Plan Your Trip
The 16-guest Galapagos Aggressor III is a custom-built liveaboard vessel with plenty of room in the en-suite cabins and throughout the boat. On this 8-day/7-night Galapagos diving tour during the June to December diving season, almost all dives are made from a dive tender, allowing easy access to all the best sites. Photographers will appreciate that nitrox is available, and the dive deck features both a camera rinse tank and table. After diving, guests can warm up in the upper deck hot tub while viewing the spectacular Galapagos island scenery. You can also relax in the air-conditioned saloon with a complimentary local beer and local wine, stay connected with friends using the onboard internet (extra), check your shots on the onboard computer, or enjoy some music or movies in the entertainment lounge. Comfort, service, and some seriously spectacular scuba diving await you on board this discerning liveaboard diver.
“We booked our Galapagos/Peru trip through Surtrek and are very glad that we did.”
AM: In the morning, you will fly from Quito or Guayaquil (on the Ecuadorian mainland) to Baltra Island, the main point of entrance to this natural paradise and situated in the heart of the Galapagos archipelago. Upon your arrival at the airport, you will need to pay the national park entry fee, which goes to protecting both the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve. A member of your ship's crew will then welcome you and accompany you to your yacht: the Aggressor III live-aboard diving ship.
PM: In the afternoon, all divers will undergo an orientation dive in the safer waters of Punta Carrion (off Santa Cruz Island) to assess their capabilities.
AM: This morning we will take two (2) dives at either Punta Carrion or Punta Bartolome, depending on conditions. At Punta Carrion, the dives are between 40 and 90 feet. During these, you are likely to see Whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, Eagle rays and Marbled rays, Scorpionfish, sea turtles and sea lions. As our alternative diving site, Punta Bartolome has 20 to 90-foot dives. On these, you can look forward to sighting groupers, Creole fish, Whitetip reef sharks, barracudas, Scorpionfish, sea turtles, Guinea puffer fish, Red-lipped batfish, reef coral, and occasionally Hammerheads and Bottlenose dolphins.
PM: In the afternoon, we will head for land for some hiking on scenic Bartolome Island. Here, you will discover a fascinating moonscape formed by various volcanic formations — including lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones — as we hike to the island’s summit for striking views of the surrounding islands, Sullivan Bay and the towering Pinnacle Rock. As the beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some of the finest snorkeling in the islands, you can discover a marvelous underwater world here and have a good chance of finding sea turtles gliding gently alongside you. On the rocks beneath Pinnacle Rock, it is quite possible to spot some of the quick-as-an-arrow Galapagos penguins; at around 25 centimeters tall, these are members of the second smallest species of penguin in the world. Likewise, you are likely to see harmless Whitetip reef sharks sunning in these waters. For many visitors, this may turn out to be the best of snorkeling experiences, as the water here is generally clear, without too much surf and full of marine life.
AM/PM: Wolf Island offers incredible dive sites such as Shark Bay, Landslide, Pinnacle, the Caves, North Islet, Elephant, and Anchorage. All of these dive sites offer sure sightings of enormous schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, as well as large schools of Galapagos sharks and cow-nosed rays. Wolf Island, however, is not a destination for beginner divers due to strong currents and under surge; these dive sites are recommended for advanced divers only. On Wolf Island, we will make two (2) morning dives and two (2) afternoon dives.
AM: Darwin Island (also named Culpepper), honors the archipelago's most famous visitor, Charles Darwin. Darwin Island is the northernmost island in the archipelago and is an incredible place for divers along with its nearby neighbor of Wolf Island. Although it has only a couple of dive sites, which are situated on the southeastern and northeastern sides of “Darwin's Arch,” these dives can be absolutely overwhelming and divers often return to the boat awed by their experiences. Darwin's Arch sits above the surface on a wide, flat plateau (rock platform), just off the southern end of Darwin Island. This is the only dive site at Darwin Island, but many visitors believe that it is the best dive site in the Galapagos Islands and one of the best dive sites in the world, especially from June to November, when the presence of the Humboldt Current is the strongest.
PM: This afternoon, we will return to Wolf Island for two (2) additional dives.
AM/PM: Cabo (Cape) Marshall is located on the Northeast side of Isabela Island. Depth can be over 40 meters (130+ feet) and visibility varies from 6 – 21 meters (20 – 70 feet) depending on the time of the year. Current is moderate to heavy and always a drift dive along the coast. Surge can be moderate in the shallows but imperceptible in general. Cabo (Cape) Marshall is a wall dive and a good place for observing Giant manta rays, mobulas and other pelagics. On Cabo Marshall, we will take a total of four dives: two (2) morning dives, one (1) afternoon dive, and one (1) night dive.
AM: Located in the most nutrient rich waters of Fernandina Island, Cape Douglas offers an amazing drift dive for encountering marine iguanas, and penguins. Fur seals and sea lions also mingle with snacking marine iguanas, and penguins are likely to zoom past you. This morning we will make two (2) dives at Cabo Douglas.
PM: This afternoon, we will make two (2) dives at Punta Vicente Roca. Located on the northwestern side of Isabela Island, Punta Vicente Roca is a wall dive to a maximum depth of 27 meters (90 feet). Visibility can be challenging in the shallows with averages of 2 – 5 meters (5 – 15 feet) in the colder times of the year. Deeper than 12 meters (40 feet) visibility usually increases to 12 – 24 meters (40 – 80 feet) and the temperature drops rapidly. Punta Vicente Roca is one of the best wall dives in the Galapagos and allows a completely different landscape. The wall hosts invertebrates, seahorses, frogfish and other species. The outside of the wall will allow you to watch mola mola (sunfish) coming from the depths to cleaning stations. The current is negligible but surge can be moderate in the shallows.
AM: This morning we will make one (1) dive at Cousins Rock, which is another famous Galapagos dive sites. Located northeast of the coast of Santiago Island and north of Bartolome Island, Cousins Rock offers the opportunity to sight seahorses, frogfish, and nudibranchs. Sea lions, rays, and pelagics are also common encounters. With a depth range from 3 – 27 meters (10 – 90 feet), Cousins Rock has an average visibility of 9 – 18 meters and a moderate current from the southeast. Surge is moderate in the shallow areas.
PM: This afternoon we will arrive at either Itabaca Channel or Puerto Ayora, both on Santa Cruz Island. After lunch, guests will disembark at 1 pm to go ashore for a private bus tour to see the beautiful Highlands of Santa Cruz Island. This will include a scenic view over Santa Cruz and a giant tortoise reserve. After the hike, guests can walk through the town Puerto Ayora, shop and visit the Fausto Llerena tortoise-breeding center at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Guests will have dinner ashore at a local restaurant of their choice (the only meal not included in the cruise).
AM: Divers will have a full breakfast then check out and depart to the Baltra Airport.
| Cabin | Season | 8 Days |
| Double | Jan 1 - Jun 29 2018 | US$ 5,955 PP |
| Jun 30 - Jul 31 2018 | US$ 6,295 PP | |
| Sep 01 - Dec 31 2018 | US$ 5,955 PP |
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“We loved the Galapagos Islands. Both of our hotels on Santa Cruz and Isabella islands were excellent. Our tour guides were knowledgeable and directed us to the most interesting sights and wildlife. Thanks Surtrek for organizing an excellent trip.”
