Blue Ocean Club
Blue Ocean Club cruising guide

Yacht charter in the Galapagos Islands

Cruising the Galapagos Islands on a crewed yacht offers direct access to an isolated volcanic archipelago 600 miles off mainland Ecuador. Regulated itineraries govern navigation between islands, allowing close encounters with endemic marine and terrestrial wildlife alongside licensed naturalist guides. The cruising ground suits naturalists, divers, and active travellers prepared for strict park protocols, open-ocean crossings between anchorages, and variable sea states governed by converging oceanic currents.

Best time to charter

The Galapagos experiences two main seasons. From December to May, the warm, wet season brings calmer seas, warmer water, light winds, and periodic rain showers. From June to November, the cool, dry garúa season brings stronger trade winds, rougher seas, and nutrient-rich cold upwellings that increase marine activity. Peak visitor periods align with the warm season holidays and the North American summer months from June to August.

Anchorages and harbours to know

Academy Bay, Santa Cruz

Academy Bay provides access to Puerto Ayora, featuring a rocky bottom with thin sand that offers poor holding and frequently requires mooring buoys or bow-and-stern anchoring.

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal

This harbour offers a sheltered anchorage on sand and rock, serving as a primary port of entry and disembarkation point for visiting yachts.

Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island

Located on the eastern shore of Santiago Island, this anchorage provides calm waters over sand, set directly against extensive black pahoehoe lava fields.

Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island

Formed by a submerged volcanic caldera, this deep anchorage offers shelter inside the crater walls with access to seabird nesting colonies.

Tagus Cove, Isabela Island

Situated on western Isabela, this well-protected natural harbour offers calm holding in deep water within the Bolivar Channel.

Practical tips

  • Getting there: Baltra (GPS) and San Cristóbal (SCY), via Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE). Yachts usually meet guests at the Baltra airport dock or in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristóbal.
  • Fly into Baltra (GPS) or San Cristóbal (SCY) via Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE); yachts usually meet guests at the Baltra airport dock or in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
  • Navigation routes and shore landings are strictly scheduled by the Galápagos National Park Directorate, and a licensed local naturalist guide must accompany guests on all excursions.
  • Vessels undergo rigorous biosecurity inspections before clearance; ensure all luggage, footwear, and equipment are thoroughly cleaned of seeds, soil, and organic matter.
  • Pack thermal rashguards or 3mm wetsuits for snorkelling, as converging ocean currents keep water temperatures cool, particularly during the garúa season from June to November.

Yachts listed for the Galapagos Islands

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