Snorkeling Isabela Island: penguins, sharks and giant tortoises

Whitetip reef sharks rest in the channel at Las Tintoreras while you float above them.

This full-day snorkeling tour of Isabela Island combines underwater wildlife—sea turtles, rays, sharks and penguins—with land walks to see flamingos, giant tortoises and marine iguanas. A naturalist guide leads the boat tour and the snorkel activity; you travel by public speedboat from the mainland, with a private driver handling transport on Isabela itself. The tour runs 10 hours and includes lunch at an oceanfront restaurant, snorkel gear and wetsuits, entry to the tortoise breeding centre, and a walk along Isabela's only coconut palm beach.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Isabela Island wildlife and beaches

• Boat tour to Isabela Island
• See Galapagos penguins and blue-footed boobies
• Disembark on Las Tintoreras islet
• Walk to shark channel and observe whitetip reef sharks
• Visit white sand beach with sea lions
• Snorkel with sea turtles, sharks, and rays
• Walk trail through Humedales wetlands
• See Galapagos flamingos and other birds
• Visit coconut palm beach and observe wildlife
• Tour Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Arnaldo Tupiza

The Experience

The day starts with a public speedboat crossing to Isabela—fast and comfortable, though the sea can get choppy if conditions are rough. Once you arrive, a private driver takes you to meet your naturalist guide for the boat tour of Isabela Bay. You'll see Galápagos penguins and blue-footed boobies from the water before landing on Las Tintoreras, a small islet where hundreds of marine iguanas live among the rocks. The walk here leads to a shark channel where whitetip reef sharks rest on the sandy bottom, often alongside sea turtles and sea lions on a white sand beach.

The snorkel happens in this same bay. You'll be fitted with a wetsuit (long or short, your choice) and high-quality equipment, then enter the water where sea turtles, rays and sharks move around you. If conditions align, the penguins sometimes join you underwater. After climbing back aboard, the boat returns to shore and your driver takes you inland along a mangrove trail through the Humedales—wetlands where Galápagos flamingos feed in their natural habitat, alongside other birds and marine iguanas. The trail opens onto the coconut palm beach, Isabela's most distinctive stretch of sand, where you can spot big marine iguanas, sally lightfoot crabs and pelicans before heading to lunch.

Lunch is at one of the island's best oceanfront restaurants and is included in the price. Afterward, you visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Arnaldo Tupiza, where you'll see baby tortoises, juveniles at different stages and the oldest resident—nearly 200 years old. The $10 entry fee is already built into your tour price. The speedboat back to the mainland departs in the late afternoon, and you'll arrive back where you started as the day ends.

What’s included

• Boat tour of Isabela Bay with a naturalist guide in English or Spanish.
• snorkel activity with sea turtles, sharks and rays.
• high-quality snorkel equipment and wetsuits.
• lunch at an oceanfront restaurant with a soft drink.
• private driver transport on Isabela Island.
• round-trip speedboat passage to and from the mainland.
• entry to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre.
• mesh bag for your gear.
• and a walk through mangrove wetlands to see flamingos and along the coconut palm beach.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Guiding Galapagos Expeditions

Is this one for you?The tour runs 10 hours with water entry, multiple walks and an early start, so it suits travelers comfortable with a full day of activity and movement. If you want to see both underwater and land wildlife in one outing—penguins, sharks, tortoises and flamingos—without arranging your own boat or guide, this combination of snorkeling and guided stops does that.

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Top questions

What wildlife will I actually see underwater when I snorkel at Isabela?

Sea turtles, whitetip reef sharks, rays and often sea lions move through the snorkel site at Las Tintoreras. Galápagos penguins sometimes enter the water too, though it is not guaranteed. The sharks rest on the sandy bottom and are not aggressive.

Do I need to bring my own snorkel gear or is it provided?

High-quality snorkel equipment and wetsuits are provided for you—both long and short wetsuits are available, and you choose which one suits you. A mesh bag to store your gear is included.

How long is the boat ride from the mainland to Isabela Island?

The crossing is on a public speedboat that is fast and comfortable. The operator notes it can get choppy if the sea is rough, but this is the only way to reach Isabela for a day tour.

What is Las Tintoreras and why is it called that?

Las Tintoreras is a small islet off Isabela where hundreds of marine iguanas live. It is named after the whitetip reef sharks—called "tintoreras" in Spanish—that rest in a channel there. You walk the islet and see the sharks, sea turtles and sea lions before snorkeling in the same bay.

Is the giant tortoise breeding centre worth visiting, and what will I see there?

The Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Arnaldo Tupiza shows baby giant tortoises, juveniles at different growth stages, and the oldest resident, nearly 200 years old. The $10 entry fee is included in your tour price.