9-DAY GALAPAGOS DIVING EXPLORATION

Meet your AJ trip leader and group at 18:00pm.

Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city of America – declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on arrival time, you can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help you to organize a day trip (please request in advance). In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel’s lobby for a welcome briefing at 18:00 hours. At this time we will discuss the details and questions you may have regarding the adventure. Our first day is an acclimation and information day.

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. On arrival you will be picked up and transferred to Santa Cruz, a nearby island, crossing the narrow Itabaca channel by ferry. From here we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. Here you will visit a private ranch where you will enjoy lunch before heading out for a walk in search of the giant tortoises. During this visit, you will also visit some lava tubes, which are formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies. After this tour, you will continue by private vehicle to your hotel. Here you will have a meet and greet with your local guide who will explain the following day’s itinerary to you. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure to relax and introduce yourself to this beautiful Island.

In the evening we will prepare the gear for you at our dive shop and get ready for the next day for our first diving stop in the beautiful waters of the Galapagos.

The North Seymour topography consists of gradual steps off the island shoreline declining 8 meters to a beautiful rock reef, before reaching the sandy bottom at 16 – 18 meters. Diving at Seymour provides the opportunity to swim with many white and black tip reef sharks, as well as being a favorite resting place for large numbers of green sea turtles. Though Seymour does not have the notoriety for hammerhead sharks, it is still possible to see small schools at both Seymour sites, swimming through the channel and around the point through the current. Large schools of barracuda, snapper and other reef fish are also in abundance, and the rock reef is an excellent place to search for the well-camouflaged octopi. A personal favorite however, are the schools of spotted eagle rays that glide through the channel along the sand, occasionally joined by devil and manta rays.

Travel Time: Approx 1 hour car and boat travel from Puerto Ayora.
Dive Difficulty: Seymour is a good place for beginners and experienced divers alike. Though the currents can be moderate to strong on occasion, it is on the whole suitable for people with limited experience. Drift dive.

MOSQUERA
Mosquera is located off the northern coast of Baltra and is very diverse. It is a wall dive with little current. The main attractions to this site are the frequent visits by Manta Rays. There is always plankton in the water, so the visibility is not fantastic, but they come so close it is not a problem. Juvenile Galapagos sharks, white tipped reef sharks and eagle rays are also common.

Travel Time: 45 min – 1 hour from Puerto Ayora by car and 30 minutes by diving boat.
Dive Difficulty: Easy to intermediate due to the wall. The dive isn’t deep, but you have to watch your depth.

Gordon Rocks is an extinct volcanic crater with a sandy bottom at 32 meters, and a wall drop off around the outside of around 65 meters. It has 3 exposed rocks that surround the crater and 3 pinnacles ranging from 5-6 meters under the surface along the northern edge of the crater, with one larger pinnacle approximately 21 meters below the surface in the center. The strong currents that frequent Gordon Rocks make it the most accessible home to schools of the famous hammerhead sharks. Schools of up to 50 sharks (or more if you are lucky) can be found circling the rocks through the current giving repeated views of the amazing creatures. White and black tip reef sharks also frequent the area as well as green sea turtles, sea lions, sting rays, eagle rays, large schools of barracuda and snapper and the occasional majestic manta ray or Mola Mola.

Travel Time: 45 min – 1 hour from Puerto Ayora.
Dive Difficulty: Though Gordon Rocks can be a calm and easy dive at times, it is famous for its currents that carry the hammerhead sharks. Therefore, it is best suited to advanced divers. Please ask for advice on booking if you have less than 30 dives experience.

In the morning, you will travel by speedboat to San Cristobal Island. Once we arrive, we will check in at the hotel.
You will have this day at leisure to enjoy this amazing island at your own peace.

León Dormido is one of the most well-known attractions both locally and internationally. If you come to the Galapagos, you must visit León Dormido, also known by its scientific name: Kicker Rock. This is the eroded remains of a lava cone—two vertical rocks rising 500 ft (150 m) above the ocean—forming a narrow channel navigable by small boats.
This natural monument hosts a wealth of tropical birds such as frigate birds and boobies that fill the skies. Its waters boast an extraordinary diversity of marine life just an hour from the port. The channel depth ranges from 14 to 18 meters, while its sides go beyond 40 meters. Kicker Rock is a fantastic dive spot for viewing multiple shark species (including hammerheads), colorful fish, sea lions, rays, turtles, and more.

Travel Time: 40 minutes from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Dive Difficulty: Easy to intermediate due to the vertical walls. The dive isn’t too deep, but caution is needed with depth and occasional currents. Visibility is generally good.

This morning, after breakfast, you will be met and transferred to a dock where a short boat ride will take you to the nearby Isla Lobos. Even before arriving, you’ll spot abundant marine life along the way.Upon arrival, enjoy a guided exploration of the island where you can observe blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, manta rays, sea lions, and even sharks. The island is a haven for wildlife lovers. Before returning to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you’ll have the chance to walk along the white coral beaches, relax, and swim in the shallow turquoise waters.

Enjoy some final free time this morning before being transferred to the airport in San Cristobal. From there, you’ll take a flight back to mainland Ecuador. Upon arrival in Quito, you’ll be greeted at the airport and taken to your hotel for one last relaxing evening before your journey concludes.

International departures. End of services. Take with you unforgettable memories and beautiful photos, and leave a piece of your heart here — because you’ll surely want to return to Ecuador to discover even more of this enchanted land. We wish you a heartfelt “¡Buen viaje!”