Short answer: The Charles Darwin Research Station is a ten-minute walk from the centre of Puerto Ayora, free to enter and open every day from 08:00 to 18:00. Next door, the national park's Fausto Llerena breeding centre (the Tortoise Route) has giant tortoises of all ages; that part is visited with a certified naturalist guide, booked through an agency in town, with tours from 08:00 to 16:45.
- WherePuerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, 10 minutes on foot from the centre
- StationFree, 08:00 to 18:00 daily including holidays
- Tortoise RouteWith a naturalist guide, first tour 08:00, last 16:45
- Visits in 2025148,499 at the breeding centre, the most visited site near any town
What you will see
The Exhibition Hall covers more than 60 years of research in the islands, with part of the natural history collections and the skeleton of a Bryde's whale. The station is also the last resting place of Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise. A native garden, the small Station Beach on the way in, and a short trail to La Ratonera beach, where marine iguanas sun themselves, round off the visit.
Giant tortoise
All ages in the breeding centre, from hatchlings to adults.
Darwin's finches
In the native garden, with mockingbirds, flycatchers and herons.
Marine iguana
Sunbathing on the trail to La Ratonera beach.
How to get there and what it costs
Walk east from the centre of Puerto Ayora along Avenida Charles Darwin; it takes about ten minutes. Entry to the station is free, and it is open Monday to Sunday from 08:00 to 18:00, including public holidays.
The Fausto Llerena breeding centre next door belongs to the national park. Its guided Tortoise Route needs a certified naturalist guide, which you hire through one of the agencies in Puerto Ayora; the first tour starts at 08:00 and the last at 16:45.
Best time to visit Darwin Station
The station is the same in every month. To see tortoises in the wild as well, add a half-day trip to the highlands, where they roam the farms and the El Chato reserve.
Weather, sea temperature and wildlife for every month: month-by-month guide.
No tour needed
You can visit Darwin Station on your own. Wild tortoises next: highlands tours from Puerto Ayora:
Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnels & Craters Tour
Giant Tortoises in the Wild & Lava Tunnels
Shared Tour of Wild Galapagos Giant Tortoises
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
Compare every day trip on all islands: day-tour finder.
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Nearby: more visitor sites from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz island guide · All visitor sites · Itinerary planner · Ferry board
Questions about Darwin Station
Is the Charles Darwin Research Station free?
Yes, entry to the station is free. The guided Tortoise Route through the national park's breeding centre next door is done with a naturalist guide hired through an agency in Puerto Ayora.
What are the opening hours of the Charles Darwin Research Station?
Monday to Sunday, 08:00 to 18:00, including public holidays. Tortoise Route tours run from 08:00, with the last at 16:45.
Is Lonesome George at the Charles Darwin Research Station?
Yes. The station is the last resting place of Lonesome George, the last tortoise of the Pinta Island species.
Sources:Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos Conservancy, Galápagos Conservation Trust, Galápagos National Park and Governing Council. More numbers:facts and figures.
Updated 2026-11-07. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.