Things to do in Galápagos at a glance
The list is an editorial selection, not a ranking, and it does not assume that every place is open on the same day. Entries 1 to 5 are on Santa Cruz and can be done on foot or by road from Puerto Ayora. Entries 6 to 8 are day trips by boat from Santa Cruz. Entries 9 to 11 start from San Cristóbal, and entries 12 to 15 from Isabela.
Most visitor sites sit inside the national park. That means a licensed naturalist guide for most of them, and a few places are open without a guide. If you would rather have the boat and guide arranged, compare Galápagos day tours first. Prices below are 2026 examples per person, in US dollars.
Santa Cruz: what to do around Puerto Ayora (1 to 5)
Beach, tortoises, a volcanic gorge and an exhibition, all within a day's reach of the harbor.
1. Walk to Tortuga Bay
A marked path leads from town to Playa Brava, about 2.5 km and 40 to 50 minutes on foot. You register at the entrance, and the hours are 07:30 to 17:30. Playa Brava is not open for swimming because of currents. Playa Mansa is the swimming and snorkeling area. Rough surf can close the bay for part of a day. Individual travelers may walk in without a guide, while organized groups follow the guide rules.
Beaches guide →2. See Las Grietas
This is a narrow gorge filled with water. The visit is guided, takes about 45 minutes, and costs about $10, plus $1 each way for the water taxi. It is not on the list of places you can enter without a guide, and the reservation goes through a registered agency, so book it with your hotel or a tour desk.
3. Meet giant tortoises at El Chato
In the highlands, giant tortoises live in a natural setting on a private reserve. A guided visit costs about $10 as of 2026, and a walkable lava tunnel is part of the stop. Do not confuse it with the breeding center in town, where tortoises are raised in a program with its own visit process.
4. Look into Los Gemelos
Los Gemelos are two collapsed volcanic hollows in Scalesia forest beside the road to Baltra. They are not active craters. You can combine them with a highland ranch. Tortoises are not guaranteed here, and birds such as finches are easier to spot than anything else.
5. Visit the Charles Darwin exhibition
The exhibition hall in Puerto Ayora is free and open daily from 08:00 to 18:00, including holidays. A free exhibition does not mean a free visit to the tortoise breeding center, which is a separate site with its own booking. Read the details before you plan the afternoon.
Research station guide →Our picks: things to do
Our take: Bartolomé is the long boat day; the clear kayak is a short outing on San Cristóbal; the volcano walk is the land day on Isabela.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Bartolomé and Sullivan Bay day trip
- Guide
- Lunch
- Pick-up in Puerto Ayora
A full day to Pinnacle Rock and the lava fields of Sullivan Bay with a guide, lunch and pick-up in Puerto Ayora.
Check availability →
Clear kayak tour off San Cristóbal
- Clear kayak and life jacket
- Guide
- Photos
Two hours in a see-through kayak with a guide, photos and a dry bag.
Check availability →
Sierra Negra and Volcán Chico walk
- Professional guide
- Packed lunch
A day on foot on Isabela's volcano with a professional guide and a packed lunch.
Check availability →Galápagos tours and day trips
Day trips, snorkeling, diving and cruises across the islands, with live prices and availability.
Day trips by boat from Santa Cruz (6 to 8)
Full-day boat trips on a permitted schedule. Weather and sea state decide whether a landing happens.
6. Visit North Seymour
This flat island is known for seabirds. Blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, land iguanas and sea lions are possible sightings. Prices run from $230 to $370 as of 2026, for about 8 hours 30 minutes. No tour can promise a specific animal.
7. Land on Bartolomé
Bartolomé is the island with the Pinnacle Rock view. Prices run from $358 to $400 as of 2026, for 6 hours 20 minutes to 9 hours, depending on the boat. Galápagos penguins can be present around this island all year, but a sighting is not part of any promise.
8. Snorkel at Pinzón
Pinzón is sold as a snorkeling day. Prices run from $150 to $288 for up to 8 hours 30 minutes. Ask what the price includes and whether it covers a landing or snorkeling only. Santa Fe ($140 to $180) and the Plaza islands ($230 to $370) are similar day trips.
