If you’d rather speak than email, give us a call: 1-212-245-1211. We love talking about diving the Galapagos! We can answer any questions you have.
We offer land-based dive cruise extensions customized to work seamlessly with your liveaboard itinerary. This means no transfers to other islands or waiting to begin your extension. No sites that you have already visited will be on your extension itinerary.
We present the tour options below as well as our suggestions for each liveaboard. You choose the activities you want. We will put it together to work logistically for you.
We can also add more diving for those interested:
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Galapagos
Begins after your final full day aboard
This program is available all year. As all tours are on strict itineraries so your custom tour options are limited to the available itineraries. If your liveaboard departs out of San Cristobal, you will need to disembark after your final full day and overnight in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. You won’t miss anything. The final morning is breakfast and transfer to the airport.
Payment Terms:
Cancellation Terms:
Each day, you will be collected for your tour, whether it is diving or a land visit. Each afternoon, you will be returned to your hotel. You are free to have dinner anywhere you want and we do have recommendations.
For your departure to Isabela, you will need to bring your snorkeling gear. You may consider bringing a small duffle bag and leaving your luggage at your hotel in Santa Cruz for your return prior to departure.
Bartolome is as iconic as the giant land tortoises. It is probably the most photographed site in Galapagos because of the sweeping 360° land-before-time views from the summit of lava fields and geological formations. On a clear day, you can see up to 10 islands. The island’s best known feature is the remains of a volcanic tuff cone called Pinnacle Rock. The waters around Pinnacle Rock provide snorkeling opportunities with penguins, sea lions and sea turtles.
Bartolome is one of the newest islands in Galapagos, the remains of a volcano. It is a dry and rocky landscapes with little fauna on land. But never mind because Bartolome is about the views and snorkeling. As a British travel writer I once read noted how immediately you appreciate the fearlessness of the animals around humans, but months after you return, it’s the incredible vistas that you remember most vividly.
South Plaza Island is a small crescent shaped island just off the northern coast of Santa Cruz. It has an abundance of wildlife and good snorkeling in crystal clear water. South Plazas is carpeted with dense coral colored Sesuvium from June to January. Combined with either the black or white rock and turquoise sea, it’s is a pallet worthy of any piece in a museum. Prickly pear cactus rises from the ground at time blooming with beautiful yellow flowers.
South Plaza Island has land iguanas. The cliffs shelter and many nesting seabirds such a gulls, Blue Footed boobies, Nazca boobies and the ethereal red-billed Tropicbird. The water around Santa Cruz is home to an estimated 1000 sea lions with an unusually high number of males, so sparring is not uncommon. South Plaza is the only site in Galapagos where land iguanas and marine iguanas share a territory which has produced a hybrid iguana.
North Seymour is a flat, bushy island which has the largest population of nesting Frigates in the Galapagos. There is a 2 kilometer trail around the is- land which will put you very up close and personal with these birds in addi- tion to nesting Blue Footed Boobies. Your timing should be good to see Blue Footed Booby hatchlings. You can also see my favorite swooping in the air, the ethereal Tropicbird. You will see other bird species, land iguanas, sea lions, marine iguanas and the typical cast of fearless Galapagos characters.
Another interesting sighting on North Seymour is the Palo Santo tree. Palo Santo literally translates to Holy Stick. It was often used as incense in churches and even now is commonly used on the mainland as a mosquito repellent. The scent is distinctive. Lunch will be served onboard. You will return at approximately 5:00 PM.
Tortuga Bay is a rather spectacular place. It is 2 bays divided by a peninsula. The large white sandy beach is not appropriate for swimming. The smaller cove surrounded by mangroves is as calm as a lake. . The peninsula itself is a lovely walk with large colonies of marine iguana sunning and sneezing the salt after returning from sea on the short walk between the sea and an Opuntia Cactus forest. Crimson Sesuvium covers the ground much of the year. It is a stunning array of colors – blue skies, black volcanic rock, white sand, emerald green or deep blue sea, crimson or yellow sesuvium and green and brown shades of opuntia or mangrove. Keep an eye on the path so you don’t step on a marine iguana as they are very abundant in this area. There are usually kayaks available to rent at Tortuga Bay. I would choose that over snorkeling as the calm side is so silty, visibility is next to nothing.
