Best Galapagos Cruise for Snorkeling

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Located around the equator, almost 600 miles away from the South American coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands can be the crown’s treasure of the natural world.

A visit to this captivating Galapagos islands lives up to hopes for a sheltered spot separated from the common problems of modern life. The skies are tend to be full of sunshine, and the marine winds produce that best air climate which instantaneously calms down the body. The ocean is an ever-welcoming turquoise blue, matched by prolonged soft sand beaches of amazingly white, pink, black and green. You will discover crystal coves and protected mangrove lagoons, and also magnificent cliffs and caves.

Galapagos Weather Climate

The Galapagos Islands, located on the Pacific Ocean, about a thousand kilometers west of Ecuador, have a particular weather, tropical and semi-arid, which has a hot and comparatively rainy season from January to May, along with a cool and dry period, as well as cloudy and misty, through July to November.

The areas of the Galapagos are barren, with the exception of the highlands of the bigger islands, which usually receive far more abundant rain. As was documented by Charles Darwin, who as we know examined the details of the species located in the islands, their climate is much cooler than one could be expecting from a place located near the Equator, because of the Humboldt Current, which gets to the area after moving in the sea west of South America. Anyway, here the climate is varied from one year to the other, since there are various sea flows which meet or alternate in the region (additionally there is a warm current coming from Central America, which flows at no great length and is extra active in the years of El Niño), meaning that the weather conditions are hard to foresee.

As stated, in this island destinations there are two seasons: a warm season from January to May, having maximum temperatures about 29/30 °C (84/86 °F), and a relatively cool season coming from July to November, known as Garua, having daytime temperatures around 24/25 °C (75/77 °F). In the latter, evening conditions remain appropriate, close to 18/19 °C (64/66 °F), although you’ll notice often mists, which result in the condensation of little drops (known as garua by which the season receives its name), and the sky is usually covered by very low clouds (because of the thermal inversion generated by the low-temperature water current). This time is the least rainy of the year in shorelines and flatlands (considering that the Garua really doesn’t create substantial rain accumulations), though away from the coast hills and mountains, there might be some substantial rains. The highest peak is the Vulcan Wolf, 1,707 meters (5,600 feet) high, situated on Isabela Island.

Interestingly, travelers head to the beach locations during the rainy period, because in addition to being the sunniest, it is the one in that the ocean is the most warm.

Generally, the Galapagos could be traveled to throughout the year. However, the perfect time to go to Galapagos, in case you also wish to swim and sunbathe, runs from February to May, because it’s the most warm and sunniest, even though there might be many rains or severe storms in the mid-day.

The cool period, from July to November, is usually suggested to discover the outdoors, because it hardly ever rains on the plains and the temperatures are pleasant, even when you have to take into mind mists, haze and gloomy skies. From September to November the sea could be a little tough, and this can disturb those who suffer from movement sickness, during boat journeys from one isle to another.

What equipment you should bring

From December to May (warm period): light clothes, a lightweight sweatshirt for the evening hours, light raincoat or outdoor umbrella for rain showers; sun cap (of course, we’re at the Equator). For hiking in the hills and the Vulcan Wolf, a bit more comfortable sweatshirt and raincoat, trekking shoes.

From June to November (low-temperature cycle): light clothes, t-shirt and lightweight jacket for the night.

For the reef, equipment for surfing, water shoes or plastic soled footwear.

Galapagos Islands Cruise Itineraries

Every accredited vessel sailing the Galapagos follows a 15-day route established and approved by Galapagos National Park. Throughout that period of time, a boat may not visit the same site twice, with the exception of the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. How lines segment the 15 days may fluctuate, but four-, five- and – eight-day choices are the standard. Passengers can frequently combine these segments into 11-, 12- and 15-day cruises.

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

Because the approach to cruising continues to be standardized, choosing the proper itinerary has a whole lot to do with cruisers deciding which visitor websites are on their must-visit lists. Port research — particularly photo searching — is essential. Remember the longer the cruise, the farther west the boat will reach. That is not to mention the western islands are far better — it’s an issue of personal preference. When you rail is also an important consideration.

There’s 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.

Galapagos cruises are often paired with land-based visits to Peru’s Machu Picchu, the Ecuadorian rain forest or other South American hotspots. Most passengers will spend a day or two exploring Quito or Guayaquil pre or post-cruise. It is basically necessary, given the flight logistics.

The Way to Access to the Galapagos Islands

Not sure how to reach the archipelago? It is simple. Your destination is mainland Ecuador. Whether you are traveling from the United States, Europe or anywhere else, you should book an global flight to Guayaquil or Ecuador’s capital, Quito. Their isolation is one of those qualities which make them so special. You may be wondering how one arrives at the islands. Charles Darwin went to the Galapagos Islands on the Beagle, but modern-day explorers arrive at jet. There are no direct international flights to the Galapagos Islands. The sole daily flights to the Galapagos Islands depart from the cities of Quito and Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador. International travelers should ensure to arrive to the city in order to start their Galapagos adventure. From the Quito and Guayaquil, there are daily flights linking Ecuador with cities around the Americas and in Europe. Direct flights from the US cities of Miami, Houston, Atlanta, and New York arrive Daily. From Europe there are direct flights from both Paris and Madrid. After on southern Ecuador, passengers carry on to one of two airports in the Galapagos Islands. The second airport is located around San Cristobal Island. Flights from Quito and Guayaquil fly daily bringing passengers into the enchanting islands. From the airports at the Galapagos, passengers move to their cruises or hotels in the port towns of their islands. When booking a cruise in the Galapagos, then it’s highly advised to book your flights along with the cruise. This guarantees an on-time arrival and averts the risk of missing the cruise departure. Our specialist trip advisors can help you organize every detail of your trip to the Galapagos Islands. Get in contact with them today to book your cruise and flights from Quito or Guayaquil. The flight from Quito the Galapagos is about 2.5 hours, and it requires a little less time from Guayaquil. Once you get to the mainland, you are only a few hours away from viewing the blue-footed boobies and tortoises and swimming with sea lions.

Galapagos Facts

A great number of wildlife, traffic can get up close and personal to some of the world’s rarest animals. The Galapagos was home to the only surviving giant Pinta tortoise, “Lonesome George” which sadly died in June 2012. The convergence of three important oceanic currents allow an unbelievable mix of marine life to Galapagos. The endemic Galapagos marine iguana is known as the only lizard to float in the sea. Darwin’s research in Galapagos resulted in the groundbreaking theory of The Origin of Species.

In 1978 UNESCO designated Galapagos as the very first World Heritage site. The movie Captain and Commander was filmed around the islands of Bartholomew and Santiago. The name ‘galapagos’, an old Spanish word for ‘saddle’, was initially used by Bishop Tomas and his crew to spell out the giant tortoises but the name stuck. Because early existence of both Spanish and English inhabitants in Galapagos, the Islands now have both English and Spanish names.

Darwin sailed to Galapagos on board the HMS Beagle at September 1835, when he was 26 years old. Throughout the five weeks he spent there, he moved ashore to collect plants, rocks, insects and birds. He observed the odd life forms and their adaptations to the harsh environment. He noticed it was possible to distinguish which island that a tortoise came from by the form of their own shell. His most well-known research is of the numerous species of finches which inspired his groundbreaking theory The Origin of Species, published in 1859.

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