Galapagos Spectacular Hammerhead, Manta, Mola & Marine Iguana Trip 2028

 

Galapagos Spectacular Hammerhead, Manta, Mola & Marine Iguana Trip 2028

Join us on a thrilling adventure to the Galapagos, with the best possible itinerary and the best time of year for amazing marine-life encounters!

 

Why Join This Trip?

• Incredible itinerary delivers non-stop schooling hammerheads, giant manta rays, mola molas, and feeding marine iguanas – plus eagle rays, Galapagos sharks, penguins, and giant tortoises
• Special plans are made to maximize time with the iguanas and mola mola
• This is a must-do best of the best trip, at the perfect time of the year
• Our best and most popular custom Galapagos marine life itinerary
• Includes free photo support from your trip leader
• Unique itinerary also maximizes time at the world’s the best shark sites
• Diver to Guide ratio is 8:1
• 25% discount on rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo
• Fully refundable deposit until 18 months from departure

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Trip Overview

Bluewater Travel’s 2028 group trip to the Galapagos Islands aboard the Tiburon Explorer offers an exhilarating, expedition-style diving experience in one of the most legendary marine environments on Earth. This remote archipelago sits at the convergence of powerful ocean currents, creating nutrient-rich waters that attract an extraordinary density of large pelagic life. Expect action-packed dives with schooling hammerheads, whale sharks in season, manta rays, marine iguanas, and playful sea lions, with up to four dives per day across iconic sites such as Wolf and Darwin Islands.

“I have put together an epic trip to the Galapagos, where we will help people get incredible photos of hammerhead sharks, mantas, penguins and more. I have picked a boat with the best possible itinerary for this purpose at the best time of year – this will truly be a trip of a lifetime.”– Scott Gietler

The unique and isolated islands of the Galapagos are home to truly extraordinary creatures: schooling hammerheads and a large variety of other sharks, mantas, sea turtles, and sea lions, as well as endemic species such as penguins, flightless cormorants, and extensive schools of fish.

We have carried out extensive research to choose the best possible time of year and route for this trip. We make sure photographers and non-photographers alike have an incredible trip.

Read reviews on diving Galapagos here.

Click the Manta Trust logo to learn more!

Marine Life To Photograph

Thanks to their extreme isolation, the Galapagos Islands have some of the most unique marine life on the planet. Here are just a few examples of marine life you’re likely to see: dolphins, sea lions, penguins, turtles, marlin and large schools of fish, silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks, reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, eels, and manta rays. This is a wide-angle photographer’s paradise, but don’t leave the macro lens at home: frogfish, octopus, seahorses, nudibranchs and other small subjects are found at various dive sites.

Sample Itinerary

Please note that these Galapagos diving liveaboard itineraries are examples only, and will change depending on local regulations, weather, and logistics at the Captain’s discretion. Currently, each week the vessel itinerary includes the same islands. The order of the island visits, however, is dictated by the Galapagos National Park and may vary weekly.

• Saturday: Baltra Guests fly to the Galapagos Islands from Mainland Ecuador, arriving in the late morning (please make sure to land in Baltra not later than 11:30am). The dive guides will meet the guests at the airport between 11:00 am and 12 pm and escort them to the Galapagos liveaboard, Tiburon Explorer®. Guests will board the vessel, have lunch, organize equipment and listen to the safety briefings.
• Sunday: Baltra North (2 Dives) Equipment check, 7:00 and 10:00 dives. Sightings include rays and schools of fish. Afternoon North Seymour land visit. Walk the path around North Seymour Island to see the large colonies of Blue Footed Boobies and Frigate Birds. Sightings of Sea Lions and Marine Iguanas are also common. Depart for Cabo Douglas (11 hours).
• Monday: Cabo Douglas (1–2 Dives) Sightings include marine iguanas. Transit to Punta Vicente Roca. Punta Vicente Roca (1–2 Dives) Sightings often include mola mola, turtles and macro life. Transit to Wolf (10 hours).
• Tuesday: Wolf Island (4 Dives) 6:30, 10:30, 2:00 and 4:30 dives. Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season), eagle rays, sea lions, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
• Wednesday: Darwin Island (4 Dives) 6:30, 10:30, 2:00 and 4:30 dives. Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season), eagle rays, sea lions, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks. Transit to Wolf Island.
• Thursday: Wolf Island (3 Dives) 6:30, 10:30 and 1:00 dives. Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season), eagle rays, sea lions, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks. Transit to Cousins Rock (20+ hours).
• Friday: Cousins Rock (2 Dives) 6:30 and 9:30 dives. This is great macro diving with an excellent chance of seeing seahorses, sea lions and eagle rays. Lunch will be served while transiting to Santa Cruz (3 hours). Travel by bus to the Santa Cruz Highlands to visit the giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Transfer to the town of Puerto Ayora. Dinner on your own in Puerto Ayora. Return to the Tiburon Explorer at 8:30pm.
• Saturday: Baltra Depart the vessel by 9 am. Transfer to the airport.

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Diving Conditions

The trip takes place during the warm season in the Galapagos, with the highest water and air temperatures. We may experience afternoon rain showers, but the sun shines again after the rain. Diving in the Galapagos can involve strong currents and surge, therefore divers should hold a minimum certification of Advanced Open Water with 50 logged dives.

