Travel Advice
Many of our guests are set on the Galápagos, but the question we hear most is 'with so many ships and itineraries, how do you choose the right one?'
Here is the reassuring part. Every Galápagos cruise we sell is excellent. The wildlife is astonishing wherever you sail, the national park keeps standards high and the guiding is superb. So the choice is really about matching the right cruise to you. Four things shape that: when you go, how many nights you sail, which itinerary you pick and which line you travel with. Take them one at a time.
When to go
The Galápagos is a year-round destination. The animals live here, they do not migrate away for the winter, so there is no wrong month to come. Two broad seasons set the tone. From December to May the seas are calm and warm, the water is clear and the snorkelling is at its best. From June to November the cooler Humboldt current arrives, the air turns misty and the seas grow livelier, which brings more nutrients and more activity in the water.
Within that, a few moments are worth planning around. Waved albatross gather on Española from around April to December, leaving the island between January and March, so come outside those months if they are a priority for you. Blue-footed boobies are at their bluest from May to July, the best time to catch their comical mating dance. Humpback whales pass through between June and September, and November is prime time for sea lion pups. Beyond these few dates, the islands are so rich in food that many birds, sea lions and turtles breed across long, overlapping seasons, so you will see young animals at almost any time of year. For the full month-by-month picture, see our Galápagos wildlife calendar.
If you are adding Peru or the Amazon, timing is more of a factor. Machu Picchu and the Andean highlands are at their finest in the dry season, roughly May to September, with the clearest skies over the citadel. The cloud forest near Quito rewards a visit for much of the year and is easiest underfoot in the drier months. An upper Amazon cruise changes character with the river: high water from around November to May lets your skiff slip deep into flooded forest, while low water from June to November opens up beaches and walking trails and draws wildlife to the banks. To pair the Galápagos with Peru and the Amazon in one trip, May and September tend to suit the entire journey.
How many nights?
How long should a Galápagos cruise be? You will find shorter sailings and National Geographic-Lindblad in particular runs some good shorter options, but our advice is to give it seven nights. That has become the standard length and it works well. Seven nights lets you reach a proper spread of islands, settle into the pattern of zodiac landings and snorkelling, and take in the range of landscapes and wildlife that makes the archipelago so special, all without feeling rushed.
If you have the time and the budget, back-to-back weeks are worth a serious look. The two itineraries most lines run are built to dovetail, and with some operators, only one stop repeats, the giant tortoise visit at San Cristóbal. So a fortnight on board gives you almost the whole archipelago with barely any repetition. It is the most complete way to see the islands in a single trip.
Which itinerary?
Choosing your Galápagos cruise itinerary is simpler than it looks. Most lines run two itineraries that alternate week by week, and both are outstanding. For the majority of guests, either one delivers a wonderful week, so you can book with confidence whichever falls on your dates.
The exception is if you have your heart set on a particular species. Some animals are tied to specific islands, and not every itinerary calls there, so it is worth checking before you book. A few of the ones guests ask about most:
- Española for the waved albatross
- Isabela for striking lava fields and huge numbers of marine iguanas
- Isabela and Fernandina for the flightless cormorant
- Isabela for penguins, though you have a good chance of seeing them elsewhere too
- Genovesa for the short-eared owl
If one of these is on your wish list, tell us, and we will point you to the itinerary and the week that visits it.
Which cruise line?
The national park caps Galápagos ships at 100 guests, so every option here is small and personal. The difference is in the style on board, and which one fits you.
Silversea is the choice for luxury. Its 100-guest Silver Origin is the most refined ship in the islands, with butler service throughout and a beautifully designed home to come back to each evening.
National Geographic-Lindblad is built around discovery, and it is the one we point families towards. With four ships in the region and a long pedigree in expedition travel, the naturalists are first-rate, and there are dedicated programmes to keep younger explorers hooked.
Aqua Expeditions is made for friends travelling together. The 16-guest Aqua Mare is a true superyacht with a one-to-one crew ratio, intimate enough that a group can make it their own.
HX is the value choice, and the experience does not feel pared back for it. The 90-guest Santa Cruz II has excellent facilities, family interconnecting cabins and a smooth, comfortable ride, sailing the Galápagos all year.
Celebrity brings contemporary style. The 100-guest Celebrity Flora is chic and modern, all-suite and all-inclusive, with a relaxed, sociable feel on board.
For a closer look at the ships and what each is like to sail, see our guide to the best Galápagos cruises.
Talk to us
We have sailed these ships ourselves, so this is the kind of conversation we love. Tell us when you can travel, the wildlife you most want to see and the sort of trip you are after, and we will match you to the right ship, the right itinerary and the right week.
Have a look at our Galápagos cruises, or get in touch and we will take it from there.
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