Galápagos Island Species: A Guide to Which Animals You Can See Month-by-Month

If you’re anything like me, the allure of the extraordinary Galápagos Islands lies in its diverse and unique wildlife. Seriously, there’s no other place in the world like it. The Islands offer an unrivaled opportunity to encounter fascinating creatures year-round thanks to its equatorial location. Picture yourself marveling at the largest tortoises in the world, swimming alongside playful sea lions, or witnessing the majestic flight of a Galápagos albatross. But here’s the thing: the abundance and availability of certain species can vary depending on the time of year. So to help you decide the perfect time to go, I created this comprehensive month-by-month guide. If you have your heart set on a specific Galápagos Island species encounter, keep reading to determine the best time to embark on your extraordinary journey.

January

January in the Galápagos Islands is known to be the warm season and the beginning of the rainy season. Though it doesn’t typically rain all day in the islands in January, you may experience a few hours of rain a day or no rain at all and sun. The average temperature ranges in the mid 80°s F (29°C) and water temperatures tend to be a bit warmer this time of the year.

January Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Green sea turtles begin coming ashore many of the islands to lay their eggs

• It’s the beginning of the marine and land iguana mating season and the time of the year you can see marine iguanas displaying vibrant colors (green, red, and black)

• Nesting and bizarre mating activities of bird species such as magnificent and great frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and Darwin’s finches can be observed

• Hammerhead sharks are at their highest numbers of the year

February

If you didn’t know, February is a festive time to visit the Islands. It’s when Ecuador’s Carnival takes place, the equivalent to the U.S.’s Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. If you visit during this time, expect to see vibrant colors on the mainland and the islands, along with festive celebrations in the streets. February is still the warm season in the Galápagos Islands and you can expect some rain depending on the time of day, so expect some humidity.

February Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Penguins begin migrating from the changing temperatures on Bartolomé Island to the cooler waters of Isla Isabela

• Flamingos and marine iguanas begin their nesting seasons

• Start of the Galápagos dove nesting season

March

March weather in the Galápagos typically includes more rain than other months. In fact, it’s actually the peak of the rainy season, but if you decide to go towards the end of the month, you’ll likely experience less wet weather. Temperatures are pretty consistent in the mid 80°s F (29°C) and even in the rain, the climate remains humid and warm.

March Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Female giant tortoises begin migrating towards the coast to lay their eggs

• Marine iguanas on Fernandina, great frigate birds, and flamingos begin nesting

• Red-footed booby eggs begin hatching

• The waved albatross begins to return to Española Island, the only place in the world you can see this species

April

April brings the end of the rainy season, but that doesn’t mean you won’t experience any rain if you come during this month. It rained for a few days in a row when I visited in late April this year. This is when the vegetation on the islands become a vibrant green and the weather is just as warm as the temperatures in March. The waters in April are also the clearest of the entire year, so if you are a diver or snorkeler, this might be a good time to visit.

April Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Brown pelicans begin nesting

• Land iguana and green sea turtle hatchlings start to appear

• A large number of adult green sea turtles can be found on Isla Isabela

• Blue-footed boobies begin their bizarre courtship dance to attract a mate

• The waved albatross continues to return to Española Island in huge numbers

May

There is less rain in May and the temperatures are still fairly warm in the high 70°s F to low 80°s F (25°C – 28°C). You’ll also still be able to swim in warm waters and experience a bit less humidity than other months. Prices tend to be a bit cheaper earlier in the month. Late May marks the beginning of the busier season, with schools getting out for summer and Ecuadorians have a national holiday at the end of the month.

May Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• The waved albatross mate and begin to lay their eggs

• Marine iguanas start hatching

• Penguins on Fernandina and Isabela begin nesting

• Last of the brown pelicans nest

June

Temperatures begin to cool off in June and range between 70°F to 80°F (21°C – 26°C). If you aren’t a fan of the heat, June is a great time to visit the Galápagos Islands. There is also much less rainfall during this time of year, as the weather begins to transition into the dry season. June also marks the beginning of the Garua season (spanning from June to December) which brings overcast clouds to the skies and the usually crystal-clear waters start to become less transparent.

June Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Whale sharks begin passing through the region near the Darwin and Wolf Islands

• Blue and humpback whales can start to be seen in the waters as they migrate to the islands to feed

• Flightless cormorants begin nesting on Fernandina Island

• Penguins on Fernandina and Isabela continue nesting

• Flamingos begin breeding

• The first albatross chicks begin to hatch on Española

• Bryde’s whales can be seen near Kicker Rock (San Cristóbal Island)

• Last of the green sea turtle eggs hatch

July

As we get deeper into the dry season, temperatures continue to cool off and they typically don’t get higher than 77°F (25°C). The waters begin to cool too, which brings rich nutrients to the islands for marine animals to feed on. As you can imagine, it’s around this time that a large number of whales, sharks, dolphins and many other sea-dwelling Galápagos Island species can be seen in abundance. It’s also important to note that the seas tend to get rougher in July — so if you know you’re prone to seasickness, make sure to pack medicine or even consider another time to visit when the seas are calmer.

July Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Transient pods of orcas begin to travel through the islands

• Albatross chicks continue to hatch on Española (best time of the year to see them)

• Female Galápagos giant tortoises begin to migrate back to the islands’ highlands

• Best time to see whales in the islands

• Start of sea lion breeding season (males begin fighting for females)

• Blue-footed boobies begin nesting

• Flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins and flamingos are more active

• American oystercatchers begin nesting

August

Rainfall in August is quite low throughout the islands, so the climate can get pretty dry. Average temperatures drop down to about 70°F (21°C) and overcast skies aren’t uncommon. Winds and seas tend to be at their roughest in August (even more so than July), so to all you readers who are more sensitive to motion sickness — again, make sure to plan ahead. As the Humboldt current continues to bring cooler waters and richer nutrients to the islands, it is the perfect opportunity for snorkelers and divers to see extremely active Galápagos marine species.

August Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Galápagos hawks begin their courtship

• Sea lion pups begin to appear

• Fur seals begin birthing (less likely to be seen than sea lions as they prefer to birth in rockier, less populated areas)

• An abundance of giant tortoises can be seen in the highlands

• Albatross chicks continue to hatch on Española

September

September brings cooler temperatures and cooler waters to the islands. The temperatures stay around 70°F (21°C) and it is one of the driest months to visit the islands. Prices are also going to be cheaper than other times of the year as September sees far less tourists. Although tourism might be low, wildlife activity tends to be high, with plenty of marine Galápagos species flocking to the nutrient-rich waters surrounding the islands.

September Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Best time to see Penguins in the Galápagos Islands of the entire year

• Humpback whales begin to migrate away from the islands

• Best chance to see whales and dolphins

• Sea lion mating continues

• Galápagos hawks begin nesting

• Many seabird species are found at nesting sites

October

October is another affordable month to visit the islands, as it’s considered the low season. The weather will be cooler and drier with some chances of light mist every once in a while. If you decide to travel to the Galápagos Islands in October, then it would be wise to pack a few warm items of clothing, especially if you know you will be sailing to other sites around the islands. The waters tend to get pretty chilly, but that also means there is a lot of activity in the ocean.

October Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Beaches become crowded with sea lions and their pups

• Best chance to see blue-footed booby chicks

• Lava herons begin nesting

November

Temperatures in November continue to hang around the low 70°s F (21°C) and skies can be sunny or overcast depending on the day. November is a nice time to visit the islands if you want to avoid the heat but still have a chance of enjoying some warm, but not too hot, temperatures. And crowds are still pretty low in November so you might find some good deals when visiting.

November Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Green sea turtle numbers begin to decrease on Isla Isabela

• Bryde’s whales begin to migrate away from waters around Kicker Rock (San Cristóbal Island)

• Blue whales and other dolphin species sightings become less common

• Blue, red, and Nazca boobies continue nesting

• Sea lion pups begin exploring the waters

• Green sea turtles begin mating the waters surrounding the islands

December

December is a more popular time to visit the Galápagos Islands. Many tourists spend the holidays here and the weather begins to warm up to the high 70°s F to low 80°s F (25°C – 28°C). So that means prices tend to be higher too. Temperatures don’t get too hot so it’s a nice time to visit, but water temperatures can still be a bit cold, depending on where you go. Rain is still pretty low during this time and wildlife activity continues to thrive.

December Galápagos Island Species Highlights

• Orcas become less likely to see in the islands

• Whale sharks begin to leave the region around the Darwin and Wolf Islands

• Giant tortoise eggs begin to hatch

• Marine and land iguanas begin to mate

• Marine iguanas begin to display vivid colors

• Last time of the year to see the waved albatross before they leave for three months for open water

Year Round

I think the best thing about the Galápagos Islands is that no matter what time of the year to decide to visit, you will always see a stunning array of Galápagos Island species. it’s actually more of a challenge to not see any wildlife during your time in the Islands. Many of the islands’ most popular animals can be seen year round. You can spot these species at any time of the year without needing specific planning:

• Red-footed boobies and Nazca boobies can be seen breeding and nesting throughout the year

• Magnificent and great frigate birds can be seen nesting year-round on North Seymour Island

• Giant tortoise species on all of the islands

• Green Sea turtles in the oceans

• Flamingos (they are more common some times of the year than others)

• Marine and land iguanas

• Brown pelicans

• Lava lizards

• Sea lions and fur seals

• Blue, red, and Nazca boobies

• Frigate birds

• Hammerhead sharks

• White tip and Black tip sharks

• Dolphins, Orcas, Sperm and Bryde’s whales have been seen year round

• Darwin finches

Final Thoughts

There is really no “right” or “wrong” time to visit the Islands, as you can see tons of Galápagos Island species any time of the year. But by understanding the month-by-month variations in wildlife sightings, you now have the power to tailor your Galápagos adventure to witness your favorite animals in their natural habitats — which is an unparalleled experience. As you venture to the Galápagos Islands, remember to embrace the spirit of conservation and be a responsible traveler. Treat the islands and its inhabitants with the utmost respect and minimize your impact by leaving only footprints. It is through our collective efforts that we can preserve this ecological marvel for future generations.

If you are interested in learning more about the Galápagos Islands, check out my ultimate guide to help plan your entire trip!

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