• Water Temperature: 59 – 80F (15 – 27C), depending on the dive site
• Visibility: 60 – 100 feet (20 – 30m)
• Depth Range: 16 – 130 feet (5 – 40 m)

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Recommended Scuba Gear

Download our full scuba gear guide to the Galapagos, Bluewater Travel guests receive 10% OFF! Click the image below to download (PDF).

Read all about our latest trip, in our Galapagos Trip Report 2026.

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Trip Type

This is a GROUP TRIP WITH PHOTO SUPPORT. Led by a professional or experienced photographer who will be happy to provide advice and guidance on all elements of your photography as required. The logistics of this trip mean that formal photography tutorials and workshops are not practical.

What to Expect from our Group Trips with Photo Support

• Photography support – Your trip leader will ensure that they spend time with everyone throughout the trip, providing advice and guidance on all elements of photography. If you have specific questions about your equipment, shot composition, or post-processing, they will be happy to support you.
• Quality time with fellow photographers – You will meet like-minded divers or travelers with a passion for photography. Newer photographers will benefit from the experience of more advanced shooters, and those with experience can share their advice and tips with the group.
• Suitable for everyone – New and experienced photographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills. We also encourage non-photographers to join, and do our best to split groups according to skills and interests.

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Inclusions

• 7 nights/8 days aboard the vessel
• Up to 4 dives daily (weather permitting)
• 3 meals daily, except last evening’s meal
• Between-dive snacks
• Towels, linens, etc.
• Use of tanks, weights and weight belts
• All air fills
• Transfers within Galapagos Islands for same day arrivals & departures
• Local alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages

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Exclusions

• Galapagos National Park fee (CASH $200 per person, paid on arrival)
• Chamber support fee ($35 per person, paid onboard)
• Tourist card ($20 per person, paid online in advance)
• Travel and dive insurance – ask us about our Preferred Partner insurance packages
• Fuel surcharge ($150 per person, paid onboard)
• Rental gear
• Nitrox ($150 per trip, paid onboard)
• Airfare to Galapagos Islands and land options before/after cruise

*onboard charges and fees are subject to change.

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Accommodation

About the Tiburon Explorer

The M/V Tiburon Explorer is a spacious and luxurious liveaboard yacht in the Galapagos offering 7-night itineraries to exploring the top diving spots in the area, including Wolf and Darwin islands.

Large and spacious, the elegant M/V Tiburon Explorer features 9 air-conditioned staterooms (maximum passenger occupancy of 16) located on the main and lower decks; all with private bathrooms and ocean views. All nine cabins are outfitted with twin beds that can convert to queen beds, allowing for singles or couples in each cabin.

 

Main Deck Cabins

 

Upper Deck Cabins

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Trip Leader

Dan Bishop

Dan is an accomplished underwater photographer based in northern Virginia. He did his first dive at age 14 and has been an avid photographer for more than 30 years. Initially a skydiving photographer and videographer, Dan transitioned his focus to the underwater world, driven by a desire to capture the ocean’s stunning beauty. Dan is skilled in both wide-angle and macro photography and has a passion for sharing his knowledge with others, particularly in a structured workshop environment.

You can view more of Dan’s work at DanBishopPhotography.com.

Read more about Dan Bishop.

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How To Get There

Flight Information

Arrival

Your flight must arrive in Baltra (GPS) at or before 11:30 am on embarkation day, October 28th. The transfer departs the airport at 12 noon at the latest to go to the boat.

When going to the Galapagos Islands, it is necessary to fly to one of two cities in mainland Ecuador first (Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE)) and spend at least one night prior to your charter’s departure. We recommend you fly through Quito as there is more to see, and generally it is more tourist-friendly than Guayaquil. If your flight arrives early in the morning and you plan to fly to Galapagos the same day, you need a minimum of 4 hours between flights as you will need to clear immigration and customs, collect luggage, and follow the special check-in procedure for Galapagos.

The trip embarks near Baltra (GPS) airport and leaves the area shortly thereafter. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you plan to arrive in Quito or Guayaquil two nights before your morning flight to Galapagos. This will help ensure that you can retrieve delayed luggage and that travel delays reaching Ecuador do not cause you to miss your trip.

Departure

The vessel arrives back in Baltra on November 3rd (penultimate day), at around 1:00 pm. Guests will spend the night onboard and disembark the following morning, November 4th, after breakfast.

Flights out of Baltra can be booked for the same day. For return international flights, both Quito and Guayaquil have late-night flights out, so same-day departure may be possible.

 

Flight Package

Our group trips attract guests from all over the globe and many of our customers prefer to book their own flights to take advantage of mileage points or credit card discounts. For these reasons, flights are not included in our group trip packages.

However, we are more than happy to work with you to find the best travel itinerary for your trip and will gladly give suggestions and advice, even if you make the final booking. We will check through your travel reservations at any time to ensure they fit with the trip schedule and can give recommendations on transit hotels and day tours where needed.

If you would like us to book flights and transit hotels for domestic and/or international travel on your behalf, we are also happy to arrange this. Contact Us for more information.

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Payment Schedule

• Deposit: $800 to book your spot
• Payment 2: $2,400 due 15 February 2027
• Payment 3: $4,000 due 15 August 2027
• Balance: due 15 November 2027

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