Galapagos Scuba Diving
You have three options for scuba diving in the Galapagos:
- A live-aboard dive boat
- A day or two of diving from a tour boat (occasional diving)
- Day trips from one of the islands (staying at a hotel), which can be a land extension before/after a Galapagos cruise tour, or it can be part of an island-hopping tour.
When to Go
If you want to see the whale sharks, June-November is the best time. You have about a 99% chance to see them out at Wolf and Darwin Islands. However, the water is slightly cooler (60-75 degrees) and it can be cloudy, which affects underwater photography.
The probability of seeing whale sharks December-May is about 50%. The water is warmer (70-85 degrees) and you will likely see larger schools of hammerheads, manta rays and eagle rays.
Occasional Diving
The Legend and the Coral I & II offer diving for $375/person/day for 1-2 dives (includes equipment).
The Nemo I also offers occasional diving.
Live Aboard
The most famous dive spots in the Galapagos are at Wolf and Darwin Islands. There are currently only a few boats still offering scheduled live-aboard diving itineraries that include Darwin and Wolf Islands. You will need 8 days in the Galapagos for these trips.
Aggressor III
- Cruises start on Thursday
- Up to 22 dives and 4 land excursions
Astrea
- Cruises start on Tuesday every other week
Estrella del Mar I
- Cruises start on Monday
- Up to 21 dives and 1 land excursion
Humboldt Explorer
- Cruises start on Monday
- Up to 21 dives and 3 land excursions
- The newest dive boat in the Galapagos
Lonesome George
- Cruises start on Mondays and Fridays, no Wolf/Darwin Islands
- Offers multiple 4, 5, and 8 day cruises
- On 8-day itineraries, up to 3 -7 dives and 10-12 land excursions
- On 5-day itineraries, up to 3-4 dives and 4-6 land excusions
- On 4-Day itineraries, up to 3 dives and 6 land excursions
Master
- Cruises start on Monday
- Between 18-20 dives and up to 4 land excursions
- Also offers 11-day itinerary with up to 30 dives possible and 6 land excursions
Nortada
- Cruises start on Friday
- Up to 21 dives and 4 land excursions
Pinquino Explorer
- Cruises start on Tuesday every other week
- 17 immersions
Sky
- Cruises start on Sunday
- 8 and 11 day cruises
- Up to 4 dives per day on 5.5 days of diving for 8-day cruises
- Up to 4 dives per day on 8.5 days of diving for 11-day cruises
- 3 land excursions
Day Tour Diving
There are a number of hotels on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal Islands that offer daily dive and tour options. This is often the best option as it offers the most flexible dates, a variety of itineraries, and the best value. Contact us for hotel and island-hopping options. One possible scuba diving boat option is:
Nautilus
The Nautilus is an 8-passenger motor-sailor that can be chartered for a single day dive or for multi-day / multi-island trips of 4-8 days (staying at hotels on various islands).