Marine Iguana
Amblyrhynchus cristatus
- Where
- on most islands
- When
- Year round, more between Jan and Mar
On 85 of 97 routes · 1937 departures in season
See these departures →The Galápagos Cruise · Wildlife
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.
Tap an island to filter the species below. The number is how many species are recorded there.
Amblyrhynchus cristatus
On 85 of 97 routes · 1937 departures in season
See these departures →Chelonoidis spp.
On 85 of 97 routes · 2064 departures in season
See these departures →Chelonia mydas agassizii
On 85 of 97 routes · 1996 departures in season
See these departures →Treasure · 5-Day Northern & Western: Punta Pitt's Triple Boobies
Cerro Brujo, day 4
ELITE · 8-Day Western Islands: El Junco's Bathing Frigatebirds
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 7
Galaxy Orion · 5-Day Western & Southern: San Cristobal's Highlands
Cerro Brujo, day 4
Solaris · 5-Day Northern Islands: South Plaza's Hybrid Iguana
Cerro Brujo, day 5
Solaris · Solaris: Route BC
Cerro Brujo, day 5
Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA
Cerro Brujo, day 5
Treasure · 5-Day Southern Islands: Los Gemelos' Daylight Owl
La Galapaguera, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route BC
La Galapaguera, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route BCA
Cerro Brujo, day 14
Solaris · 5-Day Southern Islands: Devil's Crown Hammerhead Sharks
La Galapaguera, day 1
Solaris · Solaris: Route CAB
Cerro Brujo, day 15
ELITE · 4-Day Southern Islands: Espanola's Albatross Colony
David Rodriguez Tortoise Breeding Center, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route CA
Cerro Brujo, day 10
Treasure · Treasure: Route CAB
Cerro Brujo, day 10
MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 1
Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB
Cerro Brujo, day 14
Solaris · Solaris: Route AB
Cerro Brujo, day 11
Solaris · Solaris: Route ABC
Cerro Brujo, day 11
Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 5
Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B
Cerro Brujo, day 11
Treasure · 5-Day Northern & Western: Punta Pitt's Triple Boobies
Cerro Brujo, day 4
Treasure · Treasure: Route AB
Cerro Brujo, day 4
Treasure · Treasure: Route ABC
Cerro Brujo, day 4
ELITE · 8-Day Western Islands: El Junco's Bathing Frigatebirds
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 7
Archipel I · 8-Day Southern & Northern: Prince Philip's Booby Steps
Cerro Brujo, day 7
Solaris · 5-Day Northern Islands: South Plaza's Hybrid Iguana
Cerro Brujo, day 5
Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA
Cerro Brujo, day 5
Treasure · 5-Day Southern Islands: Los Gemelos' Daylight Owl
La Galapaguera, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route BC
La Galapaguera, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route BCA
Cerro Brujo, day 14
Archipel I · 5-Day Southern Islands: Espanola's Bold Mockingbird
Cerro Brujo, day 4
Solaris · 5-Day Southern Islands: Devil's Crown Hammerhead Sharks
La Galapaguera, day 1
MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 1
ELITE · 8-Day Western Islands: El Junco's Bathing Frigatebirds
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 7
Treasure · 5-Day Southern Islands: Los Gemelos' Daylight Owl
La Galapaguera, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route BC
La Galapaguera, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route BCA
Cerro Brujo, day 14
Solaris · 5-Day Southern Islands: Devil's Crown Hammerhead Sharks
La Galapaguera, day 1
ELITE · 4-Day Southern Islands: Espanola's Albatross Colony
David Rodriguez Tortoise Breeding Center, day 1
Treasure · Treasure: Route CA
Cerro Brujo, day 10
Treasure · Treasure: Route CAB
Cerro Brujo, day 10
MONIQUE · 5-Day Southern & Western: Kicker Rock's Swim Channel
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 1
Galaxy Stella · 5-Day Northern Islands: Kicker Rock's Shark Channel
Kicker Rock (León Dormido), day 5
Treasure · 5-Day Northern & Western: Punta Pitt's Triple Boobies
Cerro Brujo, day 4
✓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

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