Luxury Galápagos Islands Holidays & Tours

The largest island in the area, Isabela covers more ground than all of the other islands together. This ensures it offers some of the most varied wildlife to be found in the region and so is an ideal starting point for any Galápagos foray. Understand the importance of conservation here after visiting the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre which raises these beautiful creatures to release them into the wild. Hike to the infamous Wall of Tears penal colony, passing lakes filled with flamingo and beaches inundated with marine iguana and sea lion. Isabela is also renowned as the best place to spot whale here – with species like humpback, minke and orca passing through. 

Conservation efforts on Santiago island have ensured that the wildlife here is varied and vibrant. From the marine iguana and Sally Lightfoot crab at Puerto Egas to the tropical fish circulating under the water, you are bound to see some outstanding sights. After years of problems with non-native animals such as goat, donkey and pig destroying many of the vital habitats for resident fauna, the island is gaining ground towards a pristine state. A visit here should be an ideal opportunity to spot turtle, sea lion and penguin as numbers are on the increase.

This island is free from any human activity, meaning it is an idyllic home from some native species. To experience Marchena island, you will have to join an organised tour, usually for scuba diving to see the surrounding waters and fish. On land, you may also spot the Marchena lava lizard but be aware that human visits here are rare.

Referred to frequently as the ‘bird island’, Genovesa is the best island visit for ornithologists.  Its shores are resident to a large colony of red-footed booby and you will see up to 200,000 Galápagos storm petrel here. Spend a little longer and species like the short-eared owl, the great frigate bird, many varieties of finch and the Galápagos mockingbird can also be ticked off your ‘watch list’. Book a tour guide as this is the only way to get onto the island and prepare to indulge your passion for birds (and the occasional sea lion).

Not part of the national park, unlike the rest of the islands, Baltra’s history is more military. It is home to an Ecuadorian military base, an abandoned US air force base and the largest airport on the Galápagos. It’s a stopping point en route to the islands but not a highlight on the trail for wildlife.

This island is all about the breeding colonies of birds – so expect some chicks and a ‘cuteness’ overload. As well as many photograph opportunities. The most vibrant and beautiful bird species live here including the frigate bird and the blue-footed booby. North Seymour is arid and marked by its history of tectonic movement. Discover the joys of hiking around this environment while looking out for land and marine iguana and sea lion or perhaps garden eel and reef shark. 

A highly populated island among this small archipelago, Santa Cruz is the area’s second largest island and home to wide array of life. A visit to the Charles Darwin station is imperative here – giving detailed information on the history of the region’s natural resources. Be sure to head to Tortuga Bay to spot giant tortoise, marine iguana, turtle and whitetip shark. If you would like to see some interesting bird activity, seek out the lagoon behind Garrapaterro beach to watch over flamingo and Bahama duck. Snorkel around the canyon of Las Grietas to see the colourful tropical fish.

While many species of wildlife still thrive on Floreana, this island unfortunately has been negatively affected by human presence. After rats, goats and pigs were introduced, the native flora and fauna were destroyed and the island’s breed of tortoise suffered extinction. Much has been done to improve this though and now the island is home to many birds including the flamingo, which cluster in a saltwater lagoon. Follow a trail from here to a beach where the green sea turtle nests annually. Underwater the coral reefs here are home to marine life like balloon fish, hawkfish and the king angelfish and sometimes hammerhead and whitetip shark circle the reef.

Take a day trip here from Santa Cruz and experience some of the Galápagos’ best plant and wildlife. From deep within the Opuntia cactus forest, you’ll walk amongst the eponymous plant as well observe yellow warblers and the Galápagos dove, while spotting the lava lizard and Santa Fe land iguana darting through the undergrowth.

Charles Darwin’s first landing point in 1835 is home to the region’s only freshwater lake. On San Cristobal, snorkeling and scuba diving alongside a myriad of wildlife is inevitable. Here you can head out into the crystal waters off Cerro Brujo where you may encounter sea lion, pelican and blue-footed booby. Diving down it’s possible to come face to face with shark, turtle, manta ray and shoals of tropical fish. On the beaches of Ochoa, Puerto Chino and Sapho Cove, you may also have time to observe tortoise and their slow but purposeful travels.

With the longest history of all the islands, Española dates back around 3.5 million years. Highly remote and a 10-12 hour sail from Santa Cruz, it is home to unique wildlife and a stopping point for the more intrepid. Visitors rightly flock to Gardner Beach where sea lion congregate and the waved albatross nest. A plethora of more birds can be seen at Punta Suarez where the swallowed-tail gull and Española mockingbird can be watched for hours on end. The wildlife continues into the marine environment with the Galápagos eel, the king angelfish, red-lipped batfish and blackspot moray resident here. Glimpses of a hammerhead shark, whitetip shark and eagle ray are also possible.

Also referred to as Duncan island, Pinzon was the stopping point for the Pinta and Nina boats that were part of Columbus’s New World voyage. Careful planning is needed to come here as you will require a special permit and there are no visitor facilities to speak of. There are however giant tortoise and sea lion dotted around the shorelines.