Galapagos Scuba Diving tour itinerary & prices

Land Based Galapagos Diving Tour

Overview

Quick Info
Price: From USD 1625 Days: From 5 to 9 days Place: Galapagos Islands Photo: Xavier Mina Ederra
Overview
Reef fish, sea lions, sting rays, golden rays, eagle rays, invertebrates, morays, garden eels, turtles, marine iguanas, white tip reef sharks, hammerheads, whale sharks, whales, pelagic fish, all this wonderful experience in just one tactivity... Galapagos Islands Scuba Diving”. Being voted one of the top diving spots year after year isn't a surprise. There are few places left in the world where an entire archipelago is virtually free of commercial fishing, leaving the waters left to those who want to swim and watch the action unfold in the deep, clean waters of the Pacific Scuba Diving tours in the Galapagos islands are incomparable with diving anywhere in the world! The underwater life in the Galapagos is just as fascinating as what you see on land: hammerheads, whale sharks, Pacific green sea turtles, corals, and an endless list of other tropical fish and underwater life. The yachts on these cruises are equipped with everything you might need: cabins with private baths, AC, hot water, a large dining room, a lounge with TV/VHS and stereo, a large deck for sunbathing and a bar. Buffet-style meals are served. These cruise ships often have a higher number of passengers, and some are faster so they can go to the far away islands. The Yacht: Nautilus is our beautiful and spacious pilot house motor sailor; she is extremely comfortable and attractive, with rich teak fittings and furnishings throughout. This beautiful ketch-rigged yacht is for people who enjoy sailing, and the camaraderie of a smaller yacht. She is the perfect solution for passengers who seek a more personalized experience as part of a smaller group of friends or family Charter. For total relaxation Nautilus is unbeatable for a tour in the Galapagos Islands. She accommodates between eight and twelve passengers in four air conditioned cabins, each with double lower and single upper berths, private head and shower (hot and cold water). Bathrooms have stall showers and manually operated heads. There is plenty of hot and cold water for passenger use. All Divers are required to complete our "Divers Information Form" Note: If desired is possible to do more diving instead of the land visits. Note: Itinerary may change due to logistic or climatic conditions.

PRICE 2011 (USD)
Days	Price	Dives
5 days / 4 nights	1625	Up to 9 & 2 visits
6 days / 5 nights	1950	Up to 12 & 2 visits
7 days / 6 nights	2275	Up to 15 & 2 visits
8 days / 7 nights	2599	Up to 19 & 2 visits
9 days / 8 nights	2925	Up to 21 & 2 visits

◊ PRICE INCLUDES

•    Transfers Baltra airport-Hotel-Baltra airport within the tour dates, all land and marine transportation to the dive sites
•    First Class Air conditioned Hotel in a double or triple room with private bathroom, hot showers, and (possible) ocean view
•    Two/Three daily dives
•    Weight belts and aluminium tanks.
•    Breakfast in the hotel and Snacks and Lunch.

◊ PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

•    Air Fares ($423 Quito-Galapagos-Quito)
•    Dinners.
•    National Park entrance $100.
•    Transit Control Card $10.
•    Personal diving equipment day $45.
•    Single Supplement hotel night $60 per night.
•    Personal expenses.
•    Tips.

Optional Extras:
•    Equipment Rental $45 per day, (includes: 1st and 2nd stage Regulator, Alternative 2nd Stage, pressure and depth gauges, BCD, Wet Suit, Booties, Mask and Fins).
•    Dive Computer $15 per day.
•    Nitrox 32% tanks $15 each.
•    Digital Camera Rental (5 mega pixels) $50 per day.
Sony HD Video (Ikalite Housing) $180 per day.
•    Private Divemaster/Guide $120 per day.
•    Private Dive Instructor $150 per day.

Quick info on the Itinerary

1-FIRST DAY      BALTRA AIRPORT – CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION
2-MONDAY         BALTRA - SEYMOUR NORTH – GORDON ROCKS – 2/3 Dives
3-TUESDAY        FLOREANA-ENDERBY-CHAMPION–2/3 Dives Night in Floreana
4-WEDNESDAY   FLOREANA – 2/3 Dives
5-THURSDAY      PLAZAS - GORDON ROCKS – SEYMOUR NORTE – 2/3 Dives
6-FRIDAY           PLAZAS - GORDON ROCKS    – 2/3 Dives
7-SATURDAY      DAPHNE - MOSQUERA   – 2/3 Dives
8-SUNDAY          COUSINS - BARTOLOME – 2/3 Dives
9-LAST DAY        LOS GEMELOS - BALTRA AIRPORT   1 Visit

Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

• Day 1: Baltra Airport – Charles Darwin Research Station

Welcome. Transfers Baltra Airport - Hotel and visit to Charles Darwin Research Station

Photo: Xabier Mina Ederra

• Day 2: SEYMOUR NORTH – GORDON ROCKS (2 to 3 Dives)

Seymour North: here you have a great opportunity to see hammerheads, garden eels, tropical fish, sea lions, the pacific green sea turtle, and any number of other colorful, interesting sea life. The currents are strong; just hold on, and enjoy the show. Also, here you can admire the beautiful frigate birds and nests of blue-footed boobies. Watch your step, as the boobies don’t worry much about where they nest, and you might just step on one.

Located between North Seymour and Baltra is the small island of Mosquera. This island composition is a long narrow stretch of white sand, rocks, and tide pools. Created by Geological uplift the island has a flat look to it rather than the conical shape of the volcanically formed islands. Here you can admire tropical fish, sea lions and invertebrates.

