AQUA DIVING ROUTE

Itinerary A / 8D – 7N / Diving

Diving in Galapagos is possible with our 8 days/7 nights itinerary aboard M/Y Aqua! We have designed it specially for travellers who want to travel “deeper” into the enchanted islands. Meet incredible marine life and enjoy only the most spectacular diving sites the Galapagos Islands has to offer!

Highlights
  • Dive into a magical world of pure uniqueness!
  • Witness incredible marine life, including the whale shark!
  • Swim with tropical fish, marine iguanas and even friendly sharks.
  • Visit the best diving sites in the Galapagos, including Darwin’s Arch, Cousin’s Rock and more!

High chance of spotting

Hammerhead
shark
hammerhead shark Galapagos

Galapagos
penguin
Galapagos Penguin

Green sea
turtle
green sea turtle Galapagos Islands

Whitetip reef
shark
Whitetip reef Galapagos Islands Aqua liveaboard

Whale
shark
Whale shark Galapagos Islands Aqua liveaboard

Galapagos
sea lion
Galapagos sea lion

Manta
ray
Manta ray Galapagos Islands Aqua liveaboard

Marine
iguana
Marine iguana Galapagos Islands Aqua liveaboard

Seahorse
Seahorse Galapagos Islands Aqua liveaboard

Sunfish
Sunfish mola mola Galapagos Islands Aqua liveaboard
Legend

Arrival

Checkout dive

wetsuit aqua yacht

Dive

diving galapagos

Hike

hike galapagos islands

Departure

VISITORS SITES MAP

Day 1 - Tuesday

AM: Arrival at Baltra Airport (GPS)

PM: Baltra Northeast (Checkout dive) wetsuit aqua yacht

Day 2 - Wednesday

AM: Cape Marshall (2)  diving galapagos

PM: City of the Mantas (1) diving galapagos

Day 3 - Thursday

AM/PM: Darwin (4) diving galapagos

Day 4 - Friday

AM: Darwin (2) diving galapagos

PM: Wolf (2) diving galapagos

Day 5 - Saturday

AM / PM: Wolf (3) diving galapagos

Day 6 - Sunday

AM: Vicente Roca Point (1) diving galapagos

PM: Cape Douglas (1) diving galapagos

Day 7 - Monday

AM: Cousin’s Rock (2) diving galapagos

PM: Highlands (Santa Cruz) hike galapagos islands

Day 8 - Tuesday

Transfer

to Baltra Airport (GPS)

ISLANDS OVERVIEW AND ACTIVITIES

Itinerary A / Diving

Tuesday

AM: Arrival at Baltra airport

Upon arrival, you will have to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee and your luggage will be inspected to make sure no foreign substances are introduced.

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

arrive Aqua Yacht baltra Galapagos flight
PM: Baltra Northeast (Checkout dive)

Your first stop will be in Baltra North East, where you will disembark close to the yacht in order to try on your diving suit. Make sure you get comfortable; you’ll be using this equipment during your entire diving journey!

Activities:

Difficulty: Easy

wetsuit Aqua diving baltra

Wednesday

AM: Cape Marshall

This area on the northeast side of Isabela island offers a few great dive spots.. One of them is Ciudad de las Mantas, named for how common it is to see giant mantas. The plankton-rich waters of this area are an attraction for many species of rays, sharks, sea lions, turtles, etc.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Cousin´s rock Galapagos diving Aqua yacht
PM: City of the Mantas

The main attraction of Cape Marshall is a spot where it is so frequent to see giant mantas that it was named “City of the Mantas”. They come to feed on the plankton-rich waters, which is why visibility can be low.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

City of the mantas Galapagos Islands Aqua yacht dive manta-ray

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Darwin and Wolf

Due to the large number of dive sites available in Darwin and Wolf as well as the marked influence that marine conditions can have on the area, the dive sites will be chosen with these factors in mind. On Friday, conditions may be suitable for night diving in one of the two available locations. The regular options include the following:

