The Galápagos Cruise · Wildlife

Galápagos Underwater: 22 Species and Where to See Them

species recorded

found only here

islands

US$3,570

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.

3 of 3 species shown

almost alwaysoftensometimesnot in this month

Galápagos Fur Seal

Arctocephalus galapagoensis

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

On 82 of 97 routes · 2008 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 · 2126 departures in season

See these departures →

Galápagos Bullhead Shark

Heterodontus quoyi

Buccaneer Cove

Where: 1 site, Buccaneer Cove
When: Year round

On 2 of 97 routes · 78 departures in season

See these departures →

Select a departure that actually reaches it

302 of the 2126 upcoming departures put you where the Moray Eel is, at the time it is there.

302

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$14,095

Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA

4 spotsAsk about this date

02/10/2026US$14,095

Solaris · Solaris: Route CAB

4 spotsAsk about this date

03/10/2026US$3,570

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

Departure	Ship and route	When it meets it	Spots	from
28/09/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA	—	4	US$14,095	Ask about this date
02/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route CAB	—	4	US$14,095	Ask about this date
03/10/2026	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	1	US$3,570	Ask about this date
05/10/2026	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB4	—	1	US$7,475	Ask about this date
05/10/2026	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB	—	1	US$10,300	Ask about this date
06/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route AB	—	4	US$10,345	Ask about this date
06/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route ABC	—	4	US$14,095	Ask about this date
08/10/2026	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	1	US$5,295	Ask about this date
08/10/2026	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B	—	1	US$8,345	Ask about this date
12/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA	—	5	US$14,095	Ask about this date
16/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route CAB	—	2	US$14,095	Ask about this date
20/10/2026	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	1	US$4,952	Ask about this date
20/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route AB	—	2	US$10,345	Ask about this date
20/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route ABC	—	2	US$14,095	Ask about this date
22/10/2026	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	2	US$4,766	Ask about this date
26/10/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA	—	1	US$14,095	Ask about this date
23/11/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA	—	1	US$14,095	Ask about this date
07/12/2026	Solaris · Solaris: Route BCA	—	3	US$14,095	Ask about this date
08/12/2026	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	5	US$6,690	Ask about this date
15/12/2026	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	5	US$6,190	Ask about this date
26/12/2026	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	1	US$6,300	Ask about this date
05/01/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	1	US$7,050	Ask about this date
19/01/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	14	US$7,050	Ask about this date
06/02/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	1	US$4,600	Ask about this date
08/02/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB4	—	1	US$7,900	Ask about this date
11/02/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	1	US$5,450	Ask about this date
16/02/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	6	US$7,050	Ask about this date
18/02/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route B5AB4	—	2	US$10,900	Ask about this date
22/02/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB4	—	4	US$7,900	Ask about this date
23/02/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	1	—	Ask about this date
25/02/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	4	US$5,450	Ask about this date
20/03/2027	ELITE · 8-Day Southern & Northern: David Rodriguez Reserve	—	1	US$10,490	Ask about this date
30/03/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	1	US$7,050	Ask about this date
03/04/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	1	US$4,600	Ask about this date
06/04/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	2	US$6,550	Ask about this date
13/04/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	4	US$7,050	Ask about this date
01/05/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	3	US$4,600	Ask about this date
15/05/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	1	US$4,600	Ask about this date
25/05/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	9	US$7,050	Ask about this date
29/05/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	4	US$4,600	Ask about this date
01/06/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	8	US$6,550	Ask about this date
08/06/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	12	US$7,050	Ask about this date
12/06/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	7	US$4,600	Ask about this date
22/06/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	2	US$7,050	Ask about this date
29/06/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	9	US$6,550	Ask about this date
01/07/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	2	US$5,450	Ask about this date
02/07/2027	PETREL · 8-Day Southern & Western: Pinnacle Rock's Penguins	—	16	—	Ask about this date
06/07/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	16	US$7,050	Ask about this date
10/07/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	12	US$4,510	Ask about this date
13/07/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	16	US$6,550	Ask about this date
16/07/2027	PETREL · 8-Day Southern & Western: Pinnacle Rock's Penguins	—	16	—	Ask about this date
24/07/2027	Galaxy Orion · 8-Day Western Islands: Isabela's Tortoise Hatchery	—	11	US$4,510	Ask about this date
26/07/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB4	—	1	US$7,900	Ask about this date
26/07/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB	—	1	US$10,900	Ask about this date
27/07/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	3	US$6,550	Ask about this date
29/07/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	2	US$5,450	Ask about this date
29/07/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B	—	2	US$8,845	Ask about this date
29/07/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5BA4	—	2	US$10,900	Ask about this date
02/08/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route BA	—	2	US$10,900	Ask about this date
05/08/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route B5AB4	—	4	US$10,900	Ask about this date
09/08/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB4	—	4	US$7,900	Ask about this date
10/08/2027	Solaris · Solaris: Route AB	—	3	US$10,845	Ask about this date
12/08/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	6	US$5,450	Ask about this date
24/08/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	12	US$6,550	Ask about this date
31/08/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	16	US$7,050	Ask about this date
07/09/2027	Solaris · Solaris: Route AB	—	5	US$10,845	Ask about this date
14/09/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	14	US$7,050	Ask about this date
28/09/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	16	US$7,050	Ask about this date
04/10/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route AB4	—	4	US$7,900	Ask about this date
05/10/2027	ELITE · 5-Day Northern & Western: Darwin Bay's Flooded Caldera	—	10	US$5,250	Ask about this date
07/10/2027	Archipel I · Archipel I: Route A5B4	—	4	US$5,450	Ask about this date
12/10/2027	GRAND OCEAN SPRAY · 5-Day Northern & Western: Prince Philip's Boobies	—	16	US$7,050	Ask about this date

Where they are

Galápagos Fur Seal

Galápagos Sea Lion

Galápagos Bullhead Shark

Select a departure that actually reaches it

What's included

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