When visiting the Galapagos Islands, a National Park and World Heritage Site, all visitors are expected to act responsibly and to treat the environment with respect. Below are 14 rules of the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) that all visitors are expected to abide by while in the Islands:
Visitors to any protected areas within the Galápagos National Park must be accompanied by a naturalist guide authorized by the GNPD.
Travel only with tour operators and/or boats authorized to work in the protected areas of Galápagos.
Remain on marked trails at visitor sites and respect signs at all times for the protection of wildlife, and for your safety.
Maintain a distance of at least six feet (two meters) from wildlife to avoid disturbing them, even if they approach you.
Never feed wildlife, as this can cause health problems.
Flash photography is not permitted when taking photos of wildlife. Professional photography and videos recorded for commercial purposes must be authorized by the GNPD.
Camping is only allowed in a few authorized areas in the Islands. Request authorization to camp at the Galápagos National Park’s offices at least 48 hours in advance.
It is your responsibility not to introduce food, animals, or plants into the Archipelago.
Cooperate fully with all environmental inspection and quarantine officials during your visit.
Do not take or buy any products or souvenirs made from banned substances, including black coral, shells, lava rock, animal parts, or any native wood or vegetation prior to leaving Galápagos. This is illegal and must be reported.
Practice “leave-no-trace” principles in order to maintain the beauty of the environment.
Pack out all trash and dispose of or recycle it in the populated areas or on your tour boat.
Smoking and/or campfires are strictly prohibited within the Galápagos National Park, as fires poses a serious risk to the flora and fauna of Galápagos.
Fishing is only permitted on recreational tour boats authorized by the GNPD.
Motorized aquatic sports, mini-subs, and aerial tourism activities are not permitted in the Galápagos National Park or Marine Reserve.
Galapagos Islands weather may vary depending on the season. Have air temperature ranges from 75 (F) or higher in the rainy time (December-May) to the mid 60’s (F) during the dry period (June – November), with closely regular sea breezes.
The water temperature changes in 65 -75 degrees F from December through May and 60 – 70 (F) June through November.
Visibility is generally between 30 and 80 feet. Currents can range from 1 to 5 knots at the places where we do dive.
Most divers are complacent with a 7mm wetsuit from June to November, with a hooded vest and gloves and a minimum 5 mm wetsuit from December to May. Gloves and hood are energetically suggested in your scuba equipment.
The transfer of your dives will be done from small boats with an easy back to roll into the water.
For most SCUBA certification agencies, the minimum certifiable age for divers is 10 years. As a rule, the agencies regulate 10 and 11 years old to a maximum depth of 40 ft.
This itinerary offers no diving opportunities for depths less than 40 feet.
By this regulation, the minimum ages for diving are 15 years old.
To safeguards your security, we request the following to all divers:
All linens (including sheets, comforters, bath towels, hand towels, dive towels, and wash cloths) are provided on board.
If possible, pack your regulator, dive computer, mask, a swimsuit, change of clothes, medications and toiletries in your carry-on bag. Having these few items with you will make an unexpected luggage delay far more bearable.
There is a weight limit on checked-in luggage for flights to and from Quito and/or Guayaquil to the Galapagos of 44 pounds (20 kilos). An additional fee of up to US$1.70* per 2.2 pounds (1 kilo) to and from Quito will be charged for luggage over the limit and US$1.50* per 2.2 pounds (1 kilo) to and from Guayaquil. In addition, passengers are allowed a carry-on bag weighing no more than 17.6 pounds (8 kilos) and a personal item. All additional luggage fees must be paid in cash at flight time.
The vessel provides tanks, weights, and weight belts for your use. If you prefer to rent the rest of your equipment from us, we have all of the equipment that you will need. Please indicate on your application form what equipment you will require. Otherwise, the following items are the diver’s responsibility:
* Available for rent on board Most of our guests bring their own complete set of dive gear. This is the ideal situation, however, due to weight limits or additional travel plans some of our guests choose to rent gear. We strongly recommend that you bring your own mask, gloves, booties, fins, hood or hooded vest and computer. A personal wetsuit is also a good idea if you have space. Diving in Galapagos can be challenging and it is important that you are comfortable.
Due to the nature of this trip and the very remote nature of the destination, all divers are required to have dive accident insurance when diving from the Humboldt Explorer, and to note the policy number on their application form.
Passports are required for all arriving foreign nationals. If in doubt about visas, contact the Ecuadorian Consulate for specific requirements from your country.
Galapagos National Park entrance fee USD$100. Galapagos Transit Control Card USD$20. Both taxes are payable in cash.