• Day 3: FlOREANA - ENDERBY - CHAMPION (2-3 dives)

Floreana is ideal for divers of all levels. You can see a significant amount of coral including pebble coral and the endemic black coral. This is the best site to dive with sea horses; however divers also frequently encounter stingrays, eagle rays, turtles, nose hawk fish, pelagic fish, barracudas, Galapagos sharks and hammerheads.

Photo: Xabier Mina Ederra

Enderby: here, you can see: manta rays, golden eagle rays, morays, turtles, tunas, hammerheads, whitetips, and Galapagos sharks, barracudas, tropical fish, sea horse and sea lions.

Champion: this small crater is a fun wall, drift dive. You can encounter large numbers of sea turtles resting, sea horses, long nose hawk fish. Champion is one of the best night dives in Galapagos where you encounter sleeping sea turtles, numerous creolefish, bright yellow and orange tubastrea, slipper lobster, red scorpion fish, nudibraches and puffer fish.

• Day 4: FLOREANA (2-3 DIVES)

This is a perfect day to explore 2 to 3 diferent amazing diving points around the Floreana Island.

Photo: Xabier Mina Ederra

• Day 5: PLAZAS - GORDON ROCKS – SEYMOUR NORTE – 2/3 Dives

Plazas: Here, there are actually two islands, though visitors only land on South Plaza, the larger of the two islands. Walking a few feet from shore, you're right back into a scene from Jurassic Park watching the brilliant green-yellowy-orange land iguanas. It's fun to watch the relationship between them and the sea lions. Continuing along the path, you arrive at a bird-watcher´s paradise. A sheer cliff is filled with nesting swallow-tailed gulls, masked boobies, blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, frigate birds, pelicans, and Audubon's shearwaters. The island is an amazing world of sandy beaches, green shrubs, and cacti with a beautiful blue ocean in the background. So beautiful! . Here, the snorkeling is fun. Take care to stay away from the bull (sea lion), and enjoy the beautiful fish in the crystal blue waters.
Galapagos Diving, Land Based Cruises

Gordon Rocks lies a short distance to the north from the Plazas islands off the east coast of Santa Cruz. Gordon Rocks is the most famous dive site in the central islands. There is a good opportunity dive with schools of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, amberjacks and pompano, eagle rays, golden cow rays, marlins and green turtles, tropical fish, the pelagic big fish, manta rays, octopus, etc. Recommended for intermediate to advanced divers due to the strong currents and surges.

Photo: Xabier Mina Ederra

Seymour North: here, you have a great opportunity to see hammerheads, garden eels, tropical fish, sea lions, the pacific green sea turtle, and any number of other colorful, interesting sea life. The currents are strong; just hold on, and enjoy the show. Also, here is where you can admire the beautiful frigate birds and nests of blue-footed boobies. Watch your step, as the boobies don’t worry much about where they nest, and you might just step on one.

• Day 6: PLAZAS - GORDON ROCKS – 2/3 Dives

Here you have a good opportunity dive with Galapagos Diving, Land Based Cruises

schools of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, amberjacks and pompano, eagle rays, golden cow rays, marlins and green turtles, tropical fish, the pelagic big fish, manta rays, octopus, etc. Recommended for intermediate to advanced divers due to the strong currents and surges.

Photo: Xabier Mina Ederra

• Day 7: DAPHNE - MOSQUERA – 2/3 Dives

Daphne is an isolated located north of Santa Cruz and just west of Baltra and North Seymour. You can see Galapagos sharks, morays, golden eagle rays, stingrays, white tips, invertebrates, turtles, black corals, multicolored sponges and hundreds of fish. Recommended for intermediate divers.

Photo: Xabier Mina Ederra

Here you have a good opportunity dive with schools of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, amberjacks and pompano, eagle rays, golden cow rays, marlins and green turtles, tropical fish, the pelagic big fish, manta rays, octopus, etc. Recommended for intermediate to advanced divers due to the strong currents and surges.

• Day 8: COUSINS - BARTOLOME – 2/3 Dives

Cousin's Rock is a well known dive place and is situated off the east coast of Santiago. This is one of the greatest place to dive, because you have the oppotunity to see large animals as well. You can see school of black striped salema, different species of hawk fish, nudibranchs, sea horses, frogfishes, mobula rays, mantas rays and sharks. Cousin's Rock is also known for the large groups of spotted eagle rays.

Photo: Xavier Mina Ederra

Bartolome: This is a great snorkeling spot as well due to the abundance of underwater rocks and formations. Here, look for penguins, sharks, rays, sea stars, flounders and an array of colorful tropical fish. The beach is accessible - no angry sea lions to contend with - and a great place to relax after a long snorkel.

DAY 9: LOS GEMELOS - BALTRA AIRPORT 1 Visit

After a quick slip by sea we will travel to visit two volcanic depressions called The Twins, two craters covered with spectacular greenery where we will observe the Escalecias (endemic to Galapagos). This place is nesting site for many birds, including finches. It is truly a marvelous unforgettable landscape of the geology of the islands.

Finally full of nostalgia and a desire to return to visit the Enchanted Islands take you to Baltra airport to continue your expedition in volcanoes, jungle rivers of Ecuador. Otherwise, this will be the return to your home.

Photo: Xavier Mina Ederra

Photo Gallery
By Xabier Mina Ederra