Galápagos Diving Cruise
8 Days Galápagos cruise on board the Tiburon Explorer
From USD 5,245
8 Day Galápagos Cruise
1 Reviews
The Trip Highlights
Two of world's best diving spots: Darwin & Wolf
Hundreds of hammerheads at Darwin's Arch
Majestic whale sharks at Wolf Island
Sunfish, Mantas, Turtles sighted regularly
Galapatours 'Plus' Experience
Brand new diving liveaboard
Purpose-designed for Galápagos
English-speaking guide for all activities
Lectures in the evening
This diving cruise on board the Tiburon Explorer will take you to the most remote islands of the Galápagos Archipelago, Darwin and Wolf, where you will explore what are arguably some of the world's best diving spots. Depending on the season and your luck, you can expect to see whale sharks, schools with hundreds of hammerhead sharks, sea lions, penguins, mantas, eagle rays, Galápagos sharks, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, mola mola, iguanas, golden rays, seals and with a bit of luck even whales and dolphins!
Important: Please be aware that this is a cruise for advanced divers. Both Darwin and Wolf, but also other spots on this route, require experience with strong currents and a minimum of 50 logged open-water dives. If you feel like this might be a challenge for you, you can book an additional diving guide to accompany you. Nitrox is available upon request and much recommended. Please inquire with us for more details about this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. We're divers, too.
Your ship: Tiburon Explorer
- Only 16 guests
- Large, fully-equipped dive deck
- Fantastic dive itineraries
- Suites available
Tiburon Explorer heralds a new era in luxury Galápagos diving liveaboards. Designed and built purely for Galápagos cruising, Tiburon brings you the perfect balance between wonderful diving experiences and superb accommodation. Welcoming a maximum of only 16 guests, Tiburon Explorer offers you a truly intimate Galápagos diving adventure.
Superb comfort As you'd expect from a modern ship, Tiburon Explorer is a world away from older, often converted vessels that offer cramped accommodation … Read more about Tiburon Explorer
Amenities
Snorkel gear (free of charge)
Single cabin without supplement
All meals throughout the cruise
100% CO2 carbon footprint offset
Scuba outing possible
Nitrox Refills ($)
Air conditioning & private bathroom
Water, Coffee, Tea & fresh juices
Wetsuits
English guide
Food & Drinks
The food on our Galapágos Cruises is among the very best you will find in South America. Most of the on-board chefs are internationally trained and have prior experience working in the best hotels and restaurants in Ecuador and indeed around the world.
You can expect a first-class selection of food, including a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, locally sourced poultry and fish/seafood, rice and pasta dishes. Most boats will always include some typical Ecuadorian dishes on the menu during your cruise. If you have specific dietary requirements then these can usually be accommodated by the chef providing you have given advance notice. Please make sure you tell us about any allergies or dietary requirements you have at the time you book with us. If you leave it until you arrive at the dockside, then it may well be impossible to accommodate your needs.
Most boats serve a range of options at meal times in a relaxed buffet-style. At the first class and luxury end of the market, some boats have more formal dining where you will be served at your seat. However the atmosphere is always relaxed on board our cruises, and never stuffy or formal.
Select Tour Dates
Multiple Addons
Optional Module Before First Day
Day 1 •
AM
Baltra • Arrival at Baltra airport+transfer to ship
Welcome to Galápagos! Once your flight has landed and you went through the immigration process, you'll be met in the Arrivals lounge by our English-speaking guide who will take you to your transfer vehicle for the short journey to your waiting ship.
Baltra Island, where your arrival airport is, was used as an important Air Force base in the Second World War. This is the primary airport for the Galápagos Islands and you'll be rubbing shoulders with fellow tourists, international naturalists and conservationists, researchers and academics, and Galápagos residents alike. The airport has been built as a "green" airport, and as well as using recycled materials in its construction, it's special design keeps the buildings relatively cool without the need for any air conditioning.
Once on board your ship, you will be introduced to the crew and given a welcome briefing as well as an important safety drill. After this you'll be shown to your cabin. While you're served a well-deserved and delicious lunch, the captain will cast off and your adventure truly starts.
Note: If you plan to spend a few days prior to the cruise in Puerto Ayora and want to do the cruise later this is no problem at all. The transfer from Puerto Ayora to Baltra is very easy.
PM
Santa Cruz • Carrion Point
Carrion Point on the eastern coast of Santa Cruz protrudes into the ocean, creating a sheltered cove which is a superb place to snorkel.
There's no landing here, you can simply dive into the water from your boat. The sheltered waters are crystal clear and you will see a wide range of marine wildlife, including Galápagos rays, sharks, and innumerable tropical fish.
A panga ride along the coast here will also allow your Galapatours guide to tell you more about the bird species and about the ecology of this part of Santa Cruz in general.
Day 2 •
AM
North Seymour • A walk on North Seymour
North Seymour was formed at the same time as neighboring Baltra Island, and by the same process - an uplifting of undersea lava. This small, flat island has hiking trails throughout, allowing you to explore the arid landscape and to meet the seabirds that call North Seymour home.
North Seymour was the site of one of the earliest conservation experiments in the Galápagos. In 1934 a group of Galápagos Land Iguanas were moved there by Captain Hanckock. They have since thrivedthrived, and there are now well over 2,500 of them on the island and more than 3,000 on the neighbouring Baltra island.
The biggest attraction of North Seymour is its large colony of Blue-Footed Boobies and its Frigatebirds. These popular Galápagos species are often found together because the Frigatebirds rely on the Boobies’ fishing prowess. The Frigatebirds actively steal the Boobies catch to feed themselves!
There is also a population of Marine Iguanas and Galápagos Sea Lions are frequently spotted. The snorkeling here is also very good, with plenty of marine life to see including rays and reef sharks.
Day 3 •
AM
Wolf • The Landslide Dive Site
El Derrumbe is particularly well known as THE dive in Galápagos to see Hammerheads and Galápagos Sharks. Whale sharks have alse been encountered here, as well as a huge range of fish, rays, turtles, marine mammals and many more iconic Galápagos creatures.
PM
Wolf • North Islet / La Banana
North Islet is a small outcrop just off the north coast of Wolf, and because of the wall's shape it's known to locals as "the banana"!
This is a stunning sheer wall with caverns, tunnels and other wonderful rock formations. Depth here ranges from 30 to 120ft and the visibility is usually excellent, varying from 40 to 80ft depending on season. There is always a moderate to heavy current here.
A superb site for spotting Galápagos sharks, hammerheads, manta rays, green turtles and a wide range of fantastic Galápagos marine life.
Day 4 •
AM
Darwin • Darwin's Towers
Huge schools of hammers and Galápagos sharks, whale sharks, Mantas: Darwin's Towers (formerly: Darwin's Arch) is arguably one of the world's best diving sites.
Located just off the southeast tip of Darwin Island, the islet of Darwin's Towers (formerly known as Darwin's Arch, but the arch collapsed in 2021) is a fantastic marine wonderland. The main attractions are the whale sharks and hammerhead sharks that often gather here. But there are many other species you can find - green turtles, majestic manta rays, dolphins, large schools of fish, and other species of sharks are all frequent encounters.
We have met divers with over 1000 logged dives that still called it the single best diving site of their life! If you have any particular species that you are keen to see on your dive, contact one of our Galápagos experts today, and we can advise on the best dive itinerary to suit your requirements.
PM
Darwin • Main Darwin Island
Darwin Island (originally named Culpepper Island) was renamed in honor of the famous naturalist. It is considered by many to be one of the best underwater habitats anywhere on earth.
Darwin is the most northerly island in the Galápagos, and is over 100 miles northwest of Isabela. Together with its neighbour Wolf Island, it is the most remote part of the archipelago.
Renowned for the large schools of hammerhead sharks that gather here (for reasons scientists still don't fully understand), Darwin and Wolf are tips of huge long-extinct undersea volcanoes that grew up over half a mile from the seafloor below.
You will enjoy spectacular diving here, and among the species you are likely to encounter are hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, rays, green turtles, and a myriad of tropical reef fish. If you have any particular species that you are keen to see on your dive, contact one of our Galápagos experts today and we can advise on the best dive itinerary to suit your requirements.
Day 5 •
AM
Wolf • Shark Bay
Shark Bay at Wolf Island is an underwater visitor point well known as being among THE best dive sites in Galápagos to see Hammerheads and Galápagos Sharks. Whale sharks have alse been encountered here, as well as a huge range of fish, rays, turtles, marine mammals and many more iconic Galápagos creatures.
PM
Wolf • The Cave Dive Site
The Cave is a well known as being among THE best diving sites in Galápagos to see Hammerheads and Galápagos Sharks. Whale sharks have alse been encountered here, as well as a huge range of fish, rays, turtles and many more iconic Galápagos creatures here at the iconic Wolf Island.
Day 6 •
AM
Fernandina • Cape Douglas
A dive in Cape Douglas off the west coast of Isabela Island is a fantastic opportunity to see a wide array of marine life, both above and below the surface of the water.
As you prepare for your dive you can see Galápagos Flightless Cormorants, Galápagos Penguins and Galápagos Marine Iguanas - all species you cannot see anywhere else in the world except this archipelago.
As you enter the water, you may have the opportunity to admire the powerful swimming ability of the marine iguanas as the bigger males feed on the rocks deeper under the surface.
