🐢 29 Best Galapagos Day Tours for an Epic Vacation (2023)

A Santa Cruz Highlands tour will sometimes embrace a go to to one of many highland farms, comparable to El Chato Ranch, to see wild Galapagos large tortoises and lava tunnels.

It would additionally sometimes embrace a cease at Los Gemelos (Twin Craters), that are giant sinkholes fashioned following volcanic exercise.

The Highlands Tour is an effective option to see the remainder of Santa Cruz island exterior of the one main city of Puerto Ayora.

🐢 READ MORE:
EL CHATO RANCH GUIDE

Isla Bartolome is probably the most lovely and photogenic of all of the Galapagos islands. The colourful panorama is implausible and the photograph alternative from the point of view is the principle purpose individuals go to.

Past the pure magnificence, Bartolome can be maybe the perfect place to see Galapagos Penguins.

This was our favourite day journey, largely as a result of we bought to swim with penguins and noticed blue-footed boobies for the primary time.

🐧 READ MORE:
COMPLETE GUIDE TO BARTOLOME ISLAND

For individuals who are SCUBA licensed, Gordon Rocks is likely one of the greatest dive websites in the entire Galapagos.

Most notably, it is likely one of the greatest places to swim with hammerhead sharks!

Additionally, you will seemingly encounter sea turtles, reef sharks, and a plethora of vibrant fish.

We went with Academy Bay Diving and had an important expertise.

Isla Santa Fe is dwelling to the biggest number of endemic wildlife within the Galapagos, together with a novel species of land iguana.

The bay is also dwelling to a big group of sea lions, which means you might be all however assured to snorkel with them right here!

The panorama of the island itself can be spectacular, with large prickly pear cactus staged in opposition to a backdrop of picturesque turquoise water.

These thinking about island hopping round Galapagos ought to put a day tour to Isla Pinzon close to the highest of the listing.

Whereas the island itself shouldn’t be a lot to take a look at (landings are usually not permitted, the truth is), the water right here is the clearest we snorkeled anyplace in Galapagos.

This unbeatable visibility made for some really particular images and movies, and Pinzon was one of many few locations we bought to see Galapagos sharks.

🦈 READ MORE:
COMPLETE GUIDE TO PINZON ISLAND

North Seymour Island is maybe the perfect island for bird-watching within the Galapagos.

It’s dwelling to the biggest colony of magnificent and nice frigate birds, famed for the males’ brilliant purple throat pouches.

Blue-footed boobies additionally nest on North Seymour, making it an important place to witness their hilarious mating dance.

Past the avian life, North Seymour additionally boasts one of many largest sea lion colonies, wonderful snorkeling, and a plethora of different wildlife together with the endemic Galapagos snake and land iguanas.

South Plaza is dwelling to the biggest colony of land iguanas, in addition to a brand new, distinctive hybrid species of iguana and a number of sea birds.

Along with spectacular wildlife and nice snorkeling, you’ll additionally discover a dazzling array of vegetation. This creates a novel panorama not like another within the Galapagos.

Vibrant purple and purple Sesuvian creates a dense, colourful carpet, contrasting in opposition to the prickly pear cacti.

A day tour right here can even sometimes cease for snorkeling at Punta Carrion, simply off of Santa Cruz island.

Of all of the Galapagos islands, Floreana has the richest and most fascinating human historical past.

In addition to being the location of the primary “put up workplace”, it was dwelling to the primary Galapagos resident from 1807-1809 and was subsequently the primary island to be colonized by Ecuador in 1832.

Though its restricted freshwater entry makes it robust to inhabit today, Floreana nonetheless sustains a inhabitants of round 150 individuals and guests can keep in a single day.

Academy Bay is the pure bay that Puerto Ayora inhabits.

A half-day tour will take you on a ship experience to various completely different places all through the bay and provide you with time for each snorkeling and on-land excursions.

It is likely one of the shorter journeys out there for individuals who wish to see extra of the island however are restricted on time.

In case your Galapagos itinerary doesn’t embrace time to really keep in a single day on Isabela, then a day tour is a good choice.

On a day tour to Isabela from Santa Cruz, you’ll journey to the island by speedboat after which undertake actions from there.

Whereas the precise actions included will rely in your tour, most embrace:

• Boat experience and snorkeling at Tintoreras the place you’ll be able to see Galapagos penguins and reef sharks.
• A go to to the wetlands to see flamingos.
• The tortoise breeding heart to see Galapagos tortoises.
• Time to discover Playa Puerto Villamil.

Las Grietas is a big fissure positioned close to Puerto Ayora and is among the many most heralded locations to snorkel in Galapagos.

The fissure is comprised of towering darkish volcanic rock that runs alongside either side, with calm crystal clear water at its base.

Upon arrival at Las Grietas, in case you would not have a tour booked, you’ll pay to affix a gaggle tour with a naturalist information.

Whilst you don’t need to e book a guided tour upfront, it’s not potential to enter with out this information.

Las Grietas can be a typical cease within the half-day Academy Bay tour.

🤿 READ MORE:
LAS GRIETAS GUIDE

The 360° Tour started as a means for fishermen to make some cash off vacationers, however has turn out to be maybe the perfect day tour out there in all of Galapagos.

On today journey, guests will likely be taken by boat across the entirety of San Cristobal island, making stops at a few of the most lovely seashores in Galapagos in addition to the well-known Kicker Rock.

In case you are staying on San Cristobal, it is a real must-do.

We think about it THE greatest day tour within the Galapagos!

