Galapagos: Dive Cruise | Aqua 8 Days

From Baltra Airport to Baltra Airport
  • Ecuador
  • Galapagos Islands
  • Small Ship Cruising
  • Wildlife and Nature
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Tour Description

Dive some of the best sites in the Galapagos on this spectacular 8 day Galapagos Dive Cruise.

It's one of the few rare places where you can dive with hundreds of hammerhead sharks and have the chance to see a whale shark cruising by. Dive into beautiful clear waters, and discover the silky sharks, sea turtles, giant morays and schooling fish in their thousands!  Be one of the lucky few that get to experience diving in the Galapagos.

We do multiple dives at Wolf and Darwin Islands where schooling pelagics are the main attraction, as in season hammerheads, white tips and Galapagos sharks. (May-November). One famous diving sites is “Darwin’s Arch”, which provides an amazing drift dive along the wall at an average depth of just 9m. Here schools of jacks are a common sight, along with turtles, angelfish and moray eels olus hammerheads, black tips, silky and Galapagos sharks!  Occasional sightings of tiger sharks, manta rays and bottlenose dolphins make for a  exciting time. Whale sharks may also be seen between May – November.

Also dive at Bartolome, the unique Cousins Rock and more!  Swim with tropical fish, marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, mantra rays, and Sun Fish! No visit to the Galapagos is complete without the iconic Galapagos Giant Tortoise, so we make sure there is time to stop in on Santa Cruz to look out for them in their natural habitat.

This itinerary is for  experienced and certified divers - please ask us about other great liveaboard dive options in the Galapagos.

Viva's Best Bits...

Galapagos is a divers paradise and offer very special opportunities, penguins. marine iguanas, seahorses, hammerheads, rays and sea lions

At Darwin Island the real showstopper are the huge number of sharks brought in by the strong current. You’re likely see schools of hammerheads, silky sharks, black-tip sharks and Galapagos sharks plus the occasional whale shark!

Visit the most exceptional diving sites in the unique Galapagos Islands. Don’t worry about safety; our professional diving specialists will accompany and dive with you.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Arrive Baltra Baltra Northeast

Aqua Dive Cruise - 8 days - Itinerary A

*Galapagos excursions are subject to change without prior notice. Changes in plans may arise due to weather conditions, National Park regulations, or other unforeseen circumstances.

Fly from Quito or Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands. A guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage, and escort you on a short bus ride to the harbour.


PM – BALTRA NORTH EAST
This is the perfect spot to start your adventure with moderate currents. This dive site is for adventurous divers looking to see fascinating lava and rock formations, as well as an incredible number of marine species. At the depth of around 20 m (60 ft) we might see white-tip reef sharks, pelagic fish, reef fish, rays, and turtles. Additionally, sea lions will be your companions upon entry and on the safety stops. Occasionally, hammerhead sharks can be spotted swimming nearby.

Number of Dives: 1

Day 2
Cape Marshall City of the Mantas

AM: Cape Marshall
This area on the northeast side of Isabela island offers a few great dive spots.. One of them is Ciudad de las Mantas, named for how common it is to see giant mantas. The plankton-rich waters of this area are an attraction for many species of rays, sharks, sea lions, turtles, etc.

2 dives

PM: City of the Mantas
The main attraction of Cape Marshall is a spot where it is so frequent to see giant mantas that it was named “City of the Mantas”. They come to feed on the plankton-rich waters, which is why visibility can be low.

1 dive

Day 3-5
Darwin Island & Wolf Island

Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Darwin and Wolf
Due to the large number of dive sites available in Darwin and Wolf as well as the marked influence that marine conditions can have on the area, the dive sites will be chosen with these factors in mind. On Friday, conditions may be suitable for night diving in one of the two available locations. The regular options include the following:

The Darwin’s Arch (Darwin)
The monumental portal is not even the real highlight, of which treasure is hidden beneath the breakers that splash against the shallow reef platform. It is an outstanding hotspot for schools of scalloped hammerhead and, particularly, whale sharks. This largest fish in the world has almost the size of a bus and let divers get up close and personal.

El Arenal (Darwin)
Sharks, turtles and jacks visit cleaning stations all around Darwin’s Arch, to be freed from parasites. They maintain an incredible symbiotic relationship with the resident barber fishes and king angelfishes. The busiest area is usually the sandy slope right in front of the portal, known as “El Arenal”.

