---
title: "Baltra Island Cruise Port"
url: https://cruisello.com/destinations/galapagos-islands/baltra-island
description: "The gateway to Darwin's living laboratory"
---

# Baltra Island

🇪🇨 · Ecuador · Galápagos Islands

> "The gateway to Darwin's living laboratory"

## At a Glance


## About Baltra Island

Baltra is a flat, arid island that works as the main entry point to the Galapagos. The landscape is mostly volcanic rock and scrubby vegetation, left over from when the US military ran an airbase here during the Second World War. The island itself is small and nobody lives here permanently. You disembark and transfer to boats headed for the other islands, which is where the wildlife is.

Land iguanas were reintroduced to Baltra in the 2000s after being wiped out during the military years, and you might spot a few near the dock. The Itabaca Channel separating Baltra from Santa Cruz is a short ferry crossing, and most excursions head that way for the Charles Darwin Research Station and the highland tortoise reserves. There's no town here, no shops, no restaurants. Bring water and sunscreen.

## Quick Facts

- **Currency:** USD (US Dollar)
- **Language:** Spanish
- **Timezone:** Pacific/Galapagos (UTC-6)
- **Tipping:** 10% usually included in bill

## Location

Coordinates: -0.4581, -90.2747

- [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/cruise+terminal+Baltra%20Island/@-0.458135,-90.274734,13z)
- [Open in Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=cruise%20terminal%20Baltra%20Island&ll=-0.458135,-90.274734&z=13)

## Things to Do in Baltra Island

| Tour | Rating | Duration | Fits Port Day | From | Provider |
|------|------|------|------|------|------|
| ["Galapagos Discovery Premium – Bay Tour - 4 Days / 3 Nights"](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/acbc65be-d6da-4c12-95b3-2038467318da.md?via=markdown) | 4.8★ (26) | 96h | – | €408 | Viator |
| [5-Day Galapagos Cruise: Itinerary B (East) aboard Monserrat Yacht](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/7bdc1f73-6cf5-4c2b-a4d9-26ce20c54136.md?via=markdown) | 4.7★ (24) | 120h | – | €3,256 | Viator |
| [Santa Cruz & Isabela and islet TINTORERAS,Galapagos Jewelry 5D/4N](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/abb91491-f3ff-4812-841e-432323b60a50.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (6) | 120h | – | €706 | Viator |
| [4-Day Wildlife Tour in Santa Cruz Island](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/9a479081-9145-4630-b45a-686233e6b1ce.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (4) | 96h | – | €1,414 | Viator |
| [7 Days Tour Galapagos Island Hopping with 3 Islands](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/4355aadc-5ce0-4f70-8272-a1fff4129cb5.md?via=markdown) | 4.7★ (3) | 168h | – | €1,494 | Viator |
| [Galapagos - North Seymour Island Wildlife Snorkeling Tour + Lunch](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/b982adba-b136-4072-b5f6-39d8afc2fc18.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (2) | 8h | – | €294 | Viator |
| [6 Days Galapagos Island Hopping With Diving](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/8266b1ba-967b-4639-bdcd-00acaff9e9f1.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (1) | 144h | – | €1,401 | Viator |
| [8 Day Galapagos Island Hopping For Divers](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/360406fb-be5c-4c6d-a23f-4a2bd57d7be0.md?via=markdown) | 5★ (1) | 192h | – | €1,758 | Viator |
| [4 Day Isabela Island Adventure Tour: Kayak, Snorkeling & Wildlife](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/6b161f8c-adb0-4c39-9cfe-933ae7287063.md?via=markdown) | – | 96h | – | €1,221 | Viator |
| [6 Days Galapagos Island Hopping Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/5a06435d-d8bf-4ba9-9293-f4ba31b15a3d.md?via=markdown) | – | 144h | – | €1,332 | Viator |
| [Galapagos First Class 5 Day Package with Yacht Day Tours](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/bf5f7b6c-514f-4379-b374-6c678c150f02.md?via=markdown) | – | 120h | – | €1,950 | Viator |

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews.

## Nearby Ports

- [North Seymour Island](https://cruisello.com/destinations/galapagos-islands/north-seymour-island.md): 4 nm
- [Santa Cruz Island](https://cruisello.com/destinations/galapagos-islands/santa-cruz-island.md): 12 nm
- [Bartolome Island](https://cruisello.com/destinations/galapagos-islands/bartolome-island.md): 19 nm

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