Arrival is by foot or by boat. We recommend walking there and returning by boat. You can do this on your own or we can send you with a private guide.
Santa Fe has a stunning, crystal clear turquoise bay that truly resembles the Caribbean until you look up at the land and see all the prickly pear cactus plants. It’s a beautiful place to snorkel with sea lions, sharks, rays and tropical fish.
It is thought to be the oldest island in Galapagos, so supports more endemic wildlife than any other island. Unlike most islands in Galapagos, it was born by tectonic uplift, not a volcano. So the topography is relatively flat. In addition to the tallest prickly pear cacti in Galapagos, there are Palo Santo trees. There are 2 species of land iguanas living on Santa Fe, one found nowhere else. Seagoing vessels long ago wiped out the Santa Fe species of tortoises, however, the National Park has been repopulating the island with a species of tortoise from Espanola.
Los Tuneles is the stuff of BBC /National Geographic documentaries. It’s a labyrinth of lava arches inside the breakers with crystal clear water full of huge sea turtles (sometimes man-sized), eagle rays, sea lions, fish, white tipped reef sharks and more. Turtles navigate their own highway from the mangroves to the open sea through Los Tuneles. You can stand on an arch (with 2 active volcanoes in the background) and watch them pass each other on the way from the mangroves to the open sea as if on a highway with lanes clearly designated. The land before time vistas are spectacular! Pose with penguins for photos if you wish.
At certain times of the year, Los Tuneles is also a blue footed booby nesting ground. We usually spot mantas enroute to Los Tuneles, sometimes mating and sometimes we also see eagle rays and turtles mating, too.
Just north of Los Tuneles is an area where turtles are so commonplace you almost begin to take them for granted. Back in the mangroves, you’ll see why mangroves are nurseries for many sea creatures, including eagle rays. You can often see seahorses wrapped around the mangrove roots .
Sierra Negra is a live volcano in one of the most volcanically active places on earth! It also happens to have the second largest caldera in the world on any active volcano. You will be transported up to the base,“El Cura”. On foot, you walk a very narrow trail on the rim of the caldera. After a gorgeous hike, you arrive to the northeastern edge of the caldera. The views are breathtaking! You will relax a bit and have a snack on the edge of the caldera. You may continue the trek over to Volcan Chico, another 1-2 hour hike in each direction. The walk is difficult and there is no shade at all, but you will never, ever forget the experience!
Volcan Chico is a part of Sierra Negra rather than a separate volcano. It is a parasitic cone from which lava flows. Most say the incredible landscapes look like the moon! Fumarolic activity is abundant. See steam escaping fumaroles and feel the heat beneath your feet where lava flows below. Oxidized metal content is responsible for the palette of crimson, gold, pink, and silver, which sparkles in the equatorial sun. You will see both AA and pahoehoe lava fields. The views to the sea and the Perry Isthmus are spectacular. For most, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
We always recommend having your transportation drop you at the entrance to the Tortoise Breeding Center on Isabela. You can walk back to town through paths and wooden platforms above wetlands spotting a lot of wildlife along the way.
Concha de Perla is a small area surrounded by lava rocks forming a lovely little atoll-like area where you often see sea lions and even penguins. It is located just before the passenger dock and accessible via a wooden walk way through the mangroves. You can do this on your own.
Las Tintoreras is a small AA lava outcrop just off port which has a lava tunnel where you can usually see quite a few white tipped reef sharks ‘resting’ in the bottom and loads of young marine iguanas on the rocks. After a short walk to see the sharks, you will snorkel in the waters off the islet. Las Tintoreras is the local name for white tipped reef sharks. This is an organized tour. We can organize it in advance if you would like to add it to your itinerary.
Wetlands and shore road: You can rent a bike in town and head down the shoreline. It full of deserted beaches and wetlands you can explore via wooden walkways. There is one great place to snorkel chocked full of turtles. We’ll give you a map to find it.
Santa Cruz
Day 1 THU: Dive Gordon Rocks
Day 2 FRI: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 3 SAT: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 4 SUN: Tortuga Bay & free time.
