Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Jun–Nov · Strong current · 16–27°C (coldest Aug, warmest Feb)
- Current
- Strong
- Water temperature
- 16–27°C (coldest Aug, warmest Feb)
- Visibility
- 10–30m: Commonly 10–20m; clearer (15–30m) in the warm season, poorer in the plankton-rich cool season.
- Experience
- Advanced-only in practice.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | occasional |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | peak season |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
Wolf and Darwin only in practice; cool/dry season, peak roughly August–September.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | peak season |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Best in the cool season (June–October) when cold upwelling is strongest; Punta Vicente Roca is the reliable site.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident year-round; pups are most numerous after the August–November breeding peak.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident year-round; underwater feeding is more frequent in cooler, algae-rich conditions.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Cousins Rock
Cousins Rock: Terraced volcanic steps to a sandy bottom.
5–30m · Moderate current
Darwin (Darwin's Arch / El Arenal)
Darwin (Darwin's Arch / El Arenal): Whale sharks June–November, mostly large females.
8–30m · Strong current
Gordon Rocks
Gordon Rocks: Eroded tuff cone; the best central-island site for hammerheads.
12–30m · Strong current
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsDemanding. Fly to GPS. Typical trip $$$.
Route overview
Demanding
Liveaboard only, with a 16h open-ocean crossing to reach the diving.
Airport options
GPS
Seymour Airport (Baltra)
Main arrival airport, reached via Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) on the Ecuadorian mainland; liveaboards board near Baltra/Santa Cruz
SCY
San Cristóbal Airport
Secondary entry point via Quito or Guayaquil
Typical trip cost
$$$
over $4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Galápagos liveaboards are premium: a 7–8 night Wolf/Darwin trip commonly runs roughly $5,000–7,500+ per person depending on boat and cabin, excluding international flights.
- Wolf and Darwin have no land-based or day-trip alternative.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
National Park entrance ~$200 per foreign adult ($100 under-12), effective 1 Aug 2024
INGALA transit card ~$20 per person
about $220 total, cash (USD) only.
How it works
A National Park entrance fee and an INGALA transit control card are mandatory for all visitors. Diving within the Galápagos Marine Reserve is only via licensed operators and liveaboards.