Budget cruise aboard Aqua

Afternoon

Baltra

Baltra North East. This is the perfect spot to start your adventure with moderate currents. This dive site is for adventurous divers looking to see fascinating lava and rock formations, as well as an incredible number of marine species. At the depth of around 20m/60 ft, we might see white-tip reef sharks, pelagic sharks, reef sharks, rays, and turtles. Additionally, sea lions will be your companions upon entry and on the safety stops. Occasionally, hammerhead sharks can be spotted swimming nearby.

Afternoon

Isabela Island, Cabo Marshall (scuba), Isabela

The main attraction of Cape Marshall is a spot where it is so frequent to see giant mantas that it was named “Ciudad de las Mantas” (the City of the Mantas, in Spanish). They come to feed on the plankton-rich waters, which is why visibility can be low. After returning aboard the Aqua, the navigation to Darwin will begin, since the distance to be covered is quite considerable.

Afternoon

Darwin Island, Darwin

Darwin’s Theatre, Darwin Two bifurcated ridges point from the reef foundations of Darwin's Arch to the north-east and south-east. Under the splashing waves, curving terraces bend around the north branch, which is illustratively called "Darwin's Theatre". It features a real grandstand with vantage points at about 18 m, just above the edge of a wall that drops deep. The barnacle-covered exposed rocks are the perfect seats to enjoy the aquatic spectacle of whale sharks. Even if there aren't any whale sharks on the move, there is usually an endless parade of extraordinary marine life, including shoals of hammerhead sharks, patrolling requiem sharks, silky sharks, yellowfin tunas, wahoos, amberjacks, and pelagic fish, the latter transforming into spinning balls when hunted.

Afternoon

Wolf

Shark Bay, located on the exposed east coast of Wolf, is shallower than most of the surrounding sites, but for many, it is the most memorable. In addition to being another shark-abundant site, the local cleaning stations reveal fascinating symbiotic relationships. The hawksbill and the critically endangered Pacific green turtles visit the busy royal angels. These cleaning fish also groom painted rays and even hammerhead sharks. At these shallow waters, male hammerhead sharks tend to get closer to the stationary divers than females do in open water. Their indifferent character is quite the opposite of that of the curious Galapagos fur seals, which immediately seek out company and love to interact.

Afternoon

Wolf

Pinnacle and the Caves, Wolf This area has some of the best caves in the Galapagos plus a thrilling experience at the Pinnacle and is located at the northern end of the main island. It has four underwater caves that penetrate the island wall and are easily accessible, as long as the current is not too strong. The entrances to the caves are at depths of 15-21m, and the ground at the bottom of the wall is sandy. Hawksbill turtles and green turtles often gather in this area to be cleaned by the fish, and they can be found around the opening or swimming in and out. The fourth cave has the largest opening, with an entrance at approximately 18m., and offers an interesting exploration if the weather permits. In general, the great variety of life around and inside the caves within the caves include schools of soldierfish, pufferfish, moray eels, Galapagos sharks, spotted rays, cardinalfish and lobsters hiding in holes and crevices. The dive ends at the northeast corner of Wolf, where a tall, massive underwater pinnacle is found, the top of which is just below the surface of the water. The main current comes from the southeast, but there may also be other currents coming from different directions at different depths, creating a kind of whirlpool effect. If the currents permit, you can swim across the gap to the pinnacle to observe the bubbles and the behaviour of the currents. Here you can see large pelagic species such as hammerheads and Galapagos sharks, bottlenose dolphins and turtles.

Afternoon

Wolf

The Secret Cave (night dive), Wolf The Secret Cave has its origins in gas spaces dating back to the formation of the island, which over time eroded and collapsed. It is a great alternative on the north side of Wolf if conditions allow for diving here. Along the wall, sometimes with hammerheads, you'll find the entrance to a cave that may reveal several nocturnal species, such as cardinalfish, spiny lobsters, shrimps, colourful sea urchins, moray eels, as well as Pacific green turtles and sea lions. El Fondeadero (night dive), Wolf Wolf's Anchorage is the only dive site located on the islet’s protected west coast. The cove and surrounding cliffs reveal the contours of the ancient main crater of this extinct volcanic islet. On the leeward side, the water temperature is higher and the turbulent currents and the treacherous swell of the surrounding area are hardly felt anymore. However, some sharks and reef fish can be spotted during the intervals when they come close to the surface, as well as blue-footed boobies. Those who dare to take on a quite different adventure during these intense days may opt for a dark and exciting night dive. Just below the anchored yacht, the strange red-lipped batfish walks and jumps with its fins on the sandy bottom at a depth of 20m. Although it is active at night and attracted by the beam of light, this cool activity will probably not be the only chance to marvel at this endemic species of the Galapagos.

Afternoon

Fernandina Island, Cape Douglas, Fernandina

Douglas Cape is sure to provide you with incredible opportunities to observe an abundance of marine life, above and below the water. As you prepare for your dive, you can see Galapagos penguins, Galapagos cormorants and Galapagos marine iguanas, animals that are only found on the islands. We will also go in search of amazing marine iguanas swimming and feeding on the rocks beneath the surface. Some of the marine life you may see are the red-lipped batfish, horned dogfish, sunfish, and possibly whales!

Afternoon

Santa Cruz Island, Los Gemelos - Highlands, Santa Cruz

Your last visit is very contrasting to your previous underwater experiences. You will explore a Giant Tortoise Reserve in the Scalesia forest-covered highlands of Santa Cruz. This is the best place to look for Galapagos giant tortoises in their most authentic environment! Despite the interesting breeding centres -where you are guaranteed to find tortoises in their pens- there is nothing better than watching them in their wilderness. Although it can be quite wet and muddy, your visit can turn into an adventurous quest when you realise they have quietly left their favourite pond. Unlike the adjacent agricultural area, this Tortoise Reserve is a protected area and an official part of the Galapagos National Park. It stretches from El Chato Hill to the southwest coast of Santa Cruz Island, where females follow Darwin's "tortoise roads" to lay their eggs. In 2015, an estimated 32,000 tortoises were living in the wild on all the islands, most of them in the restricted locations on Isabela Island. In addition to the tortoises, you can also see a native flake forest, covered with lichens, ferns and other epiphytes. This protected area also offers excellent opportunities to observe numerous endemic songbirds among the dense foliage, savouring the delicacy of the introduced blackberries, including Darwin's finches, colourful cardinal flycatchers and yellow warblers. The turtle pond is also home to waterfowl, including the red-billed coot. If you're lucky, you might spot the elusive Galapagos chick in the tall grass or the short-eared owl at the entrance to the lava tunnels.