📍 Ecuador
Puerto Ayora
Galápagos hub on Santa Cruz
No bookable tours in Puerto Ayora yet
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Name Your Price → Browse hotelsAbout Puerto Ayora
Puerto Ayora grew from a small fishing and farming settlement into the largest town in the Galápagos, on the southern shore of Santa Cruz Island. It is home to the Charles Darwin Research Station, established in 1964 to support conservation in the archipelago. Today it is the main base for day trips and cruises across the islands.
A practical first trip balances the must-sees with one unscheduled half-day.
Places worth building around
Your first short list in Puerto Ayora.
Conservation centre and giant tortoise breeding programme.
Los Gemelos craters and lava tunnels in the green highlands.
See Galápagos tortoises roaming free in highland reserves.
Day-trip island known for sea lions and land iguanas.
Where to stay in Puerto Ayora
Real hotels with live prices — pick your dates on the hotel page.
from$650
from$380
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Quick answers for Puerto Ayora
How long should a first visit be?
Plan 3–4 nights for the highlights without rushing. Add a night or two for a nearby day trip or a slower pace.
When is the best time to go?
Puerto Ayora is at its best in Dec–May (warm) or Jun–Nov (cooler, wildlife), with comfortable weather and manageable crowds.
Can a local expert plan it for me?
Yes. Name your price and the local partners who cover Puerto Ayora send you offers within 48 hours. Nothing is charged until you accept one.
Name your price
Your Puerto Ayora trip, your budget.
Tell us what you want — a guide for a morning, a driver for a week, hotels and tours together — and what you'd like to spend. Local experts compete for it.