Galapagos Christmas & New Year

Galapagos Christmas & New Year: What It’s Really Like

Christmas in the Galapagos follows the Ecuadorian calendar. The traditions below, such as the novena, the Pase del Niño and the Misa de Gallo, are Ecuadorian customs observed across the country. I could not find a published description of how each of the three inhabited islands marks them, so I describe the national customs and say where I am unsure what a visitor would see.

Ask your hotel what is planned on the dates you travel, and which restaurants and tour operators are open on December 24, 25 and January 1.

Why Visit the Galapagos for Christmas & New Year?

December is the start of the warm season, which runs roughly from December to May. The air and the sea are warmer than in the cool season, and rain becomes more likely, usually as afternoon showers. That is the main reason some people choose these dates for snorkeling and island hopping.

Christmas and New Year also coincide with school and work holidays in many countries, which is the other reason people travel then. Because many people have time off, book flights, tours and rooms early.

Galapagos Christmas Traditions & Local Celebrations

Christmas in Ecuador centers on family, faith and gatherings at home. The customs below are national ones. I do not know how many of them a visitor can see on each island, so treat them as background to the trip and not as events to plan around.

If you are in an Ecuadorian town on these dates, you are more likely to notice them than to take part: nativity scenes, carols and quieter streets on Christmas Eve.

Novena During Galapagos Christmas (December 15–24)

In the days before Christmas, families, neighbors and church groups gather in the evening for the novena, a series of prayers that leads up to Christmas Eve. Ecuador is a predominantly Catholic country, and the novena is part of how many families prepare for the holiday.

People meet in homes or churches to pray, read passages from the Bible and sing villancicos (traditional Christmas carols) around the pesebre, the nativity scene set up in the house. As a visitor you are unlikely to be part of these gatherings.

Pase del Niño: A Galapagos Christmas Parade

Pase del Niño, also called Pase del Niño Viajero, is a Christmas parade that reenacts parts of the Nativity story. It is held in towns across Ecuador, often around December 24, with children dressed as angels, shepherds and biblical characters, music and decorated floats. Dates and routes differ by town.

I could not find a description of the parade in the islands, so I cannot say whether you would see one in Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno or Puerto Villamil.

Ask at your hotel or at the town’s tourism office whether a parade is planned on the dates you travel.

Misa de Gallo in the Galapagos

On the evening of December 24, many Ecuadorian families attend the Misa de Gallo, the Midnight Mass that begins Christmas Day. Service times depend on the parish, so ask locally.

A common custom in Ecuador is to bring the figure of the baby Jesus from the home nativity scene to church, where it is blessed during the service, and then return it to the pesebre.

Visitors can attend as long as they dress and behave respectfully. The photo below shows a crowded Mass.

Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in the Galapagos

Nochebuena, Christmas Eve, is the main family celebration in Ecuador. On December 24, families gather at home with relatives and close friends.

In many homes, dinner is served late, around midnight, after the Misa de Gallo. Other families eat earlier. Carols and conversation fill the hours while the food is prepared.

Gifts are often opened at midnight, with the presents already under the tree.

For travelers, this means Christmas Eve is likely to be quiet in town, and some restaurants may close early or need a reservation. Check opening hours before December 24.

Traditional Galapagos Christmas Food & Drinks

These are Ecuadorian Christmas dishes and drinks. I have not checked which of them restaurants on the islands serve.

Common dishes include pavo horneado (roast turkey) with relleno de pavo, a stuffing made with meat, dried fruit and nuts. Pork is also common, for example hornado de chancho, slow-roasted pork leg marinated with garlic and beer, and pernil lojano, pork marinated in bitter orange juice and spices.

Side dishes include arroz navideño, a yellow Christmas rice with small pieces of ham, raisins, almonds and green olives, along with salads and potatoes.

