Galápagos in December

By David Brito, Galapagos Dana Tours · Mindo, Ecuador · Updated 5 October 2026

December is the hinge of the Galápagos year. The dry season hands over to the warm, wet one somewhere in the middle of the month, the water warms week by week, and the wildlife switches sides: green turtles are mating in the shallows while the first giant tortoise hatchlings of the season break out of their eggs.

It is two months in one. Early December is one of the smartest value windows in the calendar; the last ten days are the busiest and priciest of the year.

December at a glance

Weather in December

Days average around 27 °C, nights about 22 °C. The garúa is finished; skies clear, the sun gets serious again, and by late month the first proper rains of the warm season often arrive. Those first rains matter more than they sound: they green up the arid zone and trigger the land birds to start breeding. Humidity climbs with the temperature. It is the beginning of the pattern that makes February and March the warmest months of the year.

The sea in December

The sea is calm, back to the November pattern and improving as the month goes on. Water reaches around 23 °C by operator averages, with satellite surface readings at Puerto Ayora averaging about 24.6 °C and still climbing into the new year. Snorkellers who found the dry season bracing can drop the wetsuit debate; many are comfortable without one by now, though the west side of the archipelago stays cooler. Visibility continues the improvement that began in November, because the warm Panama current, not the Humboldt, is setting the water’s character now. Our snorkelling guide has the sites by island.

Wildlife in December

December’s calendar is a handover:

• Green turtles are in courtship and mating in the calm shallows, the peak of their season.
• Giant tortoise eggs begin to hatch, a season that runs December through April. In the wild the tiny hatchlings dig out of the nest and start the long walk; in the breeding centres, the season’s cohort is easy to see.
• Waved albatross juveniles fledge and abandon Española; by month’s end the colony has emptied, and the birds stay at sea until spring.
• Marine iguanas on Española shift toward their breeding colours, the red and green of the “Christmas iguanas”.
• With the first rains, Darwin’s finches and other land birds get restless and start to display.
• Penguin courtship at Bartolomé winds down at the end of its September to December window.

Sea lion pups from the August to November births are by now the semi-independent teenagers of the rookery, and the year’s youngest are finished being born.

Where to go in December

Española in the first half of the month for the last albatross juveniles and the first iguana colours; Santa Cruz for the breeding centres and the highlands, which green up with the rains; the calm shallows of any central island for the turtle courtship. Land-based travellers who want to avoid the Christmas boats can build a Santa Cruz and Isabela week with day tours, which the 7-day itinerary lays out.

Crowds, prices and departures in December

Early December suits almost everyone: calm sea, warming water, wildlife in transition, and prices that have not yet caught the holiday wave. From roughly 15 December the picture flips: Christmas and New Year week is peak season, boats fill months ahead, flights sit at the top of their range, and the park’s trails and the airports feel it. Our Christmas and New Year departures page lists what still has cabins for the holiday week.

In our inventory, 296 departures on 30 yachts sail in December, from US$1,557 per person, with a median fare of US$5,870. The full list is on our December departures page. Book early December a few months ahead for the best boats; for the holiday weeks, book the previous season or expect leftovers.

The fixed arrival costs apply regardless of date: US$200 park fee for foreign adults plus the US$20 transit card, both laid out in our entry fee guide.

What to pack for December

The warm-season kit returns: quick-dry clothing, a light rain shell for the first showers late in the month, hat with a strap, reef-safe mineral sunscreen, a rash guard, closed shoes for the trails and sandals for the beach. A shorty wetsuit is optional early in the month and rarely needed later. The full list is in our packing guide.

Who December suits, and who should wait

Early December suits almost everyone, and especially travellers who want the warm season without its holiday prices. Late December suits families whose calendar leaves no choice, and anyone who booked early enough to have the boat they wanted.

Avoid the last ten days if crowds or prices bother you; that is not negotiable, it is simply when everyone travels. November sets the calm-water pattern December continues, January runs the warm season at full speed, and best time to visit Galápagos compares all twelve months.

Frequently asked questions

Is December a good time to visit Galápagos?

Yes. The sea is calm, the water warms through the month, turtles are mating, tortoise hatchlings appear and the islands green up with the first rains. Early December is good value; the Christmas and New Year week is the most expensive and crowded of the year.

How early should I book a Christmas cruise?

The previous season, ideally six to twelve months ahead for a specific boat. By October most holiday-week cabins on the good yachts are gone, and what remains is skewed toward the boats with the least demand.

Can I see baby tortoises in December?

Yes. Hatching begins in December and runs to April. In the wild, hatchlings are rarely seen; the breeding centres on Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristóbal show the season’s youngest tortoises in their corrals.

Are the albatross still on Española in December?

Only at the start of the month. The last juveniles fledge and leave in December, and the colony is empty from January until the adults return in late March.

Sources

• Galápagos weather and seasons, International Galápagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA)
• Monthly sea surface temperature at Puerto Ayora (NOAA satellite data)
• Sea birds of Galápagos, Galápagos Conservancy
• How to get to Galápagos, Ecuador Travel (Ministry of Tourism)

Last verified: October 2026