How close can you get to Galapagos wildlife?

Keep at least 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) from wildlife when you walk, snorkel or dive, and that includes your camera, phone or selfie stick. The minimum distance is part of the Galapagos National Park visitor rules.

Animals do not know the rule: a sea lion pup may roll toward you, or a booby may nest right beside the trail. When that happens, step back slowly or wait for your guide's direction instead of reaching out. Never touch, feed, chase or call to animals, and stay on marked trails.

Flash photography is not allowed, because it changes animal behavior. Guides are required to enforce these rules, so treat 2 meters as the minimum, not a target to get as close as possible.

The park's latest visitor rules (Resolution MAE-PNG/DIR-2026‑0044-RM, in force since August 2026) confirm the 2-meter minimum for walking, snorkeling, freediving and diving, cameras included. They add 4 meters from animals and the shore when kayaking, paddleboarding or on a panga ride, and boats keep 100 meters from whales and 50 meters from dolphins, doubled when calves are present. We brief every traveler on these distances before departure, so nothing at a landing comes as a surprise. See the full 2026 rules summary.