Galapagos Islands Family Trips 2023

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The Galapagos Island chain, positioned around 600 miles west of the region of Latin America, is fairly probably the best location to observe evolution throughout its natural beauty.

Called, in Spanish language, after the animal that is unquestionably the most famous of the island chain: The Galapagos Tortoise; the Galapagos offers quite a few clusters of little dainty islands all of which are created of undersea volcanoes eruptions.

Situated directly on the equator, the Galapagos gains all the bonuses of this perfect position because the 16 islands have warm climate throughout the year! If that wasn’t enough they are on the crossroads for two vitally important trade winds: The North East winds (from North & Central America) and the South East trade winds (coming from South America). All these winds are likely exactly what initiated the influx of sustainable life on the island chain – and are considered to have been the reason for the vast forests covering the higher hills of the islands.

These island of extraordinary natural charm have triggered the evolution of many varied, and very rare, environments that have in turn helped the local wildlife, both plants and creatures the same, to change in such a way that basically has many scientists shocked.

The rest of the Galapagos island archipelago is also a scenario of unusual, inter-dependent, as well as quite stunning fauna.

Galapagos Islands Weather and Climate

The Galapagos Islands, positioned in the Pacific Ocean, about a thousand kilometers (600 miles) west of Ecuador, enjoy a distinct climate, tropical and semi-arid, that has a very hot and relatively rainy season through January to May, plus a dry and cool weather, as well as foggy and misty, through July to November.

The landscapes of the Galapagos are barren, with the exception of the highlands of the bigger islands, that receive far more considerable rainfall. As was already observed by Charles Darwin, who as we know examined the peculiarities of the species living in the isles, their weather conditions are colder than a person would likely be expecting from a place found close to the Equator, as a result of Humboldt Current, which often gets to the area after running in the sea west of Latin America. In any case, here the weather is variable from one year to another, since there are different sea flows that meet or take turns in the region (there is also a warm current from Central America, which usually runs at a little length and is extra powerful on the periods El Niño), therefore the weather is challenging to forecast.

On the shorelines, the rainfall comes down to lower than 600 millimeters (20 inches) annually, therefore it is in no way copious. This is actually the regular rainfall in Puerto Baquerizo; we can easily notice the simple fact that on the dry season, only a few millimeters (a few tenths of an inch) per month accumulate, because of mostly to drizzle and dew development.

When you should go

Generally, the Galapagos may be traveled to throughout every season. However, a good time to visit Galapagos, in case you also desire to swim and also sunbathe, runs from February to May, since it is the warmest and sunniest, even though there may be several rains or thunderstorms in the morning.

The cold season, from July to November, is often suggested to discover nature, mainly because it hardly ever rains on the flatlands and the climate is nice, even if you must take into mind mists, haze and cloudy skies. From September to November the ocean can be a little tough, and this situation can affect those who suffer from movement sickness, during catamaran journeys from one isle to the next.

What to bring

From December to May (warm season): light outfits, a light sweatshirt for the night time, light raincoat or outdoor umbrella for bad weather showers; sun cap. For hiking in the hills and the Vulcan Wolf, a bit more comfortable sport shirt and raincoat, hiking shoes.

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

For the reef, gear for snorkeling, water shoes or rubber soled footwear.

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

Due to the long distances involved, the only practical way to explore the Galapagos is by live-aboard ships, which traveling between islands, largely at night, and also make different stops every day. Over 80 boats are licensed to operate from the archipelago and there are countless combinations of stops and routes. Most cruises go ashore two times a day: 10 total days on the ship typically means 20 shore landings, 10-20 snorkels, and several panga rides (pangas are little, open outboard-powered boats) to about 10 distinct islands.

Exploring on your own is much more difficult. Getting around separately is tricky and all traffic should be accompanied by a qualified naturalist guide at all landing websites. However four islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Floreana and Isabela) have hotels of varying sizes and standards and a couple of boat operators provide day-trips.

Some cruises leave from Baltra (the dock is a five-minute drive from the air terminal).

