Galapagos & Ecuador Itineraries:

Galapagos Islands - M/Y Wolf Buddy

The Galápagos Islands are an Ecuadorian archipelago of volcanic islands straddling the equator about 970 km west of continental Ecuador. The Galapagos are a UNESCO World Heritage site, an Ecuadorian National Park and a biological marine reserve.

You may wonder what all this fuss is about, but we can assure you that these islands have earned all of these titles!

Firstly, these 18 islands and 100 islets are world-renowned for their vast endemic and unique wildlife, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. Darwin's research in the Galapagos contributed to his famous 'Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection'.

Being located in both the Southern and Northern hemispheres, the islands are already an oddity themselves, but this archipelago is the land of every extreme. Their vastness (220 km from North to South and 7,880 km² of land spread over 45,000 km² of ocean) is surprising, but the fact that they are still being shaped by volcanic activity is amazing. The wildlife is beyond belief - the plants, birds and animals do not seem to have changed much since ancient times. You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Galapagos Islands are frozen in time.

Few people are lucky enough to dive these pristine waters, and no place on Earth will boast such a variety of underwater sightings. Your underwater adventures will include everything from whales to nudibranchs and much, much more. The islands are best known for amazing shark diving and you will generally have a chance to encounter silky sharks, the famous Galapagos shark and an abundance of schooling hammerheads. Macro-lovers will also get their share with an array of seahorses, blennies, hawk fish and many others.

A trip to Galapagos is a once in a lifetime experience.

QUALIFICATION NEEDED:
We can welcome all divers, but recommend being qualified as PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent with a minimum of 100 logged dives and having dived within 6 months prior to the trip. Dives can often be challenging, with strong currents. Galapagos National Park regulations state that all dives must be guided and night diving is not permitted.

Diving and travel insurance are mandatory to access the National park.

Sample itinerary:

**PLEASE NOTE**The itinerary below is an example only and is subject to change depending on local regulations, guests experience, flight schedules, weather & logistics and is at the Captain's discretion. The itinerary visits the same islands, but the order may vary on a week to week basis.

Flight times, prices and the arrival terminal at Galapagos are all subject to change with little or no notification and flights are often delayed. Please arrive for check in at least 3 hours prior to the flight .

Day 1 - Flight: Home to Quito, Ecuador
Day 1 - Overnight: Hotel in Quito
Day 2 - Free day: Quito and overnight in a hotel
Day 3 - Flight from Quito to Galapagos Islands: Transfer to vessel, boarding and check dive
Day 4 - Cabo Marshall: Diving and overnight sailing north
Day 5 - Wolf & Darwin Islands: Diving
Day 6 - Darwin Island: Diving
Day 7 - Wolf Island: Early morning sailing and overnight crossing
Day 8 - Roca Redonda & Punta Vincente Roca: Diving
Day 9 - Cousin's Rock: Diving, sail to Santa Cruz. Afternoon visit to the turtle Breeding Centre
Day 10 - Check-out and disembarkation: Free time on land and flight back to Quito
Day 10 - Overnight: Hotel in Quito
Day 11 - Flight: From Quito back home
Day 12 - Flight: Arrival home

DIVING HIGHLIGHTS:

Please note: All diving takes place from 'pangas' (tenders).

LOBOS ISLAND
Lobos Island is named after the Spanish word for 'sea lion' and it certainly lives up to its name! The small flat island is home to an abundant population of these amazing creatures and with any luck you will encounter them underwater. As well as the sea lions, the island is also well-known for sightings of marine iguanas, turtles, blotched stingrays and beautiful sea stars.

CABO MARSHALL
Along the eastside of Isabela Island (the largest of the Galapagos Islands), is the site of Cabo Marshall or Cape Marshall. This is the only spot in the Northern Hemisphere where you can observe penguins in their natural habitat. The site is only accessible by liveaboard and is renowned for its manta rays. If you don't get to see these giants, there is plenty of other action to keep you entertained: hammerheads, white-tip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, sea lions, sea turtles and many other fish. The seafloor and walls are covered by black coral and interesting anemone colonies grow all over the rocks.

THE NORTHERN ISLANDS: DARWIN & WOLF

The northern most islands in Galapagos 'Darwin and Wolf' rank among the best and most famous dive sites in the world. Due to their fragile ecosystem, the national park authorities prohibit land visits and the fact that they are so far from the other islands, means that they are only visited by liveaboards.

