Tiburon Explorer | Galapagos Diving Liveaboard | Scuba Travel

Tiburon Explorer | Galapagos Diving Liveaboard - Pacific

  • Guests 16
  • Rooms 8 main and lower deck cabins
  • Restaurants Dining area on main deck
  • Food and Drinks Mix of local and western food, and plentiful snacks. Local alcoholic beverages and soft drinks included
  • FacilitiesExperienced & expert Galapagos steel liveaboard
  • Diving All diving is made from the dive pangas (tenders)
  • Diving Extras Ask about rental gear and courses on booking
  • Internet Access Satellite phone on board for communcation

Tiburon Explorer | Galapagos Diving Liveaboard

Tiburon Explorer is a sleek, new luxury liveaboard in the Galapagos. Mind blowing dives, delicious food and the famous Explorer Ventures service on board make this a dream boat for your wish list diving trip to the Galapagos. We are excited to welcome Tiburon Explorer as she sets sails, cruising through these remote islands.

Airy and spacious, Tiburon Explorer sleeps 16 over 9 air-conditioned cabins. On the main deck you will find six cabins, each with private bath and shower, air-conditioning, ample storage and large windows providing guests with amazing ocean views. There are 6 main deck cabins (1&2 with queen bed, 4 to 6 with queen or twin beds) and 3 lower deck cabins (7 to 9) cabins with queen or twin beds. 

The top deck is the sun deck, offering both shaded and full-sun areas, lounge seating and bar. Grab a sun lounger and switch off! There's even an open air jacuzzi.. The large main deck contains the air-conditioned dining room, lounge area and multimedia system. Double doors open to the ample dive platform. She has an enviable large dive deck, where you will also find a bathroom, large camera table with charging station, individual storage areas, rinse bins for cameras and another for gear. Diving operations are conducted from two large pangas (tenders), easily boarded from the dive deck.

The Tiburon Explorer is equipped with a wireless signal that will allow communication via WhatsApp. Cell phone service is available when in proximity to Santa Cruz Island if your phone is so equipped - signal may be lost in other parts of the itinerary. A satellite phone is available for emergency use.

Main deck cabin

Main deck cabin

6 main deck cabins (nbr 1&2 with queen bed, nbr 4 to 6 with queen or twin beds

Lower deck cabins

Lower deck cabins

3 lower deck (nbr 7 to 9) cabins with queen or twin beds

Main Deck

Main Deck

The dining area, lounge/entertainment area, bar and large dive deck are also located on the Main Deck.

Sun Deck

Sun Deck

The Sun Deck features a large lounge area, bar, a partially covered sun deck and a jacuzzi with ample seating.

Pricing for Your Adventure


Our holiday prices are influenced by various factors, including the season, accommodation preferences, and the length of holiday you choose.

This adventure begins at a base price of £5170 per person.


Weekly departures on a variety of itineraraires available throughout the year. Tailored Just for You:
We believe in crafting experiences as unique as the individual embarking on them.
The final cost hinges on how we meticulously tailor this trip to your preferences.
Whether you seek opulence or simplicity, we will adapt to your budget.

Trip Duration: Longer explorations may add to the overall cost.
Booking Timing: Early birds often catch favorable rates.

Your Personalized Quote: The precise price awaits you in a bespoke quote.
Pop us an email with your date range and the budget you have in mind and our team will curate every detail, ensuring it aligns with your expectations.



  • The Tiburon Explorer is one of the best luxury liveaboards in the Galapagos. It features six luxury staterooms with large windows, offering a total of nine cabins
  • Diverse Dive Sites: The Tiburon Explorer operates on a 7-night/8-day itinerary departing from Baltra, offering up to four dives daily at some of the Galapagos most desirable dive locations, including Wolf and Darwin Islands
  • Land Excursions: In addition to the diving experience, Tiburon Explorer guests can join two included land excursions to see the famous giant tortoises, Galapagos sea lions, and blue-footed boobies
  • Gourmet Food and Drinks: Your trip on the Tiburon Explorer will include gourmet food and all drinks, enhancing the overall experience
  • Safety and Environmental Responsibility: The Tiburon Explorer is equipped with a full range of safety equipment and is a Green Fins certified liveaboard, verifying that your trip practices environmental responsibility
  • Your liveaboard is based on a twin share cabin, twin or double bed, on a full board basis, including alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages, premium alcoholic beverages available for an additional charge
  • A 12lt tank, air fills and weights are included with up to 4 dives daily (weather permitting)
  • Transfers within Galapagos Islands for same day arrivals & departures
  • Fuel tax is included as of July 2021
  • Excluding international flights to Ecuador or San Cristobal. Ask for a competitive quote to add flights and en route hotels to your booking.
  • To pay on board are the departure tax, fuel surcharge $150, Galapagos park fees ($100), chamber tax ($35), tourist card ($20) and nitrox ($150).
  • Crew gratuities are not included in your package. The boat suggests in regards to crew gratuities (if of course you are happy with the service which you have received) on dive trips in Galapagos is between 10% and 15% of the package price per passenger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Location

