Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific ocean, two hours flight from Quito off the coast of Ecuador.

 Read my recent Travel Diary (450 KB)

Virtually the only way to visit these magic islands of Charles Darwin fame is to book onboard one of the 82 boats or ships that ply between the islands.

There are various sizes of boats there now, varying from cosy to absolute luxury, carrying from 8 passengers to 100 passengers. There are decided advantages and disadvantages to both formulae. I have researched many of the different ships, so call me to discuss the options.

Companies mainly offer 7 day trips, which is in my opinion the best way to do it as there is so much to see, but you will find 4 or 5 day trips offered as well.

It is possible however to do an island based trip too, doing day trips out to the islands, if you simply cannot bear the idea of a boat! Contact me for ideas.

In any event, the Galapgos is changing, ever becoming more crowded. If you are thinking of doing it - go now!

The Weather

The Galapagos climate is heavily affected by cold - water currents. With a climate similar to California, generally the days are warm and the nights are cool, with low humidity. Each of the two seasons offers a good time for visiting the islands, and both are somewhat different.

December through June is the warmer time of year, with highs in the 80s. Although the islands receive relatively more rainfall during this time, average in March is two inches for the month, the lower elevations of the islands are quite arid and there is plenty of sunshine and blue skies. The sea is at its warmest, and is usually calmer at this time of year.

The drier garua season lasts July through November. The garua is a mist that forms in the highlands of the islands. Ironically, the garua season provides more moisture at the upper levels of the islands than the so-called wet season. There is plenty of sunshine during the day, but it is less intense, with cloudier skies. Air temperature is lower, with highs in the upper 70s. The climate at this time is affected by a strong Antarctic current, the Humboldt Current, coming from the south. The water temperature, therefore, is at its coolest during this time, about 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Snorkeling and Diving are both excellent. Even for weaker swimmers good snorkeling is available close into some of the beaches. Not all boats offer diving.

The diving in Galapagos is fantastic. On most dives you will see several hundred large marine animals. On any given dive it is not uncommon to see sea lions, turtles, hammerhead sharks, white tip sharks, manta rays, Galapagos sharks, and huge schools of eagle and/or golden rays, sometimes numbering between 50 - 100 individuals. There is also the possibility of seeing whales, whale sharks, thousands of dolphins and large schools of hammerheads, sometimes numbering in the hundreds off Wolf and Darwin Is.

Galapagos has many times been rated the #1 best overall dive destination in the world by Scuba Diving Magazines.

Typical water temperatures vary between the islands depending on which currents they receive. For example: