Galápagos Islands Travel Guide

Things to do while touring the Galápagos Islands

Come face to face with Galápagos giant tortoises

An encounter with a Galápagos giant tortoise is one of the most moving wildlife experiences on Earth. These ancient creatures can live for well over a century and weigh more than 200 kilograms. Once hunted to near extinction, intensive conservation efforts at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island have pulled several species back from the edge. Watching a tortoise move slowly through the mist-shrouded volcanic highlands, completely unhurried and indifferent to your presence, is an encounter that stays with you long after you leave.

Snorkel in one of the world’s richest marine environments

The waters surrounding the Galápagos are among the most biodiverse on the planet, fed by powerful ocean currents carrying cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep Pacific. Snorkelling here means swimming alongside sea lion pups, gliding past marine iguanas feeding on algae, and sharing the water with hammerhead sharks, manta rays and sea turtles. The Galápagos is one of the only places on Earth where you can snorkel with penguins, a result of the cool Humboldt Current sweeping north along the western islands.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station

Step into the heart of conservation at the Charles Darwin Research Station, one of the Galápagos Islands’ most important scientific hubs. Here, you’ll gain insight into the region’s unique ecosystems and ongoing preservation efforts, including the famous giant tortoise breeding programme. Wander through informative exhibits, learn about local wildlife and discover how this pioneering centre helps protect the islands’ extraordinary biodiversity.

Explore the volcanic highlands and lava fields of Isabela Island

Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago and one of the most volcanically active places on Earth, dominated by six shield volcanoes, three of which remain active. The hike to the rim of Sierra Negra offers sweeping views across a vast moonscape of hardened lava. Flamingos wade in saltwater lagoons fringed by mangroves, marine iguanas bask along the black lava shoreline, and the snorkelling off the western coast rewards with sightings of sea horses, octopus and occasional whale sharks.

Discover Quito, one of South America’s great colonial cities

The gateway to any Galápagos journey, Quito sits at 2,850 metres in a dramatic Andean valley and is home to the best-preserved colonial centre in Latin America, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right. Ornate baroque churches, whitewashed convents and grand plazas line cobblestone streets that have changed little since the Spanish colonial era. The gilded interior of La Compañía de Jesús and the sweeping views from the Basilica del Voto Nacional are among its many highlights.

Galápagos Islands frequently asked questions