Port information & tips for Puerto Egas (San Salvador, Galapagos)
Puerto Egas on San Salvador Island is a pristine natural paradise in the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago and fascinates with its wild, volcanic beauty. Visitors can expect a spectacular backdrop of black lava sand, the deep blue Pacific, and a unique wildlife that can be experienced up close thanks to the protected location of the national park. Highlights include the fascinating "Grottos" (The Grottos) with their playful Galapagos fur seals, as well as the bizarre tuff formations and the historic salt hut at the edge of the hiking trail. Arrival is by Panga inflatable boat via a "wet landing" directly on the dark beach of James Bay. Since the island is uninhabited, the path leads from the landing site directly into the pure wilderness, perfectly underlining the exclusive and nature-oriented character of this expedition destination.
Getting to the Galápagos Islands, including the impressive visitor site of Puerto Egas on San Salvador, is always done by plane via the Ecuadorian mainland. Since Puerto Egas is a landing point for shore excursions and does not have port facilities for embarkation, cruises to the Galápagos Islands usually begin at the Baltra or San Cristóbal airports. Direct travel by car or train is not possible on the isolated islands.
Airplane
Your journey to the Galápagos Islands begins with an international flight to Ecuador, usually to Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito or José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) in Guayaquil. From there, daily domestic flights are available to the two main airports of the Galápagos Islands: Seymour Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island and San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) on San Cristóbal Island. Airlines such as LATAM and Avianca offer these connections. The flight time from Quito to the Galápagos Islands is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes, often with a short stopover in Guayaquil. From Guayaquil, the direct flight to the islands takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. Please note that upon arrival in the Galápagos Islands, a Transit Control Card (currently 20 US Dollars) and the National Park entrance fee (currently 100 US Dollars, increasing to 200 US Dollars from July 2024) are required, which must be paid in cash.
Transfer & Shuttle in the Galápagos Islands
After landing on Baltra (GPS), a free shuttle bus or a paid bus (approx. 5 US Dollars) will take you to the Seymour Passenger Dock in about 10 minutes. From there, the transfer to your cruise ship is by tender boat, as the ships do not dock directly at the pier. If your ship departs from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, the transfer from Baltra Airport includes a bus ride to the Itabaca Canal (approx. 5 US Dollars), a short ferry crossing (1–2 US Dollars), and then another bus ride (approx. 5 US Dollars) or taxi ride (20–25 US Dollars) to Puerto Ayora, which takes about 90 minutes in total. Upon arrival at San Cristóbal Airport (SCY), you can easily reach Puerto Baquerizo Moreno in a few minutes by taxi or even on foot due to the short distance, which is where embarkation takes place.
Pre-Cruise Hotel
Due to early flight departure times to the Galápagos Islands and the necessary travel via the mainland, an overnight stay in Quito or Guayaquil before the domestic flight is strongly recommended. In Quito, hotels such as the Illa Experience Hotel in the historic center (approx. 45 minutes from UIO) or the GO Quito Hotel in the modern financial district are good options. Guayaquil is often considered the preferred "Gateway to Galápagos" due to shorter flight times to the islands and its lower altitude. Here you will find well-connected hotels such as the Hotel del Parque or the Hilton Colon Guayaquil, which are each only about 10 to 15 minutes away from GYE airport. In this case, many cruise operators organize transfers between the hotel and the airport.
Check-in & Embarkation
Please note that you will usually receive a fixed time slot for check-in with your travel documents, which is binding for your embarkation. Please plan sufficient time for the journey to the port and take into account that the latest embarkation time - depending on the cruise line and destination area - is usually scheduled about one hour before the planned departure.
The same applies during the journey: for shore excursions, you should be back on board at least one hour before departure. Always pay attention to the current announcements and notices on board, as docking and departure times can change at short notice.
