restaurants, or changing tables in bathrooms. Be sure to pack accordingly.

The perks of traveling to the Galapagos with a baby

Your costs will be lower! Babies under 2 fly for free, they won’t pay an entrance fee to the islands, and oftentimes tours are free for babies too. You’ll get to do something super epic and have the stories to tell your child when they’re older! You will get to continue to do things that ignite your soul on fire even after you become a parent, and that’s pretty special.

A woman holds her baby on the beach at Isabela Island, watching the sunset with her back to the camera — Moments like these? Priceless.

What to pack for the Galapagos with a baby

Some of these links may be affiliate links, and I may make a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting me!

Baby carrier. An absolute must for traveling anywhere with your little one! I recommend this mesh one which has breathability so your baby won’t overheat.

A baby carrier is THE MOST important piece of baby gear for me. I used it constantly: grocery stores, travel, hiking, you name it. This is how we got around the Galapagos with a baby.

Travel crib. Don’t rely on your accommodations to have these, it’s best to bring it with you.
Travel car seat. This one is very lightweight and works for children up to 40 pounds, so you can get a lot of use out of it.
Long sleeve swimsuit is a must for outdoor swimming with your baby. We got this one when our son was a little older and I wish I had had it during our travels. It’s full body coverage and has a nice long zipper.
Diaper bag, diapers, wipes, and portable changing mat
If your baby is eating solids, you may find it worthwhile to pack a portable high chair
A mini fan to keep baby cool while you’re out. I didn’t pack one and wish I had
Baby sun hat, preferably one with neck flaps. I forgot to pack a nice sun hat and ended up with a bucket hat for my son but wish I’d had a higher quality one with more coverage
Muslin blankets. These are great for making shade for your baby, either by hanging them/draping them up while you’re on the beach or covering your baby’s skin while walking around. They are also great mini blankets where your little one can play
Baby sunscreen if your baby is old enough
Lightweight clothes. We generally used cotton onesies and shorts for the trip. I love bright colored ones for more vibrant photos

Final thoughts on Galapagos with a baby

We went to the Galapagos in part because my husband is from Ecuador and had promised to take his mom someday.

A family in sunhats enjoys the water at Tortuga BAy — One of my favorite family trips ever.

Psst, interested in other adventures with your baby? Check out my popular post on Thailand with a baby or Camping with a baby!