When to Visit the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a year-round destination, with rich wildlife encounters and rewarding experiences in every month of the year. Rather than a single “best” time to visit, conditions vary according to two distinct seasons shaped by ocean currents, trade winds, and geography, each offering its own advantages.

The warm and wet season (December to June) brings sunnier skies, warmer seas, calmer ocean conditions, and lush landscapes, making it ideal for swimming, snorkelling, families, and travellers sensitive to cold water or seasickness. The cool and dry season (June to December) is characterised by cooler air and sea temperatures, nutrient-rich waters, and peak marine activity, particularly appealing to divers, wildlife enthusiasts, and those less tolerant of the heat.

This guide explains how weather, sea conditions, wildlife behaviour, and comfort levels change throughout the year, helping travellers choose when to visit based on their interests, preferences, and travel style.

To help you plan with confidence, our month-by-month guides combine local insight with photographs taken during each month, offering a clear picture of what to expect.

• The Galapagos is a year-round destination with abundant wildlife 12 months of the year.
• Warm & Wet Season (Dec–Jun): sunnier skies, warmer seas, calmer sea, lush highlands.
  Best for: families, swimmers, sun-seekers, travelers prone to seasickness.
• Cool & Dry Season (Jun–Dec): cooler air/sea temps, nutrient-rich waters, exceptional marine life.
  Best for: divers, wildlife enthusiasts, hikers, travellers who feel more comfortable in slightly cooler temperatures
• Popular months: mid December–May
• Quieter months: September – mid December
• Planning tip: check our monthly guides for a more detailed overview of what to expect.
• In short: There is no bad time to visit!

From December or January, the southern trade winds ease and the Panama Current becomes the dominant ocean current, bringing warm waters from the northeast to the Galapagos Islands. This shift creates sunnier skies, calmer seas and warmer temperatures. Expect:

• 4–7 hours of sunshine per day
• Short, refreshing rain showers
• Air temperatures: 71–88°F / 22–31°C
• Sea temperatures: 74–76°F / 23–24°C
• Light winds: Force 1–4
• Good visibility: 15–30m
• Seas are calmer → smoother boat rides; easier snorkeling and good underwater visibility (15-30m).

Warm seas are particularly appreciated by families and travellers sensitive to cold water.

Humidity levels are generally higher during this season, particularly along the coast and lower areas of the islands.

Flora and Fauna

The warmer weather kick-starts the breeding and nesting season for many species such as marine iguanas, sea turtles, giant tortoises and sea lions.

Vegetation is green and lush, particularly in the highlands where Galapagos Safari Camp is based, with many flowers blooming in March and April.

The Two-Week Weather Window

A brief period in March or April often brings a noticeable spike in heat, humidity, and rainfall.
This window can be one of the most rewarding times to visit. The landscape is green and wildlife is highly active. However, the high heat and increased rainfall can prove too intense for some. It really varies from person to person, depending on personal comfort levels.

Learn more about this weather window in What To Know Before You Book

The Warm Season at Camp

Our highland location (400m above sea level) enjoys cooler temperatures than the coast, making evenings more comfortable for sundowners and outdoor dining.

During the Two-Week Weather Window, moths may appear around lights after rain. They are harmless, but we mention it for those who are more sensitive. Mosquitos are rarely a problem.

For more details on what to expect in the way of weather and wildlife at Camp, please refer to our month-by-month blog series.

From June or July, the southern trade winds strengthen and push the cold, nutrient-rich Humboldt Current up the coast of South America from Antarctica, before turning west at the equator towards the Galapagos Islands..

Running in the opposite direction of the Humboldt (west to east along the equator), the Cromwell Current (also known as the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent) is a much deeper current that carries nutrients from decaying matter on the ocean floor. When it reaches the archipelago, the cold, nutrient-rich water is deflected to the surface, an oceanographic process known as upwelling.

These nutrients sustain the phytoplankton on the ocean’s surface, and the increase in plankton growth attracts an abundance of fish and seabirds, making the waters especially exciting for snorkelers and scuba divers.

During warmer years when this bottom layer of the food chain is not sustained, the consequences can be dire. For example, during El Niño of 1982 – 1983, the lack of food at the bottom of the food chain led to the death of many sea lions at the top of the chain.

This seasonal system shapes the weather. Expect:

• Mist (garúa) forming where cool marine air meets warmer air above, creating a soft blanket of fog in the highlands. This mist tends to settle in the late afternoons, and typically lifts around 8-9am in the morning.
• Lush vegetation in the highlands, while lowlands become dry and almost desert-like.
• The islands in the south, such as Floreana and Española, being the most affected by the cold waters of the Humboldt Current.
• The islands to the west such as Fernandina and Isabela being most affected by the Cromwell Current.
• Galapagos Safari Camp on Santa Cruz being less affected by the extreme cooling seen in the far western and southern islands.

Air & Sea Temperatures

• Air: 67–80°F / 19–27°C
• Sea: 68–74°F / 20–23°C

Although described as ‘cooler’, it’s worth noting that these water temperatures are more or less the same as those in Cape Town, Africa in January (19°C), the Algarve, Portugal in July (20°C), the Costa del Sol, Spain in August (23°C), Jacksonville, Florida in May (°23C), and Malibu, California in August (19°C).

Wetsuits are provided year-round for all ages.

Wind & Underwater Visibility

• Wind: Force 4–7
• Sea: often choppier than in the warm season
• Visibility: generally 5–20m

Those prone to seasickness often prefer a land-based Safari during this season, as the open seas can get choppy.

Flora and Fauna

Thanks to nutrient-rich waters, marine life peaks during these months. You may encounter:

• large schools of fish
• rays and sharks
• penguins feeding
• sea birds diving
• occasional humpback whales passing through the marine reserve.

It is an outstanding time for scuba-diving in the Galapagos.

The Two-Week Weather Window (Sept-Oct)

For about two weeks — typically in September or October — temperatures dip noticeably, especially in the evenings or when out at sea. A warm layer (fleece or jacket) is recommended.

Despite the cooler feel, this period has its own appeal:

• quieter trails
• comfortable hiking and biking conditions
• marine life at its most active
• atmospheric, misty landscapes in the highlands

For those with a focus on wildlife and underwater experiences, this can be a particularly rich time to visit.

The Cool and Dry Season at Camp