Top 4 Places To See Galapagos Penguins

The Galapagos Islands are packed with loads of wonderful wildlife, and one of it's cutest endemic species is the Galapagos Penguin. So cute! They are the rarest penguin in the world, with less than 2000 around the Galapagos, and at only 40cm tall, it makes seeing them is a real treat! So if you're planning to go to the Galapagos, here are our top 4 ways to see the Galapagos Penguins!

Bartolomé Island

Done as a day-trip from Santa Cruz ($180-$220), you take a 2-hour boat from to Bartolomé Island. You get a tour of Bartolomé which has some stunning views of Galapagos Islands, explaining how they were formed and the rock formations - great if you love geology. We also did some snorkelling which we found to be pretty average by Galapagos standards, and then stopped by to see a small colony of Galapagos Penguins! This was the first time we saw them and they really are cute! There were around 10 penguins at this site but obviously, this can vary.

Las Tintoreras

The half-day Las Tintoreras tour from Isabella Island can be done by either boat, SUP or Kayak. All go to see the same colony of penguins not far from the port. There were more penguins here than Bartolome, around 20. There is a rope in the water around the colony so you definitely can't swim with them here. The tour also includes a walk on a nearby volcanic rock formation which is packed with marine iguanas and you can see the tour's namesake, Tintoreras, aka White tip reef sharks! Which love to rest in the shallow channels for you to get a clear view of them from above. We also really enjoyed the snorkelling there.

Concha de Perla

One of the few snorkelling spots in the Galapagos you can see without a guide, Concha Perla is just a short walk from Isabela port and free! It's a great snorkelling spot all year round to see sea lions, marine iguanas, and if you're very lucky Penguins! February is supposedly the best month.

Western Isabella

The biggest population of penguins bar far can be seen all year round on the western side of Isabella. Unfortunately, the only way you can get here is on-board a naturalist cruise.

If you've been lucky enough to go and have suggestions or wanting to go and have questions, share your thoughts in the comments :)