How do you Travel to Galapagos Islands

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A visit to this amazing Galapagos islands lives up to dreams of a sheltered place separated from the typical worries of the world. The atmosphere is are commonly sunny, as well as the marine breezes produce that ideal air environment that can instantaneously calms the entire body. The water is an ever-attractive light blue, matched by long sandy beaches of crystal white, pink, black and green. You will discover crystal coves and sheltered mangrove lagoons, in addition to magnificent cliffs and caves.

When is the perfect time to travel the Galapagos?

The Galapagos Islands, found in the Pacific Ocean, about a thousand kilometers (600 miles) west of Ecuador, enjoy a peculiar climate, tropical and semi-arid, which has a very hot and comparatively wet season coming from January to May, along with a cool and dry time, as well as foggy and misty, through July to November.

The surroundings of the Galapagos are barren, with the exception of the larger islands, which get much more considerable precipitation. As was already noted by Charles Darwin, who as you may know examined the peculiarities of the species living in the isles, their weather conditions are cooler than a person would be expecting from a place positioned close to the Equator, as a result of Humboldt Current, which usually gets to the region right after moving in the ocean west of Latin America. Regardless, here the weather is variable from one year to the other, as there are diverse marine currents which encounter or take turns in the area (there is also a hot current coming from Central America, that runs at no great range and is much more powerful on the periods El Niño), meaning that the conditions are tough to anticipate.

The warm period, from January to May, is on the other hand the time of rains, but normally the rains are not considerable, and in any occasion they take place in the shape of afternoon showers, that do not overshadow too much the sun’s rays. The rainiest month is March.

It must be stated that precipitation is intermittent, and may become more abundant in the years of El Niño. During the most serious El Niño years, for example 1982-83 and 1997-98, the weather of these islands turns into completely tropical, with higher temperatures and also copious rain. In the periods of La Niña, on the other hand, the rains become a little more rare, and there is a reduction in each air and sea temperatures.

When to visit

Generally, the Galapagos may be visited all year long. However, the optimum time to go to Galapagos, in case you also want to go swimming and sunbathe, runs from February to May, since it is the hottest and sunniest, however, there could be a few rains or thunderstorms in the evening.

The cold period, from July to November, can be encouraged to discover the outdoors, since it rarely rains on the flatlands and the temperature is enjoyable, even if you must take into account mists, haze and foggy air. From September to November the sea can be a little rough, and this can affect people who have problems with motion illness, during boat trips from one island to the next.

What equipment you should bring

From December to May (hot period): light clothing, a light sweatshirt for the night time, light raincoat or outdoor umbrella for rainfall showers; sun hat. For trekking in inland hills and the Vulcan Wolf, a bit warmer sweatshirt and raincoat, hiking footwear.

From June to November (low-temperature period): light outfits, sweatshirt and lightweight jacket for the night.

For the ocean, equipment for snorkeling, water shoes or rubberized soled footwear.

The Galapagos were discovered by chance at 1535 by Father Tomas Berlanga, Bishop of Panama.

Due to the long distances involved, the only practical approach to explore the Galapagos is by live-aboard ships, which travel between islands, mostly at night, and make different stops each day. Over 80 vessels are licensed to operate from the archipelago and also there are countless combinations of stops and paths. Most cruises go ashore two times per day: 10 full days on the ship typically means 20 coast landings, 10-20 snorkels, and many panga rides (pangas are little, open outboard-powered ships) to about 10 different islands.

Exploring on your own is considerably more difficult. Getting around independently is tricky and all traffic must be accompanied by a qualified naturalist guide at all landing sites. But four islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Floreana and Isabela) do have hotels of varying sizes and standards and a couple of vessel operators provide day-trips.

Some cruises leave from Baltra (the dock is a five-minute drive in the air terminal). Others go from Puerto Ayora, the tourist hub on Santa Cruz and a comparatively busy town, with a bank, ATM machine, taxis, pubs and even a theater.

GalapagosInformation.com provides a variety of tailor-made live-aboard tours on many unique vessels carrying from 4 to 16 passengers.

Wildlife actions vary greatly, and each month has its own highlights. For example, green turtles begin their egg-laying in January; penguins socialize with swimmers on Bartolome largely from May until the end of September; humpback whales start to arrive at June; July through the end of September is the ideal period for many seabird action; peak pupping for sea lions is approximately August, while their pups perform aqua-aerobics with snorkelers in November; and December is the month for hatching giant tortoise eggs. So, always there is something going on.

The seas tend to be calmer and clearer now of year (using 60ft-80ft visibility average) and the water temperature averages 79° F (26°C), so this period is best for snorkeling.

The cool, drier, windier year (with intermittent drizzle or mist) is from June to November. Sea temperatures at this time of year fall to as low as 66F (19C) and visibility frequently goes down to 30ft-50ft, whilst sea swells can make some landings catchy.

The most Well-known months for Galapagos cruises are between June and August and in the middle of December to January. Plan ahead if you want to visit during the peak tourist times. Visiting out of those periods will still provide lots of adventures and wildlife encounters, but prices may be lower with fewer other tourists around.

With little variation in air and water temperatures throughout the entire year, and many species which aren’t migratory, an Isabela Island cruise is an excellent adventure at any time. Generally, however, the waters are clearer between January and March, making this an ideal time for avid snorkeling fans. The driest months are typically between August and December, ideal for beach lovers.

Visit the Galapagos in January to watch green sea turtles arriving and laying eggs on the shores, and in April to see the eggs hatching. July is the prime month for seeing whales off the western coast of Isabela Island. Bird spotters will probably prefer to see Isabela Island between August and March, once the range of migratory birds is at its peak. October is the mating interval for fur seals, whilst brown nodes are active in November. December is the best month if you wish to see the hatching of giant tortoises.

Before joining any Galapagos cruises, you will first have to make your way to mainland Ecuador. International flights usually arrive at the nation’s capital city of Quito, though it’s also possible to take an overseas flight to Guayaquil. Flights to the Galapagos Islands leave daily from the Quito and Guayaquil. Flights from Guayaquil are shorter, and many departures from Quito stop in Guayaquil in route to the Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos Islands Birds

Bird life in the Galapagos is much more copious and diverse only for the fact that it had been considerably easier for birds to reach the islands than reptiles or mammals. To get a reptile or mammal to reach Galapagos, it had to survive for weeks or months at sea, clinging to a floating tree or mass of vegetation. Once it arrived, it had to overcome the odds and somehow find food along with an environmental space where it could luckily survive. Birds, however, could fly to and from Galapagos effortlessly. Even smaller species like finches may be carried out to Galapagos by sudden storms. Nowadays, it’s normally these smaller Galapagos species which have adapted enough to become endemic. Like many animals, birds’ cyclical lives, they mate, migrate and nest at certain time of the year. Here’s your guide to make sure you can see your favorite Galapagos bird species on your next trip!

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