How to visit the world's ultimate destination for animal lovers

The Galápagos Islands are probably the most famous wildlife-watching destination in the world. And no wonder – it’s almost impossible to exaggerate the sheer spectacle of the place that provided inspiration for Charles Darwin’s ground-breaking theory of natural selection.

This remote archipelago is a land of stark lava formations, cactus forests, lush green highlands, turquoise bays and tropical beaches. But, best of all, it is overflowing with wildlife at every turn. Within minutes – sometimes seconds – of landing on this archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you can be face-to-face with more strangely fearless and curious animals than anywhere else on Earth.

Roughly 620 miles off the coast of Ecuador, and straddling the equator, Darwin’s “Enchanted Isles” consist of a cluster of 13 “proper” volcanic islands (larger than four square miles) plus six smaller islands and more than 100 islets. Each one has its own unique atmosphere, distinctive landscape and inimitable wildlife.

You can see everything from equator-dwelling penguins and blue-footed boobies to tool-using woodpecker finches and male frigatebirds, which turn their wrinkled throat sacs into extraordinary, fully inflated red balloons.

One day you could be watching timeworn giant tortoises in the misty highlands, and the next you could be snorkelling with playful sea lions in crystal-clear water. You could be sunbathing on black lava rocks next to prehistoric-looking marine iguanas, or sitting with waved albatrosses as they perform their bill-circling, swaggering courtship displays (they look rather like Samurai warriors performing Lord of the Dance). There really is nowhere else quite like it.

All this said, some 245,000 tourists visited Galápagos last year, meaning it’s beginning to feel a little crowded. The consequence of such an onslaught is that tourism is more tightly controlled in the archipelago than anywhere else in the world. You’re only allowed to visit tiny pockets of the national park, you can disembark (from small boats) only at designated landing spots, you must walk only on clearly marked trails in strictly disciplined small groups, and you must be accompanied by local certified guides.

Regulating tourism with such military efficiency may feel extreme, but it is essential under the circumstances. Ultimately, though, there has to be a limit and in the not-too-distant future, visitor numbers will have to be capped.

Did you know?

The Galápagos were discovered by chance in 1535 by Father Tomás Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, as he sailed to Peru. His reports of a hostile land lacking in water reportedly deterred others from sailing there for some time.

By the 1800s the archipelago had become a popular hunting ground for US whalers, who decimated the local wildlife on land as well as in the ocean. After torching the island of Floreana, however, the crew of the ill-fated Essex got their comeuppance – their boat was attacked by a sperm whale in a story that inspired Herman Melville’s legendary novel, Moby-Dick. 

In 1832, the archipelago was annexed by Ecuador, which turned Floreana into a penal colony. Conditions were brutal and so were the guards; many prisoners perished before the prison was shut down.

Darwin arrived in 1835 and his studies of the local wildlife inspired his opus magnum, On the Origins of Species, which remains a seminal piece of scientific literature.

In the 1920s something curious happened: Germans started arriving on Floreana, spurring what was perhaps the most curious chapter in the archipelago’s history. A story of nudism, jealousy and ultimately murderer that is outlined in this riveting yarn.

How to book

Because of the long distances involved, the only practical way to explore the Galápagos is by live-aboard boats, which travel between islands, mostly at night, and make different stops each day.

More than 80 vessels are licensed to operate in the archipelago and there are countless combinations of stops and routes. Most cruises go ashore twice a day: 10 full days on the boat typically means 20 shore landings, 10-20 snorkels, and several panga rides (pangas are small, open outboard-powered boats) to about 10 different islands.

Exploring on your own is considerably more difficult. Getting around independently is tricky and all visitors must be accompanied by a licensed naturalist guide at all landing sites. But four islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Floreana and Isabela) do have hotels of varying sizes and standards and a few boat operators offer day-trips.

Getting to Galápagos involves a flight from Quito or Guayaquil, on the Ecuadorian mainland, to Baltra or San Cristóbal. Some cruises leave from Baltra (the dock is a five-minute drive from the air terminal). Others go from Puerto Ayora, the tourist hub on Santa Cruz and a relatively busy town, with a bank, ATM machine, taxis, pubs and even a cinema.

