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The Galápagos Cruise  ·  Wildlife

Galápagos Underwater: 22 Species and Where to See Them

22
species recorded
3
found only here
14
islands
US$2,036
per guest, double occupancy

Twenty-two species are recorded in the water around the 14 islands our ships reach. Most of what you will actually swim with turns up on ordinary snorkeling stops rather than on dedicated dives: sea lions, fur seals, white-tipped reef sharks and rays. Bottlenose dolphins often ride the bow between islands.

The water changes with the season more than the animals do. December to May the sea is warm, the surface is calm and the visibility is at its clearest, which is the better half of the year for snorkeling. From June the cold Cromwell current pushes up the west coast, the water is colder and richer, and the larger animals feed closer in. Sea lion pups arrive between August and November and are the most curious thing you will meet in the water. Kicker Rock is the hammerhead site and it is never promised. Devil's Crown closes when the swell is wrong. The map below shows which island holds what.

22 of 22 species shown
almost alwaysoftensometimesnot in this month

Red-lipped Batfish

Ogcocephalus darwini

Where
2 sites on 2 islands, mostly Central
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 36 of 97 routes · 853 departures in season

See these departures  →

Galápagos Fur Seal

Arctocephalus galapagoensis

Where
7 sites on 5 islands, mostly Central
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 82 of 97 routes · 1992 departures in season

See these departures  →

Galápagos Sea Lion

Zalophus wollebaeki

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

On 86 of 97 routes · 2108 departures in season

See these departures  →

Balloonfish

Diodon holocanthus

Where
on most islands
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Where
on most islands
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 36 of 97 routes · 853 departures in season

See these departures  →

Diamond Stingray

Dasyatis brevis

Devil's Crown
Where
1 site, Devil's Crown
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

Galápagos Bullhead Shark

Heterodontus quoyi

Buccaneer Cove
Where
1 site, Buccaneer Cove
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 2 of 97 routes · 78 departures in season

See these departures  →

Giant Hawkfish

Cirrhitus rivulatus

Devil's Crown
Where
1 site, Devil's Crown
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

King Angelfish

Holacanthus passer

Devil's Crown
Where
1 site, Devil's Crown
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

Moray Eel

Muraenidae

Darwin Bay
Where
1 site, Darwin Bay
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 38 of 97 routes · 842 departures in season

See these departures  →

Ocean Sunfish

Mola spp.

Punta Vicente Roca
Where
1 site, Punta Vicente Roca
When
Jul to Nov
JFMAMJJASOND

On 36 of 97 routes · 375 departures in season

See these departures  →

Tiger Snake Eel

Myrichthys tigrinus

Devil's Crown
Where
1 site, Devil's Crown
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

Wrasse

Labridae

Where
on most islands
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

Pacific Seahorse

Hippocampus ingens

Where
2 sites on 2 islands, mostly West
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 38 of 97 routes · 820 departures in season

See these departures  →

Sperm Whale

Physeter macrocephalus

Where
2 sites, mostly West
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 41 of 97 routes · 960 departures in season

See these departures  →

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

Beyond the map, far to the north-west
Where
Darwin · Wolf
When
Jun to Nov
JFMAMJJASOND

Not on any itinerary we sell

Golden Cownose Ray

Rhinoptera steindachneri

Where
3 sites on 2 islands, mostly West
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 50 of 97 routes · 1088 departures in season

See these departures  →

Galápagos Shark

Carcharhinus galapagensis

Where
4 sites on 4 islands, mostly Central
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 12 of 97 routes · 214 departures in season

See these departures  →

Giant Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

Where
5 sites on 5 islands, mostly Central
When
Jun to Nov
JFMAMJJASOND

On 50 of 97 routes · 691 departures in season

See these departures  →

Scalloped Hammerhead

Sphyrna lewini

Where
5 sites on 5 islands, mostly South
When
Year round, more between Jun and Nov
JFMAMJJASOND

On 12 of 97 routes · 214 departures in season

See these departures  →

Spotted Eagle Ray

Aetobatus laticeps

Where
5 sites on 5 islands, mostly South
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 77 of 97 routes · 1852 departures in season

See these departures  →

White-tipped Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

Where
on most islands
When
Year round
JFMAMJJASOND

On 40 of 97 routes · 855 departures in season

See these departures  →

Select a departure that actually reaches it

842 of the 2108 upcoming departures put you where the Moray Eel is, at the time it is there.

