Eastern Pacific · Ecuador
Galápagos Islands
Why dive here
- Documented wildlife: Galápagos Shark, Green Sea Turtle, Oceanic Manta Ray
- 3 documented dive sites
- Access varies by dive site
Wildlife
Green Sea Turtle
Documented at this destination — specific site not yet recorded
See other destinations for Green Sea TurtleOceanic Manta Ray
Documented at Landslide (El Derrumbe)
Best months: Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May
See other destinations for Oceanic Manta RayScalloped Hammerhead Shark
Schooling documented at Darwin's Arch
Whale Shark
Documented at Darwin's Arch
Best months: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov
See other destinations for Whale SharkDive sites
Darwin's Arch
12–40m
A submerged pinnacle off Darwin Island, in open ocean far from any other landmass — too remote for day trips, reachable only by liveaboard. The above-water rock arch itself partially collapsed from natural erosion on 17 May 2021, but the underwater dive site and its wildlife were unaffected. Large schools of scalloped hammerheads, regular whale sharks (Jun-Nov), and resident Galápagos sharks are documented here.
Advanced Open Water required
also accepted: SSI Advanced Adventurer, NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver, CMAS 2★
Gordon Rocks
5–30m
A partially-submerged volcanic crater rim off Santa Cruz, reachable by day boat from Puerto Ayora — no liveaboard needed. Strong currents and a real minimum-experience bar (operators typically require at least 30 logged dives) make this a meaningfully different, more moderate tier of Galápagos diving than Darwin/Wolf, not merely "the same but cheaper".
Landslide (El Derrumbe)
15–35m
A current-swept descending slope on the southeast side of Wolf Island, reachable only by liveaboard alongside Darwin. Scalloped hammerhead and Galápagos sharks are regularly documented here; giant oceanic manta rays are present in season (Dec-May); whale sharks pass through occasionally but far less predictably than at Darwin.
Advanced Open Water required
also accepted: SSI Advanced Adventurer, NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver, CMAS 2★
When to go
A remote volcanic archipelago ~970km off mainland Ecuador, inside the Galápagos Marine Reserve. Central-island sites (e.g. Gordon Rocks, day-boat accessible from Santa Cruz) see real current but remain a genuinely different, more moderate experience than the legendary Darwin and Wolf islands far to the north, which are reachable only by a multi-day liveaboard crossing and demand real cold-water current experience. Difficulty varies sharply by site — this is not a uniformly "Advanced-only" destination. Every visitor pays a mandatory $200 Galápagos National Park entrance fee plus a $20 INGALA Transit Control Card, regardless of which sites are dived.
Best months overall
Manta rays: Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May
Whale sharks: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov
Experience & eligibility
Advanced diving experience typically required
A certification or experience level is a floor, not an exact match — a more experienced diver can always access an easier site.
How to dive here
Real dive operators and their published trip options for this destination — DiveFinder does not sell or book these; continue on the operator's own site.
10-Night Extended Darwin & Wolf Itinerary
Galapagos Sky · Liveaboard operator
Price not published
package price
Advanced Open Water · recommended
Source: independently researched by DiveFinder
7-Night Darwin & Wolf Itinerary
Galapagos Sky · Liveaboard operator
Price not published
package price
Advanced Open Water · recommended
Source: independently researched by DiveFinder
Trip cost
- Diving/liveaboard
- $4,590–$7,495
- Mandatory park fee
- $220
- Flights
- Unknown
- Accommodation
- Included in liveaboard
Diving, mandatory fees, and accommodation (included in the liveaboard) — only flights aren't included.
Source price: $6,395
? Flights