Short answer: January is in the warm season: days around 28.6°C, nights around 22.8°C, sea 24.5°C and mostly calm seas. It is an ordinary month for visitor numbers, neither peak nor trough. Wildlife highlights: waved albatross chicks fledge, colony empties, nazca and red-footed booby nesting starts, green sea turtle nesting season.
Weather in January
- 28.6°Caverage high, Puerto Ayora
- 22.8°Caverage low
- 24.5°Csea temperature (#5 of 12)
- 22 mmtypical rain over 5.4 rainy days (one of the wettest months)
The warm season runs roughly December to May. January brings hot sunny spells broken by short tropical showers, lush green highlands and the calmest, clearest water of the year. Averages for this month are inflated by El Niño years; the typical figure above is the median.
Compared with December (23.2°C sea) and February (25.4°C), January is warming up.
What the animals are doing in January
- Waved albatross chicks fledge, colony emptiesPunta Suárez, Española
First young fledge in December; whole colony has left by January and spends about three months at sea.. - Nazca and red-footed booby nesting startsGenovesa, Española (cruise sites)
GCT: January marks the start of nesting for Nazca and red-footed boobies.. - Green sea turtle nesting seasonQuinta Playa (Isabela, main site); Las Bachas (Santa Cruz); small beach at Bartolomé
Sources disagree on the window. - Marine iguana breeding season; males colour upCoasts of all main islands; Española males most colourful
Wikipedia: breeding Dec-Mar, nesting Jan-Apr. - Sea lion pupping season (pups present year-round)All islands; Playa Baquerizo / La Lobería (San Cristóbal), North Seymour, Mosquera
Wikipedia: breeding May to January. - Flamingo egg layingLagoons: Villamil and Punta Moreno (Isabela), Las Bachas and Garrapatero (Santa Cruz), Punta Cormorán (Floreana)
Tindle et al.
Where to find each animal and how likely you are to see it: wildlife bingo card.
Boats and seasickness in January
Sea conditions are usually mostly calm. This is the comfortable time for the inter-island ferries and the long day trips to Bartolomé and Española. The seasickness meter rates every month and boat.
How busy is January?
January is an ordinary month for visitor numbers, neither peak nor trough. The park counted 290,404 visitors in 2025, with demand peaks in March–April and July–August and the low point in September. The Christmas and New Year weeks are busy even though the month overall is not a statistical peak; book those dates early.
What to pack for January
- A rash guard is enough for most snorkels; the water is warm.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses: the sun is strong on the equator in every month.
- A light rain jacket for the afternoon showers.
- Seasickness tablets.
Good tours for January
Santa Fe Island Snorkeling Day Tour
Bartolome Day Tour for Penguin Snorkeling
Los Túneles: Snorkel with Sharks, Seahorses & Sea Turtles
Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnels & Craters Tour
Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure
Questions people ask about January
Is January a good time to visit the Galápagos?
Yes. It is the warm season: the sea is around 24.5°C, days reach about 28.6°C and the water is at its clearest and calmest. January is an ordinary month for visitor numbers, neither peak nor trough.
How warm is the sea in January?
About 24.5°C at Puerto Ayora (30-year average), the 5th warmest month of the year. A shorty wetsuit is enough for most people.
Does it rain in January?
Expect short, heavy showers: a typical January brings about 22 mm on 5.4 rainy days, mostly in the afternoon.
Is the sea rough in January?
Sea conditions are usually mostly calm. Ferries and day boats are at their most comfortable.
Other months
All twelve months side by side · What a trip costs · Plan your days
Sources: Charles Darwin Foundation, NOAA, peer-reviewed research, Galápagos Conservation Trust, Galápagos Conservancy, Galápagos National Park and Governing Council. Every figure with its document: facts and figures.
Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.