Galapagos Options?
 

Thanks to everyone who provided insight into the best times to go.

One of the tours I am considering offers a choice of North or South Islands, Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bruce

Can you name the islands in the options?

I would not skip Hood/Espanola, especially April-November when the Waved Albatross are there.

Hi,

The options are:

North Islands:
Santa Cruz
Santiago & Bartolomé Islands
Santa Cruz & North Seymour Islands
Baltra

South Islands:
Santa Cruz
South Plaza & Santa Fé Islands
San Cristobal Island

bruce - How many days is your trip? We went on the South Islands cruise - Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Santa Fe, Espanola. If you could include Espanola in your trip, it would be worth it. It's gorgeous.

I'm with Kenav. No Espanola knocks the trip down a notch. Espanola is not hard to reach or out of the way, but it is popular because of the diversity.

The difference is

North--
Santiago
The fur seal (not sea lion) grotto is here. It was also one of the best places I found for Sally Lightfoot crabs. I got within a couple meters of several Galapagos Hawks here.

Bartolome
Chance to see Galapagos Penguins

N Seymour
Blue footed Boobies live here too. This is the largest colony of Magnificent Frigate birds and also the Great Frigate Birds—in Aug their pouches were not inflated, in April most were. Good sea lion activity, sometimes surfing.

Baltra
Not a big wildlife island, more a transit point. Some iguanas around. We just used it as a transit point when I was there.

South--
South Plaza
Bachelor colony of sea lions here. You can see the red billed tropicbirds and swallow tailed gulls fly along the cliffs. This island has a desert-like atmosphere with cactus that support the land iguana.

Santa Fe
Land Iguana and cacti

San Cristobal
In addition to being a transit point has good wildlife, such as sea lions and iguanas. It also has an endemic bird: the Chatham Mockingbird.

Check your north islands again. You have Santa Cruz on there twice. Maybe you go to Santa Cruz and somewhere else.