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Galapagos - every diver's dream!
Dates: April, 2024
Duration: 7 nights
Ship: M/V Galapagos Sky
Embark: San Cristobal
Extra: additional land excursions included
Price: starting at 7395USD
Duration: 7 nights
Ship: M/V Galapagos Sky
Embark: San Cristobal
Extra: additional land excursions included
Price: starting at 7395USD
Why go?
Because this is Galapagos! Because of the hammerheads! Because of the endemic species like iguanas and penguins! Because of the huge pregnant whale sharks!
Therefore, because THIS IS GALAPAGOS!!!
Because this is Galapagos! Because of the hammerheads! Because of the endemic species like iguanas and penguins! Because of the huge pregnant whale sharks!
Therefore, because THIS IS GALAPAGOS!!!
Limited spots are available and this trip generally fills up 1,5 years ahead of departure
Itinerary and trip details
Sunday - April 11 (Embarkation day)
Isla Lobos - check out dive
When you arrive at the airport at San Cristobal on Sunday (Avianca flight 1636), the crew of the Galapagos Sky will personally meet you, collect your luggage, and escort you to the Galapagos Sky. Your luggage will be delivered to the dive deck for you. After everyone is on board, we will introduce you to the boat and do our mandatory safety briefings and drill. Then, we cruise to the area of Los Lobos for your check-out dive.
This will be your first underwater introduction to Galapagos sea lions and fur seals! Watch them zoom in and out and dance playfully for you!
Even on the first day of your live-aboard cruise – you begin to see the myriad and diverse land formations which comprise the Galapagos Islands topside. It is then you realize you will see nothing like it in your lifetime.
Monday - April 12
Northeast tip of Isla Pinzon/Islote Dumb - 1 dive
Cousins 2 dives
Isla Pinzon – While diving Isla Pinzon you will be provided opportunities for encounters with a variety of species of sharks, sea lions, mantas, eagle rays, and moray eels. Many Species of fish and tropicals including yellow tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, moorish idols, steel pompanos, snappers, grunts, creole fish, and barracuda.
Cousins Rocks– this dive is an itinerary favorite and is done along a beautiful wall and allows for great viewing opportunities for corals, frog fish, sea horses, scorpion fish and octopus. It is also a great dive for large schools of Barracuda and also Hammerhead shark sightings. Sea lions will be your companions upon entry and on the safety stops.
By definition, the entire Galapagos Archipelago is geographically remote. But after this day of your live-aboard cruise finds you heading toward the most isolated, northernmost part of the Galapagos Islands – the uninhabited, untouched, twin cathedrals of world class diving – Wolf and Darwin Islands.
Tuesday to Thursday - April 13 to 15
Tuesday - 4 dives at Wolf including a night dive
Wednesday - 4 dives at Darwin
Thursday - 3 dives total, 2 at Darwin and 1 afternoon dive at Wolf before long transit back to central islands
Diving Wolf and Darwin
You’ll spend the next three days diving (up to four dives per day plus a night dive) the legendary islands of WOLF & DARWIN.
Most experienced divers will agree, Wolf and Darwin can provide some of the best diving encounters in the world! Whale sharks are common here from Mid-May through November. At The Arch at Darwin, you will see hammerhead sharks either individually, in small groups, or large schools. Bottlenose dolphins are common. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands.
Once you see Wolf and Darwin – you’ll immediately understand why there are no shore excursions on this part of the cruise – there is no way up the vertical cliffs!
Darwin Island: Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world, The Arch at Darwin island (actually several dive sites depending on where you enter, currents, etc) honors its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, mobula rays, and silky sharks. From Mid-May to November, it is not uncommon to encounter whale sharks in multiple numbers on one single dive. The presence of an occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin, and killer whales only adds to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel in the Galapagos Crown.
Wolf Island: One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large congregations of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater fauna. On a night dive here you will also enjoy spotting and watching the Red Lipped bat fish walk along the bottom of the sea!
Friday - April 16
Cabo Douglas 1 dive – Marine iguana dive
Punta Vicente Roca - up to 2 dives and panga ride if time allows.
Cabo Douglas: On the western side of Fernandina Island, we will do 1 morning dive. Here you can expect to see Galapagos Penguins, Marine Iguanas, Flighless Cormorants, Sea Lions, Seahorse, Sea Turtles, Horn Sharks, Red Lipped Batfish, and occasional hammerhead sharks and white tip sharks. Also keep an eye out for chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, and wahoo. There are also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled file fishes, pacific box fishes, and tiger snake eels.
