September is the best time to dive Darwin & Wolf in the Galápagos. Join the Galaxy Diver II liveaboard for an unforgettable week of big animal action: whale sharks, massive schools of hammerheads, Galápagos sharks, rays, turtles, and endless bluenwater encounters. the best diving cruice and world-class guiding make this the ultimate Galápagos adventure.

A limited number of spots on the Galaxy Diver II expedition are available at a preferred rate, providing early access to a fully planned Galapagos diving experience.

Contact Us

AM (Arrival) | Santa Cruz Island: Baltra Airport | Dives: —

Welcome to Galápagos. Our team will meet you outside the terminal at Baltra Airport. Once the full group is ready, we’ll take a short 10-minute ground transfer to the dock, then a quick boat ride (under 5 minutes) to Galaxy Diver II. On board, we’ll settle in with cabin assignment, a smooth boat orientation, safety briefing, and lunch, plus a crew introduction so you know exactly who’s taking care of you for the week.

PM | Santa Cruz Island: Baltra Check Dive – GD2 | Dives: 1

After lunch, the expedition truly begins. We’ll run a clear dive briefing and get everyone set up: dive stations, buddy teams, weights, and a full review of safety equipment (SMB, Dive Alert, Nautilus) and surface procedures.
Then we splash in for a relaxed check dive to confirm buoyancy, communication, and team rhythm setting the foundation for the days ahead.

AM: Punta Carrión (Santa Cruz) | 2 Dives

We start the day with two dives at Punta Carrión, a perfect warm-up site to get everyone fully comfortable and in rhythm before heading north. Conditions here can vary sometimes the water is crystal-clear, other times it’s more dynamic, making it a great place to practice communication, buoyancy, and positioning as a group.

Marine life is usually reef-focused: expect white-tip reef sharks, schooling fish and classic Galápagos reef species along the rocky contours. Every now and then, if we’re lucky and looking deep, we may spot a mola (Mola Alexandrini).

These dives are about building confidence, sharpening the basics, and getting the team ready for what’s coming next.

PM: IN ROUTE TO WOLF ISLAND

After Diving | Navigation to Wolf Island (Crossing the Equator)

After our dives at Punta Carrión, we return on board for a well-earned lunch and time to unwind. Then we begin our journey north to Wolf Island, approximately 120 nautical miles across the Galápagos Sea.

This is our first major crossing and the moment we pass the Equator line. The Galaxy Diver II is one of the fastest liveaboards in the islands, so this navigation is typically around 10–12 hours (depending on conditions).

On board we will relax on deck, enjoy the volcanic horizon, recharge, and start getting your camera setup ready, because Wolf is where the real shark action begins.

Wolf Island | The Shark Kingdom of the North

Wolf is one of the most iconic dive zones in Galápagos, it is remote, wild, and only reachable by liveaboard. This is where the big schools of sharks begin. Hammerhead sharks and Galápagos sharks can be seen year-round. Add rays, sea turtles, and endless fish life and you get the kind of dive people wait for lifetime. Conditions often deliver a stunning diving along steep volcanic walls and rocky reefs.

For the largest aggregations and the best chances of whale sharks sittings, the prime season runs from June to November.

Main dive sites (best for hammerheads):

• Shark Bay

• Landslide

AM / PM: SHARK BAY / LANDSLIDE 4 DIVES

Shark Bay (Wolf Island) | Hammerhead Cleaning Stations

Shark Bay is often the perfect place to start our Wolf dives. The site offers a bit more protection from the main current, giving us time to read the conditions, fine-tune the plan, and settle into the rhythm of the day.

Here we focus on cleaning stations along the rocky structure key spots where schools of hammerhead sharks often circle in and out, allowing us to observe them up close while we hold position and let the action come to us. With the right timing and current, Shark Bay can deliver some of the most classic hammerhead moments in Galápagos.

Landslide (Wolf Island) | Big Current, Big Action

Landslide is one of Wolf’s most legendary dives, and it’s usually more exposed to current, which is exactly why it can be so rewarding. Here we dive with a more precise plan: solid buddy awareness, clean positioning, and the discipline to hold the line while the ocean brings the show.

Expect a strong current, Galápagos sharks, eagle rays and dolphins are always a possibility. When conditions line up, this is where hammerhead schools can push in closer, creating those iconic, heart-pounding moments that define Wolf.

