If you’re looking for a holiday where wildlife is guaranteed, choose the Galapagos. You don’t need luck or to spend silent hours in a hide or trek for miles through dense undergrowth – here, nature never fails to put on a show.
This remote and sparsely inhabited archipelago off the coast of Ecuador has been a highly protected national park since 1959, and visitors require permits and must be accompanied by licensed guides. These factors, combined with the island-hopping nature of travel, make a cruise by far the best way to explore.
Ships are far smaller than the usual ocean-going vessels; the largest ships sail with a maximum of 100 passengers, the smallest ships carry just eight. Itineraries run from four days to two weeks, and many travellers will combine a trip to the Galapagos with touring in mainland Ecuador or Peru.
There’s no bad time to visit – the warmer, wetter season of December to May is best for snorkelling, and the cooler, drier period between June and November for nesting birds and baby animals. Prices are never low in this desirable and delicate destination, but September and October tend to be the cheapest months to cruise.
Find by cruise type:
Best for Galapagos highlights
Nine of the Best Isles
HX Expeditions
Key stops: Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, Floreana, Santiago, Rábida, Bartolomé and Genovesa
Departure port: Baltra
Duration: Eight nights
Ship: MS Santa Cruz II
This comprehensive itinerary is like the greatest hits of the Galapagos. You’ll tick off giant tortoises in the verdant Santa Cruz highlands, Galapagos penguins darting off Bartolomé’s golden beaches, fur seals basking in Santiago’s lava-lined rock pools, marine iguanas sneezing salt crystals on the shores of Fernandina and all the different kinds of boobies – blue, red and Nazca – on bird-haven Genovesa.
There’s the chance to snorkel among colonies of sea lions and turtles, and sneak in a visit to the centuries-old post office on Floreana. Seeing the sheer variety of terrain will illustrate how different subspecies evolved, inspiring Charles Darwin. The itinerary even includes two pre-cruise nights in Ecuador’s high-altitude capital, Quito, plus flights to and from the islands.
HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) is a fantastic mid-price choice, with the 90-passenger Santa Cruz II displaying sleek, Scandinavian good looks and offering an easy-to-grasp all-inclusive pricing structure. Alongside nature walks on land and inflatable panga boat expeditions, you will be able to kayak and snorkel, and the ship also sails with a glass-bottomed boat for those who prefer to keep their feet dry.
Insider tip
If you’ll be travelling alone, keep your eyes peeled for HX’s regular “no solo supplement” offers, which cycle through different destinations and itineraries, and pounce when your chosen Galapagos sailing comes up.
How to do it
A 10-night Nine of the Best Isles itinerary departing December 8, 2026, costs from £7,669pp for an explorer cabin. Includes two hotel nights in Quito, return domestic flights to the Galapagos, meals, Wi-Fi, gratuities and excursions.
Best for seeing marine life
Galapagos Outer Loop Cruise
Celebrity Cruises
Key stops: Española, Floreana, Isabela, Fernandina and Santa Cruz
Departure port: Baltra
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: Celebrity Flora
Scuba diving in the Galapagos requires expertise and experience – you need to sail with a dedicated dive boat, and it’s not a destination suited to beginners. However, snorkelling is a different matter, and this itinerary on Celebrity Flora from Celebrity Cruises is packed with rewarding opportunities to splash around with the archipelago’s diverse and diverting marine wildlife.
Advanced snorkelling excursions are available at many sites off Isabela, Fernandina, Floreana and Española, where you can keep your eyes peeled for sea turtles, stingrays, reef sharks, sea lions, sea stars and maybe even the darting, bullet-like form of a Galapagos penguin. Use of snorkel equipment and wetsuits is included.
Everything about the 100-passenger Celebrity Flora was designed specifically for the Galapagos – think island-inspired art on the walls, Ecuadorian dishes in the restaurants and even oceanographic technology that automatically transmits data to a research team at the University of Miami.
This extends even to the ship’s tenders, custom-built to include a hydraulic ramp that makes wet landings and snorkelling access easier. The all-suite ship has a luxurious feel, with two restaurants, a small spa and gym, a plunge pool and hot tubs and an expansive lounge which hosts talks from guides, plus evening cocktails and live music.
Insider tip
Make the nights as exciting as the days with Celebrity’s Galapagos Glamping experience – after cocktails and stargazing on the top deck, you can sleep out in a cabana-turned-double bed before a private sunrise breakfast. Spaces are limited to four per night and can only be booked once on board, so enquire as soon as you embark. The cost is £224 per suite, but it’s worth it.
How to do it
A seven-night Galapagos Outer Loop cruise sailing round-trip from Baltra departing November 14, 2027, costs from £6,910pp for a Sky suite with a veranda. Includes meals, drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and excursions.
