Inspired by the stylish tented safari camps of Africa but located roughly 620 miles (998 kilometers) from the coast of Ecuador, Galapagos Safari Camp is perched in the wild highlands of Santa Cruz Island with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Galapagos National Park. Giant tortoises roam freely beneath the raised tent platforms and a variety of native birds, including Darwin's famous finches, flock in the surrounding canopy of endemic trees. Galapagos Safari Camp is family-owned by Stephanie and Michael Mesdag who raised their children here while establishing camp. Today, their gracious and friendly team welcomes guests of all ages like family friends to experience the Galapagos Islands in a truly unique way.
A stay at Galapagos Safari Camp is fully customized and flexible. Booking options include an all-inclusive land-based safari with excursions to surrounding uninhabited islands, or sometimes in conjunction with a shorter boat cruise permitting awe-struck guests a few days of relaxation before returning to the mainland. It’s also common for travelers to exclusively stay at Galapagos Safari Camp during their time in the archipelago, either to avoid sea sickness or to opt for a more intimate, personalized, and flexible experience than a standard cruise can provide.
PROPERTY FACTS
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Luxury Safari Tents (7) Luxury Family Safari Tents (2) Three-Room Family Suite (1)
Ranges from All Inclusive Safari Packages to Half Board only
Wi-Fi Available
Open Year Round (closed September for team building and maintenance)
Signature, Andrew Harper
Massages on-request at an additional cost
Infinity Pool
info@galapagossafaricamp.com
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RATES
From $1,310 per person, per night for the five-night classic safari. Child rates available.
*Flights to the Galapagos Islands, Tourist Transit Cards, and National Park entrance fees are additional for all stays at GSC.
Starting Half Board/Classic Safari
LOCATION: Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Closet Domestic Airport:
There are daily flights from the US and Europe to Ecuador, both to Quito (UIO) and to Guayaquil (GYE), the main points of entry to the country. The closest airport is located on Baltra Island (GPS) and several carriers offer daily flights from Quito or Guayaquil.
From the Baltra Airport a representative of the Camp will meet and escort you across the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island. From there, it is a 30-minute drive to GSC.
Galapagos Safari Camp offers several flexible booking options and does not have set arrival or departure dates. This allows guests to experience GSC in a variety of ways; as a complement to any length of cruise through the Islands, as a brief and relaxing pre- or post-cruise extension, or as home base during a multi-day land-based exploration of the islands featuring daily guided excursions across land and sea throughout the archipelago.
Unique Arrival & Departure Options:
WHEN TO VISIT
The Galapagos Islands can be enjoyed year round. Peak season coincides with the typical holiday schedule for North American travelers: from spring break in March and April, mid-June through early September, and from mid-December through mid-January. Galapagos National Park limits the number of visitors to each island and all tour itineraries are coordinated by the park, so despite the popularity, the crowds on each island are never overwhelming.
January through April/May are the sunniest months, with calm seas and warm air (65°-81° F / 18°-27 °C) and water temperatures (76°- 83° F / 24° - 28°C). Water is clear this time of year, offering excellent visibility. Snorkeling with just a shorty wetsuit is very pleasant. Clear, blue skies are interspersed with light daily rain showers that pass quickly.
From June through December, the Humboldt Current brings colder water (65°-72° F / 18°- 22°C) and air temperatures (60° F - 72° F / 16°- 22°C), ideal weather for hiking or exploration by mountain bike. Skies are cloudy and misty but actual precipitation is scarce. Trade winds from the southeast can occasionally make the seas a bit choppier this time of year. And thanks to the nutrient rich waters created by the change in ocean currents, this is a great time of year for diving as marine life is at its most abundant.
FOR FAMILIES
We can safely say that the owners of Galapagos Safari Camp know what children and parents need when visiting the Galapagos. Their own children, Jasmine and Lawrence, were born and brought up at the camp from the first years of their lives. A specially-designed Family Safari itinerary caters to families with young children, and the camp stocks all necessary equipment, from cots, to wetsuits, snorkel gear and bikes, to fit all sizes from young children to teens. The Family Suite is ideally shared by a family with younger children while safari-inspired tented accommodations will thrill slightly older children and teenagers. A variety of meal preferences and special requests are easily accommodated by the kitchen with advance notice.
In addition, new for summer 2025 are two Family Safari Tents that sleep up to five people. These are essentially two of the of the classic tents joined by a shared living space; an ideal arrangement for families or small groups of friends. As with all the other Luxury Safari Tents, each of the rooms has its own bathroom.
During the summer and winter holiday seasons–the most popular time for families to visit the Galapagos Islands–children will enjoy the Kid's Club, while adults can take time to relax after the day's excursions.
RECOMMENDED LENGTH OF STAY
The minimum suggested is two nights if extending a boat-based journey through the Galapagos Islands, but in our opinion four or five nights are ideal for guests who want to explore the Galapagos Islands on a land-based safari. An eight-night stay includes the Isabela Island extension, where guests can explore sights like the volcanic caldera of Sierra Negra, snorkel The Tunnels, and more.
UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
Galapagos Safari Camp is an excellent stand-alone destination for a land-based tour of the Galapagos Islands. The privacy, hospitality, and customization of the experience here truly amplifies this bucket-list destination. Whether booking for an extended honeymoon or a multigenerational family celebration, there is room to spread out at Galapagos Safari Camp, enjoy open-air meals with family as owls and finches flit by, and gawk at the Giant Tortoises browsing right beneath the deck of your tent.
The small size of the property provides a very intimate and “high-touch” guest experience. Great for families, Galapagos Safari Camp also offers guests a lot of privacy, making this a great add-on for honeymoon couples after a week of boat-based exploring—or a complete alternative option.
Flexibility is key. Choose among several different inclusive 'safaris' already designed with daily guided excursions by boat to the surrounding islands, including one crafted specifically for families with young children. Or, book a few nights (at least two are recommended) on half-board basis only.
Land-based safaris are ideal for travelers prone to seasickness or who don’t want to be shepherded around on a strict time schedule. Galapagos Safari Camp offers options that still allow guests to explore neighboring islands via short boat transfers.
Meals consist of fresh, organic food with most of the ingredients supplied by the surrounding garden and farm. Dinner is a four-course tasting menu that past travelers often rave about in their reviews.
Galapagos Safari Camp puts a big focus on sustainability. It is surrounded by a 55-hectare (136-acre) farm that is rich in birdlife, including finches, warblers, mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, egrets and owls. Much of the property is dedicated to reforestation efforts with the focus on endemic tree species such as scalesia, guayabillo, and palo santo. Their rainwater harvesting and filtration system is the first of its kind, and only three trees were removed in the construction of the main lodge.
BEST COMBINED WITH
Galapagos Safari Camp pairs exceptionally well with a stay at either Hacienda Zuleta (90 minutes from Quito) or Hacienda La Danesa (90 minutes from Guayaquil). Both of these properties offer one-of-a-kind working farm experiences with different surroundings, featuring curated activities like ample hiking and horseback riding that complement time in and around the water in the Galapagos.
For travelers insistent on experiencing the Galapagos Islands by cruise, Galapagos Safari Camp works well with a number of the boat-based itineraries. The flexibility of booking options alleviates the challenges of trying to match a set-departure land program date with that of a boat. We especially recommend it as a two-night add on for honeymoon couples who have spent the previous week aboard a boat; tents are a haven of romantic privacy and offer time to reflect and relax before returning to the mainland or home.