Canelazo, a hot cinnamon drink with aguardiente, is common, and so is its variation naranjillazo, made with naranjilla fruit. Ronpope, similar to eggnog, is often served. Desserts include tronco navideño, a chocolate cake similar to a yule log, and pristiños, fried pastries with panela syrup or honey.

The photo below is a plate from a Christmas table.

New Year’s Eve in the Galapagos (Año Viejo)

Año Viejo, the old year, is the Ecuadorian New Year’s Eve tradition. Families and neighbors make life-size figures called monigotes and burn them at midnight, and men dressed as widows (viudas) stop traffic to ask for coins.

Año Viejo Traditions in the Galapagos

Monigotes are life-size figures that represent the old year. They are made from cardboard, paper, sawdust and old clothes, and they often portray politicians, celebrities or cartoon characters, or whatever people want to leave behind.

On mainland Ecuador, families burn them at midnight, often with fireworks. In the Galapagos, noisy fireworks have been banned since 2018 to protect wildlife, while silent fireworks are still allowed. I could not confirm whether monigotes are burned on the islands or under what rules.

Another tradition is the viudas, the widows: men dressed as women who dance in the street, stop cars and ask for small contributions. The act is meant as comedy and has little to do with mourning.

I cannot say how these traditions look in the islands.

Where to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Galapagos

I do not have a confirmed list of public New Year’s Eve events in the islands.

Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal) and Puerto Villamil (Isabela) are the three towns with hotels and restaurants, so that is where to ask. Your hotel is the best source for what is planned.

Some hotels and restaurants may offer set New Year’s Eve dinners. Reserve ahead and confirm what time dinner ends.

Fireworks, Bonfires & Wildlife Rules in the Galapagos

In late December 2018, the Galapagos governing council banned the import, sale and use of noisy fireworks in the province, to protect wildlife. Fireworks that make light but no noise are still allowed. Do not bring fireworks to the islands.

I could not confirm the rules for bonfires or for burning monigotes on the islands. Check with your hotel or the local authorities, and never light anything near wildlife areas or beaches.

Galapagos Weather in December (Christmas Season)

December is the start of the warm season. Typical daytime highs are around 27°C (81°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with the sea around 23°C (74°F).

Rain becomes more likely than in the cool season, and it usually comes as afternoon showers. I was in the islands in January, not December: there was no rain, I snorkeled without a wetsuit and the water felt warm.

Galapagos Wildlife During Christmas & New Year

Wildlife is active in the islands all year, and a few events fall around December. This section lists what to look for, with notes from my own trips in other months.

My trips were in April and January, so I cannot say how any of this looks at Christmas.

Marine Life during Christmas

In the warm season many people snorkel without a wetsuit. I did in January, and the water felt warm. I saw hammerheads at Kicker Rock on my second trip, in March and April.

Birdlife & Breeding Season

Male frigatebirds inflate their red throat pouches to attract mates, a display seen at several times of the year. I photographed frigatebirds resting at sunset at Punta Carola on San Cristobal.

Frigatebirds, magnificent and great, are common above the islands.

The waved albatross nests on Española from about April to December, and the chicks leave around the turn of the year, so the colony starts to empty at the time of Christmas and New Year. I saw the courtship and a bird on an egg on my March and April trip.

Reptiles & Land Wildlife

On Española, male marine iguanas turn red and green in the breeding season, which guides place roughly between December and March. This has earned them the nickname Christmas iguana. I saw them on my second trip, in March and April.

Giant tortoises can be seen all year in the highlands of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal.

Is Christmas a Good Time to Visit the Galapagos?

It can be, if you plan ahead. December is the start of the warm season, with warmer water and a chance of afternoon rain. I have not been in the islands at Christmas, so I cannot describe the day from experience.

I found no published program of public Christmas events for visitors in the islands, so do not plan your trip around one.

Expect Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to be quiet, and confirm tour schedules and restaurant opening hours for those days.

How Busy Is the Galapagos at Christmas & New Year?

