How much is the Galapagos entrance fee?
$220 is a standard-rate adult example, not a universal charge: $200 for the protected-area entry fee and $20 for the Transit Control Card (TCT). The applicable park rate depends on nationality, Ecuadorian residence, age and eligible status. Check both your category and any amount already covered by your booking before budgeting.
For adults, the published park rates are $200 for the general foreign-visitor category, $100 for eligible CAN/MERCOSUR nationals and $30 for Ecuadorian nationals or foreign residents of Ecuador. The corresponding under-12 rates are $100, $50 and $15; children under two are exempt from the park charge. Other reductions and exemptions apply to specified statuses. Confirm the applicable category at age boundaries with the authority; do not apply the standard $220 example to every visitor.
What exactly are the two payments?
The park fee funds entry to the protected areas; the TCT is a separate migration-control document issued by the Galapagos Governing Council. Arrange the TCT before boarding from mainland Ecuador and keep it for entry and exit. A fee being compulsory does not mean it must be an extra charge on every package: confirm what your operator has already paid.
The 2026 collection rules provide for payment at designated park collection points, digital payment and advance payments by tourism operators. They also provide for more than cash as a payment method. This does not prove that every counter accepts every method at every moment: confirm your payment channel and keep the receipt. Carrying US dollars as a backup is different from saying cash is the only legal option.
Where and how do you pay, step by step
Before the mainland flight: use the official CGREG instructions for the TCT. Its published digital procedure includes payment of $20 and a QR code validated before boarding at Quito or Guayaquil. Have valid identification and your return itinerary ready. Older FAQ pages also describe counter/pre-registration arrangements; check the current instructions rather than relying on an old agency-only procedure.
For the park fee: confirm your tariff and whether the operator has paid it in advance. If it remains unpaid, follow the designated collection procedure on arrival. Keep the receipt or confirmation. The public rules alone do not establish what a particular tour includes.
There are no international flights directly into the islands: everyone arrives on a domestic flight from Quito or Guayaquil, roughly two hours in the air. If you are still planning that leg, our getting there guide walks through the airports, the routes and what happens at each control point.
Why did the fee double?
The park authority dates the increase of the standard foreign-adult tariff from $100 to $200 to 1 August 2024. The later Ordinance 001-CGREG-30-06-2025 and the collection instruction MAE-PNG/DIR-2026-0010-RM, dated 27 January 2026 and published on 10 March 2026, are distinct instruments. Do not describe the 2025 ordinance as the act adopted in 2024. The official park information remains available at galapagos.gob.ec.
The backdrop is a destination managing its own success. The National Park recorded 329,475 visitors in 2023 and 279,277 in 2024, for an archipelago whose whole point is strict visitor control. Industry reporting also describes land-based, island-hopping travel growing relative to cruises, which shifts more arrivals through exactly the airports where these fees are collected.
Public tariffs are determined by the applicable category, not negotiated with a tour seller. A reduced statutory rate or an operator’s advance payment is different from evading the fee.
The 60-day rule
The CGREG tourist FAQ allows up to 60 days across visits in the annual period counted from the first entry. It does not describe a fresh allowance on every trip or simply a reset on 1 January. Confirm your remaining tourist days with CGREG before a repeat visit.
Each entry is registered and each entry pays: fly back to the mainland mid-trip and return, and you go through the TCT process — and its $20 — again. For a normal one-trip holiday none of this bites; it matters if you are planning a long stay or a split itinerary with a mainland leg in the middle.
Are the fees ever included in a tour price?
Check the specific offer. The park’s 2026 rules expressly provide for operator advance payments, so it is incorrect to say a tour cannot pay the fee for you. Our six-day tour record also lists TCT among its inclusions; that is a product-specific record to reconfirm, not a rule for all tours.
Keep three budget lines: the tour, mainland flights and any park/TCT amounts not already included. Use $220 only as the standard foreign-adult example when neither fee is covered, and adjust for your category. Our land tour pages describe the individual products; the current booking conditions take precedence over a blanket summary.
Browse Galapagos land tours, island by island
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Galapagos entrance fee in 2026?
The standard foreign-adult example is $200 park entry plus $20 TCT. It is not universal: reduced park rates and exemptions depend on category. Check the official table and what your booking covers.
Where do I pay the $200 park fee?
Use the designated park collection procedure if the fee has not already been paid. The 2026 rules also provide for digital and operator advance payments; confirm the channel and retain proof.
What is the Transit Control Card and where do I get it?
A migration-control document, normally $20 for tourists, to arrange before the mainland flight. Follow current CGREG instructions for registration, payment and validation.
Are the fees included in tour or cruise prices?
They may be covered or excluded depending on the product. Obtain the specific inclusions and payment confirmation; do not assume an extra $220 after a fee has already been covered.
How long can I stay in the Galapagos as a tourist?
The CGREG FAQ specifies 60 days across visits in the annual period counted from first entry. Check remaining days and current instructions for your status.
Do children pay the entrance fee?
The park table has reduced rates for children under 12 and an exemption under two. The applicable amount also depends on nationality/residence and status; TCT is a separate process. Confirm age-boundary cases with the authority.
Sources
Fee procedures checked on 13 September 2026. The article’s publication date and historical travel-price observations are unchanged.
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Galapagos National Park — galapagos.gob.ec — entrance fee rates and Ordinance 001-CGREG-30-06-2025
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Galapagos Governing Council — gobiernogalapagos.gob.ec — Transit Control Card FAQ: cost, documents, 60-day rule