Galapagos Islands holidays
Galapagos Islands holidays at a glance
Our Galápagos holidays take you to one of the greatest wildlife destinations on Earth, a scattering of volcanic islands 1,000km off the coast of Ecuador.
Born from eruptions on the ocean floor, they’re a raw landscape of twisted lava, jagged cliffs and cactus forest that seems an unlikely home for wildlife. Yet the animals here settled, adapted and never learned to fear people, so you can watch them at astonishingly close range.
The wildlife is the reason to come, and it’s easy to see year-round. You’ll explore by small cruise ship or on land-based island-hopping trips, following marked trails with a licensed naturalist guide and heading into the water to snorkel over reefs alive with turtles, rays and fish.
Reaching the islands is straightforward, with daily flights from the mainland and only a night needed in Quito or Guayaquil either side.
That said, Ecuador is worth more of your time, from colonial Quito and the cloud forests of Mindo to the Avenue of the Volcanoes and the Amazon, and we can build the islands into a wider journey.
Each island has its own headliner. Giant tortoises, which can live more than 100 years, roam the highlands of Santa Cruz and Isabela, with distinct species on different islands, and five on Isabela alone.
Española is the place to see the waved albatross, which nests almost nowhere else on Earth, between April and December.
Marine iguanas gather in their thousands on the lava, land iguanas hold the drier interiors, and Sally Lightfoot crabs splash colour across the black rocks.
In the water, sea lions, turtles and rays are a common sight, and the Galápagos penguin is the only penguin whose range reaches north of the equator.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Galapagos Islands
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
A small cruise reaches the outer islands and their rarer wildlife, while a land-based trip lets you set your own pace.
When to visit Galapagos Islands
The Galápagos is a year-round destination, and wildlife is easy to spot in every month. There are two seasons, and the best time depends on the weather you prefer, how you want to explore and any wildlife events you’d like to catch.
The wet season in the Galapagos starts in December. During these months you can consistently expect clear blue skies, lots of sunshine and high temperatures (average highs of 26°C in December rising to 30°C in Feb). Snorkelers and divers will enjoy warm, calm waters and excellent visibility at this time of the year and the wet season rains are usually reserved to light afternoon showers in the highlands. With exceptional wildlife viewing all year, many consider these months an ideal time to escape the European winter and visit the archipelago. We therefore highly recommended booking well in advance, especially for Christmas holidays.
This is the second half of the wet season so visitors at this time of the year will experience the same almost permanent sunny clear days and high temperatures of the preceding months. Rains are still mostly confined to the highlands, keeping them a lush green, and the calm warm seas and fantastic underwater visibility are ideal for those wishing to explore aboard a smaller expedition cruise or wanting to do lots of snorkelling. With great weather (assuming you’re not shy of the sometimes stiflingly hot days, which average 31°C by April!), it’s an equally popular time to visit as Dec-Feb so it’s advisable to book well ahead, especially for Easter week!
The arrival of cold nutrient-rich ocean currents marks the start of the cooler dry season in June. Average highs drop to a more comfortable 24°C and you may need a light sweater in the evenings. Hazy skies offer some protection from the strong sun, which some people favour, and choppier seas make larger vessels a popular choice at this time of the year. Underwater visibility reduces but there’s a surge in underwater activity with larger shoals of fish and, in July and August, the chance to spot humpback whales and maybe even orcas and whale sharks. Being such a fantastic family holiday destination accommodation does book up early for the school holidays.
The cooler dry season continues with more comfortable average highs of 24°C, choppier seas that favour larger vessels and colder nutrient rich waters with reduced visibility but incredible underwater activity. Hazy skies continue to protect from the strong sun and a low mist hangs in the highlands for much of the day. September and October are the best months for spotting humpback whales, orcas and whale sharks as well as large pods of dolphins and groups of rays and sharks. Water temperatures rise in November, winds ease and calmer seas mark the transition towards the warmer wet season to come.
Places to visit in Galapagos Islands
The archipelago has more than a dozen main islands, each with its own wildlife and character. Cruises reach the remoter outposts, while the inhabited islands make fine bases for land-based trips. Here’s where we recommend spending your time.
