Galápagos wildlife calendar
Galápagos has two seasons and a dozen sub-plots. The warm season (roughly December to May) brings calm seas, warm water and the land-and-beach breeding cycle; the dry, garúa season (June to November) brings the Humboldt current, cold nutrient-rich water, and the great marine gatherings - whales, penguins courting, sea lion pups. The table below condenses the year; each month links to its own detailed guide.
The year at a glance
| Month | Air °C (max/min) | Water °C | Sea | What you’ll see |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29 / 22 | 23 | Calm; brief afternoon showers | Green turtles nesting (Jan-Mar); marine iguanas in breeding color on Española; land iguanas mating on Isabela; land birds nesting after first rains; giant tortoise eggs hatching |
| February | 30 / 23 | 24 | Calm; warmest stretch begins | Flamingos start nesting on Floreana; marine iguanas nesting on Santa Cruz; Nazca booby season winding down on Española; penguins moving west |
| March | 31 / 23 | 24 | Calm; possible northern swells | Wettest month; waved albatross arrive on Española (late March); frigatebirds with red pouches (San Cristóbal, Genovesa); marine iguanas nesting (Fernandina, Seymour) |
| April | 30 / 22 | 24 | Calm; good underwater visibility | Albatross courtship in full swing on Española; green turtle hatching (Apr-Jun); land iguana hatchlings on Isabela |
| May | 28 / 22 | 23 | Calm | Blue-footed booby courtship starts (N. Seymour); albatross laying eggs; green turtle hatchlings emerging (Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant, Puerto Egas) |
| June | 26 / 21 | 23 | Swell and currents build; trade winds arrive | Garúa season begins; giant tortoies descend to nest (eggs Jun-Nov); humpback whales arrive (Jun-Sep); whale sharks show at Darwin/Wolf late month; Galápagos hawks courting on Genovesa |
| July | 24 / 20 | 22 | Sea starts roughening | Flightless cormorants courting and nesting (Fernandina); blue-footed boobies at four nesting stages (Española); whales along Isabela’s west coast; oystercatchers nesting (Santiago) |
| August | 23 / 19 | 19-20 | Choppy; strongest currents, swell on west/south coasts | Sea lion pups born (Aug-Nov, west and central islands); hawks courting; Nazca boobies and swallow-tailed gulls nesting (Genovesa); migratory shorebirds arriving (through March) |
| September | 24 / 19 | 20 | Roughest month of the year; Humboldt at its peak | Coolest, greyest month; penguins courting (Bartolomé, Sep-Dec); sea lions very active - harem fights; whale sharks still at Darwin/Wolf; quietest month for visitor numbers |
| October | 25 / 20 | 21-21.5 | Still choppy (Aug-Oct is the roughest stretch), water slowly warming | Fur seals begin mating; lava herons nesting (Oct-Mar); blue-footed booby chicks raised (Española, Isabela); giant tortoises still laying |
| November | 26 / 21 | 22 | Calming down; snorkel visibility improving | Green turtle courtship peaks (Nov-Jan); brown noddies raising chicks; second petrel nesting round; playful sea lion pups in the water (Champion) |
| December | 27 / 22 | 23 | Calm | Green turtles courting and mating; first giant tortoise hatching of the season (Dec-Apr); young albatross fledge and leave Española |
Temperatures are operator averages for the sea; satellite surface readings at Puerto Ayora run 2-4 °C warmer than what you feel at snorkel depth. For the full data story, see our best time to visit guide, and each month has its own page - January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
How to read the two seasons
The warm season, December to May, brings calm seas, the warmest and clearest water, and the beach cycle: turtles nesting, land birds nesting, boobies dancing. The dry season, June to November, brings the Humboldt: colder water, nutrient blooms, and with them the big marine show - whales and dolphins in the Bolívar Channel, whale sharks at Darwin and Wolf, penguins courting, sea lions pupping. The crossover months, May-June and November-December, split the difference nicely.
Three planning shortcuts
- Best all-round snorkeling water: warm season, December to May, when water sits around 23-25 °C and visibility is at its best.
- Best big-animal season: June to November, when the Humboldt feeds everything from penguins to whale sharks - but bring a wetsuit, August and September water runs 19-20 °C.
- Roughest crossings: July to October, peaking August-September. If you are seasickness-prone, read our seasickness guide and lean toward the calm months.
Nature does not run on schedule, and every calendar - including this one - is a set of tendencies rather than appointments. Guides adjust daily; the animals have not read the table.
For the species themselves, start with our complete birds guide, the sharks guide, the rays and the dolphins and whales pages.
Last verified: September 2026