Darwin Island | Bucket-List Diving, Documentary Moments

Darwin is the stage where Galápagos delivers its most iconic dives. Remote and accessible only by liveaboard, rocky reefs, deep blue water, and big-animal encounters that made this place famous worldwide.

The arch may be gone, but the Pillars still mark the zone, and underwater it’s pure magic: hammerheads and Galápagos sharks year-round, coral patches packed with turtles, and nonstop motion from jacks, tunas, and dolphins.

From June to November, Darwin reaches peak season at The Theatre, one of the most famous whale shark zones on Earth. If Wolf is the shark kingdom, Darwin is the documentary moment you came for.

Main dive sites:

• Darwin’s Pillars
• The Theatre (seasonal whale shark zone)
• El Arenal (sandy area)

Darwin’s Pillars (Darwin Island) | The Gateway to the Theatre

Darwin’s Pillars are the landmark of the zone and the starting point for some of the most iconic dives in Galápagos. Rising from the blue next to Darwin Island, the Pillars sit on the edge of deep open ocean, exactly where the current concentrates life.

The Theatre (Darwin Zone) | Cleaning Stations & Big Aggregations

The Theatre is where Darwin becomes world-famous. It’s a volcanic rock platform around 17 meters ( 57 feet ) depth, known for its cleaning stations, a natural meeting point where big animals circle in and out.

This is a stay-and-watch dive: we hold position and let the ocean deliver. In season, this is prime territory for giant whale sharks.

El Arenal (Darwin Area) | Coral Patch & Hammerheads Over Sand

El Arenal sits between the Pillars and the island and offers one of the largest coral patches in Galápagos.

This is where you can experience one of the most unforgettable scenes for any diver: hammerheads cruising over the sand, moving like shadows in formation. Along the reef, it’s common to see sea turtles feeding, and occasionally Darwin surprises with a tiger shark passing through.

AM | Darwin 2 DIVES

Another morning in Darwin to take advantage of changing conditions, this area can look completely different dive to dive. Even the safety stop can be unreal, with sharks, dolphins, and big life cruising below.

PM | Wolf Island: Landslide and Shark Bay | Dives: 2

We return to Wolf, around 2 hours of navigation. Often the light and current patterns shift later in the day, perfect for another shot at cleaning stations, Galápagos sharks, and hammerhead activity.

After the last dive, we begin our return south, roughly 100 nautical miles toward Isabela (typically 10–12 hours, depending on conditions).

AM | Fernandina Island: Douglas Cape / Iguanas Dive | Dives: 2

A unique Galápagos experience and one of the most special mornings of the trip.

• Dive 1 (deeper): we’ll look for rare, endemic highlights like the red-lipped batfish, Galápagos Sea robin, and the endemic Galápagos bullhead shark.

• Dive 2 (shallower): timing the action as marine iguanas warm up and enter the water to feed, the only place in the world where you can dive with marine iguanas underwater.
  You may also see Galápagos penguins (one of the smallest penguin species and the northernmost penguin on Earth), the flightless cormorant, sea turtles, and plenty of sea lions.

PM | Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point | Dives: 1
A scenic and dramatic dive in cooler nutrient-rich water. This site can be cold and deep (up to 30m or 100 feet), and we’ll look for cleaning stations that can attract Mola Alexandrini. The volcanic coastline here is unreal and during daytime navigation you may spot whales, dolphins, and occasionally orcas

AM | Santiago Island: Cousin Rock | Dives: 1

A beautiful final dive focused on topography, coral structure, and macro life: seahorses, nudibranchs, reef fish, and the chance for white-tip reef sharks. Sea lions often join the fun, and eagle rays. In season, you may even see mobulas and occasionally Mantas rays.

PM (Land Visit) | Santa Cruz Island: Highlands | Dives: —

In the afternoon we head to the Santa Cruz Highlands to see giant tortoises in the wild and explore the lush interior of the island. If included, we may also visit a lava tunnel.

DEPARTURE

AM | Santa Cruz Island: Baltra – Airport (Return) | Dives: —

After breakfast, we transfer to Baltra Airport for your flight back to mainland Ecuador. Our team will assist with timing and logistics to ensure a smooth departure.