Other species you may see in the water include Red-lipped Batfish, Horn Sharks and Mola Mola, and sometimes Baleen Whales are seen here gliding through the water.
If you have particular species that you are keen to see, contact one of our Galápagos experts today who can help you choose an itinerary that will best meet your requirements.
PM
Isabela • Vicente Rock Point
Galapatours clients regularly rate Vicente Rock Point as one of the best snorkeling and SCUBA diving sites in Galápagos, or perhaps even in the world! There is no landing here, and snorkeling is done directly from the boats. The scenery around the Point is stunning - the remains of two ancient volcanoes made this formation, and the cliffs and caves around the bay provide an amazing backdrop.
The bay is well sheltered from ocean swells, making it ideal for snorkelers of any experience. The cold-water currents bring a rich stock of food to these waters, and the bay around Vicente Rock Point is often home to feeding frenzies, with groups of whales, dolphins, Galápagos Sea Lions, tuna, Blue-footed Boobies and other marine birds all feeding together, making for spectacular sights.
Many boats also take visitors on a panga ride along the shore, offering the chance to explore some of the caves and to encounter some of the other species such as Galápagos Flightless Cormorants and a small colony of Galápagos Fur Seals.
Day 7 •
AM
Santiago • Cousin Rock
This is a famous site thanks to the wide variety of marine life you can encounter in just one dive, but it is for moderate to advanced divers only. Depths range from 10 to 90ft, with visibility between 30 and 60ft depending on the season. Currents here are moderate, and surges will be experienced in the shallows.
In the water you'll encounter sloping rock plate formations and a fantastic wall that drops far down out of sight. These rocky formations are home to seahorses, Galápagos black coral, octopus, a wide range of tropical fish and Galápagos sharks and hammerheads.
When you add to this the friendly sea lions who almost always come to play with divers and the elegant green turtles that cruise past, this dive site really does have it all.
PM
Santiago • Cousin Rock
This is a famous site thanks to the wide variety of marine life you can encounter in just one dive, but it is for moderate to advanced divers only. Depths range from 10 to 90ft, with visibility between 30 and 60ft depending on the season. Currents here are moderate, and surges will be experienced in the shallows.
In the water you'll encounter sloping rock plate formations and a fantastic wall that drops far down out of sight. These rocky formations are home to seahorses, Galápagos black coral, octopus, a wide range of tropical fish and Galápagos sharks and hammerheads.
When you add to this the friendly sea lions who almost always come to play with divers and the elegant green turtles that cruise past, this dive site really does have it all.
Day 8 •
AM
Baltra • Transfer to Baltra airport
Your Galápagos adventure ends with the arrival of your ship back at Baltra Island. After what many guests describe as an emotional goodbye to your ship and its crew, you'll board the transfer vehicle that will take you on the short journey to the airport in plenty of time for your flight back to the mainland.
Baltra airport serves both Guayaquil or Quito, and we can arrange flights that fit best with your onward plans - particularly if you are continuing a South America tour. Speak to one of our travel experts as we are often able to beat even internet pricing on flights to and from Galápagos.
Note: If you plan to spend a few days in Galápagos after your cruise this is no problem at all. Just let us know and we will arrange for the logistics. The transfer from Baltra to Puerto Ayora, for example, is very easy.
Multiple Addons
Optional Module After Last Day
Reviews
Richa D
May 2022
The trip was beyond magical! The snorkeling near Chinese hat and also the beach walk at the Lobos island was breathtaking. What a trip! It was very well planned with quality snacks and meals provided throughout.
Shane Dolan
April 2022
Finally got to complete our trip to the Galapagos Islands which was canceled days before we were to set off in March of 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. Finally, two years later we were ready to set off again and Galapatours were very helpful in working with us and our needs to rescheduling our cruise itinerary. All in all it was well worth the wait as we got to experience nature and the unique wildlife that you will never see anywhere else in the world. What a trip
Kathy
March 2022
Gracias, danke, thank you! Our family had an awesome 8 days on the luxury yacht Passion. 8 days of hikes, 6 days snorkeling with sea turtles, sea lions, penguins, reef sharks, greeted aboard with warm towels. Gourmet meals. The trip of a lifetime!
Patrick
Vielen Dank übrigens für die Buchung.... usw. Es hat alles hervorragend geklappt!!. Es war wundervoll!!
Robert Pecoraro
Galapagos cruise of a lifetime! Thomas set up a Naturalist Cruise in the Galapagos on the Alya Yacht. The boat was amazing and the trip was actually better than my already high expectations. The decision to take this cruise was very last minute, and Thomas was able to get it all booked in a timely and efficient manner. I would certainly use Galapatours for any future travel, and I would recommend them if you are looking to travel to the truly Enchanted Islands of the Galapagos. Source: Google