Travel on a Galápagos Islands Luxury Cruise

Though its islands can be enjoyed all year round, one of the best times to visit the Galápagos is during the warm (or green) season from December to May. This is the most popular time to visit with mostly sunny days, temperatures ranging from the 70s to the upper 80s, and typically calmer conditions at sea, which makes for excellent visibility for snorkeling and diving. The sometimes overlooked cool (or dry) season from June to November is also an excellent time to visit the Galápagos, with average temperatures still pleasant and topping out in the mid 70s, typically dry conditions and a surge in large marine life that make it an ideal time to spot dolphins and whales.

The Galápagos archipelago offers an explosion of stunning geology, flora and fauna across more than a dozen main islands. When you visit the Galápagos, our experts recommend narrowing it down to these top seven islands: Isabela, the largest of the islands and home to the Galápagos penguin; Genovesa for Darwin Bay Beach and the cliff-top Prince Philip’s Steps; wildlife-packed Española for dramatic coastal views and a large colony of sea lions; Floreana for a visit to historic Post Office Bay, mangrove exploration and excellent snorkeling at the Devil’s Crown; Fernandina, where the flightless cormorant and black lava formations are the stars; Bartolomé, the most photographed of the islands for its famous Pinnacle Rock; and Santa Cruz with its surprising port town and giant tortoises in lush highlands.

Though you can find cruises for as short as four nights, the ideal length for a Galápagos cruise is seven to eight nights. The Galápagos archipelago is wildly diverse and each of its main 13 islands totally unique, and having at least a week affords a perfect amount of time to fully experience its rare wildlife and best islands.

A protected ecosystem, the Galápagos Islands offer a magical wildlife refuge complete with rare and unafraid endemic species found nowhere else on the planet. Some of the top animals you may see in the Galápagos are sunbathing sea lions, skittering Sally Lightfoot crabs and dozing marine iguanas. In May, Galápagos green sea turtles hatch their eggs and offer a prime time to view the turtle hatchlings as they set out for the sea. On the island of Santa Cruz, look for lumbering tortoises roaming in its lush highlands. Bird lovers will be gobsmacked by brilliant species that include the famed Darwin’s finch, magnificent frigate bird, blue-footed boobie, Galápagos flamingo, flightless cormorant with its shocking blue eyes, waved albatross and — for penguin lovers — the Galápagos penguin. The biodiverse waters that surround the Galápagos Islands are also home to vibrant fish, rays, whales, dolphins and hammerhead sharks, to name just a few.

The Galápagos Islands are famed for their rare and endemic animals, but there’s more to see and do beyond wildlife encounters. The islands themselves were formed entirely by volcanic eruption and offer a spectacular look at plant life and volcanic geology, with each island vastly different and defined by such features as rugged cliffs, fields of black lava formations, rainforest-like highlands and gorgeous white-sand beaches. The Galápagos Islands also feature a few surprising port towns, namely lively Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz, where you find a buzzy waterfront, galleries, shops, restaurants and cafes.

Holders of U.S. and Canadian passports are not required to obtain a tourist visa for entry into Ecuador for stays of up to 90 days.