The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos
The islands are best known for amazing shark diving around Wolf and Darwin Islands. These small and remote islands are best reached by liveaboard vessels for divers. Your diving experience here will generally include Galapagos sharks, silky sharks, and lots of schooling hammerheads being cleaned by king angelfish. Seeing marine turtles, schools of tuna, eagle rays, and sea lions are very common, and seeing a whale shark is very possible from June through November. All the islands you travel to are amazing sites for underwater photography.
Macro photographers will have their fill of sea horses, barnacle blennies, coral hawkfish, and many others. An abundance of rays is at many of the dive sites (including spotted rays, marble rays, golden rays, and stingrays) along with sea lions, sea turtles, schools of grunts, and snappers. The variety of life in the water is unlike any other place, with thick schools of the native brown striped Salema, snappers, groupers, Chevron barracuda, and huge sea turtles.
It's not just in the water though...
There are also many unique things to view on land. Consider adding on some time to your trip to experience the land animals as well. And of course, a trip to the Galapagos would not be complete without taking time to watch their most famous inhabitants - the giant tortoise!
The weather in the Galapagos has water temperatures ranging from 65 -75 degrees F from December through May and 60 – 70 (F) June through November. Water temperatures are at the higher end of the scale in both Darwin and Wolf. Air temperatures range from 75 (F) or higher in the rainy season (December-May) to the mid ’60s (F) during the dry season (June – November), with nearly constant sea breezes.
Currents can range from 1 to 5 knots at the sites we visit, and visibility is generally between 30 and 80 feet. Most divers are comfortable with a 7mm wetsuit June – November with a hooded vest and gloves and a minimum 5 mm wetsuit December - May. Gloves and hoods are strongly recommended.
Your Galapagos liveaboard dives will be done from the pangas with an easy backward roll into the water. After you dive, your tank will be lifted back into the panga and you will board via its stern ladders or with assistance from the side.
On BoardItinerary
The Tiburon
Saturday: Baltra
Guests fly to the Galapagos Islands from Mainland Ecuador, arriving in the late morning. The dive guides will meet the guests at the airport between 11:00 am and 12 pm and escort them to the Galapagos liveaboard, Tiburon Explorer. Guests will board the vessel, have lunch, organize equipment and listen to the safety briefings.
Sunday: Baltra North (2 Dives)
Equipment check, 7:00 and 10:00 dives
Sightings include rays and schools of fish.
Afternoon North Seymour land visit. Walk the path around North Seymour Island to see the large colonies of Blue Footed Boobies and Frigate Birds. Sighting of Sea Lions and Marine Iguanas are also common.
Depart for Wolf Island (long transit)
Monday: Wolf Island (4 Dives)
6:30, 10:30. 2:00 and 4:30 dives. Possible night dive.
Sightings often include hammerheads, whale shark (in season), eagle rays, sea lions, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks
Tuesday: Darwin Island (4 Dives)
6:30, 10:30, 2:00 and 4:30 dives
Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season) eagle rays, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
Transit to Wolf Island
Wednesday: Wolf Island (3-4 Dives)
6:30, 10:30, 2:00 and 4:30 dives
Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season), eagle rays, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
Transit to Cabo Douglas (12 hours)
Thursday: Cabo Douglas (1-2 Dives)
Sightings include marine iguanas.
Transit to Punta Vicente Roca
Punta Vicente Roca (1-2 Dives)
Sightings often include mola mola, turtles and macro life
Transit to Cousins Rock (10 hours)
Friday: Cousins Rock (2 Dives)
6:30 and 9:30 dives
This is a great macro diving with an excellent chance of seeing sea horses, sea lions and eagle rays. Lunch will be served while transiting to Santa Cruz (3 hours). Travel by bus to the Santa Cruz Highlands to visit the giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Transfer to the town of Puerto Ayora. Dinner on your own in Puerto Ayora. Return to the Tiburon Explorer at 8:30pm.
Saturday: Baltra
Depart the vessel by 9 am. Transfer to the airport.
