The Galapagos Islands are located about 300 miles off the Ecuador's coast in the Pacific Ocean. Because of their isolation from the mainland ecosystems, the Islands served as a great inspiration to ideas of Charles Darwin on evolution and natural selection.

Apart from being beautiful, the Galapagos Islands are most popularly known for being located in a remote location. As of today, the area is a protected national park, and though tourism is allowed, strict guidelines and rules have been put in place to prevent damage to the animal and plant life. Although some visitors who tour Galapagos Islands argue that applying these rules is prohibitively restrictive, there are many important reasons as to why these rules are useful. For this reason, it is important that you learn about things that you must meet prior to planning a Galapagos Islands tour.

Here are tips to making your Galapagos Islands tours or vacation a success:

Getting to Galapagos Islands

Since only a few boats travel from the mainland, most travelers to these Islands do so by air. The trips are normally short and can be arranged through a tour company or on your own. Here is what you need to do regarding getting to Galapagos Islands.

i. Reserve your flights

Most of the flights to Galapagos Islands can be booked in advance, particularly in the summer period when the number of tourists is very high. However, at the spur of the moment tickets are sometimes available in case the tour companies releases some block of seats that had been reserved for groups. But the best option is for you to book a ticket earlier enough as there is no assurance that you will land one in the last minute.

You will also be required to book a return flight when booking your flight to the Islands. However, you can change the return ticket in case you decide that you would like to stay longer.

ii. Travel to Guayaquil or Quito

In Quito, which is the capital city of Ecuador, is where flights from the mainland begin. They then make stops in Guayaquil at the coast, and later enter the Islands. The flights may be picked up at either mainland city and charges from Guayaquil can be less expensive. You also need to know that there is a baggage limitation of 44 lbs. (20 kg) per passenger on flights to the Galapagos Islands.

iii. Fly to the Galapagos Islands

Flights take about an hour and a half from Guayaquil and three hours from Quito. Normally, five to six flights depart each day for the Islands, especially in the morning and early afternoon. A stopover time in Guayaquil is included in flight times from Quito.

iv. Pay the entry charges

All the visitors to Galapagos Islands are required by law to par entry charges upon landing on the Islands. The charges for foreign visitors were a hundred dollars ($100) per adult and fifty dollars ($50) per child under the age of twelve years. The payment of this fee must be in cash, thus ensure that you are ready before making that flight.

These charges go to the National Park that makes up the Galapagos Islands and it is applied in the maintenance and upkeep of a safe ecosystem.

Wildlife Protection

Majority of the wildlife found on these islands is typically safe and docile to be around. But you need to take special care and avoid the male sea lions, particularly the bull. Since the bull sea lion is usually the dominant male in a family, it can be highly aggressive towards tourists that it feels as if they pose a danger to its family. In case you come across a bull sea lion, the important thing to do is as far as possible and as fast as you can away from the sea lions family.

You should also know that it is prohibited to fish for sea cucumbers and fish. Also, since this is an island, it is also good to ensure that you are not in any way sneaking any animal life or foreign plant. It would be a good idea also to take a look at the bottom of your shoes before you can get back to your plane to ensure that they are free from anything that may cause harm to the local ecosystem.

Exploring the Islands

In case you are planning on hopping between the islands in Galapagos, the best way to accomplish this objective is by use of a boat, although flights are available from the small local airlines. There are several different tour firms that can provide visitors the opportunity to explore and take tours of Galapagos Islands by boat at a reasonable charge. These companies offer cruises from just a day trip to a cruise that can last all the way for two weeks. Although it is possible to book a cruise on the spur of the moment, it would be best to have them booked in advance as the government limits the number of passengers who can be allowed to board each cruise so as to protect the environment.

Selecting the Cruise

Because of the fragile ecosystem, there are some strict rules, as mentioned before, for the vacationers to preserve the endemic species, uniqueness and beauty of the Galapagos Islands. So, when you are booking any cruise, you must make sure that the tour operator is a reliable name in the travel industry and can offer you essential information and tips so as to make your trip wonderful.

Seek Assistance from Travel Advisors

As many vacationers feel that it is a best way to explore the marine creatures that are found in the sea, then in case you are a lover of nature, this is the trip you have been looking for. You can follow the assistance of the travel advisors of these Islands so as to experience the best of these place within your limited time budget.

Seek information on Clothes to Carry

You need to seek info about the gear and clothes to be carried and the items which can be made available by the cruise company. Suppose, for instance, many companies offer diving tools on rent so that you can experience the joy of diving with harmless but special marine creatures in your adventurous tours to the Galapagos Islands.

When you follow all the above tips, there is no doubt you will have wonderful and successful vacations to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.