Kicker Rock is extensively thought of the perfect location for diving and snorkeling in Galapagos and is likely one of the greatest locations to see Galapagos Hammerhead sharks.

The crystal-clear water makes visibility spectacular and the realm is teeming with marine life.

Count on loads of tropical fish, bait balls, sea turtles, sea lions, and doubtless hammerheads!

Kicker Rock will be visited as its personal day tour or as a cease on the 360° Tour. It is usually probably the greatest diving websites for individuals who are SCUBA-certified.

A San Cristobal Highlands Tour will take you to a few widespread websites on the island:

• Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado
• Laguna El Junco
• Playa Puerto Chino

The highlands tour is a good way to see a distinct a part of San Cristobal and gives a chance to see large Galapagos tortoises up shut.

Whereas it’s potential to e book a tour to the San Cristobal Highlands with an English-speaking information, it’s not mandatory!

The preferred and best option to go to is by reserving a taxi “tour”. This may be executed by way of any tour operator or through your lodging host/resort workers. In case your Spanish is sweet sufficient, you can too simply communicate to any taxi driver immediately.

Simply off the coast of San Cristobal, Isla Lobos is called for its thriving sea lion (lobos de marinos in Spanish) inhabitants.

Along with sea lions, the small islet is dwelling to various Galapagos birds together with blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigate birds.

Its crystal clear waters additionally make it an important place for snorkeling within the Galapagos, with sea lions being the star attraction.

Though most guests head to Española Island to see the waved albatross that nest right here, there may be lots extra to see on the island!

With its pristine white sand, Gardner Bay is likely one of the most lovely seashores in Galapagos and a very good place for snorkeling.

It is usually dwelling to a novel colourful subspecies of marine iguanas, nicknamed Christmas iguanas because of their inexperienced and purple colours. Their colours are notably pronounced throughout mating season.

Punta Pitt is most well-known for being the one location within the Galapagos the place you’ll be able to see all three species of boobies (Nazca Blue-footed, and Purple-footed) nesting in a single place.

Moreover, it gives a nesting web site for each species of frigate birds, making it a real birdwatcher’s paradise.

As if this wasn’t sufficient, it is usually one of many few locations you’ll be able to stroll on an olivine sand seaside, typically known as “inexperienced sand seaside”!

A day tour to Punta Pitt sometimes features a snorkel cease.

It is usually typically a cease on the 360° Tour however, on this occasion, you solely sail by it with out making a touchdown.

Assuming you are interested in snorkeling, Los Tuneles is likely one of the greatest day excursions within the Galapagos and our absolute favourite on Isabela.

On this tour, you’ll discover an underwater world surrounding historical lava tunnels.

On the land, that is the perfect place in Galapagos for seeing the long-lasting blue-footed boobies up shut and private.

A bunch of fascinating submarine landscapes and tons of marine life await you underwater.

Particularly, the ocean turtles listed below are extremely plentiful and it is likely one of the few locations to reliably encounter sea horses.

The Sierra Negra volcano hike takes you to the rim of the nice caldera of a still-active volcano.

From the rim, guests will gaze throughout a black, baron panorama that abuts a lush inexperienced mountainside.

The size of the hike varies from 4-10+ miles (6-16+ km). This is determined by the tour you choose as some cease on the first viewpoint, whereas others proceed on to Volcan Chico.

For those who favor, there may be additionally the choice to experience horseback to Sierra Negra.

There are a selection of various excursions you could take to Tintoreras, so be sure you choose the one which sounds greatest to you.

These can embrace kayaking solely, snorkeling and kayaking, or a ship experience and snorkeling. Some even embrace touchdown on Tintoreras islet.

We extremely advocate reserving a tour that features snorkeling and kayaking. Reaching Tintoreras by kayak is a way more enjoyable means of getting there, however additionally, you will wish to get within the water because it’s tougher to make out the marine life out of your kayak.

Throughout the chilly season, Tintoreras is a typical spot to see Galapagos penguins. Yr-round you could have a superb probability of seeing sea lions, turtles, white-tip reef sharks, and rays, in addition to numerous birds.

For a few years, sulfur was mined right here to be used as sulfuric acid in lots of chemical and pharmaceutical processes.

The mines are not in use, however they nonetheless present a novel otherworldly panorama of inexperienced and yellow rock.

A tour to the sulfur mines begins with a 45-minute drive to the Galapagos Nationwide Park checkpoint.

From right here, you’ll hike for round 2 miles (3km) to the mines the place you’ll be able to spot sulfur emissions rising up out of fumaroles.

There may be additionally the choice to achieve the mines by bicycle or horseback for individuals who favor to not hike.

Only a brief boat experience from Isabela Island is the small islet referred to as Isla Tortuga or Turtle Island, supposedly named for its form reasonably than inhabitants.

The snorkeling is superb for recognizing hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, blacktip reef sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, and starfish!

It is usually an important place to identify numerous seabirds, together with blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigate birds, and lava gulls.

One hour by pace boat from Isabela are 4 island rock formations referred to as Los 4 Hermanos (The 4 Brothers).

This is likely one of the greatest snorkeling spots in all of Galapagos. The deep sea web site provides a excessive probability of seeing pelagic fish in addition to hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, and manta rays. It is usually a well-liked SCUBA diving sit.

A day tour can even embrace a cease at Cartago Bay, which provides a sheltered space for shallow-water snorkeling. Right here you might be more likely to swim with sea turtles, rays, sharks, and quite a lot of fish.

This tour is often solely provided by personal constitution and the worth per particular person will rely on the quantity in your group.