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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.

  • Kath Silvester, New Zealand - 10-day Galapagos Adventure, May 2017
    The x-factor with Galakiwi's tour, being land-based, is the insight you get into real life on the Galapagos. This was what lifted our trip beyond the expected 'trip of a lifetime' to see the natural sights of the Galapagos, to a really meaningful (though short!) experience in another country and culture.
    Kath Silvester, New Zealand
    10-day Galapagos Adventure, May 2017
  • Alison Gray, New Zealand - 6-day Land Galapagos Tour, March 2016
    We had a great land-based trip with Galakiwi -it as fun being ashore at night and wandering among the wildlife and with the locals in the street. And staying on an extra couple of days gave us time by ourselves but with full support from the Galakiwi team when we wanted it. The best of both worlds with a great professional approach. Thanks heaps as they say in NZ!
    Alison Gray, New Zealand
    6-day Land Galapagos Tour, March 2016
  • Jamie Jacobs, November 2015 - 10-day Galapagos Adventure Tour
    While I knew I would enjoy the Galapagos, the trip with Galakiwi became for me the highlight of our South American travels.
    Jamie Jacobs, November 2015
    10-day Galapagos Adventure Tour
  • Chi & Jay, New Zealand - Custom Ecuador & Galapagos Wedding Tour
    We just wanted to write a quick note to say a massive thank you to everyone in Galakiwi who have helped make this trip so memorable for us. Everyone had a great time and really enjoyed it.
    Chi & Jay, New Zealand
    Custom Ecuador & Galapagos Wedding Tour
  • Chris Urquhart, Canada - 10-day Galapagos Adventure Tour, June 2016
    We spent a month in South America and our time in the Galapagos was the highlight. There were new delightful surprises multiple times a day. Our guide, Pablo, shared his enthusiasm with us and kept us entertained with great stories and fascinating information each and every day. The land based tour from Galakiwi was definitely the right choice. We have spoken to others that took ship based tours and we feel that we made a great choice with Galakiwi. It was the trip of a lifetime!
    Chris Urquhart, Canada
    10-day Galapagos Adventure Tour, June 2016
  • Duly Lee, USA - Custom Galapagos Family Tour
    I had been planning a trip with my family for ages, and when the idea to go to Galapagos emerged, I thought what a better place to reunite with family and induce some very needed bonding opportunity. The fantastic natural setting was super conductive to this goal, but if it wasn't for GALAKIWI's immaculate service and attention it wouldn't have happened. So thanks to you guys for everything!
    Duly Lee, USA
    Custom Galapagos Family Tour
  • Larry Katz, USA - 10-day Galapagos Adventure Tour, December 2015
    We are three couples with different interests and abilities, but the trip was great for all of us. The activities were a blast, our guide was top-notch and everything went just as we had hoped. We really loved it and would highly recommend Galakiwi to anyone thinking of a land-based Galapagos trip.
    Larry Katz, USA
    10-day Galapagos Adventure Tour, December 2015
  • Rachel Mundy, New Zealand - Galapagos Biking Tour
    The Galapagos mountain biking adventure trip was an amazing experience. Having to dodge a giant tortoise in the middle of the road is not something that happens every day. A great way to see these beautiful and unique islands in a slightly more detailed way.
    Rachel Mundy, New Zealand
    Galapagos Biking Tour
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