Galapagos Liveaboard Diving Safaris
You simply must visit Wolf and Darwin in order to dive the best of the Galapagos Islands. These 2 islands in the north-west of the archipelago are the undoubted stars of the show. The top liveaboards focus their cruise around them and they follow largely the same route. Daytrips from resorts cannot give you access to these remote islands, which is why a liveaboard charter is the only option.
Choppy seas, current and surge are all common is this area. However, the marine sightings are such that these discomforts can easily be forgiven. At Wolf and Darwin, you can expect to see huge numbers of sharks including innumerable hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, and whale sharks in season. Often you will witness all this from your stationary position on a rocky slope at a depth of about 66 ft (20m). Elsewhere the dives involve drifting along walls or sloping reefs. These are also the warmest waters in the archipelago so the reef fish and corals (albeit limited) are more tropical than further south.
But liveaboard diving in the Galapagos is not all about Wolf and Darwin. Other areas in the central Galapagos Islands will likely play an important role on your liveaboard tour. The most sought-after sites in this region are around the north of the island of Isabela, where sites like Roca Redonda and Cabo Marshall are found. There is also the unforgettable Punta Vincente Roca, which is like suddenly diving in a different country. You may also likely dive at the highly photogenic Cousin's Rock near Santa Cruz.
Here the water is always cooler than in the far north, so there are fewer warm water species. Punta Vincente Roca is always the coolest site in more ways than one. Chilly temperatures combine with amazing sightings including sunfish, Galapagos horn sharks, penguins and red-lipped batfish, making it an undoubted highlight. You can expect amazing encounters with rays (manta, mobula, and cow nose) at Cabo Marshall. Throughout the central region there are opportunities for diving with hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks and sea turtles, as well as sea lions and, occasionally, fur seals. [More details on these dive sites: Galapagos].
The central islands are where your shore visits will take place, and you can expect to experience such varied locations as lava flows, research centers, booby sanctuaries and shorelines where penguins, iguanas, pelicans and sea lions compete for space.
Trips are 7 nights in duration. To make sure you get a space, we recommend you book 12 months in advance since the Ecuador liveaboard spaces fill up early. Diving conditions can be difficult in the Galapagos, with water temperatures, current and surge all posing potential challenges to the less experienced scuba diver.
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Galapagos Liveaboard Diving Safaris]
Galapagos Diving and Trekking
As an alternative to a full week of Galapagos liveaboard diving, you could join a 5 night trekking and diving tour. This allows you to do 2 days of diving at the best sites of central Galapagos, plus you get to sample some of the archipelago's most interesting land activities. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, the marine iguanas of Tortuga Bay, check out Flamingo Lagoon, trek to the crater of Sierra Negra on Isabela Island, and snorkel at Concha Perla. What an action-packed few days! What a great way to sample what the islands have to offer, if time, budget or liveaboard cruise availability issues require an alternative.
These packages are 5 nights in duration and require a minimum of 2 guests. Diving in central Galapagos may be a little less challenging than on remote islands but still requires a reasonable level of experience. The trekking on this tour means that a reasonable level of fitness is required.
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Galapagos Diving and Trekking]
Galapagos Wildlife Cruises (non-diving)
There are not many places where we would recommend a liveaboard without diving, but the Galapagos Islands are different. Here a tour from one island to the next, with on board naturalist guides and the company of fellow nature-lovers, can greatly enrich your experience of this unique Ecuadorian archipelago.
We recommend to avoid the poor quality and low value-for-money daytrips from towns like Puerto Ayora and San Cristobal and instead choose the comfort and quality of a non-diving liveaboard nature tour. You will see much more of the archipelago, experience different habitats, encounter a wide range of creatures and learn from some of the best guides in the Galapagos Islands. Day trips will take you where they want to go, but onboard wildlife safaris make it their business to take you to the most fascinating places. We suggest that you aim for a high quality experience to enrich your once-in-a-lifetime vacation in the Galapagos.
Wildlife charters run up to 7 nights so they are easy to add on to your diving trip and are suitable for everyone.
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Galapagos Wildlife Cruises (non-diving)]