842
  • 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.
28/09/2026US$3,320

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

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers11 spotsAsk about this date
28/09/2026US$8,300

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BC

Darwin Bay, day 3

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

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BCA

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
01/10/2026US$6,035

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

Darwin Bay, day 5

Stragglers7 spotsAsk about this date
01/10/2026US$18,000

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route CAB

Darwin Bay, day 13

Stragglers14 spotsAsk about this date
02/10/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route CAB

Darwin Bay, day 13

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
03/10/2026US$3,570

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

Darwin Bay, day 7

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
04/10/2026US$7,992

ENDEMIC  ·  8-Day Western Islands: Tagus Cove's Sailor Graffiti

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
04/10/2026US$4,152

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

Darwin Bay, day 4

Stragglers6 spotsAsk about this date
05/10/2026US$7,475

Archipel I  ·  Archipel I: Route AB4

Darwin Bay, day 9

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
05/10/2026US$10,300

Archipel I  ·  Archipel I: Route AB

Darwin Bay, day 9

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
06/10/2026US$10,345

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route AB

Darwin Bay, day 9

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
06/10/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route ABC

Darwin Bay, day 9

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
07/10/2026US$3,840

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

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
07/10/2026US$11,150

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route AB

Darwin Bay, day 7

Stragglers14 spotsAsk about this date
07/10/2026US$18,000

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route ABC

Darwin Bay, day 7

Stragglers14 spotsAsk about this date
08/10/2026US$5,295

Archipel I  ·  Archipel I: Route A5B4

Darwin Bay, day 6

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
08/10/2026US$8,345

Archipel I  ·  Archipel I: Route A5B

Darwin Bay, day 6

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
12/10/2026US$5,295

Archipel I  ·  8-Day Southern & Northern: Prince Philip's Booby Steps

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
12/10/2026US$2,036

Archipel I  ·  4-Day Northern & Western: Sullivan Bay's Fresh Lava

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
12/10/2026US$3,528

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

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers5 spotsAsk about this date
12/10/2026US$8,300

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BC

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers5 spotsAsk about this date
12/10/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BCA

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers5 spotsAsk about this date
15/10/2026US$5,992

ENDEMIC  ·  Western Galápagos Islands

Darwin Bay, day 5

Stragglers8 spotsAsk about this date
15/10/2026US$6,390

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

Darwin Bay, day 5

Stragglers8 spotsAsk about this date
15/10/2026US$4,335

EcoGalaxy  ·  6-Day Western & Northern: Bartolome's Pinnacle Rock

Darwin Bay, day 4

Stragglers5 spotsAsk about this date
18/10/2026US$4,152

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

Darwin Bay, day 4

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
20/10/2026US$4,952

ELITE  ·  5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
21/10/2026US$11,150

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route AB

Darwin Bay, day 7

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
21/10/2026US$18,000

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route ABC

Darwin Bay, day 7

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
22/10/2026US$4,370

Alya  ·  5-Day Northern & Western: Bartolome's Endemic Plant

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers3 spotsAsk about this date
25/10/2026US$5,576

Tribute  ·  5-Day Northern & Eastern: Genovesa's Daylight-Hunting Owl

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
25/10/2026US$13,490

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route BC

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
25/10/2026US$18,000

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route BCA

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
29/10/2026US$4,080

EcoGalaxy  ·  6-Day Western & Northern: Bartolome's Pinnacle Rock

Darwin Bay, day 4

Stragglers9 spotsAsk about this date
01/11/2026US$4,152

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

Darwin Bay, day 4

Stragglers10 spotsAsk about this date
04/11/2026US$4,080

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

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers5 spotsAsk about this date
09/11/2026US$2,395

Archipel I  ·  4-Day Northern & Western: Sullivan Bay's Fresh Lava

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers2 spotsAsk about this date
12/11/2026US$6,035

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

Darwin Bay, day 5

Stragglers8 spotsAsk about this date
15/11/2026US$4,152

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

Darwin Bay, day 4

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
18/11/2026US$4,320

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

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers4 spotsAsk about this date
19/11/2026US$4,140

Alya  ·  5-Day Northern & Western: Bartolome's Endemic Plant

Darwin Bay, day 2

Stragglers8 spotsAsk about this date
22/11/2026US$5,576

Tribute  ·  5-Day Northern & Eastern: Genovesa's Daylight-Hunting Owl

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers6 spotsAsk about this date
22/11/2026US$13,490

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route BC

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers6 spotsAsk about this date
22/11/2026US$18,000

Tribute  ·  Tribute: Route BCA

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers6 spotsAsk about this date
23/11/2026US$3,735

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

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
23/11/2026US$8,300

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BC

Darwin Bay, day 3

Stragglers1 spotAsk about this date
23/11/2026US$14,095

Solaris  ·  Solaris: Route BCA

Darwin Bay, day 3

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

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María Fernanda Ortiz
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from US$2,036
842 departures