My husband and I are considering visiting the Galapagos next year with our 10 year old daughter. Can you advise us whether going it alone or tours are best, which operators run the most child-friendly tours, (including for example family rooms?) is 10 too young? And what is the best time of year to visit the islands? Deborah Freeman via e-mail

Family travel expert Jane Owen answers: it’s a great age for your daughter to explore these wildlife-packed islands. She can start preparing for the holiday by joining the Galapagos Conservation Trust for Children which will give her an idea about what to expect.

Plenty of tours are family friendly and, although it is possible to visit the islands independently, you will have to find a boat and guide to get to the uninhabited islands where you’ll find the most wildlife. Given you will ne travelling from the UK, you should book ahead so that you don’t find yourself stranded on the quayside. And that almost certainly means buying a tour.

Avoid cheap deals – some give inadequate accommodation and tour guides. And, before you make any booking, have a look at Family Adventure’s website which gives a list of key questions to ask - like boat size: the smaller the boat the greater the chance of sea sickness. You will have to live on board whichever island-hopping tour you choose.

With all that advice in mind here are some websites offering family tours:

The small, independent company Happy Gringo provides good advice and will book a tour directly with one of the many boats around the islands.

Responsible Travel, offers eco holidays – using local transport and workers as far as possible – including a family holiday which takes in Ecuador and a little of the Andes, as well as the Galapagos.

Galapagos Family Adventure focuses solely on the islands

Finally, the best time of year to visit will be dictated by the wildlife you’d like to see given that it varies from season to season. The best way to find out which animals appear when is through the Galapagos Cruises website.

Have a great time!

Got a question about family travel? Email our trio of experts at yoursay@timesonline.co.uk - Chloe Bryan-Brown takes care of questions for the 0-6 year olds, Emma Mahony handles the 7-12 age group and Jane Owen writes about teenage and single parent travel

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