An archipelago of volcanic islands, located off the west coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands entice nature and wildlife enthusiasts from every corner of the world to its enchanting shores. A bucket list destination, the best time to travel to the Galápagos very much depends on what you want to see as the islands’ offer an array of wildlife sightings, some of the very best on earth, all year-round.
When to see the very best of Galápagos’ wildlife
Adventurers are spoilt for choice all-year round
The Galápagos Islands is a year-round destination, rewarding travellers with an eclectic mix of spectacular fauna and flora to marvel at every month of year.
January
With the New Year comes new life
The start of the New Year brings hot sunny days, making for clear waters with excellent visibility, and unspoiled skies filled with feathery creatures. Dip beneath the waves, snorkelling with brightly-coloured Española Island marine iguanas, or stay above water in search of the islands’ 45 unique bird species.
January is also the breeding season for many of Galápagos’ native animals. Land birds and iguanas begin nesting ashore, while green sea turtles migrate to sandy beaches to lay their eggs.
February
Birds of a feather flock together
Hot, humid days coupled with clear, calm waters are perfect for spending long days out to sea hopping from one island to the next. Sail to Floreana Island to spot the greater flamingos nesting, or Santa Cruz Island to watch the nesting of marine iguanas, or witness the end of the Nazca booby nesting season on Española Island. Other must-see bird sightings include the Bahama pintail duck and the Galápagos dove.
Ideal conditions also call for excellent snorkelling, sea kayaking and scuba diving adventures.
March
Playful penguins and funky fish
A true tropical island celebration. Lush green vegetation, complimentary of the rainy season combined with the warmest time of year, makes March the ideal month to view some of Galápagos’ most sublime sea- and bird-life. Along with witnessing the arrival of the much-anticipated waved albatross on Española Island, avid sea-birders and adventurers alike can also spend their time at Punta Vicente Roca, near Isabela Island, snorkelling with spirited penguins and colourful fish.
April
Wave to the dancing albatrosses
April is prime-time, in terms of weather, water and wildlife. One of the most exceptional phenomenon happening here, only in the Galápagos, is the breeding of the Galápagos waved albatross. Renowned for their flirtatious courtship dances, a show-stopping routine unlike any other, the Española Island is the only place on earth to observe this remarkable recital.
Other spectacles include the hatching of baby green sea turtles and land iguanas, as well as the end of the hatching season for giant Galápagos tortoises.
May
Dive deep beneath the waves
Arguably the best month to visit the Galápagos Islands, May is filled with many wildlife and birding wonderments. From North Seymour’s blue-footed boobies beginning their courtships and Ban-rumped storm petrels starting their first nesting period to the hatchings of marine iguanas on Santa Cruz and sea turtles on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant and Puerto Egas. The extraordinary Galápagos penguins at Bartolome are also in full-force, above and below the water’s pristine surface.
The weather this time of year is warm, but not too hot, with clear waters, making for perfect island hopping conditions to sensational scuba diving, snorkelling and sea kayaking spots. Keep your eyes peeled for all the remarkable active marine life on display.
June
A whale of a time in June
As temperatures begin to drop slightly, so June marks the beginning of the Garua season along with marine fog, mist and drizzle. Don’t let the cooler weather deter your adventures, as while the sun will still shine over the glorious Galápagos oceans, so will the southern migrant birds start their journey north, using Galápagos is a resting stop.
Some species of whales and dolphins also follow this migration, and groups of humpback whales migrating up to equatorial latitudes can often be seen from Galápagos’ shores.
July
When the sea birds come out to play
Galápagos’ diverse seabird communities are actively breeding during the month of July allowing for a unique birding experience. Delight in the blue-footed boobies on Española Island, witnessing the four stages of nesting; eggs, chicks, juveniles and subadults. Catch the flightless cormorants perform beautiful courtship rituals and nesting activities on Fernandina, while oystercatchers nest along the shores of Puerto Egas, Santiago Island.
If you’re lucky you may even spot whales and dolphins off the western coast of Isabela Island.
August
Sea lion pups and courting hawks
As skies alternate between sun and fog, August is a great month for travellers seeking cooler temperatures with fewer crowds. While the cooler weather is ideal hiking conditions, seas can become a little choppier. If you find yourself on Española Island and Santiago Island, keep an eye out for courting Galápagos hawks, or lookout for sea lions and new-born pups, as they begin their birthing season along the more western and central islands.
September
Myriad marine marvels
Marine animals are especially active during September, including whales, dolphins, sea lions and Galápagos fur seals, while also offering the best sightings of Galápagos penguins.
Sea lions in particular are particularly lively during this time, and are well-known for causing quite a racket barking and fighting with one another along the shorelines. Many sea lion pups are still also being born.
October
The longest living land reptile
October is cool and dry, with temperatures on the rise, and Garua expected in most locations. Lava herons, enjoying the slightly warmer weather, begin nesting, and will do so all the way until March the following year. Galápagos fur seals begin their mating period, while giant Galápagos tortoises start laying eggs. Sea lion pups continue to be born, and blue-footed boobies raise their chicks. Marvel at Galápagos sunrises in the west as the Garua covers only certain locations of the western volcanoes.
November
The best of both worlds
Offering the best of both seasons, the transition from cool to warm, comes some of the best happenings of both marine and bird life in the Galápagos. Curious sea lion pups playfully dip and dive through the surf, nibbling at snorkeler’s fins, while some species of unique jellyfish can be seen around the islands.
Breeding season for brown noddies begin, plus the second nesting period for the band-rumped storm petrels.
December
A December to remember
Early December is often uncrowded, as majority travellers head to the islands closer to Christmas and New Year. This makes the first couple weeks of the last month of the year the ideal time to visit the Galápagos to view the hatching of giant Galápagos tortoise eggs, from this time until April the following year, as well as observe the incredible green sea turtles’ mating display.
The fledging of the first young waved albatrosses is also not something to be missed. While the exquisite courting and nesting behaviour of frigatebirds is also extremely special to witness.
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