The Darwin’s Arch (Darwin)

The monumental portal is not even the real highlight, of which treasure is hidden beneath the breakers that splash against the shallow reef platform. It is an outstanding hotspot for schools of scalloped hammerhead and, particularly, whale sharks. This largest fish in the world has almost the size of a bus and let divers get up close and personal.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

El Arenal (Darwin)

Sharks, turtles and jacks visit cleaning stations all around Darwin’s Arch, to be freed from parasites. They maintain an incredible symbiotic relationship with the resident barber fishes and king angelfishes. The busiest area is usually the sandy slope right in front of the portal, known as “El Arenal”.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Shark Bay (Wolf)

Shark Bay, located on the exposed east coast of Wolf, is shallower than most sites around, yet for many the most memorable. Besides being another spot where sharks galore, local cleaning stations reveal fascinating symbiotic relationships. Critically endangered hawksbill and Pacific green turtles visit busy king angelfishes.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

The Pinnacle and The Caves (Wolf)

This area has some of the best caves in the Galapagos and an exciting experience at The Pinnacle, and it’s located on the northern tip of the main island. It has four good underwater caves that penetrate into the wall of the islet and are easily accessible, although the current can get a bit strong from time to time, from south to north. All the entrances to the caves are at depths of 15-21 m/50-70 ft, and there is a sandy ledge that runs along the wall below the entrances.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Anchorage - Night dive (Wolf)

The Anchorage of Wolf is the only dive site located at its sheltered west coast. Right beneath the anchored yacht, walks and hops the weird red-lipped batfish with its leg-fins on the 20 m/70 ft deep sandy bottom. Though active at night and attracted by your light’s beam, this chilly activity probably won’t be the only opportunity to marvel at this endemic Galapagos species.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Sunday

AM: Vicente Roca Point

The calmer waters of the coves are well-protected against the ocean swell and are great place for snorkelling amongst various species of shark, penguins, puffer fish and even seahorses!

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Vicente Roca Galapagos Aqua seahorse
PM: Cape Douglas

Cape Douglas is sure to provide you amazing opportunities to observe a large amount of wildlife, above and under the water! Keep an eye out for Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, red-lipped batfish, baleen whales, and more!

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Cape Douglas Galapagos Islands cormorant bird

Monday

AM: Cousin’s Rock

This triangular volcanic rock formation with blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, and Galapagos fur seals is the summit of a great underwater cone. Beautiful shelved reef terraces offer colorful algae, mollusks, sponges, sea fans, and endemic black coral surrounded by a variety of colourful fish as well as a cleaning station of white-spotted eagle rays. 

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

City of the mantas Galapagos Islands Aqua yacht dive manta-ray
PM: Highlands (Santa Cruz)

The road to the highlands leaves from Bellavista, a small village located a 15-minute drive from Puerto Ayora, and passes through the agricultural zone, near the National Park boundary, the Miconia Zone, and then goes to the Fern and Sedge zone.

Activities:

Difficulty: Easy

highlands galapagos Aqua Yacht giant turtle

Tuesday

Transfer to Baltra Airport

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.

We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

Avianca Galapagos Aqua Yacht diving
DAY 1

Tuesday

AM: Arrival at Baltra airport

Upon arrival, you will have to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee and your luggage will be inspected to make sure no foreign substances are introduced.

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

arrive Aqua Yacht baltra Galapagos flight
PM: Baltra Northeast (Checkout dive)

Your first stop will be in Baltra North East, where you will disembark close to the yacht in order to try on your diving suit. Make sure you get comfortable; you’ll be using this equipment during your entire diving journey!

