On October 30 and 31, 2026, torrential rainfall on the Galápagos’s Santa Cruz island caused waterways to overflow, flooding neighborhoods, damaging homes, and disrupting essential infrastructure. The local government declared an emergency, with over 2,000 people affected by the damage. This places the Galápagos among several beloved tourism destinations that are already grappling with the effects of El Ñino.

The news has also left many travelers wondering: Is it safe to travel to the Galápagos right now? And how should those with upcoming cruises and hotel stays proceed?

Rodrigo Jácome, who runs La K-leta Guest House and a small coffee farm on Santa Cruz, which is the archipelago’s main inhabited island and a central hub for tourism, says the flooding has not damaged key tourism infrastructure—though it devastated other local livelihoods. “The flooding affected residential neighborhoods that are not particularly close to the main hotel areas,” says Jácome, who lost most of his coffee harvest in the rains. For those with upcoming travel, and locals who rely on travelers to make a living, however, “tourism operations resumed within days.”

Authorities have reopened most visitor sites in the Galápagos National Park, and transportation has resumed, though conditions remain subject to change. Below, we report on all of the impacted areas across the Galápagos, which tours may be rerouted, and how to stay up on the news as future weather develops, according to those on the ground. Plus, local tour operators share advice on planning accordingly for trips in the months ahead.

Which areas of the Galápagos were affected by the flooding?

Santa Cruz is where you’ll find many hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and transportation connections, and the area that experienced the most significant damage. Santa Cruz serves as a major base for day trips and cruises to other islands. Most visitors arriving by air fly in via neighboring Baltra, where the airport is located.

Puerto Ayora, the island’s main town, and the highland parish of Bellavista, were among the affected areas. Floodwaters damaged homes and roads, disrupted water and electricity services, and forced families to evacuate. The flooding also affected transportation infrastructure connecting Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport, the main gateway for visitors arriving by air to Santa Cruz. The road reopened on November 5 and reconstruction work is being carried out in parallel, allowing travelers to continue arriving to the island as planned.

Although the emergency was concentrated in Santa Cruz, other islands also experienced heavy rainfall and localized flooding. Whitman Cox, a Galápagos National Park naturalist guide based in San Cristóbal, which is known for its sea lion colonies, volcanic landscapes, and popular snorkeling and diving sites, says there was no such damage in San Cristobal, but access to some of the beaches around the island has been restricted as weather conditions change.

Travelers should therefore check conditions for all destinations on their itinerary, across the archipelago, rather than assuming all islands have been affected equally. Constant communication with tour guides, your hotel, or cruise line is the best way to get up-to-date information.