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What are Guaranteed Departures?

Guaranteed Departures are tour dates that we can already confirm are 100% certain to run as they already have the minimum number of people booked.

To guarantee a departure we normally require 4 paying passengers, but for some tours we only require 2 paying passengers.

This means that if the tour you want to book is NOT guaranteed yet, it is very likely that it WILL be after you book. You can always ask us if the tour will be guaranteed with your booking.

How Many Departures are Guaranteed?

Almost all of our tour departures in the Galapagos Islands are guaranteed to run. Some tours are guaranteed more than 1 year ahead of time. Other dates may not get guaranteed until 2 months ahead of time. Every week we receive more bookings and guarantee more departures.

My Tour is Not Guaranteed, Should I Worry?

No, not at all. It usually means we are waiting for 1 or 2 more people to book your tour. It may also mean that we are still working to confirm a specific tour service, such as a boat or hotel on one of the islands. Because Galapagos National Park rules change quite often, the permits for every boat and visitor site can change with little notice. This means our Galapagos team needs to constantly work with our partners to make sure we always run our tours with the best services, and travel experiences, possible.

Do you ever Cancel Tours?

Almost never. It is extremely rare for us to cancel a tour if someone has already booked on it. This happens less than once per year, it is very uncommon. As we require full tour payment at 60 days before the departure, that is the latest date at which we will wait to guarantee a departure.

What about Natural Disasters?

Just like any tour operator, there are things that can occur which are out of our control. We live on remote islands in the Pacific Ocean. Problems rarely happen in the Galapagos but tsunamis, civil unrest or airline strikes can result in tours being unable to run. We have not had any of these situations occur in many years. But, should such an event happen, your travel costs should be covered by your cancellation travel insurance - which we always highly recommend purchasing.

The same rules apply for our tours on mainland Ecuador, as well as Peru and our other travel destinations.

Benefits of Guaranteed Departures

The main benefit of guaranteed departures is that you can safely book other travel plans for before/after your Galakiwi guaranteed tour. If you find a great deal on airfare and your departure is guaranteed, you can book it knowing your tour will definitely run. For travelers who are booking multiple tours or are on an extended vacation this is helpful in making sure your Galakiwi travels fit perfectly into the rest of your travel plans.

  • Melanie Eustace - 6-day Land Galapagos Tour, January 2024
    A big thank you to the team at Galakiwi for making my holiday in the Galapagos the most incredible experience I could have ever wished for. I thought I had missed out completely when my flight from Miami got canceled but Laura rescheduled everything in Ecuador for me and arranged for me to catch up with my group without missing out at all. Pepo our guide did a superb job and every day was even better than the one before, except the last one when we had to go home ?. From beginning to end every single member of the Galakiwi team was incredible. I couldn't recommend this 6-day Galapagos holiday or Galakiwi highly enough. I will treasure all the wonderful memories of the Galapagos.
    Melanie Eustace
    6-day Land Galapagos Tour, January 2024
  • Murray - Family Tour - 2023
    I would give this trip six stars if I could. This was my second trip with Galakiwi, the first having been with a small group of adults none of whom I knew before the trip. This trip, I requested a custom itinerary for myself, my adult daughter and her husband, and their bright and very active kids aged 7, 10 and 12. The staff did a great job seeking out activities suitable for us, some of which I'd done previously and some I had not. We were even able to book a surfing session. Pablo Valladares was our guide on the first trip and I requested him for this tour because of his outgoing personality, encyclopedic knowledge about the islands, and obvious deep love for the place where he lives. I cannot recommend Galakiwi highly enough. In addition to all the above, Galakiwi offers a land based tour so you sleep in a hotel every night and not on a boat. What could be better?
    Murray
    Family Tour - 2023
  • Michele Lemay - Galapagos Private Customized Tour - Feb 2023
    Galakiwi provided our 7-person group with outstanding, professional services throughout the 13-day customized tour. From the expert advice during the pre-trip planning to the booking experience, the efficient on-site logistics, the exceptional, highly knowledgeable guides, and the excellent family-run quality hotels, everything was perfect. It was the experience of a lifetime that our group had dreamed of. Galakiwi is a superb team all around.
    Michele Lemay
    Galapagos Private Customized Tour - Feb 2023
  • Kurtis Siegle - 10 day Galapagos Adventure Tour - May 2023
    I learned so much and had so much fun! It was an adventure I will never forget!
    Kurtis Siegle
    10 day Galapagos Adventure Tour - May 2023
  • Alex W - Customized Family Tour 2023
    This was absolutely the trip of a lifetime! We booked a private tour with Galakiwi for our family of 6 - mom, dad, grandma, and three kids ages 7, 10 and 12. From the moment we arrived we were completely taken care of. With three kids we didn't have to worry about getting from one point to another. But more importantly, we were shown the most extraordinary places and wildlife. We hiked a volcano, surfed, and snorkeled with sharks and giant sea turtles and sea lions! Our guide Pablo was so caring and related to everyone in our group so well. He made changes as needed in the itinerary to give us the best experience every day. And he taught us so much. He truly loves these islands and the plants and animals who live there, and his enthusiasm and curiosity were infectious. We felt like we were being let into a secret garden that only Pablo knew about. Our only regret is that we didn't stay longer! There is so much to see and do.
    Alex W
    Customized Family Tour 2023
  • Heidi - 10 day Galapagos Adventure Tour - 2023
    Galakiwi is the way to Go-lapagos! Super organized, anticipating every move and connection in a well choreographed professional manner. Great gear was at our disposal, excellent food served by all of their partner restaurants and caterers. Pepo and Paulo were excellent local guides that we all felt lucky to have lead our adventure, They provided clear insight on the fragile ecosystems that are the gems of the Galapagos and explained Ecuador's cautious development of sustainable tourism in the region. Special visits to the Tree House, meeting their moms and Tim's kids on the last day made it a truly special visit.
    Heidi
    10 day Galapagos Adventure Tour - 2023
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