Activities:

Difficulty: Easy

wetsuit Aqua diving baltra
DAY 2

Wednesday

AM: Cape Marshall

This area on the northeast side of Isabela island offers a few great dive spots.. One of them is Ciudad de las Mantas, named for how common it is to see giant mantas. The plankton-rich waters of this area are an attraction for many species of rays, sharks, sea lions, turtles, etc.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Cousin´s rock Galapagos diving Aqua yacht
PM: City of the Mantas

The main attraction of Cape Marshall is a spot where it is so frequent to see giant mantas that it was named “City of the Mantas”. They come to feed on the plankton-rich waters, which is why visibility can be low.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

City of the mantas Galapagos Islands Aqua yacht dive manta-ray
DAY 3, 4 and 5

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Darwin and Wolf

Due to the large number of dive sites available in Darwin and Wolf as well as the marked influence that marine conditions can have on the area, the dive sites will be chosen with these factors in mind. On Friday, conditions may be suitable for night diving in one of the two available locations. The regular options include the following:

The Darwin’s Arch (Darwin)

The monumental portal is not even the real highlight, of which treasure is hidden beneath the breakers that splash against the shallow reef platform. It is an outstanding hotspot for schools of scalloped hammerhead and, particularly, whale sharks. This largest fish in the world has almost the size of a bus and let divers get up close and personal.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

El Arenal (Darwin)

Sharks, turtles and jacks visit cleaning stations all around Darwin’s Arch, to be freed from parasites. They maintain an incredible symbiotic relationship with the resident barber fishes and king angelfishes. The busiest area is usually the sandy slope right in front of the portal, known as “El Arenal”.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Shark Bay (Wolf)

Shark Bay, located on the exposed east coast of Wolf, is shallower than most sites around, yet for many the most memorable. Besides being another spot where sharks galore, local cleaning stations reveal fascinating symbiotic relationships. Critically endangered hawksbill and Pacific green turtles visit busy king angelfishes.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

The Pinnacle and The Caves (Wolf)

This area has some of the best caves in the Galapagos and an exciting experience at The Pinnacle, and it’s located on the northern tip of the main island. It has four good underwater caves that penetrate into the wall of the islet and are easily accessible, although the current can get a bit strong from time to time, from south to north. All the entrances to the caves are at depths of 15-21 m/50-70 ft, and there is a sandy ledge that runs along the wall below the entrances.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Anchorage - Night dive (Wolf)

The Anchorage of Wolf is the only dive site located at its sheltered west coast. Right beneath the anchored yacht, walks and hops the weird red-lipped batfish with its leg-fins on the 20 m/70 ft deep sandy bottom. Though active at night and attracted by your light’s beam, this chilly activity probably won’t be the only opportunity to marvel at this endemic Galapagos species.

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

DAY 6

Sunday

AM: Vicente Roca Point

The calmer waters of the coves are well-protected against the ocean swell and are great place for snorkelling amongst various species of shark, penguins, puffer fish and even seahorses!

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Vicente Roca Galapagos Aqua seahorse
PM: Cape Douglas

Cape Douglas is sure to provide you amazing opportunities to observe a large amount of wildlife, above and under the water! Keep an eye out for Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, red-lipped batfish, baleen whales, and more!

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

Cape Douglas Galapagos Islands cormorant bird
DAY 7

Monday

AM: Cousin’s Rock

This triangular volcanic rock formation with blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, and Galapagos fur seals is the summit of a great underwater cone. Beautiful shelved reef terraces offer colorful algae, mollusks, sponges, sea fans, and endemic black coral surrounded by a variety of colourful fish as well as a cleaning station of white-spotted eagle rays. 

Activities:

Difficulty: Moderate

City of the mantas Galapagos Islands Aqua yacht dive manta-ray
PM: Highlands (Santa Cruz)

The road to the highlands leaves from Bellavista, a small village located a 15-minute drive from Puerto Ayora, and passes through the agricultural zone, near the National Park boundary, the Miconia Zone, and then goes to the Fern and Sedge zone.

Activities:

Difficulty: Easy

highlands galapagos Aqua Yacht giant turtle
DAY 8

Tuesday

Transfer to Baltra Airport

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.

We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

Avianca Galapagos Aqua Yacht diving

Please be advised that itinerary modifications due to avian influenza may be in effect until further notice. For additional information, kindly consult your destination specialist.