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

Wildlife movements differ a lot, and each month has its own highlights. By way of instance, green turtles start their own egg-laying in January; penguins interact 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 activity; peak pupping for sea lions is approximately August, while their pups play 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 interval is ideal for snorkeling.

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

Each of the Galapagos’ official visitor sites has something unique to offer, but travelers will be able to experience the best hits — sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, endemic birds — about the majority of islands. Here are a couple of the most well-known spots.

Santa Cruz includes the Galapagos’ most populous “city,” Puerto Ayora, also will be the island chain’s most important tourism hub. The island offers visitors the only chance to experience the Galapagos’ inside high-lands, one of a couple areas to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The Charles Darwin research center, a visit to which will be included on each travel, can be located there.

South Plaza encompasses less than one-tenth of a mile in area and is one of the Galapagos’ tiniest visitor websites. But the very small island, that was formed by volcanic uplift, makes a powerful impression with its color-changing ground vegetation, sea lions and colony of Galapagos land iguanas. The effective male iguanas can be seen standing guard in front of a cactus tree, waiting patiently to offer a hungry female with a piece of prickly fruit.

Rabida: makes a bold statement when you arrive at its iron-rich red shore. Just inland is a brackish lagoon where visitors often see flamingos, heads plunged underwater to spoon up crustaceans and algae with their bowl-like beaks.

Espanola is the southernmost island, home to the famous waved albatross, a child-sized bird having an eight-foot wingspan. According to the Galapagos Conservancy, annually that the entire planet’s population of adult Waved Albatrosses returns to Espanola during the nesting season from April to December. “Spiritual experience” is a frequent descriptor.

Fernandina, the Galapagos’ youngest and westernmost island is famous for its not-infrequent volcanic eruptions, the most recent of which was in 2009. It’s situated at the locus of this “hot spot” which generated, and is still forming and creating, the Galapagos. As people step across lava flows and around the massive population of land iguanas, they develop a first-hand understanding of the geological origins of those islands.

Floreana is the place you can find the Galapagos’ famous barrel-mailbox at Post Office Bay. For centuries, those visiting the famed Ecuadorian isles relied on the unspoken duty of fellow pirates and whalers to acquire letters to an intended destination. A mariner would leave a dispatch, then select through the pile for missives he can personally send (travel program allowing). The tradition continues today; cruise passengers visiting the website can leave and take postcards out of a (modern) barrel. Floreana is home to the Galapagos’ famous barrel-mailbox at Post Office Bay. For centuries, those seeing the famed Ecuadorian isles relied on the unspoken responsibility of pirates and whalers to Puerto Villamil and Nearby Areas – Isabela Island Cruises take in an assortment of intriguing points around the large island. Puerto Villamil is a small port in the south of the island, and it’s home to the clear majority of the island’s population. You can enjoy the fishing-community vibe, sample yummy freshly caught fish, engage with the cheerful children, shop for souvenirs in the stores that are vibrant, and respect the islets that dot the shore. Stroll along the boardwalk, resulting through mangroves, and watch flamingos, gallinules, whimbrels, and much more. The Tortoise Breeding Center sits in the end of the boardwalk, helping to conserve ocean tortoises. The harbor is frequently full of small luxury yachts and other sailing boats, many of which take passengers on exciting Galapagos cruises.

Isabela Island Cruises allow guests to discover the natural splendor of the largest island of the Galapagos. Straddling the Equator, Isabela Island is found in the western part of the Galapagos archipelago, near the volcanic Galapagos hotspot that created the island collection. A lesser-visited area, it is also among the most diverse, which is no mean feat in an area that is already known for being one of the most diverse areas on Earth.

Early human activity on the islands was very damaging for the wildlife because pirates and buccaneers took giant tortoises aboard such as food. 24% of plant species and 50 percent of vertebrate species are still considered as endangered due to human activity in earlier instances. Clandestine fishing of black coral, freshwater, shark fin, sea cucumber and sea horse is extremely destructive to the marine existence. Population growth brought on by tourism is placing a strain on the unique and delicate environment.

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