The Galápagos Cruise · Wildlife

Galápagos Wildlife: 25 Animals and Where to See Them

species recorded

found only here

islands

US$3,840

per guest, double occupancy

Twenty-five animals account for most of the reason people come to Galápagos, and fourteen of them live nowhere else on earth: the giant tortoise, the marine iguana, the flightless cormorant, the waved albatross, the only penguin that breeds on the equator. All twenty-five are recorded across the 15 islands our ships call at, and no single itinerary reaches all of them. The best get to twenty-four, a typical departure to eighteen.

Where you go decides more than when. Fifteen of the twenty-five are on record all year, so the itinerary matters more than the calendar. The waved albatross is on Española and nowhere else, and it is at sea from January to March. The flightless cormorant is on Fernandina and Isabela only, in the cold water of the west. The Santa Fé land iguana lives on the one island it is named after. Blue-footed boobies dance from June to August, the male frigatebirds of Genovesa inflate their red throat pouches from March to June, sea lion pups arrive between August and November, and the marine iguanas of Punta Suárez turn red and green from December to March. Green turtles, white-tipped reef sharks and brown pelicans turn up almost everywhere, on ordinary snorkeling stops and at every landing. The map below shows which island holds what, and the list further down counts only the departures that are in the right place in the right month.

6 of 6 species shown

almost alwaysoftensometimesnot in this month

Marine Iguana

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

Where: on most islands
When: Year round, more between Jan and Mar

On 85 of 97 routes · 1954 departures in season

See these departures →

Swallow-tailed Gull

Creagrus furcatus

Where: 6 sites on 5 islands, mostly South
When: Year round

On 77 of 97 routes · 1810 departures in season

See these departures →

Galápagos Land Iguana

Conolophus subcristatus

Where: 7 sites on 6 islands, mostly South
When: Year round

On 83 of 97 routes · 2027 departures in season

See these departures →

Galápagos Sea Lion

Zalophus wollebaeki

Where: on most islands
When: Year round, more between Aug and Nov

On 86 of 97 routes · 2125 departures in season

See these departures →

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

Where: on most islands
When: Year round

On 83 of 97 routes · 2049 departures in season

See these departures →

Nazca Booby

Sula granti

Where: 8 sites on 7 islands, mostly South
When: Year round

On 81 of 97 routes · 1982 departures in season

See these departures →

The full lists, group by group

The fifteen above are the shortlist. Each group has its own page with every species on record, the same island map and the same departure check.

Birds

41 species · 17 found only here

Open the list →

Underwater

22 species · 3 found only here

Open the list →

Reptiles

6 species · 5 found only here

Open the list →

Select a departure that actually reaches it

118 of the 2125 upcoming departures put you where the Scalloped Hammerhead is, at the time it is there.

118

You see it. The ship is at the site while the species is recorded there.
Right island, wrong month. The route calls there outside the months on record.
Never gets there. The route does not call at any of its sites.

