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Is Los Túneles really the best snorkeling in the Galapagos? My honest take.

If you’re staying on Isabela Island, the Los Túneles tour is one of the most talked-about snorkeling day trips you can do. Some people even call it the best snorkeling in the Galapagos, so naturally my expectations were sky high.

After doing the Los Túneles tour myself, I’d absolutely recommend it — but for a mix of reasons that go beyond just the snorkeling. It felt like one of those classic Bucket List Galapagos experiences where the landscape, wildlife, and water all matter.

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Quick Facts About Los Túneles

What It’s Known For: The Los Túneles Snorkeling Tour is known for excellent marine life, lava tunnel scenery, sea turtles, rays, whitetip reef sharks, seahorses, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and sometimes penguins.
Leaves from: Isabela Island
Tour Duration: About 5–6 hours
Boat Ride Duration: About 45–60 minutes each way from Puerto Villamil
Amount of Snorkeling Time: Approximately 1 hour
Who This Is Good For: This is a strong choice if marine life is your top priority and you want snorkeling paired with a unique lava landscape.

Los Túneles is one of Isabela’s most popular tours and space is limited, so once you know for sure you want to do it, I’d go ahead and book it.

Click to Check Availability for the Los Túneles Tour

Not sure whether Los Túneles is right for you? Read my guide on How to Choose the Right Galapagos Snorkeling Tour for You to compare this with Kicker Rock, Tintoreras, and more.

A large sea turtle swims underwater beside snorkelers near Los Túneles on Isabela Island. Sea turtle encounters were one of the biggest reasons this tour felt worth booking.

Our Experience on the Los Túneles Snorkeling Tour

Our boat ride from Puerto Villamil was only about 45 minutes, which was a welcome change after some of the longer crossings we’d done elsewhere in the Galapagos.

The boat itself was older and fairly basic, so this wasn’t a luxury outing, but the short ride made that less important. There was a very small bathroom through that wooden door!

Passengers sit close together inside a small shaded tour boat on the way to Los Túneles. This is where expectations around boat comfort and group size matter before booking a Galapagos day tour.

Our first wildlife stop was Roca Unión (Uni Rock), where we cruised past Nazca boobies and blue-footed boobies perched on the rock. It was a fantastic photo stop and my camera was clicking happily.

From there we headed to Cabo Rosa for the snorkeling portion first.

We spent about an hour in the water following our guide through calm channels and reef areas.

The snorkeling here felt very different from places like Kicker Rock or Española — less adrenaline, more calm-water wildlife encounters. For me, Los Túneles was about turtles, lava formations, and the unusual feeling of snorkeling through a geological wonder.

We saw several large sea turtles and lots of fish. Our guide pointed out a large seahorse that I’m still not entirely convinced was real – it felt perhaps fake and strategically placed for tourists… He didn’t let us get too close.

Video still of sea turtle swimming at Los Tuneles — Click to watch us swim with the majestic sea turtles on the Los Túneles Tour.

The guide’s style can make a big difference. Our guide kept all the participants together in a tight group, following him around. He was great about pointing out various wildlife. But at times I felt like I was too busy avoiding getting kicked by other people’s fins to really stop and observe. He also kept us moving without time to linger and view.

After snorkeling, we had a simple sandwich lunch and warm tea on the boat before heading to the lava tunnels and nesting area for the land portion.

Walking the lava formations and seeing blue-footed boobies nesting with chicks up close was incredible. The footing was uneven but manageable despite my flimsy watershoes, and the scenery felt unlike anywhere else we visited in the Galapagos so far.

Kari stands on the uneven Lava Rocks with her camera around her neck.

I expected the snorkeling to be the star of the day, but the birdlife and surreal volcanic landscape may have been what I remember most.

We were back in Puerto Villamil by early afternoon.

What We Loved

Biggest highlights:

Calm, protected snorkeling that feels very different from the open-water tours
Seeing blue-footed boobies and chicks up close
The surreal lava tunnel formations at Cabo Rosa
Swimming with sea turtles in calm water
The short boat ride from Isabela
Great bird photography at Roca Unión
A fascinating mix of geology, wildlife, and snorkeling in one tour

Dark lava arches and shallow turquoise water create the surreal landscape that gives Los Túneles its name. The volcanic formations made this tour feel completely different from other Galapagos snorkeling trips.

PLAN YOUR TRIP WITH OUR
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– Best Lodging site: Booking.com
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– Rent Cars here: DiscoverCars.com

Things to Know Before You Book the Los Túneles Tour

A few things I’d know going in:

I’d think of Los Túneles as the Galapagos’ best “snorkeling plus” tour — where the lava formations, birdlife, and marine life all matter equally.
The lava walk is rougher than photos make it look, so wear footwear with a decent grip.
Guide style can shape the snorkeling experience more than you might realize.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, water, and shoes with grip for the lava walk
Because Los Túneles is part of the protected Galapagos UNESCO World Heritage Site, access is controlled and tours can sell out, especially during busier travel periods.

One big thing I learned in the Galapagos: the guide can make or break a snorkeling tour.

Waves breaking over rocky lava formations during the Isabela Island snorkeling tour.

Did Los Túneles Live Up To The Hype?

Mostly, yes. Just not exactly in the way I expected.

If you’re imagining nonstop giant marine life encounters, you may want to temper expectations.

But if you appreciate unusual landscapes, birdlife, turtles, and the chance to experience one of the Galapagos’ most famous snorkeling sites, I think Los Túneles is absolutely worth doing.

Blue-footed booby preening in the Galapagos lava formations

Final Take

If Kicker Rock is my pick for adventurous wall snorkeling, Los Túneles is my pick for the most unusual snorkeling setting.

You’re not coming here primarily for big-animal drama or challenging open-water snorkeling — you’re coming to snorkel among lava tunnels, sea turtles, and one of the strangest landscapes we saw in the Galapagos.

And that’s what makes Los Túneles feel like classic Galapagos.

Click to Check Availability and Pricing for the Los Túneles Tour

Thank you for booking through the links provided. This helps me be able to keep offering Galapagos planning guides at no cost to my readers.

Still choosing between Isabela snorkeling tours? My Las Tintoreras tour review covers the easier half-day option, and my Concha de Perla guide shows how to snorkel independently for free on Isabela Island.

More Galapagos Travel Guides

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Overall Galapagos Planning Guides

Isabela Island Galapagos Guides

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