The conditions around these uninhabited islands can vary and there are sometimes big swells. With no mooring points, your vessel will need to anchor in open water and the dives will be conducted from the 'panga' (RIB). Once you descend, there will be strong currents, but once you are stationed and protected behind big rocks you can relax and enjoy the view drifting by - schools of every kind of fish, Galapagos sharks, schools of hammerheads and from June to October the giant whale shark. Darwin and Wolf are truly world class dive sites and will not disappoint!

DARWIN

Easily recognised by its famous arch, which sits just above the surface, Darwin (appropriately named for its famous visitor) is considered the best in Galapagos. The waters are much warmer around this rock as it's not affected by the Humboldt current. This means that the underwater landscape is very different from the rest of the Galapagos, offering an almost-tropical environment where corals flourish.

Having to work your way around the schools of hammerheads so thick that you cannot count them is an awesome feeling, but then to see an underwater ballet taking place in front of your eyes is truly a thrilling experience and will leave you speechless. Mackerel, tuna, jacks and rainbow-runners swirl around the walls while dolphins play in the distance. Thousands of species such as eels, turtles, sea lions, fishes, flounders and rays which also populate these waters and whale sharks also often visit this remote island. Darwin Island is a divers dream.

WOLF
The long journey to Wolf Island is definitely worthwhile. Wolf was named after a German geologist who is responsible for first establishing the true nature of Galapagos geology. There is a safe anchorage available on the island and experienced divers can enjoy a drift dive in very fast currents with thousands of fish, schools of hammerheads and other large pelagic species such as whale sharks and eagle rays.

ROCA REDONDA
Lying off Isabela Island, Roca Redonda is the tip of an underwater volcano that emerges as a tiny islet. Above the water, the island is inhabited by endemic birds (including the special night-feeding swallow tailed gull) and lava flows can be observed. The dive site features several pinnacles which are a good place for spotting sea lions, seahorses, schools of surgeonfish, barracudas and jacks. Occasionally hammerhead sharks, manta rays and even the massive sun fish are also sighted here. Don't miss the volcano's underwater steam vents where you can see gas bubbles rising to the surface!

PUNTA VICENTE ROCA
Punta Vincente Roca is one of the best dive sites Isabela Island has to offer. The remains of the Ecuador volcano forms two beautiful coves and is a dream for sailors as it's extremely sheltered and protected from the ocean swells and currents. Part of the volcano slid into the ocean and will leave you with a spectacular cutaway view of the volcanic caldera. As a diver, you will be relieved to hear that the surface conditions are reflected underwater and this peace might be welcome after some fast & furious drift dives! The shallow wall, covered with sponges and corals, is full of crevices that house lobsters, nudibranchs and sometimes seahorses. As you go a bit deeper, schools of barracudas, sea lions, turtles, penguins and rays are waiting for you!

COUSIN'S ROCK
Cousin's Rock is a small rock and the remains of an eroded volcano crater. A small number of birds and sea lions live on it, but the appeal is definitely underwater. This wall dive with strong currents features plenty of black coral, which appears green underwater. If you can keep from being distracted by the schools of barracuda, green sea turtles, sea lions, eagle rays and the occasional manta , you will see that this coral provides the perfect camouflage for seahorses and other experts of disguise, such as octopus, hawkfish and sometimes frogfish.

Do you want to experience the thrill of diving Galapagos? Check out our Schedules and Prices HERE >>>

DETAILED ITINERARY:

Departing from any major airport, your flight will take you to Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador. Due to the distance, you will most likely transit through another airport on your way. We strongly encourage you to plan to arrive at least one day prior the start of your liveaboard to ensure that your luggage makes the connection and/or to make up for any travel delays. Quito is very scenic and makes a perfect location for doing some sightseeing. After a night in a hotel, you will get a complete full day to explore the city and recover from the jetlag; we want you as fresh as possible to enjoy your diving! You will then have a second night in the hotel before you internal flight to Galapagos.

After checking out, you will head to the airport and catch your flight to the Galapagos. The flight originates in Quito and makes a stop in Guayaquil to pick up passengers and does the reverse on the way back. The flight duration is 2 hours from Quito to Guayaquil and then another 30 minutes on to Galapagos.

Upon arrival in the Galapagos, the transfer bus will be waiting to take you to the vessel. After boarding and checking-in, the vessel will start cruising to a calm and sheltered site for a relaxed check dive, which will introduce you to the wonderful underwater world. On your second day of diving, you will spend more time around the central islands and most specifically at Isabela Island to dive on Cabo Marshall, where you will be able to enjoy three spectacular day dives with sharks and large schools of fish. After that, the boat will start cruising (between 15-18hrs depending on currents and time of year) to reach the "Northern Islands"- the most famous spots for divers in the Galapagos - Wolf & Darwin.