04/10/2026US$4,152

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

6 spotsAsk about this date

07/10/2026US$3,840

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

4 spotsAsk about this date

18/10/2026US$4,152

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

4 spotsAsk about this date

01/11/2026US$4,152

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

10 spotsAsk about this date

04/11/2026US$4,080

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

5 spotsAsk about this date

08/11/2026US$4,952

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

1 spotAsk about this date

15/11/2026US$4,152

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

1 spotAsk about this date

18/11/2026US$4,320

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

4 spotsAsk about this date

22/11/2026US$5,571

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

1 spotAsk about this date

02/12/2026US$4,080

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

6 spotsAsk about this date

02/12/2026US$7,140

Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups

6 spotsAsk about this date

13/12/2026US$4,152

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

2 spotsAsk about this date

13/01/2027US$4,680

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

6 spotsAsk about this date

17/01/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

4 spotsAsk about this date

24/01/2027US$5,490

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

14 spotsAsk about this date

10/02/2027US$5,200

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

2 spotsAsk about this date

21/02/2027US$5,490

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

1 spotAsk about this date

24/02/2027US$4,420

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

10 spotsAsk about this date

28/02/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

4 spotsAsk about this date

28/03/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

1 spotAsk about this date

04/04/2027US$5,490

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

2 spotsAsk about this date

07/04/2027US$4,575

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

10 spotsAsk about this date

25/04/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

1 spotAsk about this date

05/05/2027US$4,835

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

6 spotsAsk about this date

23/05/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

4 spotsAsk about this date

02/06/2027US$4,835

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

10 spotsAsk about this date

27/06/2027US$5,490

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

4 spotsAsk about this date

04/07/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

6 spotsAsk about this date

11/07/2027US$5,490

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

1 spotAsk about this date

18/07/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

1 spotAsk about this date

25/07/2027US$5,490

MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel

9 spotsAsk about this date

01/08/2027US$6,550

ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy

14 spotsAsk about this date

11/08/2027US$4,835

Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel

Departure	Ship and route	When it meets it	Spots	from
04/10/2026	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	6	US$4,152	Ask about this date
07/10/2026	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	4	US$3,840	Ask about this date
18/10/2026	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	4	US$4,152	Ask about this date
01/11/2026	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	10	US$4,152	Ask about this date
04/11/2026	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	5	US$4,080	Ask about this date
08/11/2026	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	1	US$4,952	Ask about this date
15/11/2026	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	1	US$4,152	Ask about this date
18/11/2026	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	4	US$4,320	Ask about this date
22/11/2026	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	1	US$5,571	Ask about this date
02/12/2026	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	6	US$4,080	Ask about this date
02/12/2026	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	6	US$7,140	Ask about this date
13/12/2026	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	2	US$4,152	Ask about this date
13/01/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	6	US$4,680	Ask about this date
17/01/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	4	US$6,550	Ask about this date
24/01/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	14	US$5,490	Ask about this date
10/02/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	2	US$5,200	Ask about this date
21/02/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	1	US$5,490	Ask about this date
24/02/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	10	US$4,420	Ask about this date
28/02/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	4	US$6,550	Ask about this date
28/03/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	1	US$6,550	Ask about this date
04/04/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	2	US$5,490	Ask about this date
07/04/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	10	US$4,575	Ask about this date
25/04/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	1	US$6,550	Ask about this date
05/05/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	6	US$4,835	Ask about this date
23/05/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	4	US$6,550	Ask about this date
02/06/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	10	US$4,835	Ask about this date
27/06/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	4	US$5,490	Ask about this date
04/07/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	6	US$6,550	Ask about this date
11/07/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	1	US$5,490	Ask about this date
18/07/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	1	US$6,550	Ask about this date
25/07/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	9	US$5,490	Ask about this date
01/08/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	14	US$6,550	Ask about this date
11/08/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$4,835	Ask about this date
11/08/2027	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$8,370	Ask about this date
22/08/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	16	US$5,490	Ask about this date
25/08/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$4,835	Ask about this date
25/08/2027	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$8,370	Ask about this date
05/09/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	14	US$5,490	Ask about this date
08/09/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$4,680	Ask about this date
08/09/2027	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$8,100	Ask about this date
22/09/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	8	US$4,680	Ask about this date
03/10/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	12	US$5,490	Ask about this date
06/10/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$4,680	Ask about this date
06/10/2027	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$8,100	Ask about this date
10/10/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	14	US$5,250	Ask about this date
24/10/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	9	US$5,250	Ask about this date
31/10/2027	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	16	US$5,490	Ask about this date
07/11/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	14	US$5,250	Ask about this date
21/11/2027	ENDEMIC · 8-Day Southern & Western: Dragon Hill's Land Iguanas	—	6	US$10,490	Ask about this date
01/12/2027	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$4,680	Ask about this date
01/12/2027	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$8,100	Ask about this date
05/12/2027	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	12	US$5,250	Ask about this date
23/12/2027	MONIQUE · 8-Day Southern Islands: Black Turtle Cove's Mangroves	—	2	US$8,690	Ask about this date
29/12/2027	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	10	US$13,500	Ask about this date
12/01/2028	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$5,200	Ask about this date
12/01/2028	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$9,000	Ask about this date
16/01/2028	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	16	US$6,890	Ask about this date
23/01/2028	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	14	US$5,750	Ask about this date
26/01/2028	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$5,200	Ask about this date
26/01/2028	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$9,000	Ask about this date
30/01/2028	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	16	US$6,890	Ask about this date
06/02/2028	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	16	US$5,750	Ask about this date
09/02/2028	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$5,200	Ask about this date
09/02/2028	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$9,000	Ask about this date
13/02/2028	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	16	US$6,890	Ask about this date
20/02/2028	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	14	US$5,750	Ask about this date
27/02/2028	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	16	US$6,890	Ask about this date
08/03/2028	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$5,200	Ask about this date
08/03/2028	Galaxy Stella · 8-Day Southern Islands: Gardner Bay's Sea Lion Pups	—	12	US$9,000	Ask about this date
12/03/2028	ENDEMIC · 5-Day Southern Islands: Lonesome George's Legacy	—	16	US$6,890	Ask about this date
19/03/2028	MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel	—	7	US$5,750	Ask about this date
22/03/2028	Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel	—	12	US$5,200	Ask about this date

Where they are

Marine Iguana

Swallow-tailed Gull

Galápagos Land Iguana

Galápagos Sea Lion

Brown Pelican

Nazca Booby

The full lists, group by group

Birds

Underwater

Reptiles

Select a departure that actually reaches it

What's included

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