Diving Tours

The opportunity to dive the Galapagos is extraordinary, and on most divers list of top ten destinations. Choosing Red Mangrove Galapagos Dive center ensures that your experience will be spectacular both underwater and on land. Whether you are a highly experienced diver looking for new adventures, a first timer, or traveling with non diver friends or family. Red Mangrove has a great program for you.

We pride ourselves on being the only tour diving operator in the Galapagos to offer lodging on all four inhabitant islands in this remote arcupenicle. This arrangement affords our guests the unique advantage of unforgettable diving in multiple locations. Additionally it allows non-diving guests to maximize their enjoyment on land with a wide array or tours and adventure sports.

Red Mangrove is proud to be a paddy dive resort the world leader in diver education and safety. You can rest assure the guests participating in Red Mangrove's all inclusive diving packages will enjoy the highest international safety standards. In addition, we offer paddy certifications from beginner to professional levels. Integrate your paddy advance or any number of certifications into your tour. What better place to advance your paddy certifications then in the Galapagos?

We offer tour packages that vary from three to eight days. One of our greatest strengths is our ability to create a Galapagos adventure that is custom tailored to satisfy how you want to spend your vacation, with the right blend of diving, adventure activities and down time, in our stylish and ecologically integrated lodges.

Many of our guests who are seasoned divers opt for our extensive Full Dive Adventure tour, which takes you to spectacular dives on three islands in eight days. We begin on the north coast in Santa Cruz where you will have the opportunity to see spectacular array of underwater life including manta rays, eagle rays, hammer heads, Galapagos, white tips, black tips, sea lions and even penguins. You'll experience some of the top dive sights in the Galapagos and also explore relatively unknown ones that are also spectacular.

Those who are new to diving but have always wanted to try, will love our Darwin's discovery dive, which is ideal for first time divers. Here, you will have the opportunity to get your paddy certificate in one of the most ideal environments on the planet. Diving near the islands, you will get the chance to swim with sea lions, watch mantas, look for Flanders and colorful fish, and scout for blue footed boobies.

For those guests who don't want to exclusively dive, try our Land & Sea Adventure! Now, if you don't dive at all, we have a full slate of Galapagos Islands land tours for which to choose. Visiting the Charles Darwin research station, snorkeling los tulanes are just a couple of the many tours that are available. A visit to the Galapagos is unlike any other experience both above, and below the water.

There are a few places left in the world where an entire archipelago is virtually free of commercial fishing, leaving the waters clear of those who want to swim and watch the action unfold in the deep pristine waters of the pacific. We are dedicated to both providing our guests with an unforgettable dive vacation while maintaining our commitment to sharing the responsibility of being a global guardian of one of the most unique and fragile eco systems on earth.

Diving Conditions and Equipment

Currents: Some dive sites have strong currents, some dive sites do not. (please check dive location notes)

Temperature: The water in Galapagos is between 16 and 24 Centigrade or 60 to 75 Fahrenheit.

Depth: Dives are between 25 and 75 feet deep.

Wet Suite: You will use 5MM or 7MM depending on your tolerance to cold water is. You will not need a dry suit.

Equipment: We provide all equipment as included in our packages except a dive computer, which you can rent for an additional charge. We use Sherwood and Genesis Brand equipment and the equipment is new. We use Aluminum 80 (cubic feet) tanks.

Nitrox: Nitrox is not available at this time but will be soon. Dives are less than 80 feet (27 meters) with a 1 hour surface interval and a maximum of 2 to 3 dives per day depending on the dive site so it is not needed for repetitive dives.

Weather

The warm season, or wet season, generally starts in December and ending in May. The cool, or dry season is from early to mid June until the end of November.

The warm season (Dec.- May) is attractive to divers because the air temperature is warm and there is little wind, which makes the boat rides easier and smoother. Air temperatures range from 85F to 95F while underwater temperatures go from 75F to 80F. Days are normally sunny with some afternoon showers on the larger islands.

During the months of March and April, in the warm season it is possible to dive with the giant manta rays though they can often be seen year round at most dive sites.

The cooler, dry season (June - Nov.) is much cooler. The air temperature is in the mid 70's while the water temperature is in the low 70's sometimes creeping down to the upper 60's. Despite being called the "dry" season, "garua rain," or mist, is experienced throughout the archipelago. The stronger winds make the navigation a little bit rougher than during the warm season because of the choppier seas caused by wind. Neither season have any storms of any sort. The cooler season offers one of the greatest sights underwater...whale sharks...divers endure the rougher and the colder waters with the hopes of getting an opportunity to swim alongside these 40-ft. sharks. Silky sharks, hammerheads and Galapagos sharks are also still around but in less numbers. Currents might pick up a bit more making the diving conditions more challenging.

Galapagos Islands Season and Climate

There are two seasons in Galapagos, but climate is tempered year-around on the equator.

The "warm" season runs from January through April with air temperatures ranging from 65° F-81° F (water temperatures 76° F-83° F). Skies are clear, blue and interspersed with sporadic rains. This season offers the most pleasant weather and calm seas.

It is the best season for cruising. From May through December, the Humboldt current predominates, cooling air temperatures slightly to between 60° F - 72° F (water temperatures 65° F-72° F) and creating comfortable hiking weather.

Although the sea is rarely ever rough, southeast trade winds cause the ocean to be choppier this time of year and a misty "garua" fog may linger part of the day.

Since climate in Galapagos depends so much on shifting ocean currents, local weather varies from year to year.