Galapagos Magic
A sanctuary for Galapagos wildlife.
We welcome you to unplug from the everyday…to experience the Galapagos Islands at their most natural. Our tented safari camp puts you in the heart of the Santa Cruz highlands nestled inside a wildlife sanctuary and allows you to truly connect with the rhythm of the Islands. Immersed in nature, you’ll be mesmerized by endless views, soothed by the sounds of the wildlife outside your tent and enchanted by the star-filled skies.

COME AND EXPERIENCE
THE MAGIC AT GALAPAGOS MAGIC
When would you like to go?
You will be welcomed like family by our longtime staff members and they will make you feel at home.
We will nourish you with the freshest cuisine which you can enjoy in our open-air main lodge, or in our cozy restaurant inside of the lava caves on our property. Curl up in front of a crackling fire for an after-dinner drink before retiring to your private safari tent. Nothing will stand between you and the awesome nature of the Galapagos Islands. Come and experience the magic!
Galapagos Magic is home for hundreds of giant tortoises.
Meander over a peaceful 40-hectare site blessed with spectacular views of Santa Cruz and the neighboring islands. Your stay at Galapagos Magic, which was designed to allow the tortoises the maximum of freedom to wander and live undisturbed, ensures a continued haven for the tortoises and other wildlife in the area.
TripAdvisor Reviews
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We were very lucky to attend a yoga retreat hosted at Galapagos Magic Camp and what an amazing experience it was. The accommodations are not luxurious by any means,... read more which is just fine by this yogi. Everything is very sustainable and kind to nature. From living with the tortoises walking around the preserve, to practicing yoga in the beautiful covered outdoor space, to jamming to Kirtan in the underground lava tunnels, you are immersed in nature from the beginning to the end. The food is incredible and prepared by the most patient and kind staff who are always available to provide assistance. We chose to stay in a treehouse with 2 twin beds and a small cubby for our belongings. The weather in the Galapagos this time of year is pretty hot during the day if the sun is out, but gorgeous at night. But it is damp and humid so do not expect your clothes to dry. We really look forward to returning to the camp someday as it was an incredible experience. More
5/03/2022If you are looking to immerse yourself in nature and live in the moment, Galapagos Magic Camp is for you. The views are stunning, the rooms are comfortable and the... read more food is delicious. The staff and hosts go above and beyond and you become part of the family while you are a guest. Be prepared to make friends with the Galapagos turtles who are the friendly, wise stewards of the land. If you enjoy the outdoors and the magic of nature you will be in heaven.
4/26/2022INCREDIBLE! The family that owns and operates this Lodge treat you like part of their own! The grounds are a natural paradise with Giant Land Tortoises, song birds, and more... read more roaming the land! It’s called a “camp” but the beds are incredibly comfy in the tree houses and you are lulled to sleep by the sounds of crickets and a star scape like you’ve never seen before! The food is WORLD CLASS… where you stop and think… “wait this is camping” it should be considered 5 star dining! Insider tip, ask Polo to share stories at the fireplace with you! Mesmerizing tales of Galapagos from the past!!! It is also a super quick trip to down town to browse cool stores such as the DELICIOUS Chocolapagos Where you can view an entertaining “chocolate show” with Galapagos’s only Chocolatier Juan Daniel, visit eateries and catch boats to numerous chartered adventures! DON’T MISS BARTOLOME while you are there! Promise it is worth the journey and the cost to charter a boat to that magical island to swim with the sea lions penguins and more! Galapagos Magic Lodge is true MAGIC! BEST TRIP EVER! Seriously up there with African Safari but with sea life as the feature!
4/23/2022 -
We had a great stay here on our first trip to the Galapagos. It is in the highlands of Santa Cruz and about a mile off the main... read more road on a direct track. The grounds are large and scenic. We were the only guest there for two nights and we well taken care of by the three staff. There are lots of turtles on the property that are wild.
We stayed in a "tent" that is rustic but comfortable. Two twin beds, hardwood floors, toilet, sink and shower. There is a nice porch as well.
Some things to note: It is damp there so things take a little longer to dry. It was raining one day when we left but clear and dry in the Itabaca Channel. The Lodge did not take cash so have $ to cover any bar expenses. More
7/06/2021We were really looking forward to staying at Magic Camp and it didn't disappoint. The "tents" are great - not like any tent I've ever stayed in. Proper beds, a... read more proper shower & a flushing toilet. Even electric light & a charging point.