Top trips

Wildlife Worldwide (wildlifeworldwide.com) offers a variety of tailor-made live-aboard tours on many different vessels carrying from 14 to 90 passengers. Prices start from ￡3,110pp for an eight-night itinerary (excluding flights).

Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers comfortable cruises on the 44-passenger La Pinta, which has the generous accommodation of a larger vessel and yet the atmosphere and exclusivity of a small yacht. Prices start from ￡7,370pp for a nine-night itinerary (excluding international flights to Guayaquil, but including flights to Galápagos).

Exodus (exodus.co.uk) runs small group trips of the archipelago by catamaran as part of its A Taste of Galapagos itinerary. Prices for the six-day itinerary start at ￡2,149 (including flights).

Where and when to go

Wildlife activities vary greatly and each month has its highlights. For example, green turtles begin their egg-laying in January; penguins play around Bartolomé from May till September; humpback whales arrive in June; July to September is best for seabirds; peak pupping for sea lions is August, while their pups can be seen playing aqua-aerobics in November; December is the month for hatching giant tortoise eggs. There is always something going on.

The hot, humid, slightly rainy season (with occasional tropical showers) is from December to May (March and April are usually hottest and wettest). The seas tend to be calmer and clearer at this time of year (with 60ft-80ft visibility typical) and the water temperature averages 79F (26C), so this period is best for snorkelling.

The cool, drier, windier season (with occasional drizzle or mist) is from June to November. Sea temperatures at this time of year drop to as low as 66F (19C) and visibility often goes down to 30ft-50ft, while sea swells can make some landings tricky.

What to see

There are more than 60 approved visitor sites across the archipelago altogether, and where you go will influence what wildlife you are likely to see. With this in mind, most top 10 wish lists include the following:

1. Galápagos penguin

Found mainly around the westernmost islands, where particularly cool currents keep water temperatures low. They can be seen in several places (around Pinnacle Rock, on Bartolomé, is good) but breed only on Isabela and Fernandina.

2. Flightless cormorant

Like the penguin, breeds only on Fernandina and Isabela; found nowhere else.

3. Magnificent frigatebird

Found pretty much everywhere and a familiar sight from early in the trip.

4. Waved albatross

Breeds only on Espa?ola and, apart from a few pairs on Isla de la Plata, near the Ecuadorian mainland, nowhere else in the world; present April to December.

5. Land iguana

Galápagos land iguanas are found on the central and western islands; not surprisingly, Santa Fé is the only place to see the endemic Santa Fé land iguana.

6. Darwin’s finches

Probably the most famous birds in the archipelago. As a result of his five-week stay, Darwin speculated that the 13 species of these rather unassuming little birds had evolved from a single species on the mainland – and this set the stage for his major breakthrough.

7. Galápagos giant tortoise

The best places to see them are in the Santa Cruz highlands and on Alcedo Volcano, Isabela, which host the largest populations; San Cristóbal, Santiago, Espa?ola and Pinzón also have tortoises.

8. Marine iguana

The only seafaring lizard in the world is impossible to miss. There may be as many as 300,000 marine iguanas across the archipelago, loafing around in the sun on rocky shores to raise their body temperature between dives.

9. Galápagos sea lion

Easy to find throughout the archipelago. One of the best places to snorkel with them, in calm water, is Santa Fé, but there are many other locations.

10. Galápagos fur seal

A little harder to find but there are one or two hot spots (the seal grotto on Santiago is the best place to view them up close).

Tactics

The trick is to go ashore as early as possible, in order to avoid other groups (many don’t go until after a leisurely breakfast); this is also the best time to see the peak of animal activity in the best light. It’s also worth avoiding the busiest periods of the year (usually December to January and July to August).

Before you go

There’s probably no need to read On the Origin of Species before you go, but Galápagos Wildlife by David Horwell and Pete Oxford (published by Bradt) provides an excellent introduction to the islands and their wildlife.

Expert tips

The seas around the Galápagos are teeming with life and the snorkelling is terrific. So if you’ve never snorkelled before, take some lessons before your holiday.

The Charles Darwin Research Station is definitely worth a visit. A short walk from Puerto Ayora, it is the place to learn about the island’s natural history and the conservation work of the Charles Darwin Foundation. It also has a giant tortoise-breeding programme, where baby giant tortoises are reared.