Galapagos Islands Local Events
You'll find a whole range of cultural celebrations, festivals and events in the Galapagos Islands throughout the year. Many Galapagos events simply center on wildlife sightings. Listed below are some examples of wildlife-spotting activities that take place throughout the entire year. Find out the latest news and about other Galapagos Islands events below.
June is the start of the cooler and drier season called garua, which sees less rain but more mist. The landscape during this period is not always so visible. However, there are other awesome environmental processes that happen during this time.
July is a time of courtship, mating and reproduction on the Galapagos Islands. Take note that, at this time, the temperature of the water will rise to a maximum of 21° C; therefore wetsuits are necessary when going swimming.
During August, Galapagos weather is cool and the temperature of the ocean can be as low as 18° C (64°F), which varies according to the zones. This is when the seas are at their roughest. Suprisingly, it is also the time of year when you will encounter newborn sea lion pups with their mothers, mostly in the central and southern islands.
In September, the air temperature reaches its lowest (19° C) (66° F). This is the highest month of the dry season called garua. The wind chill should be taken into consideration. One of the highlights of this month is penguin action. Between September and December, the Galapagos penguin populations demonstrate remarkable activity on Bartolome, Fernandina and Isabela Islands.
The garua (dry winds from from the Andes) is still common in most places on October mornings, though the sun usually comes out later in the day. The weather begins to become warmer at this time of year. As always on the islands, there is new life everywhere.
The sea is already calm and the trade winds have decreased by November. The water temperature rises little by little. In general, this is excellent weather due to the transition between seasons.
The rainy season begins in December, and all the plants of the dry zone produce leaves. In general, this is the perfect climate, as most of the days are sunny and the sea continues getting warmer and calmer. Once again, you will have incredible accessibility to the amazing flora and fauna of this unique archipelago.
Though the Galapagos Islands can be visited at any time of the year, January brings clear skies and warm sunshine. You will have the opportunity to observe a large variety of Galapagos animals during this time of year on the islands.
February sees the water temperatures rise to about 25°C (77°F), where it will stay until April. This is an ideal month to see Galapagos wildlife activity at close range.
12 February is Province day, celebrated across Galapagos.
The rains of March tend to be short-lived with the sun breaking through regularly. During these moments, there are amazing views full of Galapagos wildlife.
Although the Galapagos Islands offer a variety of wildlife all year long, the months of April and May are the best times to visit the islands, as the season starts to cool down. After rains of the warm season end, the islands remain green.
May is considered by many to be the most spectacular month of the whole year in Galapagos, since it is a transitional time between the wet and dry season. A classic example of this period is the crystalline water of the sea.
