For experienced divers, the Galapagos Islands represent a pinnacle expedition, a trip defined by raw currents, remote sites, and profound marine biodiversity. Since 1993, the 100-foot custom-built Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard has been operating a consistent 7-night diving tour that respects the rhythms of the archipelago while providing structured access to its most legendary sites, from the shark-rich waters of Darwin and Wolf to the unique volcanic landscapes of the west.
Understanding that Galapagos liveaboard diving is as much about endurance as discovery, the tour is paced to provide up to 4 dives daily from 2 dedicated tenders, allowing for precise site access. The schedule alternates high-energy pelagic action at Darwin and Wolf Islands with the distinctive macro life and cooler-water wonders of western sites like Punta Vicente Roca and Cabo Douglas. This balance is enhanced by included land excursions, such as a visit to a tortoise reserve in the Santa Cruz Highlands.
The Galapagos Aggressor III's diver-focused design centers on efficiency and comfort. Its dedicated deck area supports a streamlined routine with specific stations for camera care and equipment handling. For rest, the 8 en-suite staterooms provide personal space for a maximum of 16 guests, a complement supported by a 9-member crew. After returning from the water, a post-dive warm-up in the upper-deck hot tub can ease muscles cooled by thermoclines. The air-conditioned saloon offers a relaxed environment to unwind with complimentary local beer and local wine. While satellite internet is available for essential connectivity, the onboard atmosphere is conducive to disconnecting.
Choosing the Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard means aligning with an operator that brings 3 decades of continuous local experience to the Galapagos. The Aggressor fleet's long-standing presence facilitates a full understanding of park protocols and seasonal conditions, which translates into a consistent, safety-oriented operation. The crew's focus is on creating an environment where divers can confidently engage with the challenging conditions, knowing the operational framework is managed by professionals intimately familiar with these waters.
The Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard is engineered for divers who seek a structured, reliable, and fully-supported expedition. It provides the seasoned platform, operational expertise, and thoughtful amenities needed to fully experience what the Galapagos has to offer. For the scuba diver prepared for strong currents, cooler thermoclines, and the possibility of truly remarkable sightings, this liveaboard represents a trusted choice to undertake this definitive diving journey.
There are 8 staterooms with private en-suite bathrooms - 4 Master staterooms with TV and DVD on the upper deck and 4 Deluxe staterooms on the lower deck. Master staterooms have 2 twin beds side by side that can be moved together. Deluxe staterooms have 2 beds side by side that cannot be moved.
All the staterooms have:
Individual control air-conditioning
Bathroom with toilet and hot water shower
Hand basin, toiletries and towels
TV, DVD & MP3 player
Windows in Master staterooms, portholes in Deluxe staterooms
Central Galapagos, Wolf & Darwin (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, seals/sea lions, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, off the beaten track
Dive sites and activities: Galapagos Islands: Baltra Island, Punta Carrion, Bartolome Punta, Wolf, Darwin, Cabo Marshall, Cabo Douglas, Punta Vicente Roca, Cousins Rock, plus 2 land tours
Day 1
After you stepped onboard Galapagos Aggressor III in Baltra, a briefing gives you a chance to get familiar with the boat’s amenities, meet the liveaboard crew, and connect with fellow guests joining you on this unforgettable journey. In the afternoon, a check dive near Baltra’s northeast coast offers your first opportunity to swim alongside curious juvenile sea lions. Back on board, dinner will be ready and waiting.
Core Days
From the moment you submerge, you’ll understand why the Galapagos reigns supreme for pelagic encounters. These volcanic islands act as a magnet for marine titans, where the cold upwellings collide with tropical currents.
Wolf Island erupts with action from your first descent. Schools of hundreds of scalloped hammerheads spiral along the walls, while Galapagos sharks patrol the blue. The adrenaline surges at sites like The Landslide, where strong currents sweep you past cleaning stations with marble rays and green turtles. Don’t be surprised if a silky shark darts through your bubbles or a mola mola drifts by, its pancake-shaped body catching the light.
Darwin Island elevates the spectacle further. At Darwin’s Arch, whale sharks, some over 12 meters long, materialize like phantom buses in the blue. From June to November, pregnant females dominate the scene, their spotted flanks gliding past at arm’s length. The shallows boil with action too - massive schools of bigeye trevally form silver cyclones, while Galapagos sharks and playful sea lions weave through the chaos. Time your ascent to watch hammerheads silhouetted against the sun, their shadows dancing on the reef below.
Cabo Marshall offers a dramatic change of pace. Here, volcanic walls draped in black coral serve as a stage for oceanic mantas. These graceful giants somersault in the current, their 6-meter wingspans casting shadows over gardens of anemones. Keep your eyes peeled for the rare long-nosed hawkfish hiding in the gorgonians, or a school of barracuda frozen in a hypnotic spiral. Cabo Douglas delivers Galapagos’ quirky charm. Dive with marine iguana, the world’s only seagoing lizards, as they graze on algae-covered rocks, exhaling saltwater like miniature dragons.
Punta Vicente Roca completes the adventure with its surreal mix of macro and mega. Gentle drift dives reveal red-lipped batfish hopping across the sand, while in the blue, bottlenose dolphins race alongside divers. The site’s pièce de résistance? A cave of sleeping white-tip reef sharks, motionless in crevices, their gills pulsing rhythmically.
There will also be 2 hikes on the schedule, one at the Bartolome Punta and one on the last day, before returning to Baltra, in Santa Cruz island for a scenic view and to see the giant tortoises. Dinner will be held ashore then at 10 pm the liveaboard will depart for Baltra.