Flight times, prices and the Galapagos airport of arrival are all subject to change with little or no notification, and flights often run late. We strongly encourage our guests to plan on arriving at least one and preferably two days prior to your flight to the Galapagos Islands, to ensure that your luggage is with you or to make up for any travel delays. We also recommend that guests plan on an extra night in Quito or Guayaquil upon departing Ecuador. The earliest time a guest can reliably expect to connect to another flight is 10 p.m on the last day of the trip. Ticket holders are required to check-in a minimum of three hours prior to flight time for all international departures, even when connecting from Latam, Avianca or Equair flights.
Please list on the application form any dietary needs you have.
Aboard the Tiburon Explorer and Humboldt Explorer, lunch and evening meals usually consist of lots of salad, potatoes, rice, chicken, beef, pork, and fish. Breakfast is the usual fare of eggs, ham, cereal, toast, and fresh fruits. Cookies are available between dives. If you have any dietary restrictions or requests, please indicate so on your application form. Please note that specific brands of soft drinks, dressings and foods are often unavailable in the islands, and that it can be very difficult for us to find low-fat or soy products, fresh fruit, fish, and other items common elsewhere. While we will do our best to accommodate your requests, please be realistic and consider bringing some of your own foods if the lack thereof may constitute a health risk or seriously compromise your enjoyment of your holiday.
US dollars are widely accepted
The U.S. dollar is the official currency of Ecuador; therefore, it is not necessary to purchase currency before arriving. Most major credit cards are accepted widely when shopping ashore, however, additional fees are charged in Ecuador for the use of credit cards.
Major credit cards are accepted on board
Crew gratuities are not included in your package. The crew works very hard, 7 days a week and up to 12 weeks at a stretch, providing the best possible service for our guests. The industry standard for crew gratuities on dive trips (if of course you are happy with the service which you have received) is between 10% and 15% of the package price per passenger. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated
The beauty of liveaboard diving is that you can access remote areas, beyond the reach of land-based operations. At its best, this means diving in places far from human contact where marine life is diverse and plentiful. Nowhere is the world is this more evident than when you set foot on a Galapagos Islands liveaboard and set off for a cruise around this legendary archipelago.
Those that find themselves in this fortunate position tend to be experienced divers who have been to various destinations and dived in a range of conditions. To such divers, Galapagos liveaboards are something of a Holy Grail, a destination they knew they would get to ‘one day’ and they finally made it happen. It certainly is not a beginner diver destination since the diving conditions require a certain level of experience and composure in the water. When those elements are present, diving in the Galapagos Islands can be mind-blowing.
Each adventure below the waves promises extraordinary sightings. Commonly you will come back from the Galapagos with underwater memories of schools of hammerhead sharks, pods of dolphins, manta rays, sea lions, penguins and marine iguanas. The excited post-dive chatter in the Galapagos Islands is like nowhere else.
As if this was not enough, you will also undertake one or two educational land tours. You will likely learn more about the local ecosystems and the role that the archipelago’s rich wildlife played in affirming Darwin’s revolutionary studies of evolution by natural selection. In all, Galapagos diving cruises are a privilege for any lover of nature and will live forever in the memory of those lucky enough to have made a trip happen.
These 2 islands in the north-west of the archipelago are the undoubted stars of the show. You will do more dives here than anywhere else since they form the back-bone of any meaningful Galapagos liveaboard dive itinerary. The journey is too far to make them accessible as sites for a land-based operator.
Choppy seas, current and surge are all common is this area. However, the marine sightings are such that these discomforts can easily be forgiven. Whether as drift dives or dives spent observing the action in sheltered spots, in these areas hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, eagle rays, dolphins, whale sharks and more are common. These are also the warmest waters in the archipelago so the reef fish and corals (albeit limited) are more tropical than further south.
While there are other areas of the Galapagos where you will have exciting underwater encounters, the days spent diving Wolf and Darwin will probably dominate your most cherished memories.
The story of the Galapagos is not all about Wolf and Darwin. Other areas will likely play an important role in your diving experience here. While you may do a check-out dive in the San Cristobal area, most of your other dives will take place in the central region of the archipelago. The most sought-after dive 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 will also likely dive in 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 rays, mobula rays, cow nose rays) at Cabo Marshall. Throughout the central region there are opportunities for diving with hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks and turtles, as well as sea lions and, occasionally, fur seals.
The Galapagos Islands experience equatorial weather with a wet and dry season. Wet season, from approximately January to June, is when you can experience more frequent showers, often with sunny spells either side of the brief but impressive showers. Water temperatures tend to hover in the range of 20 – 28°C during this time. This can be the period with warmer water, calmer seas and better experiences with hammerhead sharks and manta rays.
Dry season, roughly from July to December, obviously has less rain but also tends to be cooler and the water temperature is lower, usually between 16 – 23°C. This is whale shark season and tends to be the most popular period to visit, despite the occasional discomfort.
Of course this is not an exact science and you are advised to bring exposure suits and equipment on Ecuador liveaboards to cover the wide range of temperatures you will experience.