Los Tuneles Tour

Best Snorkeling on Isabela: Lava Arches & Incredible Marine Life

Isabelas' Highlight: Los Tuneles Snorkeling Tour

Discover los Tuneles one of the highlights of the Galapagos Islands. This captivating destination offers something for everyone, from exploring unique lava formations with dancing blue-footed boobies on it, to crystal-clear pools with breathtaking marine life. Snorkel with sea turtles, Galápagos Penguins, playful sea lions, and vibrant fish. Encounter white tip reef sharks and rays. Immerse yourself in the true beauty of Galapagos.

Our guests say Los Tuneles was the highlight of their trip – it’s the first tour to sell out. Don’t miss it!

Best time to Go:

All Year Around

Focus:

Lava Arches, Galapagos Penguins & Blue-footed Boobies

Availability:

7:30 or 11:30 Departure

Duration:

9 Hours

Small Groups

Only 6 to 12 guests

Experience Level:

Confident swimmer/Advanced Snorkler & Longer Navigation

What is included:

See here

Los Tuneles Day Tour Itinerary: What to Expect

Our trip to Tuneles will begin at our tour office in the center of Puerto Villamil. After we embark our boat at the pier, where we will see some iguanas and sea lions playing and laying around. Once we get on the boat, you will be welcomed by the crew and receive some information by your guide, while you find your best seat and also put on a life jacket. Then we will be taking off.

Exploring the Enchanting Roca Union & Dancing Blue-footed Boobies

After 45 minutes we arrive at our first stop, the Roca Union. Be ready to take some amazing pictures, as it is a favored fishing spot for Nazca boobies. Also, you will see sea lions taking a nap or brown pelicans flying by.

Los Tuneles: A Mesmerizing Journey into Isabela’s Lava Formations

Afterwards, we will get to los Tuneles. This place will be completely different than before, as the ocean calms down significantly due to the solid lava formations. We will disembark and walk along the rocks. Embedded in this mesmerizing scenery you will discover many blue footed boobies. During mating season these birds show off their impressive dancing skills. Just lay back and enjoy the show.

Cabo Rosa: Snorkel with Rays, Sharks, Turtles & Sea Horses

It’s time for the best part of the day – Snorkeling! The unique area is very close to our heart. Therefore, we want to keep this environment, and you of course, safe. Hence, the guide will remind you of the rules of the national park. Additionally, he will provide you with some tips to make your snorkeling even better. After a short fitting and check of the equipment, we will be in the water for at least an hour. This will be your opportunity to play with sea lions, swim with sea turtles, rays, sharks or just enjoy the rich underwater world of Galapagos.

Isabela’s Wildlife Extravaganza

Depending on the season and with a little bit of luck you might get a very rare glimpse at this tour. From June to October very majestic humpback whale colonies are traveling past the Galapagos Islands. Seeing these will most definitely stay in your mind forever. Chances for Manta Rays sightings exist throughout the entire year.

If you don’t have time to take a 5- to 6-hour tour to Los Tuneles, we recommend Las Tintoreras. There you can see typical rock formations, experience many of the earlier-mentioned animals and also get to snorkel with them!

*Please not that the itinerary might switch between snorkeling or walking first, depending on the conditions of the day.

Inclusions

What can I discover?

Packing List

Sun Protection & Glasses

Bring a wide-brimmed hat (recommendable with a string), sunglasses & reef-safe sun screen

Swim Wear/Rashguard

We highly recommend a Rashguard against the high radiation.

Camera/Go Pro

Capture your adventures and take home the best souvenir possible

Rain Jacket (Optional)

A rain jacket during the rainy season and for early morning Garúa is recommended. A hoodie helps you keep warm during the cold months.

Good Walking Shoes

Choose stable walking shoes. The path is uneven.

Refillable Water Bottle

Bring a refillable Water Bottle to stay hydrate.

Our Boats

Experience unparalleled service and comfort aboard our first-class and standard boats, ensuring an exceptional journey like no other.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the standard and the first-class boat?

Both boats welcome a maximum of 12 guests and include snorkeling gear, towels, snacks, drinks, and GoPro photos to capture your adventure. You’ll also enjoy the guidance of experienced, passionate naturalist guides on both options.

The main difference lies in the level of comfort. Our first-class boat offers a significantly more spacious and stable experience — perfect for those who value smooth sailing and a touch of luxury. With a large sundeck ideal for wildlife observation and freshly prepared meals served on board, it’s designed to make every moment memorable. In comparison, the standard boat provides a more basic setup, including a box lunch and more limited onboard space.

Which departure time is better?

Los Tuneles is as popular as it is because of its consistent wildlife sightings throughout the whole year, no matter what time of day. The animals choose this area specifically to hide away from bigger predators lurking in the outside open water. Therefore, there is no real difference between the two departures when it comes to animals. Animals only start disappearing if they are getting bothered by tourists too much (please stick to the rules and orders of the guide) and when food is short/earthquakes have been happening close by. Those conditions do not change within a single day. If you want to see more of the rock formations above water at Los Tuneles, we recommend the departure closer to low tight. The difference, however, is minimal. Check in with us in case if you are unsure.