Day 5: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 THU: Dive Gordon Rocks or Tortuga Bay
Day 2 FRI: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 3 SAT: Free Morning PM Transfer to Isabela
Day 4 SUN: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 5 MON: Los Tuneles. PM: Transfer to Santa Cr
Day 6 TUE: Departure
Santa Cruz
Day 1 TUE: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 2 WED: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 3 THU: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 4 FRI: Tortuga Bay
Day 5 SAT: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 TUE: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 2 WED: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 3 THU: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 4 FRI: Free time. PM: Transfer to Isabela
Day 5 SAT: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 6 SUN: Los Tuneles. PM: Transfer to Santa Cruz
Day 7 MON: Departure
Santa Cruz
Day 1 THU: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 2 FRI: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 3 SAT: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 4 SUN: Tortuga Bay & free time.
Day 5: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 THU: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 2 FRI: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 3 SAT: Free Morning PM Transfer to Isabela
Day 4 SUN: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 5 MON: Los Tuneles. PM: Transfer to Santa Cr
Day 6 TUE: Departure
Santa Cruz
Day 1 MON: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 2 TUE: Floreana Day Tour
Day 3 WED: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 4 THU: Tortuga Bay & free time.
Day 5: FRI: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 MON: AM: Free Time. PM: Transfer to Isabela
Day 2 TUE: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 3 WED: Los Tuneles. Transfer to Santa Cruz
Day 4 THU: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 5 FRI: Tortuga Bay
Day 6 SAT: Departure
Santa Cruz
Day 1 MON: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 2 TUE: Floreana Day Tour
Day 3 WED: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 4 THU: Tortuga Bay & free time.
Day 5: FRI: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 MON: AM: Free Time. PM: Transfer to Isabela
Day 2 TUE: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 3 WED: Los Tuneles. Transfer to Santa Cruz
Day 4 THU: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 5 FRI: Tortuga Bay
Day 6 SAT: Departure
Santa Cruz
Day 1 SUN: Tortuga Bay
Day 2 MON: Floreana or Pinzon Day Tour
Day 3 TUE: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 4 WED: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 5: THU: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 SUN: AM: Free Time. PM: Transfer to Isabela
Day 2 MON: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 3 TUE: AM: Los Tuneles. PM: Las Tintoreras
Day 4 WED: AM: Free Time PM: Transfer to Santa Cruz
Day 5 THU: Tortuga Bay
Day 6 FRI: N. Seymour Land Visit
Day 7 SAT: Departure
Santa Cruz
Day 1 SAT: Tortuga Bay
Day 2 SUN: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 3 MON: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 4 TUE: Floreana or Pinzon Day Tour
Day 5: WED: Departure
2 Islas
Day 1 SAT: Tortuga Bay
Day 2 SUN: Las Plazas Land Visit
Day 3 MON: Bartolome Land Visit
Day 4 TUE: Free Morning. Transfer to Isabela
Day 5 WED: Sierra Negra Volcano Trek
Day 6 THU: AM: Los Tuneles. PM: Transfer to Santa Cruz
Day 7 FRI: Departure
Posada Del Mar is a simple, but attractive option in standard rooms. It is so well located. It is close to the dock and many restaurants, including everyone’s favorite, Galapagos Deli, which is on the ground floor of this hotel!
Galapagos Pearl is it’s own little compound. It is near a number of restaurants, galleries and the entrance to the National Park in Santa Cruz.
Ikala is a beautiful hotel located about 3 blocks back from the main dock and close to many restaurants.
La Isla is a lovely small hotel just off the main avenue that runs seafront in Puerto Ayora. It’s less than one block to restaurants and the fishermen’s dock.
SolyMar is right in the middle of everything in front of the sea. It’s within walking distance to the main dock, to restaurants and to the fishermen’s dock.
Isabela Beach House is a stunning location on the ocean front. Watch sea lions, marine iguanas and sometimes even penguins in front of this hotel.
IsaMar is another boutique ocean front option on Isabela. It was constructed by someone from the Sierra, so seems like an adobe with quaint touches, modern facilities and high ceilings in each room.
Casita de la Playa is a quaint oceanfront hotel in a fantastic location.