Dive Safaris

Sample Itinerary, in full

Designed for dive enthusiasts, our 5 day/4 night Dive Safaris include two dives per day and a land excursion on arrival. We are always happy to tweak these programs to incorporate some of islands’ terrestrial wildlife, with additional days exploring Santa Cruz Island and/or boat trips to beautiful, uninhabited neighbouring islands.

Dive Days

We can also add individual diving days to your Classic, Family, or Pre- and Post- Cruise Safari.

Galapagos Dive Safari: Details

Shared Diving Tours

All our Dive Safaris are shared tours, and included a shared boat and a shared GNP Dive Guide. To enhance customer service and safety, a private Divemaster is also assigned to Galapagos Safari Camp guests (see below for details). Private car transfers to/from Galapagos Safari Camp are also included.

More Privacy?

We can also offer a fully-private experience, to include private car transfers, a chartered boat and private Dive Guide/s and Divemasters. The boat can accommodate up to 11 divers. The number of GNP Dive Guides and Divemasters will depend on the number of divers in the group, and their level of dive experience.

Dive Guides:

Our Dive Safaris are led by an official Dive Guide certified by the Galapagos National Park (GNP). GNP Dive Guides are also certified PADI Divemasters (many have PADI certifications beyond this level, such as Instructor).

On our Shared Dive Safaris, Galapagos Safari Camp guests also have a private Divemaster. The role of this individual is to assist guests personally, and provide an added net of safety. As they are not certified GNP Dive Guides, they are not permitted to lead separate tours.

Dive Sites we visit:

We visit a number of dive sites in and around the Central Islands. These include Floreana, Gordon Rocks, Plaza Islands, North Seymour, Mosquera, Daphne Minor, Bartolome, Cousin’s Rock and Academy Bay (for night dives only). You can read more about each of these dive sites at: Best Dive Sites in the Galapagos Islands

Diver-to-Dive Guide Ratio

Groups of 1-6 divers will have 1 shared GNP Dive Guide, 1 shared Divemaster, 1 private Divemaster
Groups of 7-11 divers will have 2 shared GNP Dive Guides, 1 shared Divemaster (depending on  abilities of group), 1 private Divemaster.

Required Certifications, Experience and Logged Dives

It is mandatory for our guests to hold an Open Water Scuba-Diving Certification from a reputable organization such as PADI, NAUI and CMAS.

A medical certificate is also required if declaring any medical condition, and/or for guests over 60 years old who have not been diving for the last 8 months.

Gordon Rocks is the only dive site we visit that requires a minimum of 25 logged dives in the last 18 months prior to the dive day. All the other dive sites we visit do not require any logged dives. However, for your own safety, comfort and enjoyment we highly recommend gaining enough open water experience so that you feel comfortable in most conditions, especially with drift dives, which are very common in the Galapagos. Do bear in mind that ocean currents can be strong in the Galapagos, and more unpredictable than you may be used to, especially in the cooler season (July-December).

If you haven’t dived in a while, we recommend taking the PADI ReActivate Refresher Program in your home country ahead of your visit.

Getting PADI certified in the Galapagos

If you would like to incorporate a PADI course in your Dive Safari, please refer to guide on PADI Courses in the Galapagos for more details.

Non-Diving Travel Companions

I’m afraid we do not accept non-divers joining the tour. However, we can organise an alternative excursion or activity for them, to accommodate their needs and interests.

Scuba Diving: More Resources

A Guide to Scuba-Diving in the Galapagos Islands: This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about scuba diving in the Galapagos.

PADI Courses in the Galapagos Islands: In this guide we detail how to get to your PADI Advanced certification in the Galapagos Islands and why we don’t recommend the Galapagos Islands for beginners, or for those considering doing the PADI Open-Water course here.

Best Dive Sites in the Galapagos Islands: A guide to our favourite dive sites in the Galapagos Islands.

Included:

• Accommodation
• All meals
• Airport VIP services
• Transfers & ground transportation
• Boat excursions with two submersions each day on a shared basis (additional option to take a private guide or to charter the boat for a fully private experience)
• Wetsuits and diving equipment
• English-speaking dive guide
• Activities and visits detailed in the itinerary

Not Included:

• Flights (all flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands can be arranged upon request)
• Galapagos National Park entrance fee (US $100 per adult/$50 per child under 12; subject to change)
• Visitor transit card (US $20 per person; subject to change)
• Beverages
• Laundry service
• Insurance (please check your travel insurance is valid in your country of origin prior to your journey)
• Gratuities
• Dive computer