Sailing to the Galapagos Islands on Your Own Boat - What You Need to Know Ep.35 

Thanks, glad you found it useful.

Glad you found it helpful. We loved the Galapagos, especially Isabella and the Royal Rock!

Thanks! We can't wait!

Richard, We glad you found the video informative and we're happy to answer any questions. Note these are based on our experience in late 2020 so check with your agent as well for any changes. 1. When we checked in the inspector the asked what meats what we had aboard. He did not do an inspection to verify but we had vacuum packed the items and labeled all. The main meat they were most concerned with was uncooked pork products. We cooked up the bacon we had in advance and also had that packed and labeled. They didn't appear at all concerned about coffee beans. We were also out of eggs by the time we arrived as we didn't bring more than needed for the passage. Locally produced eggs, , fruits and vegetables are abundantly available and affordable in the islands so no need to stock up in advance. 2. Regarding tours, we would recommend waiting until you are in the islands to book as there is a thriving business in filling last minute openings. This can save you significant dollars. We would also recommend cruising from island to island amongst the three main islands as each has its own unique experiences that you simply can't see any other way. Also, there are walks and bike rides you can do without a guide that we found to be as good or better than the guided tours simply because it feels more "natural" to discover the wildlife on your own. The penguins around our boat at Puerto Villamil is something we'll never forget. 3. The cats. Sad to say, we've been told that boats with pets are no longer being allowed due to changes forced by individuals not following the strict rules of no pets allowed ashore. Again, check with Javier, the agent we recommended or the agent of your choice, to see if there's been any further changes. Also, if you are making an emergency stop for fuel, repairs or the like, we've been told then it's not an issue but definetly don't take off boat or you risk fines. Hope this helps! Keep us in the loop on how the trip progresses. The Galápagos were a definite highlight for us. Kevin and Carla

You can only anchor in approved bays on your own and those three were the only ones available when we visited. That was during covid times so they have likely made changes. I know they no longer allow boats with pets, unless it's an emergency stop. My advice would be to contact the agent we recommended, I know he's still there as he helped a friend this year, and see what he advises. Good luck, it's an amazing place!