The Galápagos archipelago
Diving in the Galápagos is not your usual tropical reef experience - it’s wild, unpredictable, and absolutely world-class.
Located at the convergence of major ocean currents, the Galápagos Marine Reserve offers some of the most nutrient-rich waters on the planet.
Upwellings fuel an abundance of life, from microscopic plankton to massive whale sharks, making every dive a front-row seat to nature in its most unfiltered form.
Expect to be surrounded by schools of scalloped hammerheads, sea turtles, mobulid rays, Galápagos sharks, and even penguins or marine iguanas!
Galápagos is one of the few places on Earth where it’s possible to see multiple species of large pelagic animals in a single dive.
Dates: September 3-10th 2027
September 4-11th 2026 sold out
Upwelling current systems
Galápagos isn’t easy diving.
Conditions can be challenging with strong currents, surges, thermoclines, and occasional low visibility are all part of the adventure.
Water temperatures range from 14–26°C, depending on the season and location. Currents can be swift and unpredictable, especially around Darwin and Wolf Islands, where the big action happens.
Divers need to be comfortable with negative entries, maintaining buoyancy in surge, and staying alert in dynamic underwater environments.
Diving in the Galápagos is physically and mentally demanding but it rewards those who come prepared with encounters that are truly once-in-a-lifetime.
Hammerhead sharks
Diving in the Galápagos offers one of the most spectacular underwater encounters on Earth: vast schools ofhammerhead sharks. These iconic predators are a hallmark of Galápagos diving.
Being a global hotspot for hammerheads due to rich upwelling currents, marine protected areas and year-round food supply, the Galápagos support large aggregations of scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini). This species is known to form massive schools that can number in the hundreds.
Darwin and Wolf Island are the crown jewels for shark diving in the Galapagos. These remote volcanic seamounts are accessible only via liveaboard dive expeditions. They are home to some of the largest hammerhead schools in the world.
Megafauna heaven
The Galápagos is one of the only places in the world where divers regularly encounter adult, pregnant female whale sharks, a true mystery of the deep.
This is not your usual whale shark encounter!
Witnessing a fully grown, pregnant whaleshark does not compare to whaleshark sightings elsewhere.
Galápagos sharks
The Galápagos shark is a sleek, inquisitive apex predator commonly seen around Wolf and Darwin Islands.
Their abundance in the Galápagos is a sign of a healthy, protected ecosystem, where sharks can thrive in numbers rarely seen elsewhere in the world.
Mola, sea lions & more
The Galápagos sea lion is a curious and acrobatic marine mammal that’s impossible to miss. Found lounging on beaches, piers, and even benches, they are just as playful underwater.
The elusive mola, or ocean sunfish, is one of the Galápagos’ most surprising underwater encounters.
Punta Vicente Roca off Isabela Island is one of the best places in the world to spot molas, sea lions and more.
Marine iguana
Nowhere else on Earth will you find a reptile that forages in the sea.
In the Galápagos, the marine iguana does just that.
These algae-eating lizards dive into the chilly Pacific waters, sometimes for several minutes, to graze on rocks below the surface.
What's included
- 8 days/7 nights in a triple shared cabin on board Nortada liveaboard
- fullboard meal plan included
- 20 scuba dives
- 12l scuba tank and weights provided
- Puerto Ayora tour
- Charles Darwin & Tortoise conservancy entries
- Puerto Ayora transfers
What's not included
- scuba gear rental
- travel & dive insurance
- flights from your hometown to Baltra, Galápagos
- return transfers from airport to Puerto Ayora (USD 30$ one way for a 5 pax taxi)
- Marine Park Entry (USD 200$)
- Tourist Entry Card (USD 20$)
- Ecuadorian visa
- tipping for crew members & staff
- personal expenses
- Los Gemelos visit (USD 30$)
DIVE REQUIREMENTS
- AOWD (or equivalent)
- a minimum of 100 logged dives