Day 8
The final days starts with a full breakfast, then you'll disembark the boat and will be transferred to Baltra airport.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Meals on the Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard are served buffet-style in the air-conditioned restaurant on the main deck. The food onboard is always prepared with the freshest available ingredients. The menu features a mix of Italian, Chinese, Japanese, International, as well as Ecuadorian flavours. As with other Aggressor liveaboards, the final night’s dinner is not included and is enjoyed ashore.
• The day starts with breakfast - selection of cereals, breakfast breads, fruit platter, yoghurt, eggs and omelet's of your choice, home style fried potatoes & peppers, grilled port sausage links - before the 1st dive at 7:30 am.
• The 2nd dive follows around 10:30 am, then lunch is served with Caribbean yellow split pea and ham soup, create your own deli sandwiches, roast beef, smoked turkey, dry salami, pepper ham, cheeses and fixings, assorted fresh breads, tuna salad, chips & cookies.
• The 3rd dive is around 1:30 pm, afterwards tea, coffee and snacks will be waiting for you, like black and blue corn macho nachos platter.
• The 4th dive will be around dusk or a night dive, and is followed by dinner, featuring blue cheese & bacon wedge salad, grilled marinated sirloin beefsteak,
roasted mint potatoes, sautéed green beans & porcini mushrooms, fresh baked cheese & onion bread, cream cheese cake.
Coffee, tea, drinking water, soft drinks, beer, wine and snacks, like homemade cinnamon rolls, or homemade Tuscany thin-crust pizza, are all provided daily free of charge, although for environmental reasons soft drinks in plastic bottles are not permitted.
All dietary requirements can be catered for - please send advanced notice.
"The service on the Galapagos Aggressor was excellent. The crew were always very professional and helpful. The food was amazing!" - Geoff Korinetz, Canada, 23 June 2018 ...
"The boat was very nice, and the staff generally very helpful. The divemaster was very knowledgeable and the chef was quite good. Overall, a very good trip." - Randall Wacker, Canada, 06 January 2018 ...
"Rental equipment was in good working order. Dive lights were not available for the night dive so we didn't do it, but not a big deal for us. Staff were very helpful and friendly. Boat was well maintained and clean. Diving was fantastic!!" - Adam Freeman, Australia, 23 March 2014 ...
"Excellent trip. 11 passengers, service was excellent, dive masters knew their stuff, diving was magnificent. Visibility was good, lots of action with sharks, turtles, fish, sea lions, rays and Orca! Food was also good - it's hard to argue with a cup of hot cocoa and cinnabons handed to you after the first dive of the day!" - Karen Whitham, Australia, 3 February 2011 ...
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Galapagos is a popular cruise destination with limited liveaboard spaces. We recommend you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Dive experience: Advanced Open Water Diver license and/or experience of diving in strong currents is recommended.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, local wine and beer, transfers to the boat from Baltra Airport, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (4-5 divers per DM), tanks, weights and weightbelts, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (complete set incl. dive computer USD 175 for 7 nights, USD 260 for 10 nights, excludes wetsuit), dive insurance, Galapagos National Park entrance fee USD200. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).
Optional extras: Imported alcoholic drinks,, restaurant meal on final evening, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (7 nights USD100, 10 nights USD150), wetsuit (7 or 10 nights USD 70), torch,. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Galapagos Aggressor diving trips depart from Baltra every Thursday afternoon. Guests fly into Ecuador and take a connecting flight, through Guayaquil or Quito, to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. You will be greeted by yacht staff during the morning at the airport and transferred to the dock for boarding. Both Guayaquil and Quito have daily flights, although Guayaquil is recommended with cheaper prices and better-timed connections. For more details, including airlines, see our Galapagos travel information section. You will need to overnight in Guayaquil or Quito before flying on to the Galapagos. To ensure easy flight connections, a 2 night stop-over is recommended. If overnighting in Galapagos you will stay in Santa Cruz or San Cristobal since Baltra has no accommodation.
At the end of the trip you will disembark at Baltra at 8 am and be transferred back to the airport. The last dive of the trip will be at around 11:00 hrs on the previous day. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. The flight from Galapagos to the Ecuador mainland arrives in Guayaquil (and then Quito) in the afternoon. You will probably need to overnight in Guayaquil or Quito since most international flights depart too early to make the connection possible.
We will place your domestic flight requirements with Aggressor who are responsible for booking the flights. We request your patience with this process since there are often waiting lists and slow confirmations of availability. You must inform us whether you are flying into Guayaquil or Quito before domestic flights can be considered. If you wish to extend your stay in Galapagos to enjoy land tours please decide that early in the booking process to ensure flight availability.
Non-diver rate: None.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a stateroom or pay a supplement of 65% of the normal published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 8 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise in a Deluxe Stateroom free of charge (9+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 14 guests and 2 additional person can join the cruise in a Deluxe stateroom free of charge.
Add-on package: The Galapagos offers a dual masterpiece: one beneath the waves and another upon the volcanic shores. As this is often a once-in-a-lifetime destination, many divers choose to complete the picture. Extend your expedition with a 3, 4, or 7-night wildlife safari onboard a dedicated non-diving vessel. Led by certified naturalist guides, these trips provide deep insight into the islands' unique ecology through guided explorations, informative talks, and reference materials. It is the definitive way to contextualise your Galapagos Aggressor underwater encounters.
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