Christmas and New Year fall in the end-of-year holiday period, which many people use to travel. I do not have visitor numbers for these weeks. Flights, cruises, tours and hotels can sell out, so book early.

My trips were in April and January, so I cannot compare prices or crowds with the holiday weeks.

Galapagos Christmas Prices & Peak Season Costs

I do not have verified holiday prices. Hotels, tours and cruises may charge peak rates around Christmas and New Year, so compare dates before you book.

Some costs do not change with the season, such as the Galapagos National Park fee and the Transit Control Card. Current amounts are on my trip cost page.

Is Galapagos during Christmas Worth It on a Budget?

Probably not, if you want the lowest prices. The end-of-year holidays are a popular period, so budget rooms and tours may be harder to find. I have no price data for those weeks.

Booking early, staying longer on one island and choosing land-based travel over a cruise are the usual ways to keep costs down. All my trips were land-based.

If the lowest price is your priority, compare other months.

When Galapagos at Christmas Is Worth the Cost

It is worth it if your dates are fixed or you want warm-season conditions: warmer water, and afternoon showers rather than the cool, dry season.

It can also be the only time off you have, and spending the holidays on a trip instead of at home is a personal choice.

When Christmas in the Galapagos Probably Isn’t Worth the Cost

It may not be worth it if you can travel in another month, since dates a few weeks earlier or later may cost less. I do not have price data to show by how much.

It is also not ideal if you want public festivities, because I found no published program of Christmas events for visitors.

Land-Based vs Cruise Travel During Galapagos Christmas

Choosing between land-based travel and a cruise comes down to availability, budget and how structured you want the trip to be.

A cruise follows a fixed itinerary, and meals, excursions and logistics are set once you book. Holiday departures may be booked far ahead and cost more. I have no figures.

Land-based travel on one or two islands, with day tours, gives you more flexibility to move plans around a quiet day like December 25. Book tours and inter-island ferries early.

I have only traveled land-based, so that is the style I can speak to.

How Far in Advance Should You Book a Galapagos Christmas Trip?

I cannot give a tested lead time. As a rule, book flights, rooms and any cruise as early as you can for dates between December 20 and January 5.

Cruise cabins on popular itineraries can sell out far ahead, and so can ferries and day tours at busy times.

If you travel land-based, book tours ahead even if you leave some days free.

Where to Stay in Galapagos for Christmas & New Year’s

You can stay on a cruise, which doubles as your hotel, or on land in Santa Cruz, San Cristobal or Isabela, in guesthouses and hotels.

I mostly woke up to the sound of waves at Cormorant Beach House in Isabela. Booking early is a good idea, especially in high season.

Final Thoughts on Spending Christmas & New Year in the Galapagos

Spending Christmas or New Year in the Galapagos means traveling at the start of the warm season, in a holiday period that is quiet in the towns and busy for bookings. I have not done it, so this guide shows what the research says.

The trade-off is planning. Book early and expect Christmas Day to be quiet.

If you want wildlife and nature more than decorations and events, December can work. If you want public festivities, check what is planned in the town where you stay.

Galapagos Christmas & New Year FAQs

Is Christmas Day in the Galapagos Quiet?

Probably, but I cannot confirm it from experience. In Ecuador, Christmas Day is a family day. Check opening hours and tour schedules for December 24 and 25 before you book.

Are Tours Running During Galapagos Christmas & New Year’s?

I do not have a confirmed answer. Ask your tour operator whether trips run on December 24, 25 and January 1, and book early.

Is New Year’s Eve in the Galapagos Family-Friendly?

Año Viejo traditions are street celebrations that are loud and humorous, and families take part in them in Ecuador. I have not seen New Year’s Eve in the Galapagos, so ask your hotel what is planned.

Are Fireworks Allowed During Galapagos New Year’s Eve?

Noisy fireworks have been banned in the Galapagos province since 2018, while silent ones are allowed. Do not bring fireworks to the islands.