Galapagos Sky
Galapagos Sky Liveaboard Dive Trips
Experience the magic of liveaboard diving on the Galapagos Sky, a five-star luxury yacht designed for both relaxation and adventure. With two certified naturalist dive guides on board, you’ll explore the stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands, both above and below the water. This vessel provides the perfect blend of luxury and world-class diving in one of the most ecologically diverse regions on the planet.
The Galapagos Sky offers luxurious accommodations, including eight private en-suite cabins with amenities such as private head/shower, bathrobes, hairdryers, and marine-safe toiletries. The yacht features three spacious lounges, a fine dining area serving Ecuadorian and international cuisine, and a salon with an audio/video entertainment center. With a capacity for 16 passengers, this liveaboard ensures an intimate and comfortable diving experience in the Galapagos.
Book your ultimate liveaboard dive vacation aboard the Galapagos Sky for an unforgettable adventure exploring one of the world’s most iconic dive destinations.
The Galapagos Sky Liveaboard offers an exceptional diving experience through the Galapagos Islands, with itineraries that may change due to weather conditions, safety concerns, or decisions by the Galapagos National Park authorities. The liveaboard explores top dive sites such as Wolf Island, Darwin Island, and Cabo Douglas, with a combination of diving, land excursions, and unique wildlife encounters.
Sunday (Embarkation Day): Isla Lobos – Check-out Dive
Upon arrival at San Cristobal Airport (Avianca flight 1636), guests are greeted by the Galapagos Sky crew, who collect luggage and transport passengers to the yacht. After settling in, there will be briefings on safety and dive protocols, followed by a check-out dive at Isla Lobos. During this dive, you’ll be introduced to the fascinating Galapagos sea lions and fur seals. As the liveaboard cruises, guests will begin to appreciate the stunning land formations of the Galapagos, offering a taste of the adventure ahead.
Monday: Bartolome – 1 Dive and Land Walk, Cousins Rocks – 2 Dives
Begin the day with a dive at Bartolome, where Galapagos penguins can be seen darting through the waters. After the dive, enjoy a scenic land tour, including a hike to the top of a hill that offers breathtaking views of the islands. In the afternoon, dive at Cousins Rocks, a site known for its beautiful coral walls and marine life, including frogfish, seahorses, scorpionfish, and octopus. Large schools of barracuda and occasional hammerhead sharks add to the excitement. Sea lions may join you during your safety stops.
Tuesday-Thursday: Wolf and Darwin Islands – Legendary Diving
Over the next three days, dive the world-renowned Wolf and Darwin Islands, considered among the top dive sites globally. The itinerary includes four dives per day, with a possible night dive at Wolf. Wolf Island offers incredible opportunities to see hammerhead sharks, whale sharks (in season), eagle rays, Galapagos sharks, and bottlenose dolphins. The island’s cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop, with abundant marine life that makes every dive unforgettable.
At Darwin Island, divers will experience “The Arch,” a site famous for schooling hammerheads, whale sharks, and pods of dolphins. This is one of the warmest dive spots in the Galapagos, attracting a variety of species such as mobula rays, skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, and silky sharks. During the whale shark season (June to November), it is common to encounter multiple whale sharks on a single dive. Sightings of tiger sharks, blue marlin, and even killer whales add to the excitement.
Friday: Cabo Douglas – 1 Dive, Punta Vicente Roca – Up to 2 Dives
Dive at Cabo Douglas, located on the western side of Fernandina Island, where marine iguanas can be seen foraging underwater. Other sightings include Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions, seahorses, and hammerhead sharks. In the afternoon, dive at Punta Vicente Roca, known for its steep vertical walls covered in soft corals and sponges. The cold waters here attract mola mola (sunfish), bullhead sharks, and a variety of invertebrates. Guests may also enjoy a panga ride to observe blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, and flightless cormorants.
Saturday: Isla Pinzon – 1 Dive, Highlands Tour
The last dive takes place at Isla Pinzon, where guests can encounter sharks, sea lions, eagle rays, and an array of tropical fish such as king angelfish, Moorish idols, and surgeonfish. After the dive, guests will travel to the Highlands of Santa Cruz to see the famous Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat. Following the land tour, guests return to the yacht for the final dinner onboard.
Sunday: San Cristobal – Land Excursion and Departure
On the final morning, guests visit the Interpretation Center on San Cristobal Island, where they learn about the human history of the Galapagos. There is time for a final walk through town before the late morning departure.
Book your exceptional liveaboard experience with the Galapagos Sky to explore the world’s best dive sites, unparalleled marine life, and breathtaking landscapes of the Galapagos Islands.
