LiveAboard

North Seymour Island Cruises

Our guests rated adventure cruises in North Seymour as 9.3

  • 100% Best Price Guarantee
North Seymour Island Cruises

Adventure Cruises in North Seymour

North Seymour Island cruises feature access to unique geography and key wildlife encounters. Unlike its volcanic sisters, North Seymour formed from a seismic event which raised the island from the seabed. North Seymour Island, located just north of Isla Baltra, has a flat profile, its surface is covered in low vegetation, and ringed by a rocky shore.

Despite its small size and mostly featureless terrain, North Seymour Island is a popular part of Galapagos Islands adventure cruise itineraries. It is home to countless birds, sea lions, and iguanas, and the location of the largest magnificent frigatebird nesting site in the Galapagos Islands.


Top things to do & see at North Seymour Island

When it comes to wildlife encounters, North Seymour Island cruises are the most romantic. No matter when you visit, you are certain to see birds at some stage of courtship or chick rearing, from blue-footed boobies exchanging gifts to magnificent frigatebirds expanding their scarlet throat pouches as they watch over their little ones.

Arriving from nearby Santa Cruz Island, small ship cruises must often slow or stop to allow for a passing marine iguana or sea lion. A nature trail winds its way through the rocky terrain of North Seymour Island and to the magnificent frigatebird nesting colony. Depending on the time of year, you may witness the magnificent frigatebirds’ electrifying mating rituals.

With their dark color and five-foot wingspan, magnificent frigatebirds make for a thrilling site as they whirl through the air and dive bomb blue-footed boobies, hoping to make the smaller birds drop their hard-earned food.

North Seymour Island is a prime site for nesting blue-footed boobies. The birds can be seen interacting with their young all along the nature trail. In fact, look out for “boobie traps” while trekking the North Seymour Island trail; blue-footed boobies have been known to build their nests in the middle of the trail, allowing you to get up close and personal.

A brief detour from the trail takes you to a small lagoon populated by wading flamingo's. Turn your eyes to the sea and you might spot sea lions enjoying their favorite adventure activities, leaping from the rocks and surfing the waves into shore.

Top Tips for North Seymour Island

  • Bring a good camera to record your North Seymour Island wildlife encounters.
  • North Seymour cruise itineraries include a fair amount of hiking over rocky terrain, so make sure to bring a pair of good hiking shoes.
  • Bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen. Given North Seymour Island’s flat profile and lack of trees, adventure activities on the island are done in the sun, with little to no shaded areas.

Best time to cruise North Seymour Island

Plan ahead, as the types of North Seymour wildlife encounters you hope to experience will dictate the best time to visit North Seymour Island for you.

While magnificent frigatebirds nest year-round on North Seymour Island, other wildlife encounters are seasonal.

North Seymour in January to April is exceptionally warm and sunny, so a hat and sunblock are a must. This is also the best time to see wildlife such as nesting marine and land iguanas.

North Seymour in June to December is the best time to view nesting blue-footed boobies.

North Seymour in August to December is fur sea lion breeding season, though they are rare on the island.

Where do North Seymour Island cruises depart from?

Most Galapagos small ship cruises to North Seymour Island will depart from San Cristobal Island, from Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island, or from Baltra.

These locations can be reached via flights from mainland Ecuador, either from Quito or Guayaquil. Adventure cruises leaving from Baltra or from Puerto Ayora are serviced by the Baltra airport, while visitors who have chosen cruises leaving from San Cristobal Island will fly into San Cristobal airport, near the port town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Contact our reservations team today to arrange your next Galapagos Small Ship cruise.


North Seymour Adventure cruise reviews

  • Rating 9.3 out of 10
  • 9.3 Superb
  • Rating 10.0 out of 10
  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • PENNY G
  • Flag of United StatesUnited States

Awesome! Seeing the Blue-Footed Boobies, Frigate Birds, Sea Lions, Iguanas - spectacular! And the topography was varied & interesting.

Cruising North Seymour in July on the Galapagos Legend
  • Rating 10.0 out of 10
  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Marc M
  • Flag of United StatesUnited States

Incredible. Watched booby mating dance up close.

Cruising North Seymour in February on the Cachalote Explorer
  • Rating 8.8 out of 10
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Cara R
  • Flag of United StatesUnited States

We did the naturalist itinerary that offered a great mix of hikes on land and snorkel spots. It was an excellent itinerary that offered an amazing diversity of wildlife.

Cruising North Seymour in April on the Galaxy Diver
  • Rating 9.6 out of 10
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Arden James B
  • Flag of United StatesUnited States

Nice hike with lots of wildlife.

Cruising North Seymour in April on the Coral I and II

See all Cruise Ships from $1,076 to $19,912 per trip

We’re here to help, 24/7.

Connect with our expert travel consultants to plan your next trip.

  • Laura Babahekian
  • Ester Canali
  • Josue Zarco
  • Juliane Ball
  • Oksana Kovaleva
  • Andrea Martinez
  • Mylene Issartial