Galápagos Islands

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Tomáš Safarik

Private Consultant

"The Galapagos Islands celebrate the possibility of nature. Seals dance in the water, pirouetting before your snorkel. Iguanas perch on lava flows. Sharks and rays swim beneath your kayak. Blue-footed and red-footed boobies perform mating rituals, just metres from the walking trail. Paddle with sea lions at sunrise. Spend a week on a Galapagos cruise and you’ll experience why nowhere else can compare. Each island developed in isolation. So each has its endemic wildlife and unique animal highlights. Visiting multiple islands offers a remarkable diversity of experience."

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Explore Galápagos

First you’ll need to fly to Ecuador, probably to Quito, the capital city. There are regular flights between Quito and both Baltra and San Cristobal on the Galapagos. You can get around on a multi-day cruise and four nights is the minimum we recommend. Or, stay at a hotel and do day trips by speedboat.

Climate & seasons

Spread across the equator, these islands have relatively consistent weather. There is no best or worst season. It really depends on what you want to experience as some wildlife events only occur briefly each year. Christmas and summer are the busiest and most expensive times. December to May is a little warmer and wetter, but weather shouldn’t be a major consideration.

Where to go

13 islands and 50 islets rise from the Pacific Ocean, each formed by volcanic activity. In general, the older islands to the east are best for seabirds. Younger islands to the west have more dramatic landscapes and the best snorkeling. For diving go north. Ultimately, it’s best to do a cruise that visits islands across the archipelago.

What to do

We usually recommend a Galapagos cruise because it allows you to visit more of the archipelago than by staying on land. We also recommend an itinerary that offers a variety of activities. So you’ll combine walks and hikes, with explorations on the water, such as snorkeling, kayaking and glass-bottom boats. On a Galapagos cruise you typically do two or three activities per day, each at a different wildlife site.