Introduction

The Galápagos is a protected national park. To access many areas—including uninhabited islands and marine sites for snorkeling and diving—you need a licensed guide. 

Even if you’re visiting independently without a cruise, you’ll need to join organized day tours to reach many of these places.

You don’t need to book these tours in advance before arriving.

Once you’re in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island) or San Cristóbal, you’ll find plenty of local agencies where you can book day tours in person. Prices do vary between agencies, so it’s worth shopping around and comparing prices and tour options.

I booked all of my tours locally after arriving, which worked out well overall. However, because I was arranging things last minute, some tours weren’t available on my preferred dates. Even so, I was still able to secure spots for the experiences I wanted later in the week and throughout my stay.

Booking Day Tours Online

If you prefer fixed dates and guaranteed availability, you can book tours ahead of time online. 

To book tours in advance, you can email or send a WhatsApp message to a local Galápagos tour agency to reserve a spot. 

There are also tours that can be booked through Viator and GetYourGuide. Many local tour operators accept reservations through these platforms, allowing you to compare a range of options from different providers.

However, not all operators list their tours online, so you may find additional options by booking in person after you arrive.

Tours you can book online:

Day Tours I Did in the Galápagos

Los Túneles (Isabela Island) ($200 USD)

This was a full-day snorkeling tour with a short guided walk along lava formations.

My Experience with the Los Túneles Tour

This was an incredible snorkeling experience. The water was extremely calm, which made it very easy to snorkel comfortably for an hour or two (even if you’re not a strong swimmer). The water was a bit chilly in November, so I rented a wetsuit for $10 USD.

The lava formations were really interesting, but the highlight was the marine life. We saw large schools of fish, and a sea turtle swam directly beneath me, which was really exciting. I tried to move out of the way for the sea turtle to surface, but it just kept swimming along, completely unbothered. Our guide also took us to a mangrove area to look for a seahorse, and we were lucky enough to find one clinging to a mangrove branch.

One person on my tour used a waterproof phone pouch to take their own underwater photos, but halfway through snorkeling they discovered a small leak and water had gotten into the phone. The guide took underwater photos, which were shared with us at the end of the tour. This was included in the tour price, so you don’t need to worry about taking your own photos.

North Seymour Island ($250 USD)

This was a full-day tour to an uninhabited island.

My Experience with North Seymour Island Tour

This tour included both a snorkeling stop and a guided land visit.

We arrived by boat from Santa Cruz Island and snorkeled first for about an hour. The snorkeling itself was a bit underwhelming—you’ll still see fish, but not in large numbers, and you’re snorkeling relatively close to shore. That said, the beach and setting were stunning: remote, pristine, and with bright turquoise water.

After snorkeling, we did the guided island walk, which was the highlight of the tour. I saw blue-footed boobies nesting with their chicks, land iguanas, and frigatebirds during mating season with their bright red throat pouches fully inflated. We also spotted baby sea lions and a lot of unique vegetation.

I saw the highest concentration of blue-footed boobies here, and we were able to get quite close while still respecting distance rules. It was amazing to see that level of wildlife up close in its natural habitat.

I definitely recommend this tour for the land visit and the incredible wildlife that you’ll see—especially the blue-footed boobies. Just don’t expect to see much snorkeling here — it’s fairly underwhelming compared to Los Túneles.

Note on Day Tours and Red-Footed Boobies

Overall, I was very happy with the amount and diversity of wildlife I saw.

However, because I did independent day tours, I didn’t get to see red-footed boobies. Your best chance of seeing them is on Genovesa Island, which is too remote for day trips and typically only accessible through multi-day cruises.

You can sometimes see red-footed boobies at Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island, but sightings aren’t guaranteed.

If seeing them is a priority, a cruise that includes Genovesa Island is your best bet. That said, even without a cruise, day tours still offer an incredible range of wildlife experiences—especially when you combine visits to uninhabited islands with snorkeling spots.

Note on Tipping on Day Tours

One thing I wasn’t prepared for was how tipping works. There are usually two separate tip jars:

• One for the licensed guide who leads the snorkeling or land walks
• One for the boat crew who handle everything behind the scenes (cooking lunch, anchoring the boat, helping with water entries, safety support, etc.)

We were specifically told to split tips into two jars — one for the guide and one for the crew.

The challenge was that most of us on the tours only carried larger bills, which we had planned to use as a single tip. We didn’t have enough small cash to divide between the two jars, so it became a bit awkward trying to figure out how to split things up on the spot.

One woman on my tour asked the crew for change (since none of us could break her bill), and she was able to get some, but I wouldn’t rely on that being an option.

If you’re doing day tours, it’s a good idea to bring small bills for tipping so you’re not scrambling at the end of the trip.