The gateway to the Galápagos Islands. Baltra is a small, arid island, but plays a crucial role in every Galápagos adventure as home to the archipelago’s principal airport. Located close to Santa Cruz Island, Baltra provides convenient access to Puerto Ayora via ferry, bus and private transfers, making it the starting point for many itineraries.
A walk to the summit of this small island reveals a pitted moonscape; one of the most photographed panoramas in the archipelago. There are views of the island’s twisted lava formations and the sea-sculpted Pinnacle Rock, smothered with Galápagos penguins and marine turtles.
There’s a huge variety of birds and reptiles, nesting or on the cliffs. Some species (eg. The waved albatross) aren’t seen elsewhere. There’s a spectacular blowhole: spray shoots 30m high.
Top Things to do in Galapagos Islands
Wildlife is the heart of any Galápagos trip, on land and underwater, but there’s more to do than watch and photograph. Here’s what we recommend.
Accommodation in Galapagos Islands
Where you stay comes down to one choice, cruise or land-based, and we hand-pick every ship and hotel for comfort, location and the strength of its guiding. Cruises range from intimate yachts to more stable larger vessels, sleeping aboard as you sail between islands. On land, hotels on Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal and Isabela range from simple and friendly to something special, all within reach of the wildlife.
MC Alya is a small, first class motor catamaran offering wildlife cruises in the Galapagos Islands.
Archipel I is a small, contemporary motor catamaran offering 16 guests a superior Galapagos cruising experience a with highly professional crew.
A well-appointed motor yacht designed for those who prefer the intimacy of travel on a small craft while enjoying maximum comfort.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Galapagos Islands
Enjoy diving, snorkelling, wildlife watching and cruising in the Galapagos on one of our unforgettable tours. Book now with Journey Latin America.
Group Galapagos Islands Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Albatross: Ecuador’s highlands and Galapagos
Places visited: Quito · Avenue of the Volcanoes · Cuenca · Guayaquil
15 days from £7,136
Galapagos Hawk: Peru and Galapagos
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Guayaquil
15 days from £7,009
Tailor-Made Galapagos Islands Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Ecuador’s Andes and Galapagos Islands hop
Places visited: Quito · Avenue of the Volcanoes · Guayaquil
13 days from £4,940
Luxury Galapagos Islands cruise
Places visited: Quito
10 days from £11,040
Luxury Peru and Galapagos: Machu Picchu and the Enchanted Islands
Places visited: Lima · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Cusco · Quito
14 days from £10,310
Signature Ecuador and Galapagos: Volcanoes to the ocean
Places visited: Quito · Otavalo and the northern highlands · Avenue of the Volcanoes · Cuenca · Guayaquil
14 days from £7,520
Signature Galapagos
Places visited: Quito
7 days from £4,510
Signature Galapagos: Island hopping
Places visited: Quito
10 days from £7,530
Value Ecuador and Galapagos: At a glance
Places visited: Quito · Otavalo and the northern highlands · Avenue of the Volcanoes
9 days from £3,140
Value Galapagos and Peru
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Machu Picchu · Sacred Valley of the Incas
13 days from £4,930
Value Galapagos: Budget cruising in the Enchanted Islands
Places visited: Quito
10 days from £5,030
Wildlife Wonders of the Cloud Forest and Galapagos Islands
Places visited: Quito · Mindo and the cloud forest
13 days from £6,900
FAQs about visiting Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When To Go
At any time of year some of the fauna species will be breeding, nesting or in some other way particularly active. The climate is not extreme and even in the wetter months the rain usually only comes in afternoon showers. Dec – May the weather is hot with warm, calm seas and more chance of showers. Jun – Nov it is cooler with morning mist and choppier, colder seas.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- Language
Spanish
- Currency
Ecuador uses the US dollar. The bank in Puerto Ayora may offer advances on a UK credit or debit card but you are well advised to bring US dollars cash sufficient for your needs on the islands with you.
- Time Difference
GMT -6 hours.
- Combines With
A land tour on the Ecuadorian mainland; the Inca archaeological sites of Peru (daily flights Quito to Lima 2hrs 20mins).
- Getting There
Flight time from Quito is 2-3 hours, 1.5hrs from Guayaquil. Quito flights normally touch down in Guayaquil.
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Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.
Papagaio
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Ben Westwood reports on the vital environmental work of The Galapagos Conservation Trust, and how nature tourism can benefit this amazing archipelago’s fragile eco-system.
