Embarking on a trip to the Galapagos Islands is an unforgettable experience, but packing for it requires some special consideration. To help you prepare, the researchers at the Charles Darwin Foundation have curated the ultimate packing list.

Learn how to explore the Galapagos Islands responsibly. Our FAQs cover their volcanic origins, unique wildlife, and how every visit can help protect this extraordinary ecosystem.

Meet the charming Galapagos penguin—the only wild penguin north of the equator and one of the most endangered. Discover how science, conservation, and your support through symbolic adoption can help protect this unique species. Click to learn how you can make a real difference for penguins and the planet.

While kayaking along El Garrapatero Beach, a chance sighting led to the re-encounter of Scalesia retroflexa, one of Galápagos’ rarest plants. What began as a weekend outing became a pivotal moment for conservation. Discover how this unexpected find could reshape the future of an endangered species.

Possibly best known for its remoteness, giant tortoises and links with Charles Darwin, the Galápagos Islands—600 miles off the Ecuadorian coast—are also home with the magnificent Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorate), a huge bird that nests there and raises its young during nine months of the year. The largest bird in the Islands, it is the only albatross that lives in the tropics.

Floreana Island, heavily impacted by introduced species and biodiversity loss, now hosts one of Galápagos’ most ambitious restoration efforts. With a small community and 54 species still threatened, the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project aims to recover the island’s ecological balance through the removal of invasive species and the return of native wildlife.

Scalesia plants in Galápagos illustrate adaptive radiation through variations in height, leaf size, and structure across environments. While these traits reflect their ability to adjust, rapid environmental changes may exceed their adaptive limits. Research identifies how these species respond, supporting monitoring and conservation efforts to protect vulnerable plant populations.

In an interview, renowned Galapagos volcanologist Dennis Geist tells us a bit more about the 2024 eruption and volcanic activity in Galapagos.

In November 2020, I joined the Galapagos Verde 2050 (GV2050) team during an exciting time. The team had just returned from an expedition to Punta Manzanillo on Española Island, where they had rediscovered a small population of Lecocarpus lecocarpoides, a species thought to be locally extinct. With 50 precious seeds collected, I was given a mission: to use these seeds to help recover the only population of this endangered species on the island.

It is estimated that 20% of the populations of small landbirds found on the Galapagos Islands are declining or have gone locally extinct. Our scientists work to ensure the long-term conservation of small Galapagos landbird populations for the health of the islands’ ecosystems at large.

Not just your average library, the CDF Library, Archive and Museum at our campus features three unique spaces dedicated to the management of knowledge and memory: written and audiovisual documents, archival materials, and archaeological and historical artifacts. There is something for everyone - from scientific to fictional, for the scientist or a student.

Explore the first Atlas of Native and Invasives Species of the Galapagos Islands.