FAQ
About Agora Tours
Agora Tours or Agora GPS Expeditions SAS is a family-operated tour agency based in Puerto Villamil on Isabela. Isabela is our beautiful home and we want to show you all its secrets of it. Our highest priority is to give you an amazing experience, so you will never forget the wonderful time you spent on these enchanted islands.
Agora Tours is a truly local business on Isabela with more than 20 years of experience in guiding. All this enables you to get better prices, superior quality and also a immediate contact person directly on the island. Furthermore, Isabela is our home. You will see and feel the admiration we have for this stunning place. We want Isabela to thrive and sustain. Hence, you will get an experience you wont find anywhere else.
The waters around Galapagos can be quite cold due to the different currents. Therefore, we rent out wetsuits all year around for 20$ each. Please visit our office the day before to chose the right size.
If you found seemingly the same tour as ours, feel free to contact us. Maybe we can match the offer or provide you with information on what the difference is. Please always keep in mind: You can find cheaper rates, though there is a reason behind it. Don not miss out on a once in a lifetime experience because of a few dollars.
We do offer vegetarian menus. If you have any other in tolerances or might not like a specific food, let us know in advance and we try to figure it out.
Terms & conditions
We try to make the payment process as save and easy as possible for you. Therefore, we accept the following methods:
- Cash payment at our office (exceptional)
- Credit Card via We.Travel / Paypal check-out
- Direct banking transfer (Contact us)
In general we do not believe in discounts, since it does not add any great experience to your stay. Our philosophy is to create a life experience for you.
If you want to reschedule your booking, please make sure to contact us a week before the beginning of your tour via the number +593 96 938 8095 or write us an e-mail to [email protected]. If it happens to be less than a week before, still reach out to us. We will do our best to find an alternative.
On the occasion of a cancellation, the following will be refunded:
- Over 2 week in advance: 100%
- 2 week before: 50%
- 2 days prior to trip: no refund possible
Tours that are bought with a discount are non-refundable. As a cancellation is understood with others a no show. If you are not able to take part in the tour (sickness. missed ferries etc.) we unfortunately can not refund any money either. Replacement tours free of charge are NOT part of our services.
Very rarely we have to change/adjust your booking due to unfitting weather conditions like too rough seas, extreme rainfall or by order of the national park. In such an occasion we try our best to find another date or an equivalent alternative. It is important to us that you get your best experience in Galapagos with us, however safety is always our first priority.
We recommend booking a few weeks before your arrival to make sure you can get the tour you want. Especially during the main season of December – March. However, we are open to spontaneous bookings. Los Tuneles and las Tintoreras we recommend at least two days before. For tours to the Sierra Negra or Wall of Tears you wont need much time in advance. Come visit us in our office and we find a solution together.
Our mission is to provide you with an awesome experience while being in Galapagos. Hence, we offer high-quality services to our customers. Unfortunately, it is quite hard for tourist to distinguish in the first place between good companies and low-cost/low performance operators. Hence, we want to show you that we believe in the quality of our tours. If you book with us and you are not satisfied, we will offer you a 10% discount on your trip.
This guarantee is only applicable for tours directly booked with us after the 10th of November 2022 (no other vendors of our tours). The customer obligates to notify the guide immediately on the tour, when something feels not right, so the guide can fix the issue. The guarantee does not apply if the guide decides to adjust the tour due to safety reasons. The guarantee only covers, what was stated in the tour description in the first place. Every complain must be submitted via E-Mail within 12 hours after the end of the tour. Please, describe the incident very detailed. We will talk to the guide, to hear out both sides. Agora can decide to offer an extra service instead of the repayment, if the client agrees.
Info about Galapagos
We dedicated an entire post on how you can travel to and within the Galapagos Islands.
The Galapagos Penguin can be found on Isabela, Pinzón and Bartolome.
Galapagos is a wonderful holiday destination all year around. The weather and temperatures are always pleasant and nature offers a huge variety during all months. For more information read our article about the animals of Galapagos.
Galapagos has over 3000 different species with about 20% of them being considered endemic to the archipelago. To protect this unique ecosystem, 97% of Galapagos islands are declared as a National Park. Hence, only very limited activities, like biking to the Wall of Tears or snorkeling at Concha de Perla, can be done without a guide.
In general, you will always have a much better time visiting the places with a naturalist guide, because they can tell you so much more than what you see with your own eyes. They will know where to find which animal or plant. Thus, we highly recommend to make use of it. You probably will visit Galapagos once in your life, do not miss out on that special opportunity.
To visit Galapagos for up to 60 days you wont need any visa, However you will have to fill out the Galapagos Transit Control Card before arriving on the islands. You can do that either before your flight in Quito or Guayaquil or online (only available in Spanish).
Infrastructure & Emergencies
Coming soon: You will surely be looking for an awesome restaurant where you can taste all the great dishes Ecuador has to offer combined with a typical local atmosphere. We put together an overview for you of the best restaurants in Puerto Villamil.
We can recommend the hostel “El Rincon De George”. The accommodation is located centrally and offers a great breakfast within a reasonable price range. If you want to know more about the hotel environment on Isabela, get in touch with us.
There is an ATM in Puerto Villamil right across the street of our tour office. Though we still recommend bringing enough cash, since it is sometimes out of service. Additionally to that, many businesses do not accept credit cards or charge horrendous extra fees.
In Puerto Villamil you can find everything from a pharmacy, a doctor, a dentist etc. However, more advanced procedures will need you to go to the hospital on Santa Cruz or the mainland. The next decompression chamber is also located on Santa Cruz.