Punta Vincente Roca: Our coldest yet rapidly increasing favorite dive – steep, deep vertical wall covered in soft coral, sponges, and endemic black coral. Regular sightings of mola mola (oceanic sun fish,) sea horses, bullhead sharks, red lipped bat fish, various shrimp and many other marine invertebrates. Keep your eyes open for fly by's of the flightless cormorants, penguins and maybe even a marine iguana. Our after dive panga ride offers great topside photo opportunities for penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue footed & nazca booby Birds, magnificent frigates and noddy terns. The diving here is chilly (particularly below the thermocline but not to be missed).
Saturday - April 17
Bartolome - land walk and 1 dive
Puerto Ayora - Highlands tour
Bartolome is a lovely area where visitors can walk to the top of the hill that has breathtaking views. Followed by a dive at Bartolome's Pinnacle rock where penguins can be seen.
This dive is followed by a transit to Itabaca Channel where you will be transferred by bus (around 2pm, transfer is around 45 minutes) to visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz to see the Galapagos Tortoises in their natural environment and a visit to Puerto Ayora. You will then be transferred back to Itabaca Channel to board the Galapagos Sky at around 7pm. The Sky will then return to San Cristobal for a Sunday morning cruise completion.
Sunday - April 18
Land excursion and departure day
Visitor / interpretation center
Arrival in San Cristobal and visit of the Interpretation Center where the natural processes that have made the Galapagos such a unique place are explained and what is being done to protect and preserve the islands. Walk through town (last chance for shopping). Late morning departure.
Included
Not included:
Isla Lobos - check out dive
When you arrive at the airport at San Cristobal on Sunday (Avianca flight 1636), the crew of the Galapagos Sky will personally meet you, collect your luggage, and escort you to the Galapagos Sky. Your luggage will be delivered to the dive deck for you. After everyone is on board, we will introduce you to the boat and do our mandatory safety briefings and drill. Then, we cruise to the area of Los Lobos for your check-out dive.
This will be your first underwater introduction to Galapagos sea lions and fur seals! Watch them zoom in and out and dance playfully for you!
Even on the first day of your live-aboard cruise – you begin to see the myriad and diverse land formations which comprise the Galapagos Islands topside. It is then you realize you will see nothing like it in your lifetime.
Monday - April 12
Northeast tip of Isla Pinzon/Islote Dumb - 1 dive
Cousins 2 dives
Isla Pinzon – While diving Isla Pinzon you will be provided opportunities for encounters with a variety of species of sharks, sea lions, mantas, eagle rays, and moray eels. Many Species of fish and tropicals including yellow tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, moorish idols, steel pompanos, snappers, grunts, creole fish, and barracuda.
Cousins Rocks– this dive is an itinerary favorite and is done along a beautiful wall and allows for great viewing opportunities for corals, frog fish, sea horses, scorpion fish and octopus. It is also a great dive for large schools of Barracuda and also Hammerhead shark sightings. Sea lions will be your companions upon entry and on the safety stops.
By definition, the entire Galapagos Archipelago is geographically remote. But after this day of your live-aboard cruise finds you heading toward the most isolated, northernmost part of the Galapagos Islands – the uninhabited, untouched, twin cathedrals of world class diving – Wolf and Darwin Islands.
Tuesday to Thursday - April 13 to 15
Tuesday - 4 dives at Wolf including a night dive
Wednesday - 4 dives at Darwin
Thursday - 3 dives total, 2 at Darwin and 1 afternoon dive at Wolf before long transit back to central islands
Diving Wolf and Darwin
You’ll spend the next three days diving (up to four dives per day plus a night dive) the legendary islands of WOLF & DARWIN.
Most experienced divers will agree, Wolf and Darwin can provide some of the best diving encounters in the world! Whale sharks are common here from Mid-May through November. At The Arch at Darwin, you will see hammerhead sharks either individually, in small groups, or large schools. Bottlenose dolphins are common. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands.
Once you see Wolf and Darwin – you’ll immediately understand why there are no shore excursions on this part of the cruise – there is no way up the vertical cliffs!
Darwin Island: Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world, The Arch at Darwin island (actually several dive sites depending on where you enter, currents, etc) honors its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, mobula rays, and silky sharks. From Mid-May to November, it is not uncommon to encounter whale sharks in multiple numbers on one single dive. The presence of an occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin, and killer whales only adds to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel in the Galapagos Crown.
