Best Time to Visit Galapagos
FIND THE BEST WAY TO TOUR THE ISLANDS
What is the best time to visit the Galapagos?
The islands have a subtropical climate with two main seasons. The land and sea temperatures are affected by currents such as the cold Humboldt and the warmer El Nino. Each season provides an array of activities from snorkeling to watching mating rituals.
The Warm Season (December - May)
This is the warmest time of year and receives slightly more rainfall. The sea is at its warmest and is usually calmer. Although the islands receive more rain, the lower elevations of the islands where you will spend most of your trip offer blue skies and sunshine with occasional haze.
The Cool Season (June-November)
The drier garua season offers plenty of sunshine during the day, but it is less intense, with cloudier skies. Air temperature is lower, with highs in the upper 70s or mid-80s. The water temperature is at its coolest. During some years, the El Niño current may cause a much greater flow of warm waters, making the surface warmer and rainfall increase.
January:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
30 / 22 °C 86 / 72 °F 5.3 hr 24.5 °C 76 °F 2.5 cm 1.0 in
*Average conditions
January Natural Cycles: Beginning of the rainy season. Land birds start nesting, generally after the first rain. On Española the adult male marine iguanas become brightly colored. The green sea turtle arrives in the Galapagos Islands to lay their eggs on beaches. Land iguanas begin reproductive cycles on Isabela. Ideal time for snorkeling.
February:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
30 / 24 °C 86 / 75 °F 7.5 hr 25 °C 77 °F 2.5 cm 1.0 in
*Average conditions
February Natural Cycles: Flamingos start nesting on Floreana. Bahamas pintails start their breeding season. Masked boobies on Española are at the end of their nesting season. Marine iguanas nest on Santa Cruz. Penguins may be sighted at Bartolomé. The nesting season of the Galapagos dove reaches its peak.
March:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
31 / 24 °C 88 / 75 °F 6.0 hr 25 °C 77 °F 5.1 cm 2.0 in
*Average conditions
March Natural Cycles: Height of the rainy season. Sporadic tropical rains, intense sun and hot climate. Marine iguanas nest in Fernandina. March 21, the beginning of the summer equinox signals the arrival of the waved albatross to Española.
April:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
31 / 24 °C 88 / 75 °F 7.5 hr 25 °C 77 °F 3.8 cm 1.5 in
*Average conditions
April Natural Cycles: Massive arrival of waved albatross to Española. Their courtship starts. Hatching season ends for giant tortoises. The eggs of the green sea turtles begin to hatch. Land iguanas hatch on Isabela.
May:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
28 / 22 °C 82 / 72 °F 5.2 hr 24.5 °C 76 °F 1.9 cm 0.75 in
*Average conditions
May Natural Cycles: North Seymour’s blue-footed boobies begin their courtship. Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant and Puerto Egas. Most of the marine iguanas eggs hatch from nests on Santa Cruz. Palo Santo trees begin to shed their foliage. Albatross on Española start laying their eggs. Storm petrels begin their first nesting period.
June:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
26 / 21 °C 79 / 70 °F 4.4 hr 23 °C 73 °F 0.6 cm 0.25 in
*Average conditions
June Natural Cycles: Beginning of the garúa season (cooler and drier climate). Giant tortoises on Santa Cruz migrate from the highlands to the lowlands in search of suitable nesting places. Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises.
July:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
26 / 20 °C 79 / 68 °F 2.8 hr 22 °C 72 °F 1.3 cm 0.5 in
*Average conditions
July Natural Cycles: Sea bird communities are very active, especially the Blue Footed boobies on Española. Flightless cormorants court and nest on Fernandina. Oystercatchers start nesting at Puerto Egas. Lava lizards initiate mating rituals until November. Whales are likely to be observed, especially off the Western coast of Isabela.
August:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
26 / 19 °C 79 / 66 °F 3.3 hr 21.5 °C 71 °F 0.6 cm 0.25 in
*Average conditions
August Natural Cycles: The Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago. Mask boobies and swallow-tailed gulls nest on Genovesa. Migrant shore birds start to arrive, and stay on the islands until March. Giant tortoises return to the highlands of Santa Cruz.
September:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
26 / 19 °C 79 / 66 °F 2.9 hr 22 °C 72 °F 1.3 cm 0.5 in
*Average conditions
September Natural Cycles: Cold (garúa) season peak. Penguins demonstrate remarkable activity on Bartolomé until December & sea lions are very active. Most marine birds remain active at their nesting sites.
October:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
26 / 20 °C 79 / 68 °F 3.8 hr 22.5 °C 73 °F 0.6 cm 0.25 in
*Average conditions
October Natural Cycles: Lava herons nest until March. The Galapagos fur seals begin their mating period. Boobies raise their chicks on Española. Giant tortoises still lay their eggs.
November:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
26 / 21 °C 79 / 70 °F 3.5 hr 23 °C 73 °F 1.3 cm 0.5 in
*Average conditions
November Natural Cycles: Sea lion pups are born. Sea lions are sexually active on the Eastern part of the Archipelago. Breeding season of brown noddies Storm petrels begin their second nesting period.
December:
Temp. (Max / Min)* Clear Skies* Sea Temperature* Rainfall*
27 / 22 °C 81 / 72 °F 4.0 hr 22.5 °C 73 °F 1.3 cm 0.5 in
*Average conditions
December Natural Cycles: Hatching of the giant tortoise’s eggs begins and lasts until April. Green sea turtles display their mating behavior. The rainy season begins, all of the plants of the dry zone produce leaves. Galapagos “turns green”. The first young albatross fledge.
NOTE: Due to changes in the strength and the limits of the ocean currents that can affect the weather in Galapagos, some of the events described above may differ or even not take place.