Best for bird watching
Northern Galapagos
Silversea
Key stops: Genovesa, North Seymour, Santiago, Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz and Española
Departure port: San Cristóbal
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: Silver Origin
One of the first ports of call on this itinerary is Genovesa, nicknamed Bird Island for its wide variety of avian life. It’s home to all three types of Galapagos booby, with the diminutive red and large Nazca booby alongside the more common blue-footed type, plus magnificent and great frigatebirds with their distinctive red throat pouches and the hard-to-spot short-eared owl.
This cruise packs in many birding highlights on its way south, including flightless cormorants and Galapagos penguins on Isabela, before reaching Española in the south, where you can see mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks and, between April and December, the mighty waved albatross.
Silversea has become synonymous with luxury cruising, and its expedition arm is no different – every suite on the 100-passenger Silver Origin has butler service, and the sleek, neutral-toned interiors complement rather than compete with the gorgeous views through the floor-to-ceiling glazing you’ll find everywhere from the lifts to the showers.
The ship has one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the archipelago, locally inspired cuisine and regional wines served in two restaurants, a small spa and gym, and hot tubs. Alongside land and Zodiac excursions, you can snorkel and kayak too.
Insider tip
Make the most of your butler and free room service and order breakfast in bed – as excursions usually start early in the morning, it’ll streamline your start to the day.
How to do it
A seven-night Northern Galapagos cruise sailing round-trip from San Cristobal departing November 21, 2026, costs from £9,120pp for a Classic Veranda suite. Includes return charter flights from Quito, two nights pre- and one night post-cruise hotel stays, meals, drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and excursions.
Best for families
Galapagos Western Isles
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions
Key stops: North Seymour, Isabela, Fernandina, Española, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Bartolomé and San Cristóbal
Departure port: Baltra
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: National Geographic Endeavour II
There’s plenty of action to be found on this family-friendly itinerary, from snorkelling, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding to hiking over lava and around a volcanic crater’s rim.
With plenty of time on the largest and most volcanically spectacular island, Isabela, and off its marine life-rich coast, and among the diverse terrain of Santa Cruz, kids will see many of the archipelago’s iconic sights, whether exploring with their parents or independently as part of National Geographic’s unique, complimentary Explorers-in-Training programme.
Led by expert staff, these youth-focused excursions and activities prioritise hands-on experiences, from learning to drive a Zodiac boat or use an underwater camera to collecting plankton and logging wildlife sightings in a personal field notebook.
On board, kids are similarly free to roam – they can have a go with a video microscope and quiz a naturalist guide at the Science Hub or settle down with a lemonade in the lounge and read a book or watch video footage of the Galapagos. Connecting cabins are available, and families of three can book a cabin with an extra pull-down Murphy bed.
Insider tip
The ship has an open bridge, so the kids can (and should) head up there and learn from the crew how navigation equipment works.
How to do it
A nine-night Galapagos Western Islands itinerary departing August 21, 2026, costs from £6,442pp for a category 2 stateroom and with a $500 discount for under 18s. Includes dining, excursions, park fees and pre and post-cruise hotel nights in Quito or Guayaquil.
Best for luxury
Back-to-back
Ecoventura
Key stops: Genovesa, Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, Rabida, Española, Floreana and North Seymour
Departure port: San Cristóbal
Duration: 14 nights
Ship: Evolve
Galapagos National Park rules mean a ship can’t return to the same site more than once per fortnight, so to allow guests to see every inch of this fascinating archipelago, Ecoventura has created a pair of week-long itineraries that combine seamlessly into a grand tour. This way you needn’t choose between the waved albatross and the flightless cormorant, or between Floreana’s white beaches and human history or Isabela’s multiple volcanoes and marine life-rich Bolivar Channel – simply pack it all into one trip of a lifetime.
Ecoventura’s three sister yachts – Origin, Theory and Evolve – are members of Relais & Châteaux, providing an elevated level of luxury in a boutique-sized ship. With a maximum of 20 passengers in just 10 plush staterooms – think memory-foam mattresses, pillow menus and rainfall showers – there are two naturalist guides per sailing, giving Ecoventura one of the lowest guest-to-guide ratios in the Galapagos.
Gourmet dining has an Ecuadorian twist, the sun deck features daybeds and a Jacuzzi, and alongside nature walks and panga boat trips, you can snorkel, kayak and paddleboard.
Insider tip
More than half of the produce on board is sourced from the Galapagos. Try the local Islander coffee and Reptilia beer, both brewed in Santa Cruz.
How to do it
A 14-night Back-to-back voyage departing November 8, 2026, costs from £16,660pp in a deluxe stateroom on a full-board basis, including excursions, park fees and transfers. (ecoventura.com)
Best for solo travellers
West and Central islands
G Adventures
Key stops: Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago and North Seymour
Departure port: Baltra
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: Reina Silvia Voyager
Whether you’re exploring a pirate cave on Floreana, searching for turtles in the shallows off Isabela or snorkelling among colonies of sea lions, you’ll be in good company on a Galapagos cruise – each day is packed with activities, and all of them are organised as part of a group.