Wolf Island: One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large congregations of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater fauna. On a night dive here you will also enjoy spotting and watching the Red Lipped bat fish walk along the bottom of the sea!
Friday - April 16
Cabo Douglas 1 dive – Marine iguana dive
Punta Vicente Roca - up to 2 dives and panga ride if time allows.
Cabo Douglas: On the western side of Fernandina Island, we will do 1 morning dive. Here you can expect to see Galapagos Penguins, Marine Iguanas, Flighless Cormorants, Sea Lions, Seahorse, Sea Turtles, Horn Sharks, Red Lipped Batfish, and occasional hammerhead sharks and white tip sharks. Also keep an eye out for chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, and wahoo. There are also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled file fishes, pacific box fishes, and tiger snake eels.
Punta Vincente Roca: Our coldest yet rapidly increasing favorite dive – steep, deep vertical wall covered in soft coral, sponges, and endemic black coral. Regular sightings of mola mola (oceanic sun fish,) sea horses, bullhead sharks, red lipped bat fish, various shrimp and many other marine invertebrates. Keep your eyes open for fly by's of the flightless cormorants, penguins and maybe even a marine iguana. Our after dive panga ride offers great topside photo opportunities for penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue footed & nazca booby Birds, magnificent frigates and noddy terns. The diving here is chilly (particularly below the thermocline but not to be missed).
Saturday - April 17
Bartolome - land walk and 1 dive
Puerto Ayora - Highlands tour
Bartolome is a lovely area where visitors can walk to the top of the hill that has breathtaking views. Followed by a dive at Bartolome's Pinnacle rock where penguins can be seen.
This dive is followed by a transit to Itabaca Channel where you will be transferred by bus (around 2pm, transfer is around 45 minutes) to visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz to see the Galapagos Tortoises in their natural environment and a visit to Puerto Ayora. You will then be transferred back to Itabaca Channel to board the Galapagos Sky at around 7pm. The Sky will then return to San Cristobal for a Sunday morning cruise completion.
Sunday - April 18
Land excursion and departure day
Visitor / interpretation center
Arrival in San Cristobal and visit of the Interpretation Center where the natural processes that have made the Galapagos such a unique place are explained and what is being done to protect and preserve the islands. Walk through town (last chance for shopping). Late morning departure.
Included
- 7 nights aboard ship in cabin accommodation
- 6 days of diving, up to 4 dives per day
- Excellent food (all meals i.e. breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks)
- Soft drinks, beer, and wine
- Great travel partners and Encounters guide with extensive local wildlife and habitats knowledge
- Tanks (12L aluminum), air or Nitrox fills, and weights
- service of dive guides (max 8:1 ratio)
- 3 land excursions including transfers
- Transfer to and from San Cristobal airport to dock (flights arriving before 1pm)
Not included:
- Trip Insurance
- Dive Accident Insurance (DAN or DiveAssure)
- International Airfare to Ecuador (Quito UIO or Guayaquil GYE)
- Hotel accommodation before and after trip (we can assist with reservations)
- Domestic Airfare to the Galapagos Islands (Quito UIO or Guayaquil GYE to San Cristobal SCY)
- Galapagos National Park entrance fee $100USD
- Transit card (TCT) $20USD
- Hyperbaric chamber fee $35USD (collected in advance)
- Gratuities to guides and crew
- Equipment rental (let us know well in advance if you’re planning do rent equipment so we can coordinate this for you)
The Galapagos Sky
The luxury live-aboard M/V Galapagos Sky is a 100 ft. (33m) state-of-the-art live-aboard diving yacht exploring the fabled waters of the Galapagos Islands.
Designed by Peter A. Hughes and current owner Santiago Dunn in the year 2000, and launched in 2001 – this luxury live-aboard hosts 16 passengers in 8 well appointed cabins. We operate on a year round (schedule).
Built to exceed any/all international safety standards, M/V Galapagos Sky is not only your live-aboard dive platform to the undersea wonders of Galapagos – but also has the crew, chefs, and amenities for you to enjoy five-star service during your entire trip.
Accommodations include eight private en-suite cabins with two twin or one king size bed options. Each cabin features a private head/shower, mirrored cabinet and wardrobe, bathrobes, hairdryer, and marine safe (biodegradable) toiletries.
The elegant M/V Galapagos Sky is fully air conditioned and features a spacious lounge area and separate dining area. Two dive masters and up to four dives a day ensure that your voyage will have ample underwater time to discover the magic of Galapagos diving.
Additional land excursion
Galapagos tortoise
