Galapagos day tours
📍 Choose the island where you are staying: each tour departs from a specific island in the morning and returns in the afternoon.
Santa Cruz Island
Discover Santa Cruz Island, the heart of the Galapagos Islands. Explore paradise beaches, unique wildlife, Galapagos National Park and Puerto Ayora, the liveliest town in the archipelago.
San Cristobal Island
Explore San Cristobal Island in Galapagos, home to sea lions, amazing beaches and the iconic Kicker Rock. Nature, history and adventure in one destination. Live an unforgettable adventure.
Isabela Island
Discover Isabela Island, the largest island in Galapagos, famous for its active volcanoes, lava tunnels, penguins and untouched beaches. A natural paradise full of amazing adventures that are worth it.
How Galapagos day tours work
A day tour is the easiest way to see the wildlife of the Galapagos without a cruise. You sleep in a hotel on an inhabited island (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal or Isabela), leave in the morning on a licensed boat with a certified National Park guide, and return to town in the afternoon.
- Departure: most tours leave between 07:00 and 08:15 and return between 16:00 and 17:00.
- Included: transport, bilingual naturalist guide, lunch, snacks and water, and snorkeling gear on tours with snorkeling.
- Spaces are limited: the National Park controls how many visitors land on each island every day, so popular tours like Bartolome and North Seymour often sell out. Book a few days or weeks ahead.
Day tours from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is the best base for day tours because it is in the center of the archipelago. From Puerto Ayora you can reach several uninhabited islands in one day.
Day tours from San Cristobal
San Cristobal is the place for Kicker Rock and for Espanola Island, home of the waved albatross.
Day tours from Isabela
Isabela, the largest island, is known for its volcanoes, lava tunnels and penguins.
Frequently asked questions
Which island is the best base for day tours?
Santa Cruz offers the most options because it is in the middle of the archipelago: Bartolome, North Seymour, South Plaza, Santa Fe and Pinzon all leave from there. Many travelers combine 3 or 4 nights on Santa Cruz with 2 nights on Isabela or San Cristobal.
Do I need to book day tours in advance?
Yes, especially for Bartolome, North Seymour and South Plaza, which have a daily limit of visitors set by the National Park. Tours like the Bay Tour or the Highlands Tour can usually be booked a day before.
Are day tours suitable for children?
Most are. Short tours like the Bay Tour, the Highlands Tour or Tortuga Bay are ideal for families. Full-day tours with long boat rides are better for children who do not get seasick and can swim with a life jacket.
What should I bring on a day tour?
Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a swimsuit, a light jacket for the boat, a reusable water bottle and motion-sickness tablets if you get seasick. Snorkeling gear and lunch are included.
Can I see the same wildlife as on a cruise?
You will see most of the iconic species: blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, land and marine iguanas, sea lions, sea turtles, penguins and giant tortoises. Cruises reach some remote islands that day tours cannot, such as Genovesa or Fernandina.