Detailed Diving Itinerary

Please click on the map for a larger image.

Day 1 - Isla Lobos Isla Lobos

Sea lions ("lobos marinos") populate this small flat island, 10 kilometres north of San Cristobal. At Lobos Island the crew will carry out the equipment check dive. On Sea Lion Island you'll find lots of sea lions, marine iguanas, turtles and sting rays. As exciting as this first dive is, it is just a small taste of what you will encounter in your next dives.

Day 2 - Cape Marshall

On the north-eastern shore of Isabela, below the 1707 metre Wolf volcano, Cape Marshall offers drift diving on incredible reefs and near-vertical volcanic walls covered with black corals. Giant Mantas, Galapagos horned sharks, Galapagos rock bass (Camotillo), gold rimmed surgeonfish, sun fish, sea lions, harlequin wrasse, sailfin grouper (Bacalao) and large schools of Salema fishes are regular sights on this fascinating dive site. The water temperature varies 13º to 25ºC degrees, and the depth range is 3m to 40m. Day 3 & 5 - Wolf Island Wolf Island and Darwin Island are considered the best diving sites in the world. These small islands are around 100 miles to the northwest of the main Galapagos island chain. On Wolf Island you'll have it all: schools of hundreds of hammerhead sharks, sea lions, manta rays, turtles, iguanas, Amberjacks, Trumpet Fish, Hogfish, Butterfly Fish, eels, dolphins, whale sharks and much more. Wolf Island is blessed with corals and reef life, with more than 8 species of corals, and the greatest diversity of tropical fish of the islands. Wolf Island's incredible dive sites are Shark Bay, The Landslide, La Banana and Islote La Ventana. Wolf is also a great experience above water. It is home to hundreds of thousands of seabirds such as Red-footed boobies, nazca boobies (masked boobies), frigates, pelicans and swallow-tailed gulls.

Day 3 & 4 - Darwin Island

Considered by many the best place to dive in the world, Darwin Island (formerly Culpepper Island) marks the end of the archipelago in the northwest. The island is
1 km²  and 168 metres at its highest point. You'll have the opportunity to swim with dolphins, eagle rays, spotted morays, manta rays, hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, pilot whales, melon-headed whales and possibly enormous whale sharks. On this amazing dive site you may see blue-spotted jacks, scorpion fish, rainbow runners, hogfish, big eye jacks, sailfish, trumpet fish, parrotfish and many other different species of marine life. Darwin Island is a diver's dream come true.
There is no "dry" access to the island as it rises vertically from the ocean, but from the Yacht you'll be able to see the indigenous Darwin Mockingbird, sea lions, penguins, red footed boobies and masked boobies. An impressive landmark is the famous Darwin's Arch, a massive rock arch emerging from the ocean.

Day 5 - Roca Redonda

Roca Redonda, 25 miles northwest of Isabela, is the summit of an underwater volcano rising 3,000 metres from the ocean floor. This island has a surface of approximately 12,000 sq. m. and has a very distinctive plateau-like shape. Several lava flows can be seen and in shallow water and there are various caves, inhabited by several unique kinds of seabirds, such as the night-feeding gull. This remote, small island is a good place for scalloped hammerheads, yellow tailed surgeonfish, barracudas, jacks, Galapagos grunts, king angelfish, mantas, and the huge sunfish, the giant tail-less fish. On the south-east side of the island there are several underwater fumaroles (steam vents) you can see gas bubbles breaking the surface, which suggests that the volcano is not quite extinct !

Day 6 - Punta Vicente Roca

Isabela, shaped like a seahorse, is the largest island of the archipelago. On the north-western shore is Vicente Roca's Point. Here the remains of Volcano Ecuador form two coves with a bay, protected from the ocean swells. Part of the volcano slid into the ocean, leaving a spectacular cutaway view of the volcanic caldera. The upsurge of the Cromwell current, rich in nutrients, gives rise to an abundance of marine life which, in combination with the protection of the coves, make Punta Vicente Roca one of Galapagos' top diving destinations. Seahorses, sea lions, turtles, mola-mola (sunfish), puffer fish, Marlin, Galapagos penguins and the Galapagos' bullhead shark. Smaller creatures include, frogfish, electric rays, seahorses and the red lipped batfish.

Day 7 - Cousin's Rock

Cousin's Rock is located off the east coast of Santiago (north of Bartolome) rising barely 10 metres out of the water. To the south lies a large rock separated from the island by a narrow channel. The combination of coral covered rocks sheltering a variety of smaller creatures, a numerous tropical fish and the presence of large animals make Cousin's Rock one of the favourite sites in Galapagos. Black corals, sea fans, hydroid bushes and red sponges grow in every direction, and the many ledges on the wall are densely populated with marine life. You'll see hawkfish, nudibranchs, Galapagos seahorses, Octopuses and frogfish. Among the larger creatures you'll see mobula rays, mantas and sharks (white tipped, reef and hammerheads), sea lions and large groups of spotted eagle rays.

Day 7 - Breeding Center "Fausto Llerena"

The "Fausto Llerena" tortoise breeding centre is responsible for the reintroduction of over 2000 galapaguitos in the archipelago, and is currently raising 400 more. A wooden walking platform guides you through several areas. You can observe the tortoises from La Española and even Lonesome George, the only surviving specimen of a Pinta Tortoise.

There is an exhibition pen, and these tortoises are used to people, so it's a great photo opportunity. The centre has also begun an iguana breeding programme.

Day 8 - Interpretation Center (Centro de Interpretación)

The "Natural History" wing explains the volcanic origins of the islands, the marine currents surrounding the archipelago, its weather and the settling of several species.
The "Human History" wing describes the most significant historic events of the human colonisation of Galapagos. The Interpretation Centre has an outdoor theatre, ship models exhibition, 3D map of the archipelago and a projection room where documentaries about the Galapagos are shown.

The centre is surrounded by a beautiful landscape and walking trails. Take your passport with you to have the Official Seal of Galapagos National Park stamped on it.