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Wildlife bingoWhereTours Updated Nov 6, 2026

Where to see sea lions in the Galápagos

They sleep on the benches of San Cristóbal's waterfront and wait for scraps at Puerto Ayora's fish market. You cannot miss them.

  • commonodds of seeing one
  • All yearbest months
  • 3places to see it
  • EndangeredIUCN status
Galápagos sea lion resting on a beach
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 3.0

Short answer: Walk along Playa Baquerizo or out to La Lobería on San Cristóbal, or visit the fish market and docks in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. Sea lions lie on town docks, beaches and benches in every month, so a sighting is close to certain on any trip. North Seymour and Mosquera islet, day tours from Santa Cruz, have more colonies.

The Galápagos sea lion breeds across the islands and in small numbers on Isla de la Plata off mainland Ecuador, and is listed as Endangered. Pups are around all year: breeding runs from May to January and births cluster from August to October.

When to see sea lions

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Best months: All year. Odds of seeing one: common.

  • Aug–JanSea lion pupping season (pups present year-round)

Where to see sea lions

Land-based

Playa Baquerizo and La Lobería

Land-based walk from town.

San Cristóbal · San Cristóbal island guide

Day trip

North Seymour and Mosquera islet

Day tour from Santa Cruz.

North Seymour / Mosquera · from Santa Cruz

Land-based

Puerto Ayora fish market and docks

Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz island guide

EQUATOR · 0° Volcán Wolf≈ 1,670 mVolcán Wolf: highest point about 1,670 m in the GMRT elevation gridCerro Azul≈ 1,650 mCerro Azul: highest point about 1,650 m in the GMRT elevation gridSierra Negra≈ 1,110 mSierra Negra: highest point about 1,110 m in the GMRT elevation gridAlcedo≈ 1,130 mAlcedo: highest point about 1,130 m in the GMRT elevation gridVolcán Darwin≈ 1,370 mVolcán Darwin: highest point about 1,370 m in the GMRT elevation gridLa Cumbre≈ 1,440 mLa Cumbre (Fernandina): highest point about 1,440 m in the GMRT elevation gridSanta Cruz highlands≈ 820 mSanta Cruz highlands: highest point about 820 m in the GMRT elevation gridSan Cristóbal highlands≈ 680 mSan Cristóbal highlands: highest point about 680 m in the GMRT elevation gridSantiago≈ 890 mSantiago: highest point about 890 m in the GMRT elevation gridPinta≈ 610 mPinta: highest point about 610 m in the GMRT elevation grid ISABELAFERNANDINASANTIAGOSANTA CRUZSAN CRISTÓBALFLOREANAESPAÑOLAPINTAMARCHENAGENOVESASANTA FEPINZÓNBALTRA North SeymourBartoloméSanta FeSouth PlazaPinzónKicker RockLos TúnelesTintorerasTortuga BaySierra NegraPunta SuárezEl ChatoLas GrietasDarwin Station Puerto AyoraPuerto Baquerizo MorenoPuerto VillamilPuerto Velasco Ibarra ✈GPSBaltra (GPS)✈SCYSan Cristóbal (SCY)✈IBBIsabela (IBB) Giant tortoisesPenguinsPenguinsBlue-footed boobiesFlamingosFlamingosSea lions in townMarine iguanasFlightless cormorantsWaved albatross (Apr–Dec)Red-footed boobiesTurtles & sharks (snorkel)White-tip sharks ↖ Darwin & Wolf: dive boats only 050 km N
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · tiles OpenFreeMap · depth GMRT · photos Wikimedia Commons, credited in each cardNot for navigation.

See Sea lions in town on the 3D map →

Which tour goes there

All Galápagos tours →

Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. Many multi-day packages start in Quito, so check what is included. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure

Every tour on all islands, filtered by animal: day-tour finder.

Did you know?

  • Fun factA mother can pick out her own pup by its voice from a crowd of 30 or more barking sea lions.
  • Size1.5 to 2.5 m and 50 to 400 kg; adult bulls are about 2 m and 360 kg.
  • Scientific nameZalophus wollebaeki

On every visit: keep 2 metres from wildlife, cameras included, and visit park sites with a certified naturalist guide. The full list: visitor rules.

Questions people ask

Where can you see sea lions in the Galápagos?

In town: Playa Baquerizo and La Lobería on San Cristóbal, and the fish market and docks of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. On day tours from Santa Cruz: North Seymour and Mosquera islet.

When are sea lion pups born in the Galápagos?

Breeding runs from May to January and most births fall between August and October, but you can see pups in every month.

How big are Galápagos sea lions?

1.5 to 2.5 m long and 50 to 400 kg; adult bulls are about 2 m and 360 kg.

Also on the card

Print the wildlife bingo card · Best month for your trip · Plan your days

Sources:Galápagos National Park and Governing Council, Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos Conservation Trust. More numbers:facts and figures.

Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.