It’s a commonly asked question: When is the best time to go to Galapagos? There are many answers, depending on what you want out of your Galapagos trip. If you want to see the reptiles and mammals that the Galapagos Islands are famous for, you may want to consult this calendar to help you plan your trip.

Just like the birds, the mammals and reptiles in Galapagos follow certain cycles of breeding, feeding, mating and other life functions. These behaviors vary during different times of the year and also from island to island. For example, if you want to see the bright red-and-green “Christmas Iguanas” of Española, you should go in December or January.

Here’s a handy chart, organized by month, of wildlife behaviors.

January:

Española Marine Iguanas are brightly colored
Green Sea Turtles are laying eggs
Isabela Land Iguanas begin breeding season
Giant tortoise eggs still hatching

February:

Santa Cruz Marine Iguanas begin nesting

March:

Fernandina and North Seymour Marine Iguanas nesting

April:

Giant Tortoise hatching season ends
Sea turtle eggs begin to hatch
Isabela Land Iguana eggs hatch

May:

Green sea turtles hatching on Punta Cormorant, Puerto Egas and Gardner Bay
Santa Cruz Marine Iguanas hatching

June:

Santa Cruz Giant Tortoises migrate down from the highlands to the lowlands to begin mating season
Humpback Whales migrate through Galapagos
Good time to see whale sharks off of Darwin and Wolf Island, until November-ish

July:

Lava Lizards begin mating behavior which includes “push-ups.” This will continue into November
Whales and dolphins common, especially in the waters between Isabela and Fernandina

August:

Giant Tortoises on Santa Cruz migrate back to the highlands
Galapagos sea lions begin to give birth, pups common

September:

Sea lions very active as breeding season kicks off: males often fight on land and in the water to defend their harems

October:

Galapagos Fur Sea Lion mating season begins
Giant Tortoises lay eggs

November:

Good time to see sea lion pups at nurseries

December:

Giant tortoise eggs begin to hatch, this will last until April
Green Sea Turtles often mating in shallow waters

Galapagos Lava Lizard

Galapagos Diving

Galapagos Sealions

Galapagos Land Iguana

Check out the Galapagos weather page for more information about conditions of the islands throughout the year. Ask our trip advisors for help planning your Galapagos trip at the perfect time!