Such a quiet place. You wouldn't know it's near civilisation - you can't hear anything except giant tortoises walking & eating.
The food was amazing. I don't normally enjoy swordfish but the way Johnny cooked it was superb. The cocktail was lovely too. And breakfast. And they have stocks of good beer.
Watching the tortoises walking around & standing in the pool, sitting by the fire with a beer, lying in bed listening to the tortoises... everything was lovely. Definitely a "happy place" for me More
3/14/2020As we drove into Magic, I was wondering if we were going to Jurassic Park. Pleasantly surprised by the quiet and tranquil camp. Able to relax and enjoy nature.... read more
Sunset was beautiful as we were given a brief tour of the property including the lava tunnel. The tortoises roamed the fields and provided security!
Enjoyed the pre dinner cocktail show and drink. The food was prepared specifically for us and was delicious!
Alex, Johnny and Enrique were wonderful hosts.
8/23/2019 -
Where to begin? The name says it all. Magical!
There are just a few tents so there is never a big crowd. When we were there it was just the... read more four of us for two nights.
The tents have a wooden floor, comfortable beds and a bathroom with a shower and flushing toilet. Each tent has a handmade painting inside to give them personality.
There is a common area with a pub like area, several sitting/lounging areas, a fireplace, picnic tables, an outdoor grill, and hammocks to relax in.
There is a small pond on the property the turtles enjoy.
The staff is very friendly and engaging. The food was absolutely delicious!
Did I mention that there are free roaming giant turtles all over the place? Wow. Just. Wow.
It is worth every penny.
Hope this helps, my fellow travelers! Visit here if you can!
2/16/2019Get away from it all and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Galapagos. See wild land turtles near your room, hear the sound of the forest at... read more night. We absolutely loved the Magic camp. We were really bummed that we did not plan to stay here longer. 2 nights was not enough. Food was great, hospitality was wonderful, but the best part was the sound of the natural world around you.
We would walk around and see the Turtles, they have a lava cave on the property where you can have dinner. Everything about this place is magical.
1/02/2019A peaceful, quiet (except for the early AM rooster) stay for a good taste of Ecuadorian countryside. Staff were very friendly and helpful, and the food was quite exquisite!... read more We had an outstanding meal in the Lava Lounge, and spent hours watching the many tortoises roaming the property. The showers were a bit temperamental but this was a minor issue overall. Sitting by the fireplace in the evenings was wonderful. We'd gladly stay with Magic Galapagos again!
11/17/2018 -
It seems that many visitors to Santa Cruz Island stay in Puerta Ayota, which is a somewhat typical harbor area crammed full of hotels, souvenir stores & restaurants, and the... read more attendant motor traffic & noise. If, like me, your idea of a vacation is to get away from crowds, then the Magic Camp is for you.
Firstly, Johnny, the manager, seems to be a 5-star chef. He and his staff (Enrique & Wilson) are immensely accommodating & friendly, & meals were all top-notch. As it happened, we were the only guests during our stay there, so these gentlemen were extremely solicitous in every way.
We returned completely exhausted from our day-time excursions each evening, so I can say that the fickleness of the water pressure or temperature was no issue whatsoever. After a refreshing shower & fabulous meal, we slept like logs. It was so peaceful to awaken to the cool mist & birdsongs, & watching the comings & goings of the giant tortoises who populate the area. There were no less than a dozen in easy sight at any given time. More
10/23/2018A fun place to stay. Wonderful food --- truly gourmet. Excellent service. The shower was amazing for a glamping experience. I especially enjoyed the frog that... read more was sitting on my toilet the first night --- all part of the fun experience. One recommendation --- bring earplugs if you can't sleep through rooster crowing. There are farms nearby.
5/10/2018We stayed here our last night in the Galapagos and what a treat~! We were actually the only guests so we had the entire place to ourselves. We... read more enjoyed a fabulous dinner prepared by the chef and sous chef and then sat by the fire drinking wine and visiting with Wilson, a staff person who lives on site. Such a delight! Wilson gave us a private tour of the grounds and took us into the lava cave dining room. Magical. He speaks only Spanish so we had fun communicating with both our limited Spanish vocabulary and lots of facial expressions and hand gestures. The highlight for us was simply walking the grounds and observing the huge and many tortoises living freely there. We even had the rare treat of watching two tortoises mating! The only negative was that our shower had only scorching hot water when we arrived and we were dying for a cool shower; however, we told this to Alex and Wilson fixed the problem immediately.
1/30/2018