Shark Bay (Wolf)
Shark Bay, located on the exposed east coast of Wolf, is shallower than most sites around, yet for many the most memorable. Besides being another spot where sharks galore, local cleaning stations reveal fascinating symbiotic relationships. Critically endangered hawksbill and Pacific green turtles visit busy king angelfishes.

The Pinnacle and The Caves (Wolf)
This area has some of the best caves in the Galapagos and an exciting experience at The Pinnacle, and it’s located on the northern tip of the main island. It has four good underwater caves that penetrate into the wall of the islet and are easily accessible, although the current can get a bit strong from time to time, from south to north. All the entrances to the caves are at depths of 15-21 m/50-70 ft, and there is a sandy ledge that runs along the wall below the entrances.

Anchorage - Night dive (Wolf)
The Anchorage of Wolf is the only dive site located at its sheltered west coast. Right beneath the anchored yacht, walks and hops the weird red-lipped batfish with its leg-fins on the 20 m/70 ft deep sandy bottom. Though active at night and attracted by your light’s beam, this chilly activity probably won’t be the only opportunity to marvel at this endemic Galapagos species.

11 Dives

Day 6
Vicente Roca Point Cape Douglas

**Please note these dive sites are currently closed due to the presence of Avian Flu, we have adapted our itinerary in accordance with the National Parks approved visiting sites and will be replaced with 3 dives on Wolf Island until further notice.

AM: Vicente Roca Point
The calmer waters of the coves are well-protected against the ocean swell and are great place for snorkelling amongst various species of shark, penguins, puffer fish and even seahorses!

PM: Cape Douglas
Cape Douglas is sure to provide you amazing opportunities to observe a large amount of wildlife, above and under the water! Keep an eye out for Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, red-lipped batfish, baleen whales, and more!

2 dives

Day 7
Cousins Rock Santa Cruz Highlands

AM: Cousin’s Rock
This triangular volcanic rock formation with blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, and Galapagos fur seals is the summit of a great underwater cone. Beautiful shelved reef terraces offer colorful algae, mollusks, sponges, sea fans, and endemic black coral surrounded by a variety of colourful fish as well as a cleaning station of white-spotted eagle rays.

2 Dives

PM: Highlands (Santa Cruz)
The road to the highlands leaves from Bellavista, a small village located a 15-minute drive from Puerto Ayora, and passes through the agricultural zone, near the National Park boundary, the Miconia Zone, and then goes to the Fern and Sedge zone.

Day 8
Depart Baltra

Transfer to Baltra Airport
Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.

We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

What’s Included

Accommodation
  • Included Copy 20 Cabin onboard with ensuite
  • Included Copy 31 Solo travellers are able to book a twin cabin on a same sex sharing basis - No surcharge
  • Included Copy 31 Cabin upgrades available
Food
  • Included Copy 20 All meals, water, tea & coffee
Fees & Services
  • Included Copy 20 All diving and visits as mentioned in the itinerary*
  • Included Copy 20 English-speaking dive instructor
  • Included Copy 20 12L Tanks for enriched air; Weights; Belts; Scuba safety equipment eg Personal Marine rescue GPS
  • Included Copy 20 All transfers in the Galapagos (airport-yacht-airport)
  • Included Copy 20 Towels
  • Included Copy 7 Galapagos Islands National Park Entrance Fee & TCT USD$220 (Subject to change)
  • Included Copy 7 Return flights Quito or Guayaquil / Galapagos Islands
  • Included Copy 31 Full diving equipment rental
Transportation

Aqua

16 Passengers

Activities

  • Included Visit the best diving sites in the Galapagos, including Darwin’s Arch, Cousin’s Rock and more!
  • Included Observe the Galapgos giant tortoise on Santa Cruz Island
  • Included Observe seahorses, white tip reef sharks, reef fish at Bartolome
  • Included Multiple dives at Wolf Island, with hammerheads, Galapagos sharks and manta rays
  • Included Whale sharks may be seen between May – November
  • Included Cape Douglas - Galapagos penguin, Batfish, Mola Mola, Baleen Whales and more
Click here for dates & prices
Duration

8 days

Price from

$4,995 USD

Per person, sharing

Based on a lower deck cabin

Departs select Tuesdays