Is los Tuneles a fitting choice when traveling with my kids?

Yes, if your kids are decent swimmers, we recommend this trip for its diverse sights and very calm waters in the snorkeling area. We recommend that they are at least 6 years old, however, we have already had smaller kids participating in the tour. It always depends on your child’s abilities and confidence levels. We always provide kids masks, fins and life vests to keep your little ones safe and happy.

The navigation is 45 minutes short, and most of the year it is calm. To get the very best experience out of it, we recommend the first-class boat, as it offers smoother navigation.

Does the booking tool and calender show real time capacity?

No, the availability shown in our booking tool does not reflect real-time capacity for our boats. As a small business, it isn’t technically impossible for us to display instant updates. This means that although you may be able to book a trip online, it’s possible that we are already fully booked. If this happens, we will contact you as soon as possible to offer an alternative or process a full refund right away. To reduce this risk, we limit online bookings for our most in-demand tours by setting a specific “Available Until …” (see on the right).

When will the boat be back from the trip? Will I reach my flight, ferry or afternoon trip?

The 7:30 departure is back around 13:30, and the 11:00 departure will be back around 17:00.

Ferry: You should be able to reach the afternoon ferry back to Santa Cruz if you book the 7:30 departure.

Flight: Flights many times depart at 14:00 to San Cristobal, with the check-in at 13:00. Therefore, we do not encourage booking your Los Tuneles trip just before.

Trip to Tintoreras: You might consider staying straight at the pier if you plan on a trip to Tintoreras.

Please note that, depending on what we see and the conditions of the ocean, the tour can take a bit longer. We do not take responsibility for missed trips or transport except if they have been properly communicated and booked with us in advance.

Will I get seasick at lso Tuneles?

This again is a highly personal perception. The navigation is most of the year calm and takes no longer than 45 minutes. Most people tolerate the navigation well. Should you have experienced seasickness before, we recommend taking non-drowsy motion sickness medicine and choosing the first-class boat for a smoother ride.

How do I know when my boat departs?

Our Los Tuneles tours operate with three boats—the Dorada, the Golden Ray and the Tropical—each assigned a specific schedule by the National Park, which we strictly follow. Here’s how it works:

Dorada (standard boat) operates from Tuesday to Monday, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays as rest days.
Golden Ray (first-class boat) operates Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday as rest days (dedicated to other destinations).
Each week, the boats alternate departure times: Either 7:30 AM or 11:30 AM.

In rare cases, if these boats are fully booked, we may reassign passengers to another boat that meets the same standards. To help our clients confirm availability, we provide a link to our Google Calendar showing the exact itinerary and schedule for Los Tuneles. Please check the calendar (instructions below) and confirm the schedule before booking if unsure, as missed trips due to scheduling errors cannot be refunded or rescheduled.

If in doubt, contact us. We are here to help.

Will I need a wetsuit for Los Tuneles?

You will need a wetsuit for los Tuneles depending on the season and your perception of temperature.

From January to April you will on average not need a wetsuit.

During the transition months (December and May), we recommend a short wetsuit if you get cold quickly.

From June to November we highly recommend a long wetsuit. Should you be resistant to the cold, we still recommend a short wetsuit.

Can I visit los Tuneles from Santa Cruz within the same day?

No, one overnight stay is required and here is why:

The boats to los Tuneles leave at 7:30 and are back at 13:30, or leave at 11:00 and are back at 17:00.
The morning ferries from Santa Cruz arrive at 9:30, while the afternoon departure requires a check-in latest at 14:15.

If you want to stay just one night on Isabela and visit los Tuneles you have the following options (check our availability first):

Arrival with the afternoon ferry from Santa Cruz, one overnight stay, departure to los Tuneles at 7:30 and you can take the afternoon ferry at 15:00 back to Santa Cruz
Arrival with the morning ferry from Santa Cruz, departure to los Tuneles at 11:00, one overnight stay and departure with the morning ferry at 6:00.

The alternative tour that you can do within the same day is Las Tintoreras, but we discourage it in general, as it is an incredibly long navigation in comparison to the tour length. Additionally, it drains Isabela’s resources without benefiting our local economy, as the profits stay on Santa Cruz.

Can I scuba dive at los Tuneles?

No, at Los Tuneles it is only allowed to snorkel, no scuba diving. The water is about 4 meters deep at the deepest point of the area, so scuba diving would not add any benefit to your experience.

Reserve your tour to Tuneles Now

Important: Departure Times

The Galapagos National Park assigns fixed schedules to all boats operating in the islands. This means:

– Each boat follows a weekly schedule alternating between 7:30 and 11:00.

– Departure times are tied to the boat category you select. You get automatically booked onto the departure time of the corresponding boat category. The schedule you can find here: Golden Ray/Dorada.

If you’re unsure about the schedule or have questions, contact us before booking. We’re here to help!

Availability shown on our website is indicative and does not reflect real-time capacity.

Galapagos Islands

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