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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$2,120
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 · 955 departures in season

See these departures  →

Santa Fé Land Iguana

Conolophus pallidus

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

On 42 of 97 routes · 955 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 · 1936 departures in season

See these departures  →

Galápagos Land Iguana

Conolophus subcristatus

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

On 83 of 97 routes · 2010 departures in season

See these departures  →

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 · 2063 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 · 1995 departures in season

See these departures  →

Select a departure that actually reaches it

2010 of the 2107 upcoming departures put you where the Galápagos Land Iguana is, at the time it is there.

2010
  • 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.
24/09/2026US$6,632

MONIQUE  ·  8-Day Western Islands: Elizabeth Bay's Penguins

Tagus Cove, day 5

Stragglers16 spotsAsk about this date
24/09/2026US$2,966

Archipel I  ·  5-Day Western Islands: Puerto Egas' Fur Seal Colony

Urbina Bay, day 2

Likely2 spotsAsk about this date
25/09/2026US$3,320

Treasure  ·  5-Day Northern & Western: Punta Pitt's Triple Boobies

North Seymour Trail, day 3

Likely3 spotsAsk about this date
26/09/2026US$7,992

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

Dragon Hill, day 2

Possible6 spotsAsk about this date
26/09/2026US$4,080

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

Tagus Cove, day 3

Stragglers5 spotsAsk about this date
26/09/2026US$2,120

Galaxy Orion  ·  5-Day Western & Southern: San Cristobal's Highlands

Santa Fé Bay, day 3

Possible2 spotsAsk about this date
27/09/2026US$3,060

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

Post Office Bay, day 3

Possible2 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$5,415

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

Tagus Cove, day 4

Stragglers3 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$3,320

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

Santa Fé Bay, day 4

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

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BC

Santa Fé Bay, day 4

Possible11 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BCA

Tagus Cove, day 11

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

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

Post Office Bay, day 3

Possible4 spotsAsk about this date
29/09/2026US$10,345

Treasure  ·  Treasure: Route BC

Tagus Cove, day 8

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

Treasure  ·  Treasure: Route BCA

Tagus Cove, day 8

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

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

Tagus Cove, day 4

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

Possible14 spotsAsk about this date
01/10/2026US$6,035

Galaxy Sirius  ·  6-Day Western & Northern: Rabida's Red Sand Beach

North Seymour Trail, day 3

Likely7 spotsAsk about this date
01/10/2026US$13,490

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route CA

Tagus Cove, day 4

Stragglers14 spotsAsk about this date
01/10/2026US$18,000

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route CAB

Tagus Cove, day 4

Stragglers14 spotsAsk about this date
02/10/2026US$3,320

Solaris  ·  5-Day Southern Islands: Devil's Crown Hammerhead Sharks

Post Office Bay, day 3

Possible13 spotsAsk about this date
02/10/2026US$10,345

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route CA

Tagus Cove, day 7

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
02/10/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route CAB

Tagus Cove, day 7

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
03/10/2026US$3,992

ELITE  ·  4-Day Southern Islands: Espanola's Albatross Colony

Post Office Bay, day 3

Possible5 spotsAsk about this date
03/10/2026US$3,570

Galaxy Orion  ·  8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery

Tagus Cove, day 5

Stragglers1 spotAsk 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
Solaris · Solaris: Route CAB
02/10/2026 · 14 nights · from US$14,095
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María Fernanda Ortiz
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from US$2,120
2010 departures