Each visitor pays an entry fee for the Galapagos Islands. This fee is distributed to various local and national institutions to support the goal of sustainable human development.
In general, the revenue generated from recreational and tourism activities that take place in protected areas is obtained in three ways:
- The payment of an admission fee or entry fee
- Payment of permits, licenses, or fees for tourism operations
- Resources generated through service concessions or permits for specific activities.
The entry fees are established to recover the investment costs required to carry out conservation and management activities in protected areas. Additionally, additional revenue is generated for human development activities in the surrounding regions.
MANAGEMENT OF ENTRY TO GALAPAGOS
The Galapagos National Park Directorate is the institution responsible for managing the collection of tourism entry fees and the entry tariff for the Galapagos Islands. It verifies daily deposits, daily settlements, manages databases of valuable species, processes monthly payments, and distributes funds to beneficiaries, in accordance with the Law for the Sustainable Development of the Province of Galapagos and its regulations.
The entry fee funds are used to finance the conservation of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, as well as terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Additionally, they benefit the local community by improving basic services, supporting educational, sports, and health projects, environmental sanitation, environmental services, and tourism-related services.
GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK FEES:
| Foreign tourists, non-residents of Ecuador over 12 years of age | US$200 |
| Foreign tourists, non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age | US$100 |
| Foreign tourists, non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age Nationals from one of the countries belonging to the Andean Community of Nations or MERCOSUR | US$100 |
| Foreign tourists non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years, nationals from one of the countries belonging to the Andean Community of Nations or Mercosur | US$50 |
| Tourists and Nationals residing in Ecuador, for over 12 years | US$30 |
| Tourists and foreign nationals residing in Ecuador, under 12 years | US$15 |
| Tourists, students not living in Ecuador who are enrolled in national educational institutions | US$50 |
Countries part of CAN: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Starting August 1, the following price table applies:
| CATEGORY | Foreigners | Foreigners CAN/MERCOSUR* | Ecuadorians and Residents of Ecuador |
| Children (12 years old or younger) | US$100 | US$50 | US$15 |
| Adults (13 – 64 years) | US$200 | US$100 | US$30 |
| Senior citizens (65 years old or older) | US$200 | US$100 | US$15 |
| People with disabilities (CONADIS) | US$200 | US$100 | US$15 |
| Non-resident foreign students enrolled in Ecuadorian institutions | US$50 | US$50 | US$50 |
Countries part of CAN: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
NOTE: Domestic and foreign tourists under 2 years of age are exempt from this tax.
