Best time of year to visit Galapagos :
– The Galapagos Islands are home to thousands of endemic species that can be found nowhere else on Earth. Some tour operators allow visitors to visit the Galapagos year-round, but there are peak season dates when most people travel. These peak months help keep the islands cleaner and more enjoyable for everyone who makes the trip.
Transportation in Galapagos
Transport in Galapagos: – There is a good network of paved roads over ten thousand kilometers long that crisscross Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, and Isabela islands. These roads have bikes lanes, and bus stops at regular intervals. There are also bridges connecting each island with its neighbor so you can quickly get from one place to another by car. Please do not underestimate the distances in Galapagos, because even though they are small islands, it is a prominent place! Anywhere from 30 to 100 miles away from the capital is considered remote. Most of the attractions and accommodation will be on these islands.
Diving in Galapagos: – The best diving can be found along the western edge of each island, where currents make for better marine life. The central areas usually have very little or no current, which means currents depend on wind strength and direction year-round. Diving is possible all year round, with a general dry season from May through November and a rainier season December through April.
The best months to visit Galapagos :
We can define the best months to visit through the number of people who make reservations in these months. The record was broken last year in July, August and September.
So it is tough to define only one month because you will see all the exciting places with no big crowds during the whole year.
If you are planning your trip, I recommend you consider that the weather is very likely changeable during this season.
February – March – April is also a good time for your trip. Although Easter week could get crowded here too due to everybody coming back from their holidays in January and February
And May might still have rough seas because the warmth of Antarppean current has not arrived yet, so that that dive sites may be closed.
But, I should mention that there is a considerable variation in temperature and ocean currents during this season due to the arrival of the Humboldt Current, which brings cold water from the south through Ecuador and Peru.
The best month for scuba diving: – The best months for diving are between May and November because of the drop in wind speed, making conditions much calmer than at other times of the year. These months mark the transition period from summer to winter weather which means you may still get hot days or cool nights, so plan your trip depending on your needs. Wind direction also plays a factor if you want waves or prefer calm waters.
We can say without any doubts that June and July are by far better than December and January! That is why it is the busiest season for visitors. The climate, the environment, and everything else are just fantastic.
High tourist season:
The months with the most tourist are: – July, August, and September.
The most sun: – December and January are the windiest months of the year, so if you like running and walking on the beach without too many people around, go for it!
However, they both have more rain than any other month, so you will be right home if this is your thing. Rainfall reaches almost 80% in these months, making it one of the wettest periods in the Galapagos.
But considering all the things I said early about the best places to visit during this season, nature has its way to offer you a great variety of activities depending on your interests.
Low tourist season:
The best month to avoid tourists are February and March.
As for October, November, and December, and January, February, and March, the weather is just fine for a visit to Galapagos. It can be cold or pretty hot. February–March, you have the advantage of being one of the only tourists in those places, so you will have your guide instead of getting lost with lots of people around! That’s all I wanted to say about that topic.
Visit Galapagos in Fall:
Fall may still have rough seas due to the Humboldt current of cold water from Peru. But if this is something you want to experience, the months of September and October are a good time for it. The marine life will be different because of these colder ocean temperatures, but not necessarily worse.
If I had to choose between all seasons in Galapagos, I would say early February! This is when they put on lots of entertainment at night! You can find some great musicians who play every evening in your hotel’s lobby or the restaurant bar. A professional theater troupe also puts on live plays in several hotels like in my place (Las Torres).
Visit Galapagos in winter:
During winter, the Galapagos are not affected by the cold weather typical in other regions of Ecuador, but their abrupt changes in temperatures reflect marine life. June-August is considered the high season right after school ends and before school starts up again.
If you want to avoid big crowds, go for this month! Also, if you like watching sea lions during a snorkeling tour or a boat ride, these months are your chance to see them because they grow lots of fur coats during the coldest time of year. This means they can’t swim as fast as usual, so they will love it if you come close enough to appreciate their new coats from really close! They also look more prominent because of their heavy fur coats and look like they gained a little weight, but that’s just the cold water slowing down their swimming speed.
On the other hand, if you want to see more whale sharks go for November-December because they migrate north of Galapagos at this time of year. This makes them easier to spot (Whale Sharks are migratory animals). The months between March and September tend to be windier than during wintertime, so fewer tour ships visit Galapagos during these months, making it an ideal time to get away from crowds.
Visit Galapagos in the summer:
Summer has the most sun of the year, but this is still when lots of people visit. The ocean remains warm (about 22 °C), and you will love it if you like to spend your day on the beach or snorkeling! Of course, there are always different options that suit your needs, so find one for yourself.
You can swim with sea lions every morning without the problem at certain islands like San Cristobal Island. Just look up an island tour that fits your need and go for it! I should mention this season that schools are out, so you’ll come across lots of families with small children in the Galapagos!
If I had to choose between all seasons in Galapagos, I would say winter because you can see lots of dolphins and whales and it’s the best time to do an island-hopping excursion. You’ll also be able to snorkel at several different places without feeling too crowded!
I hope this will help you choose your perfect season for traveling to Galapagos Islands. Should you have, any queries feel free to ask me anything about it!
Thank you so much for reading this article, and I hope it helped you figure out what season is best for your trip or which month you should visit if you have already decided. Have a beautiful day wherever your adventure takes you!
Visit Galapagos in spring:
Avoid the overcrowding of winter months by visiting in spring, when you’ll still get dry season weather but rarely any crowds. The waters are warmer (about 21 °C), which makes snorkeling even more fun!
Although this is also a busy time of year here, you can come across lots of seabirds. This means you will see many different types of birds, such as blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds.
Springtime in Galapagos is also suitable for spotting migratory species like whale sharks and manta rays when they move north after spending winter in colder waters, so if you’re an animal lover, this is the month to visit.
If I had to choose between all seasons in Galapagos, I would say spring because the ocean is still warm (about 21 °C), and you get to see more wildlife like blue-footed boobies.
Weather in Galapagos :
The weather in Galapagos Islands is mild and pleasant year-round. Most days are sunny, and some cloudy days may be experienced, but they tend to occur during the middle of the week when most people take day trips from their cruise ships or hotels.
The climate in Galapagos is humid, and it’s also crucial to remember that rainfall occurs almost every day, so don’t forget your raincoat if you plan on visiting!
If you want to visit here, I suggest you look up a detailed weather forecast before booking to avoid cloudy or rainy days because this can ruin your trip if it happens while you’re snorkeling, for example (snorkeling isn’t possible when the water is murky).
If you get the chance, you should also attend a weather briefing by your captain on the boat you’re going to use so he can tell you about the weather conditions and answer any questions you may have.
Please let me know if this helped or if there is anything I could add that might help make your trip even better!
Conclusion
We hope that our article has helped you decide which season is best for your visit to the Galapagos Islands.
If not, we’ve also provided a list of several different types of animals and wildlife you can spot during each month as well as some insight into weather conditions in regards to snorkeling or other water activities like scuba diving – so there really is something here for everyone!
Please let us know what type of animal excursion you plan on booking and how it went when you get back from your trip – we would love to hear about it and share it with others who may want to take the same type of vacation someday.
