Clothing and Accessories
Passport (or other visa documents) valid for at least 6 months after your trip return date. (Don't forget to upload your info to your tour company's site.)
Mask/face covering (as required by local authorities)
Comfortable walking shoes
Shirts
Watch
Socks and underwear (I recommend fast drying, odor resistant items like merino wool socks that can be washed in a hotel room)
Pants/shorts/jeans depending on location
Pajamas
Bathing suit
Raincoat and/or umbrella
Lightweight nylon jacket or fleece (rather than bulky sweatshirts)
Reusable water bottle
Toiletries (in 3.1 oz containers or less per TSA rules)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shampoo/conditioner (not all hotels have them)
Soap
Deodorant (gels and sprays count as liquids)
Hairbrush/comb
Sunscreen (must be Reef-Safe for locations including the Galapagos)
Hand sanitizer
Any medications (an a copy of prescriptions)
Spare set of contacts/glasses if applicable
Cartridge razor (no straight edges allowed)
Money
ATM Card (call your bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip)
Credit card (notify your bank of travel)
Currency (often easier to just use an ATM at the airport to get local currency when we land)
Pouch for storing extra money/passport under clothing
Electronics
Your phone! (aka alarm clock)
Phone charger
Phone power bank
Necessary outlet adaptors (and voltage converters)
Camera with extra batteries and charger
Documents
Proof of negative COVID PCR test (currently required)
Passport (remember to leave a copy of it at home and bring a few more copies on tour in case your passport gets lost)
Visas (if applicable)
A copy of the tour itinerary
A list of important phone numbers
Addresses to send postcards home
Copy of any prescriptions
Additional Medical
Vaccinations and medications may be recommended based on your location. Chester County Hospital has a travel medicine office that can look up necessary information based on your itinerary.
Chester County Hospital Travel Medicine (offices in West Chester and Kennett Square)
Official Ecuador packing list from EF Tours
Amazon list of some recommended items
Quick notes:
The airline to the island typically has a strict and smaller bag/weight limit than the international airlines. It is strongly recommended that you travel with one carry-on sized bag and a backpack as a personal item. Pack light, fast-drying, warm-weather clothes and it will fit!
I recommend merino wool socks and fast-drying underwear. Some hotels might offer laundry, but you can wash clothes in the sink or in large ziplock bags with detergent packets, ring them out inside a towel (it really helps) and hang them to dry overnight.
Ecuador and the Galapagos use the standard US dollar!
They use standard US power outlets / voltage, so no converters are necessary.
You will want a hat for sun protection.
I recommend sun-shirts or shirts with a good UPF rating (it's like sunblock SPF but for clothes).
Sunblock must be Reef-Safe (no parabens, etc.) - see Amazon list for recommendations
Closed-toed shoes are important for volcanic hikes -- volcanic rock is jagged!
Water shoes or Keen-style "active" sandals are also recommended for the swims due to the rocks (and wildlife)
Medical Information
At the time of my last trip, it was recommended that I get vaccinated for Hepatitis A and Typhoid Fever (mostly due to mainland Ecuador).
Some people recommend medication for altitude sickness (Quito is in the Andes Mountains), but I didn't like how I felt with it and preferred drinking plenty of fluids and taking it easy.
You may also want to get dramamine patches or another seasickness medication as we will have a few (3?) two-hour boat rides on speedboats. The waters can get rough and the smaller boats might not have the smoothest rides.