North and West Islands - Diving Itinerary

Arrive at the airport and transfer to the diving vessel Danubio Azul.

This site features calm currents, making it ideal for snorkeling and panga rides. Marine life commonly seen here includes the old chameleon, gringo, old rainbow, chancho, and the colorful Galapagos goby.


 

The seabed here consists of basaltic rock in various sizes, sloping steeply into deeper waters. Formed by ancient lava flows entering the sea, this area lies along a megafauna migration route. The site is ideal for spotting stingrays, devil rays, green turtles, sea lions, several shark species, and other open-water marine life.

Cape Marshall is located on the northeastern coast of Isabela Island, near the base of the active Wolf Volcano. Known for drift diving, it features a near-vertical volcanic wall that drops to the ocean floor. Divers often encounter hammerhead sharks, white-tipped reef sharks, and Galapagos sharks here.

Darwin’s Arch is a hotspot where sharks, turtles, and mackerels gather at cleaning stations, benefiting from a symbiotic relationship with butterflyfish, barber fish, and angelfish. The sandy slope in front of the arch, called "El Arenal," is the busiest area, perfect for spotting hammerhead sharks, Pacific green turtles, and the occasional hawksbill turtle, along with garden eels and starfish. Beyond, sloping terraces lead to a deep ravine with curved reef contours, offering excellent spots to watch hammerheads. Just 100 meters from Darwin’s Theatre, this area also provides opportunities to swim with whale sharks and enjoy the marine life carried by the current.

Darwin’s Arch is one of the most iconic landmarks in the Galapagos, but only a few travelers have the chance to see it in person. However, the true marvel lies beneath the waves, where the reef platform hosts a world-class diving experience. This underwater paradise is a hotspot for schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks and, most notably, whale sharks—the largest fish in the world, reaching the size of a bus. Divers can get remarkably close to these gentle giants, particularly between June and November. During this period, pregnant whale sharks often stop here on their mysterious migration, accompanied only by remora fish.

Darwin’s Arch is a hotspot where sharks, turtles, and mackerels gather at cleaning stations, benefiting from a symbiotic relationship with butterflyfish, barber fish, and angelfish. The sandy slope in front of the arch, called "El Arenal," is the busiest area, perfect for spotting hammerhead sharks, Pacific green turtles, and the occasional hawksbill turtle, along with garden eels and starfish. Beyond, sloping terraces lead to a deep ravine with curved reef contours, offering excellent spots to watch hammerheads. Just 100 meters from Darwin’s Theatre, this area also provides opportunities to swim with whale sharks and enjoy the marine life carried by the current.

Shark Bay, located on the coast of Wolf Island, is a shallower dive site compared to its surroundings but often considered the most remarkable. It’s teeming with sharks and features vibrant cleaning stations that highlight fascinating symbiotic interactions. Hawksbill turtles and critically endangered Pacific green turtles frequently visit these stations, where royal angelfish also tend to painted rays and hammerhead sharks. In the shallow waters, male hammerhead sharks are more likely to approach stationary divers, unlike females in open water. Their calm demeanor contrasts with the playful Galapagos fur seals, which eagerly seek interaction with divers.

Shark Bay, located on the coast of Wolf Island, is a shallower dive site compared to its surroundings but often considered the most remarkable. It’s teeming with sharks and features vibrant cleaning stations that highlight fascinating symbiotic interactions. Hawksbill turtles and critically endangered Pacific green turtles frequently visit these stations, where royal angelfish also tend to painted rays and hammerhead sharks. In the shallow waters, male hammerhead sharks are more likely to approach stationary divers, unlike females in open water. Their calm demeanor contrasts with the playful Galapagos fur seals, which eagerly seek interaction with divers.

The descent down a rocky slope leads to natural viewing spots on the edge of a cliff, around 20 meters deep. From these points, you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama into the blue, where one of the most spectacular shark displays in the Galapagos unfolds. While gripping the rocks, you'll be surrounded by hammerhead sharks, along with Galapagos sharks, silky reef sharks, blacktip sharks, spotted stingrays, and schools of pelican barracudas. During the colder months (June to November), there’s a chance to encounter large whales, including orcas and humpback whales.

Vicente Roca Point is situated at the mouth of the seahorse-shaped formation of Isabela Island, visible from space. As you enter a dark cave beneath a magnificent arch, the sounds of crashing waves reverberate through the air. Around the corner, the collapsed amphitheater of the Ecuador Volcano offers another stunning vista. The sheltered waters of the caves, protected from the ocean’s swell, are perfect for snorkeling with a variety of sharks, penguins, pufferfish, and even seahorses. It’s also common to spot sunfish here, and keep in mind that the waters tend to be colder, which is why penguins thrive in this area!

Douglas Cape offers exceptional chances to witness a diverse array of marine life, both above and below the water’s surface. As you gear up for your dive, you might spot Galapagos penguins, cormorants, and marine iguanas, all unique to the islands. Additionally, you will seek out the fascinating marine iguanas swimming and feeding on the rocks beneath the water. Other marine creatures you could encounter include red-lipped batfish, horned dogfish, sunfish, and even the possibility of spotting whales!

Cousin Rock, a symmetrical volcanic pyramid, emerges from the coastal waters of Santiago, about 5 km offshore. This rocky outcrop is a resting spot for wildlife like blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, Galapagos sea lions, and penguins, often visible during boat trips. Beneath the surface lies a vast underwater cone, home to a vibrant marine ecosystem accessible only to divers and snorkelers. The site offers two main dive spots: a thrilling wall dive in the northeast and a ridge surrounded by terraced walls on the opposite side. Dive depths range from 12-30 meters, with currents varying from medium to strong. Water temperatures span 20-26°C from January to May and 16-20°C from June to December. Visibility ranges from 12-30 meters, and the plankton-rich waters often attract diverse marine life, including larger animals.

The Charles Darwin Research Station is home to tortoises ranging in size from 7.5 centimeters (hatchlings) to 1.2 meters in length. Different subspecies of tortoises interact with one another, and older individuals are accustomed to human presence, sometimes extending their necks to be gently touched. Hatchlings are kept at the station until they are four years old and strong enough to survive independently in their natural habitat.

The visit to North Seymour is the best way of saying goodbye to the Galapagos. Following a dry landing at sunrise you will walk amongst the largest blue-footed booby colony of the Islands. It is likely that you will enjoy their dancing and singing to find a mate. Not far from the dancers are great and magnificent frigate birds nesting. The males inflate their pouches to attract the ladies that fly above them. Swallow tailed gulls and tropicbirds decorate the large basaltic walls of the island.

Be back on board for breakfast at 8:00 and you have to be ready to check out at 9:00. It is always a good idea to do most of your packing the previous night so you can have a pleasant last early morning visit and a relaxed breakfast.