Galapagos Islands Cruise Or Land

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A trip to the Galapagos Islands is most likely the experience of your entire life. Located 1,000 km from the Ecuadorian mainland, the islands chain contains 13 large islands, 5 of which are populated. Find out about the well-known Islands taking a journey here!

The Galapagos Islands are blessed with favorable climate all year round, so there is not any “best” moment to visit the precious islands. Still, you might actually think about factors for example high season vs. low season and also the weather conditions. Whether the journey is for yourself, your class, or your family, have a look at the best time to go to the Galapagos Islands.

The Galapagos Islands certainly affect you greatly. Take a trip with us and enjoy the journey of your lifetime around playful sea lions, beautiful albatrosses, fiery crimson sally light-foot crabs, and frigate birds. Allow your dream become a reality and contact us today!

Galapagos Islands Monthly Weather Averages

The Galapagos Islands, based in the Pacific Ocean, about a thousand kilometers (600 miles) west of Ecuador, have a particular weather, warm and semi-arid, which has a very hot and comparatively rainy period coming from January to May, as well as a cool and dry period, but also cloudy and misty, from July to November.

The landscapes of the Galapagos are barren, except in the bigger islands, which usually receive far more considerable precipitation. As was noted by Charles Darwin, who as you may know observed the details of the species living in the isles, their climate is less hot than one would likely anticipate from a location found at the Equator, as a result of Humboldt Current, which often reaches the region right after flowing in the sea west of South America. In any case, here the weather is not the same from one year to another, because there are different water currents that encounter or take turns in the region (there is also a hot current from Central America, that flows at no great distance and is extra powerful in the periods El Niño), therefore the weather conditions are difficult to estimate.

Interestingly, tourists run to the beach locations through the rainy period of time, due to the fact, it’s the one in that the sea is the warmest.

It needs to be said that rainfall is irregular, and can be abundant in the seasons of El Niño. During the more serious El Niño years, for example 1982-83 and 1997-98, the weather of Galapagos turns into totally tropical, with high temperatures and plentiful precipitation. In the years of La Niña, instead, the rains are more scarce, and there is a decrease in each air and water temperature.

When you should visit

Generally speaking, the Galapagos can be visited throughout the year. However, the perfect time to travel to Galapagos, in case you also would like to swim and take sunbathes, runs from February to May, because it is the most warm and sunniest, even though there could be several downpours or severe storms in the morning.

The cold period, from July to November, is usually encouraged to explore nature, since it almost never rains on the plains and the climate is pleasurable, even if you must take under consideration mists, haze and foggy skies. From September to November the water can be a little rough, and this situation could affect people who are afflicted by movement sickness, during boat trips from one isle to the other.

What equipment you should bring

From December to May (warm cycle): light clothing, a lightweight sweatshirt for the evening hours, light raincoat or umbrella for bad weather showers; sun hat (in the end, we’re at the Equator). For trekking in the hills and the Vulcan Wolf, a bit more comfortable sport shirt and raincoat, trekking footwear.

From June to November (low-temperature period): light clothes, t-shirt or sweater and light jacket for the evening hours.

For the ocean, equipment for scuba diving, water shoes or rubber soled shoes.

Galapagos Islands Cruise Itineraries

Every accredited vessel sailing the Galapagos follows a 15-day route approved and established by Galapagos National Park. Throughout this period of time, a ship may not go to the exact same site twice, with the exclusion of the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. How lines section the 15 days can vary, but four-, five- and – eight-day options are the norm. Passengers can frequently combine these segments into 11-, 12- and 15-day cruises.

All ships basically follow the same protocol, irrespective of itinerary: Island visits and extra-curricular tasks are done during the day, and the majority of navigation is performed overnight.

Because the approach to cruising has been standardized, picking the right itinerary has a whole lot to do with cruisers determining which visitor sites are in their must-visit lists. Port research — particularly photo searching — is essential. Remember the longer the cruise, the further west the boat will reach. That’s not to mention the western islands are far better — it is a matter of personal taste. When you cruise is also an important factor.

There is one major exception: “Live aboard” ships carrying seasoned sailors are the only craft to visit the northern islands, Darwin and Wolf, prime spots for scuba enthusiasts. At Darwin, where there is not any landing site, schools of hammerheads are known to congregate.

Most passengers will spend a day or two exploring Quito or Guayaquil pre or post-cruise. It is basically necessary, provided the flight logistics.

The most Well-known months for Galapagos cruises are between June and August and in the middle of December to January. Plan ahead in the event that you want to visit during the high season. Visiting out of these periods will still offer plenty of experiences and wildlife encounters, but prices may be reduced with fewer other tourists around.

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

Visit the Galapagos in January to watch green sea turtles arriving and laying eggs on the shores, also in April to see the eggs. Bird spotters will likely prefer to visit Isabela Island between August and March, when the number 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 should you want to see the hatching of giant tortoises.

Before joining any Galapagos cruises, you will initially have to make your way to mainland Ecuador. International flights generally arrive in the country’s capital city of Quito, even though it is also likely to take a long trip to Guayaquil. Flights to the Galapagos Islands leave daily from both Quito and Guayaquil.

Galapagos Animals

The Galapagos penguin is the sole to be found from the northern hemisphere and to strain in the tropics.

A Galapagos tortoise can weigh up to 595lb (270kg) using a carapace length of 4ft (1.2m) and outlive many humans.

The endemic Galapagos fur sea lions are the smallest one of the world’s seven species of fur sea lions

The Galapagos Islands are home to the world’s biggest cormorant and also the only one struggling to fly.

Galapagos has one of the planet’s rarest ecosystems where the herbivores on top of the food chain are reptiles.

Galapagos Swallow-tailed gulls are the sole gulls on earth to feed at night time.

The Galapagos boasts the world’s largest and just red-footed booby colony.

There are 23 species of reptile from the Galapagos and all but two of these are endemic to the archipelago.

The Galapagos is one of the very few regions of the planet where turtles are still a frequent sight. More than 400 species of fish have been recognized in the Galapagos, with 41 species unique to the islands.

In 30cm in length and with a large set of venomous jaws, the endemic centipede (Scolopendra galapagoensis) is one of the Islands’ most feared creatures.

A lichen survey in June 2010 from the Charles Darwin Foundation uncovered more than 60 new species in the Galapagos with a estimated ten species new to science.

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