We’ve been taking our daughters to the Galapagos since they were toddlers. As they’ve grown, the possibilities have expanded; they now dive and volunteer on an organic farms. Some families have Hawaii. For us, it’s the Galapagos.
Over the years, we’ve helped countless families visit the Galapagos. Often, the families we serve have members between the ages of 4 and 18. But for multi-generational families (i.e. grandparents, parents, and grandchildren) the family usually also includes toddlers and infants in arms.
Choosing a Galapagos experience can be confusing and exhausting on its own. Adding children to the equation makes the decision even more complex. Expert advice will save time and spare you the hassles.
Most cruises in the Galapagos have 7-night itineraries. Some offer 3-night, 4-night, and 5-night options. Often, shorter cruises are a better match with school schedules. Many cruises (and some hotels) have a minimum age, usually between 8 and 12 years. When you charter a vessel exclusively for your family, those minimum ages can be adapted.
LANDED also designs customized land-based itineraries with stays at private villas, lodges, tented camps, and top-tier hotels. Many of our clients choose to combine a cruise with a stay on one of the islands pre- or post-cruise.
The Galapagos is one of the great family destinations on earth. Almost every age works. Age shapes the experience, but it does not disqualify it.
Young Children (Ages 4–7)
The Galapagos is more accessible to young children than many families expect. Many of the wildlife species are present at ground level. Much of the hiking is gentle, or sites can be accessed from shore. A three-year-old standing on Española Island, surrounded by blue-footed boobies who lift their feet in courtship display, is having a Galapagos experience as complete and genuine as any adult’s. Observing a giant tortoise at close range is like encountering a living dinosaur.
For very young children, land-based stays in Santa Cruz or Isabela may be more comfortable than a liveaboard—stable accommodation, more flexibility around sleep and meals, and shorter excursion windows.
A knowledgeable naturalist guide, briefed by LANDED on the family’s needs, makes the difference between an exhausting day and a magical one. Many of the guides we work with are parents or young grandparents who know how to make your excursions unforgettable for parents and children alike.
School-Age Children (Ages 8–12)
The optimal age range for a Galapagos liveaboard cruise. Children at this age have the physical stamina for full days of snorkeling and beach landings, the intellectual curiosity to absorb what their guide tells them, and the emotional openness to be moved by swimming with a sea lion pup.
Snorkeling with Galapagos penguins is a defining Galapagos memory. Many develop an interest in marine biology, conservation, or science that traces directly to this encounter.
My first trip to the Galapagos was preceded by years of research and reverie. I found that being there—partaking of the islands firsthand—transcended and multiplied my daydreams. After many years of return visits, these far-flung islands still captivate me. Now, my fascination is ornamented with memories: a hike with friends in the Fernandina lava fields; hammerheads on a dive with Erynn at Gordon Rocks; our daughters surfing at Tortuga Bay; a snorkeling session with sea lions amid curtains of diffused light in an Isabella grotto. On and on. Gifts and treasures. – John Montgomery, Co-Founder of LANDED
Teenagers (Ages 13–17)
The Galapagos is a superb destination for teens who are physically active, intellectually demanding, and free of the self-consciousness that sometimes makes cultural destinations awkward. Snorkeling with hammerhead sharks, kayaking among sea lions, hiking volcanic calderas, and spending evenings on the deck of a small ship under equatorial stars all deliver the combination of adventure, independence, and substance that teenagers crave.
Many families who bring teenagers to the Galapagos report that it is the trip their child talks about most—the one that appears in college essays, the one that surfaces in conversations years later as the formative travel memory.
Multi-Generational Family Groups
Privately chartered vessels in the Galapagos are ideal for multi-generational families. The itinerary can be adapted to the family’s pace. Grandparents who prefer to observe from the deck or Zodiac have company; teenagers who want to snorkel every site have the freedom to do so. Meals are shared around a single table. The shared experience of being in one of the most extraordinary places on earth, across generations, becomes part of your family’s lore.
PRICING NOTE
PRIVATE GALAPAGOS YACHT CHARTERS FOR FAMILIES: FROM $80,000 to $150,000 FOR PREMIUM MOTOR YACHT OR MOTOR CATAMARANS. PER-PERSON COSTS FOR GROUPS OF 10-16 OFTEN COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH INDIVIDUAL PREMIUM CABIN BOOKINGS.
The trip was a huge success. Galapagos was perfect, and Peru was great–not easy for a family of 20. Your on-the-ground team was fantastic–very knowledgeable and accommodating. It was beautifully organized–the trip of a lifetime. A wonderful introduction to countries you love, and now we know why! – Judy Cormier, LANDED Traveler
“It is still the most fantastic wildlife place on earth, bar none. Incredibly, every other week I still see and capture behaviors and events I had never seen before — such is the richness of this near-pristine archipelago.” – Tui De Roy