Upon arrival the next morning, you will be able to experience first-hand what the Galapagos Islands are all about - sharks! You will conduct 9 dives over 3 days around Wolf & Darwin Islands and likely witness hammerheads, silky sharks, Galapagos sharks and much more! After your third day of diving at the Northern Islands, the ship will start sailing back overnight to the main islands (the journey will last between 18-24 hrs as you will be cruising against currents).

For the next two days, you will dive around the Central Islands and in particular Isabela Island and Santiago Island. Your last five dives will provide you with and excellent underwater fauna with some endemic species and surprising landscapes. After your last dive, the vessel will cruise back to the island of Santa Cruz and the afternoon will be spent visiting the Tortoise Breeding Centre which hosts some of the most famous and oldest residents of the Galapagos: the giant tortoises. A naturalist guide will be with you all the way to explain how they managed to reinsert more than 200 tortoises and are still breeding 400 individuals. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn a bit more about the Galapagos diversity and efforts to protect its environment.

The next day, after breakfast, it will unfortunately be time to disembark, but another land excursion to the Interpretation will be on offer. This could be a chance to learn a bit more about the geography, geology and zoology of the archipelago. After the visit, at around 13:00, the transfer bus will take you back to the airport. The flight will then take you back to Quito and we strongly suggest you spend another night in the city, as the flight from the Galapagos often runs late and the Ecuadorian government request all travellers to check in a minimum of 3 hours before their international flight.

After a last night in Ecuador, your flight will take you back and due to distances and connections, you will arrive the day later.

Do you want to experience the thrill of diving Galapagos? Check out our Schedules and Prices HERE >>>

SEASON, WEATHER, CONDITIONS & CURRENT:
The Galapagos Islands have 2 distinctive seasons. The 'rainy season' which runs from December to May and the 'dry season' which runs from June to November.

The 'rainy season' is characterised by mild summer-like temperatures (ranging from 25°C +) which in turn results in wetter weather. It's normally the time when plants flourish and land animals are most active, but also the time when the Panama current occurs. This current brings warm nutrient-poor waters, pushing the schools of fish and marine mammals further North or South in search of colder and nutrient-rich waters. The water temperature will range from 18°C to 25°C, but the visibility can sometimes be murky. The 'rainy season' (especially from January until May) normally offers calmer sea conditions.

The El Niño phenomenon also happens during the rainy season when the Panama current is very strong. In this case there is heavier rainfall and the water temperature can rise dramatically to a maximum of 30°C, making it very comfortable!

The 'dry season' runs from June to November and is characterised by dry, cool air and cooler water temperatures (15°C -21°C). Cooler water normally means more marine life, making this time of the year exceptionally good for underwater sightings. Animals are in their reproduction period and you can find great concentrations of penguins, dolphins, whales and whale sharks. The visibility is also better with an average of 12 to 18m with a maximum of 25m. The downside is that the seas are normally choppier from August to October.

The current will range year round from 1 knot to 5 knots and sea breezes are almost constant.

Lastly, an interesting point...
The temperatures and the climate will vary within the Galapagos itself. Darwin and Wolf Islands (known as the Northern Islands) tend to have warmer waters.

WHAT TO TAKE:
Except for the obvious (certification cards, logbooks and equipment) some parts of your dive equipment are required: BCD, regulator with pressure gauge and depth gauge and a timing device. A computer can also manage timing and depth and is strongly recommended. All the divers must also carry a DiveAlert (horn), a surface signalling device (better to take a flag over a SMB) and an electronic beacon while diving. The horn and electronic beacon will be provided onboard free of charge, but have to be pre-booked.

From June to November, most divers are comfortable with a 7mm wetsuit (7mm semi-dry suit if you particularly feel the cold) , hooded, boots and gloves and a minimum 5mm wetsuit December to May.

The climate on land doesn't require much more than shorts, T-shirts, and swimsuits but at sea the winds can be cold and jackets are often necessary. Soft luggage is recommended as it takes up less space when empty. Sun screen, sunglasses, raincoat, lightweight sweater or jacket, long sleeved shirt, backpack, sandals and a hat are recommended. Lastly, remember that you will be able to go onshore during the last 2 days of your liveaboard and comfortable sandals will make these excursions much more enjoyable.

Please remember that the Galapagos Islands straddle the Equator and the sun can be very strong at times. For this reason please make sure you have sufficient strength sunscreen. In case of rough weather or if you have a tendency towards seasickness, come prepared with motion sickness medications. If you have favourite CD's or DVD's, feel free to bring them along.