Short answer: North Seymour is a small, flat island next to Baltra with one of the busiest nesting trails in the Galápagos: blue-footed boobies, the largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds in the islands and about 2,500 land iguanas. You go on a full-day boat tour from Santa Cruz with a guided walk and a snorkel stop, from about $484 per person.
- LocationJust north of Baltra
- FromSanta Cruz, full-day boat tour
- TrailA short loop or a longer loop
- Land iguanasAbout 2,500 (park census, 2014)
What you will see
The trail is a short loop or a longer one through low scrub. Blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and common noddies nest along it, and the frigatebird colony is the largest of its kind in the islands. Land iguanas are not native here: in the early 1930s the Hancock Expeditions moved about 70 of them from Baltra, where goats were destroying their habitat.
Blue-footed booby
Large colony; nests and courtship right beside the trail.
Magnificent frigatebird
The largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds in the Galápagos.
Galápagos land iguana
About 2,500, descended from some 70 moved here from Baltra in the 1930s.
Galápagos sea lion
Along the coast and on the Mosquera islet next door.
Marine iguana
On the coastal rocks.
How to get there and what it costs
North Seymour is reached on a full-day boat tour from Santa Cruz, usually with a guided walk on the island and a snorkel stop. Every visit goes with a certified naturalist guide.
Book ahead: day boats take small groups and the trips fill up in the busy months.
Tours that go to North Seymour start from about $484 per person (1 listing compared below). The national park entrance fee is paid once, on arrival in the islands: entrance fee and entry rules.
Best time to visit North Seymour
North Seymour is good in every month. Blue-footed boobies start their courtship dances around May, magnificent frigatebirds court around February, and sea lion pups are about from roughly August to January.
- May Blue-footed boobies start courtship dancesNorth Seymour (day tour from Santa Cruz)
- Feb, Jun Frigatebird courtship: magnificent (Feb), great (June, Genovesa)North Seymour, Cerro Tijeretas (San Cristóbal); Genovesa (cruise)
- Aug to Jan Sea lion pupping season (pups present year-round)All islands; Playa Baquerizo / La Lobería (San Cristóbal), North Seymour, Mosquera
Weather, sea temperature and wildlife for every month: month-by-month guide.
Tours that go to North Seymour
North Seymour: Day Tour with Wildlife Walk & Snorkeling
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.
See North Seymour on the 3D map →
Nearby: more visitor sites from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz island guide · All visitor sites · Itinerary planner · Ferry board
Questions about North Seymour
What can you see on North Seymour?
Blue-footed boobies, the largest magnificent frigatebird colony in the Galápagos, land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions and marine iguanas, all along one trail.
Why are there land iguanas on North Seymour?
About 70 were moved there from Baltra in the early 1930s because goats were destroying their habitat. A 2014 park census counted nearly 2,500.
How do you get to North Seymour?
On a full-day boat tour from Santa Cruz with a naturalist guide, from about $484 per person.
Sources:Galápagos National Park and Governing Council, Galápagos Conservancy. More numbers:facts and figures.
Updated 2026-11-07. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.