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The Galápagos Cruise  ·  Wildlife

Galápagos Reptiles: 6 Species and Where to See Them

6
species recorded
5
found only here
12
islands
US$3,320
per guest, double occupancy

Six species are recorded across the 12 islands our ships call at: the giant tortoise, two land iguanas, the marine iguana, the Pacific green sea turtle and the endemic rice rat. Between them they are most of what people picture before they arrive.

Reptiles are the easiest wildlife here to plan around, because almost none of it is seasonal. The giant tortoises are in the Santa Cruz highlands all year and easiest to reach from January to May, when the pastures are wet. Marine iguanas hold the shoreline on every island, and on Española they turn red and green in the mating season. Green sea turtles nest between December and June. Santa Fé has a land iguana that lives nowhere else, and South Plaza the only known hybrids of land and marine iguana. The map below shows which island holds what.

6 of 6 species shown
almost alwaysoftensometimesnot in this month

Galápagos Rice Rat

Nesoryzomys / Aegialomys spp.

Santa Fé Bay
Where
1 site, Santa Fé Bay
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 42 of 97 routes · 952 departures in season

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Santa Fé Land Iguana

Conolophus pallidus

Santa Fé Bay
Where
1 site, Santa Fé Bay
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 42 of 97 routes · 952 departures in season

See these departures  →

Marine Iguana

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

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

On 85 of 97 routes · 1937 departures in season

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Galápagos Land Iguana

Conolophus subcristatus

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

On 83 of 97 routes · 2012 departures in season

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Galápagos Giant Tortoise

Chelonoidis spp.

Where
10 sites on 5 islands, mostly Central
When
Year round, more between Jun and Dec
JFMAMJJASOND

On 85 of 97 routes · 2064 departures in season

See these departures  →

Pacific Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas agassizii

Where
on most islands
When
Year round, more between Jan and Jun
JFMAMJJASOND

On 85 of 97 routes · 1996 departures in season

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Select a departure that actually reaches it

1996 of the 2108 upcoming departures put you where the Pacific Green Sea Turtle is, at the time it is there.

1996
  • 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.
26/09/2026US$7,992

ELITE  ·  8-Day Western Islands: El Junco's Bathing Frigatebirds

Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 7

Stragglers6 spotsAsk about this date
26/09/2026US$4,080

EcoGalaxy  ·  6-Day Western Islands: Dragon Hill's Restoration

Elizabeth Bay, day 2

Possible5 spotsAsk about this date
27/09/2026US$3,600

Galaxy Stella  ·  4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals

Post Office Bay, day 3

Stragglers2 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$5,415

Alya  ·  6-Day Western Islands: Punta Vicente Roca's Mantas

Elizabeth Bay, day 2

Possible3 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$3,320

Solaris  ·  5-Day Northern Islands: South Plaza's Hybrid Iguana

Darwin Bay, day 3

Possible11 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$8,300

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BC

Post Office Bay, day 7

Stragglers11 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BCA

Post Office Bay, day 7

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
29/09/2026US$3,735

Treasure  ·  5-Day Southern Islands: Los Gemelos' Daylight Owl

Post Office Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
29/09/2026US$10,345

Treasure  ·  Treasure: Route BC

Post Office Bay, day 3

Stragglers2 spotsAsk about this date
29/09/2026US$14,095

Treasure  ·  Treasure: Route BCA

Post Office Bay, day 3

Stragglers2 spotsAsk about this date
30/09/2026US$7,140

Galaxy Stella  ·  8-Day Western Islands: Mangle Point's Rare Access

Las Tintoreras, day 2

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
01/10/2026US$3,352

MONIQUE  ·  4-Day Southern Islands: Santa Cruz's Wild Tortoises

Post Office Bay, day 2

Stragglers14 spotsAsk about this date

What's included

✓All meals on board

✓Two certified national park naturalist guides

✓All excursions and landings listed in the itinerary

✓Snorkelling gear and wetsuit

✓Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards on board

✓Coffee, tea and water at any time

Your selection
Galaxy Stella · 4-Day Southern Islands: Isla Lobos' Fur Seals
27/09/2026 · 3 nights · from US$3,600
Change
María Fernanda Ortiz
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from US$3,320
1996 departures