Name: Galapagos Sky
L.O.A.: 100 feet
Beam: 24 feet
Cruising Speed: 12 knots
Range: 2,400 miles
Fuel Capacity: 8,000 gallons
Water Capacity: 6,000 gallons
Desalinated Production: 4,500 gallons per day
Compressors: two high / two low pressure
Voltage: 110 and 220 volts
Navigational Aids: VHF and HI-SUB radios, GMDSS, color radar, echo sounder, Furuno GPS
Safety Aides: EPIRB (emergency position indicator radio beacon)
Highlights of Ecuador
While the Galapagos Islands are a top draw for SCUBA divers, Ecuador offers much more to explore beyond its famous archipelago. Before or after your liveaboard cruise, spend time in the historic city of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its well-preserved colonial architecture. Venture outside the city limits to the Andean Highlands to visit Otavalo, famous for its vibrant artisan market and indigenous culture. Head north to Cotacachi, known as the “leather capital of the world” for its quality leather goods, or relax in the Papallacta Hot Springs, where you can soak in thermal waters while admiring views of the volcanic peaks of Antisana.
If you have more time, journey to the Ecuadorian Amazon for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Immerse yourself in the wonders of the rainforest, where jungle lodges serve as a base to explore the rich biodiversity of the region. Whether you’re exploring the canopy, the river, or the jungle floor, you’ll encounter exotic wildlife rarely seen elsewhere, from colorful birds to elusive mammals.
No SCUBA diving vacation in Ecuador is complete without some topside exploration. Ultimate Dive Travel can help you arrange a full travel package that suits your needs. Contact a consultant today to plan your adventure in the Galapagos Islands and beyond!
Galapagos Sky
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
The Galapagos Sky offers live-aboard cruising all twelve months of the year and visits the unbelievable islands of Wolf and Darwin on every trip. There are two “seasons” for Galapagos diving – WHALE SHARK SEASON (from June to November) and MANTA SEASON (December through May).
“Yes – on every trip”. The Galapagos Sky visits what divers consistently consider to be the most “High Octane” dive sites in the Galapagos Archipelago if not the world (weather permitting). Galapagos Sky schedules up to four dives a day (and a night dive) out at the remote islands of Wolf and Darwin for the pleasure of the divers.
The 15 main islands (and numerous smaller ones) which make up the Galapagos archipelago lie 605 miles west of mainland Ecuador, the islands’ home country. These islands straddle the Equator with Wolf and Darwin islands at the northern most tip.
Yes. A trip to the Galapagos Islands would not be complete without seeing some of the unbelievable flora and fauna of this fabled archipelago. You cannot go ashore on Wolf and Darwin (they are uninhabited and have sheer cliffs rising right out of the sea) but we do feature 3 guided land tours on other islands.
The Galapagos Sky luxury live-aboard was launched in June of 2001 by its current owner, Santiago Dunn. It has been in continuous diving operation in the Galapagos Islands for the last decade. The vessel receives frequent upgrades and routine maintenance to stay in peak operating condition.
DivEncounters, Inc. is the worldwide representative for the Galapagos Sky located in Miami, FL, USA. It was formed by Peter A. Hughes and Santiago Dunn, the owner of Galapagos Sky. Santiago is also the President of Ecoventura, a well respected Galapagos travel company since 1990.
Miami to Guayaquil, Ecuador is a 4 hour, 10 minutes flight. Flights to the Galapagos Islands from Guayaquil via Avianca (formerly Aerogal) are 1 hour and 40 minutes. International flight schedules do not allow most passengers to make the connection in one day – so most of our guests overnight in either Guayaquil or Quito, Ecuador on both ends of the trip. We are happy to make hotel arrangements for you.
Yes. For guests traveling through the capital city of Guayaquil, we recommend a one night stay at both ends of your live-aboard cruise. If you wish to stay in Ecuador for several days (or longer) we recommend that you stay (on one end of the trip) in the highlands city of Quito, Ecuador. It’s an amazing place filled with continuous vistas of the Andes mountains, a proud and friendly indigenous culture, world famous for its crafts, and has multiple opportunities for rain forest tours.
Manta Season is the “warm season” in the Galapagos Islands. Air temps go up a few degrees from Whale Shark Season, but shifting oceanic currents bring warmer water to the Galapagos, particularly to the northernmost Wolf and Darwin Islands. Expect anything from 70 to 82 degree water during this season. The Hammerhead action is fantastic (as it is all year) but during the warm season, we see a tremendous increase in manta and ray activity. It’s possible to see giant mantas, large (200 plus) schools of Mobula rays, spotted eagle rays, golden rays, cow-nosed rays, and marble rays. In general, seas are calmer topside in the Manta Season (less wind) but the underwater currents (responsible in a large part for the diversity and abundance of Galapagos marine life) will be present! Expect a brief rain shower in the central islands – but typically Wolf and Darwin are dry and warm. (more info)
As the name suggests – Whale Sharks! Up to 35 feet in length, these giant fish (the largest in the sea) may be seen at any time of the year in Galapagos – but with startling regularity during these 7 months. Water temperature is 60 – 75 F, 15 -24 C, so we do advise 5 – 7mm wetsuits. During these months, the prevailing trade winds blow at 10 – 15 mph at different times during the day. Multiple whale shark encounters on multiple days are not uncommon. (more info)
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