San Cristóbal: Kicker Rock, Isla Lobos and Española (9 to 11)
Day trips from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where the airport is on the same island.
9. Snorkel or dive at Kicker Rock
Kicker Rock is also called León Dormido. A snorkeling day costs about $169 (6 to 7 hours) and a separate dive product about $234 (6 to 7 hours). Treat these as two different products from the same site.
10. Hike and snorkel at Isla Lobos
A shorter option at $138 for 4 to 5 hours, combining a walk on the island with time in the water.
11. Go to Española
A full day trip at $259 for 8 to 9 hours, with a walk and snorkeling. The albatross colony is the reason many people choose it: the birds are mostly on land from April to December and mostly at sea early in the year, so timing matters, and sightings are never guaranteed.
San Cristóbal guide →Isabela: tunnels, a volcano and wetlands (12 to 15)
Local trips from Puerto Villamil. A municipal fee of $10 for foreign visitors applies on the island.
12. Snorkel at Los Túneles
A boat and snorkeling trip of about 5 hours for $140, with departures at 07:00 and 11:00. Strong swell can close this site for a day or longer, so keep a spare day.
13. Take the Tintoreras trip
A 3-hour boat, walking and snorkeling excursion for $60, available in the morning or afternoon.
14. Hike Sierra Negra
A guided volcano hike of about 15 km and 5 hours for $50. This offer starts at 07:00. The caldera is the point of the walk, and trail access depends on the guide and the current conditions.
15. Explore the Villamil wetlands
Lagoons, bird watching, Concha de Perla and the Wall of Tears (Muro de las Lágrimas) can be visited on your own, on foot or by bike. Concha de Perla and the wetlands are open without a guide. Confirm the current status at your hotel first.
Isabela guide →Day-trip prices at a glance
Adult examples as of 2026.
| Base | Trip | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | North Seymour | 8 h 30 min | $230 to $370 |
| Santa Cruz | Bartolomé | 6 h 20 min to 9 h | $358 to $400 |
| Santa Cruz | Pinzón | 8 h 30 min | $150 to $288 |
| San Cristóbal | Kicker Rock snorkeling | 6 to 7 h | $169 |
| San Cristóbal | Española | 8 to 9 h | $259 |
| Isabela | Los Túneles | 5 h | $140 |
| Isabela | Tintoreras | 3 h | $60 |
| Isabela | Sierra Negra | 5 h, 15 km | $50 |
For most first-time visitors, a land base in Puerto Ayora with two or three of these day trips and the free exhibition gives a good mix of cost and variety.
Before you go: rules that apply to every visit
The national park rules are practical and apply to every site on this list.
Guide and distance
Most sites require an accredited naturalist guide and an authorized operation. Keep at least 2 m from animals when walking, snorkeling or diving, and 4 m from the coast and animals in a kayak, paddleboard or panga. Never touch or feed animals, and stay on the marked paths.
National park rules →Fees and cash
The park fee and the transit card are separate charges. Bring cash for the park fee, because card options at the arrival desk are not guaranteed. Where a site needs a reservation, your agency or guide makes it, and you may need to show the confirmation at a check.
Fees explained →Camera, sunscreen, waste
No flash photography. Drones and professional filming need prior approval. Sunscreen with oxybenzone or octinoxate is restricted for water activities. Take your waste with you, and carry a refillable bottle and bag.
Things to do in Galápagos: frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Galápagos?
That depends on your island base and your dates. The list above spans walks, tortoise visits, snorkeling and volcano hikes. It is a selection, not a ranking.
Can I do these things without a guide?
Some, not all. Tortuga Bay is open to individual walkers, and Concha de Perla and the Villamil wetlands are open without a guide. Las Grietas and the boat day trips are guided.
How many days do I need?
Five days on Santa Cruz covers entries 1 to 5 and one or two boat trips. A longer stay lets you add Isabela or San Cristóbal. See the itinerary page for sample plans.
Are these places open all year?
The trips are offered through the year in principle, but swell, weather and the approved boat schedule can cancel a landing. Seasonal animals such as the Española albatrosses are not present at all times.
Is this the official Galápagos website?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by the national park, the government or any tour operator, so check current rules with your guide or agency.