The communal nature of a small ship is particularly suited to solos, making the 16-passenger Reina Silvia Voyager perfect. Plus, around one third of G Adventures’ Galapagos bookings are from solo travellers, so you’re sure to find a few other like-minded travellers.
The West and Central itinerary showcases a good selection of wildlife and terrain, packing plenty into a week aboard. Kayaking and snorkelling are on offer, with equipment included.
Your ship, Reina Silvia Voyager, has two single cabins, so you can have your own space without paying a full single supplement cost, or G Adventures can pair up same-sex solo travellers who are happy to share a twin to keep costs down yet further.
The ship may be small and convivial, but there’s still space to spread out, with lounge chairs on the sun deck, a covered cocktail bar, an outdoor Jacuzzi and an air-conditioned lounge for lectures from the naturalist guides.
Insider tip
If you want to secure one of the single cabins, book as early as you can – at least eight months in advance – as they are popular and sell out quickly.
How to do it
A seven-night West and Central Islands cruise departing December 5, 2026, costs from £7,399pp for a single cabin. Includes all meals and excursions.
Best for value
Absolute Galapagos
Intrepid Travel
Key stops: Santa Cruz, Floreana, Española, San Cristóbal, Isabela, Fernandina, Bartolomé, Sombrero Chino and North Seymour
Departure port: Baltra
Duration: 14 nights
Ship: Grand Daphne
Longer itineraries not only show off all the wondrous variety of the archipelago but they also offer incredible value; you’re paying the same domestic flight costs and national park entry fees whether you stay for four or 14 days.
Pricing for this comprehensive two-week sailing with adventure tour operator Intrepid Travel also includes a pre and post-cruise hotel night in Quito and domestic flights, and comes in at only a little more than some itineraries of half the length.
Alongside all the big-hitting species, you’ll have time to enjoy the quieter and lesser-known treasures, spotting finches, flycatchers, flamingos and lava lizards. From snorkelling so frequently you may encounter moray eels and manta rays, sea horses and bullhead sharks.
The 16-passenger Grand Daphne is relatively new – built in 2021 – and comfortable rather than luxurious, but all cabins are en-suite, and there’s a sun deck, indoor and outdoor bars, plus a TV lounge. The itinerary is absolutely jam-packed with activity, the food is plentiful, and guides get great reviews. Snorkelling equipment is included; wetsuit hire is extra, and this ship doesn’t come with kayaks.
Insider tip
The cheapest cabins on the lower deck have portholes rather than windows, but with three in a row per cabin, they aren’t dark or gloomy. Particularly if you don’t plan to spend hours in the cabin, they offer a great saving.
How to do it
A 16-night Absolute Galapagos sailing departing January 5, 2027 costs from £10,298 for a lower deck twin cabin. Includes pre- and post-cruise hotel stays in Quito, domestic flights, and all meals and excursions during the cruise.
Best for a short itinerary
Islands of Fire Adventure in the Northwestern Zone
Metropolitan Touring
Key stops: Bartolomé, Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz and Santiago
Departure port: Baltra
Duration: Four nights
Ship: Yacht Isabela II
Perhaps you’re after just a little taste of the Galapagos, or would prefer to twin your cruise with a land stay in the islands? If so, heritage Ecuadorian brand Metropolitan Touring has the widest range of short itineraries, with different four-night options to choose from.
If your time is short, choose the Islands of Fire Adventure in the Northwestern Zone, which will showcase the impressively volcanic Isabela and Fernandina alongside the central island of Santa Cruz. If you’re twinning your cruise with a land stay, then opt for the version in the Northeastern Zone, which will head to the more remote Genovesa and south east to Santa Fe.
The 40-passenger Yacht Isabela II has a wide range of cabins, from classic twins and family cabins sleeping two adults and a child under 12 to a standard one-bed stateroom with no single supplement. It’s smart and comfortable, with an al fresco hot tub on the sun deck, a small gym, a dining room and a bar. The ship sails with snorkelling gear, kayaks and a glass-bottom boat.
Insider tip
For a little independent downtime, book a few nights at the lovely Finch Bay Hotel on Santa Cruz after your cruise. You can simply chill out at this fab beachside base (also owned by Metropolitan Touring) or the staff can organise a range of excursions, including scuba trips – a great option if you’d like a dive but don’t want to commit to an entire live-aboard cruise.
How to do it
A four-night Islands of Fire Adventure in the Northwestern Zone itinerary departing December 3, 2026 costs from £3,441pp for a double cabin. Includes meals and excursions. (metropolitan-touring.com)
About our expert
Joanna Booth
Big, crowded ships are not Joanna’s natural habitat. Luckily, two decades of travel writing have allowed her to indulge her passion for expedition cruising, river sailings and small, intimate craft where the focus is on the destination itself, rather than casinos or climbing walls.