It usually takes around 16 hours flying time to reach Guayaquil - this is your gateway to the Galapagos islands. The flight from Guayaquil to San Cristobal is then around 2 hours. The Galapagos has year round big fish. It's most famous for the schooling hammerheads, but from December to May, Manta Season is the warm season for Galapagos diving. Air temperatures go up a few degrees, but typically the water at Wolf and Darwin Islands will be anywhere from 25-27C. Despite the warmth, visibility is also usually the best Galapagos has to offer during Manta Season. Between June and November, the number of whaleshark encounters increases dramatically.

Covid Travel Information

View entry requirements here

If you are fully vaccinated, you can enter Ecuador. At least 14 days must have passed since your second dose of the vaccine, and the vaccine must be approved by the World Health Organisation. or

Ecuador will accept the UK’s proof of COVID-19 recovery and vaccination record and proof of COVID-19 vaccination issued in the Crown Dependencies.
If you are not fully vaccinated you must present a laboratory PCR or antigen test, taken up to 72 hours prior to boarding your flight, in order to enter Ecuador.

All passengers are required to complete a Health Declaration Form with their itinerary and local contact details.

From 18th March, when you travel to England from abroad you:
do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive
do not need to fill in a UK passenger locator form
do not need to quarantine when you arrive
This applies whether you are vaccinated or not.

It includes people who are transiting through England.
Updated 13SEP 2022

Weather and Climate

The Galapagos has good weather all year round. The weather is not normally too wet (inspite of its equatorial location), with the dry season running from Jul - Dec and the warm season from Jan - Jun. Temps range from 21-30C.

Travel

Flight options

Our holidays to the Galapagos can be quoted with most major airlines from Heathrow to Guayaquil or Quito. We are able to book most major airlines. If you would like to depart from a different UK airport (eg. Glasgow/Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham or Gatwick) or have a specific airline you prefer to fly with, simply let us know in your booking request. Times and any applicable costs will be confirmed by your travel consultant before you finalise your holiday. If you wish to make your own flight arrangements to Guayaquil, let us know and we can remove the cost of the international flights from your quote. We are unfortunately not able to redeem airmiles on your behalf. Please do not confirm any flight arrangements yourself before your holiday is confirmed by us.

Stopovers

As there are no direct flight, it is simple to add a stop over en route - simply ask your travel consultant for a quote. Popular locations include the USA, Amsterdam or Madrid.

Arrange before you go

Visa requirements

UK passport holders are able to obtain a free 90 day tourist visa on arrival. Do ensure your passport has 6 months validity from your return date to prevent any issues with immigration. It is your responsibility to ensure your passport is valid and you fulfil entry requirements. Regulations can change: please review current FCO advice: click here to review

Insurance

Scuba Travel requires all of our customers to have diving insurance. Please make sure that you have appropriate cover for your diving activities. We also strongly recommend you have travel insurance. It's worth taking out travel insurance once you have paid your deposit to ensure you are covered for unforeseen events and cancellation.

Immunisations

Your covid proof of vaccination must match your passport name and flight ticket name. Please speak to your local GP or check out the latest NHS advice on updating your NHS details or for other travel immunisations: click here to go to the NHS

Preparing to fly

Seating

You will be able to manage your booking online once you have been ticketed (after you have paid your holiday balance). Most airlines will now enable you to select your seating at this point. There may be a small charge for prebookable seating before online check in opens. Please speak to the airline for more information about charges.

Check in

As you are flying with a scheduled airline, you will be able to check in online with your airline. Please visit their website for more information about when online check in opens.

Lounge

An airport lounge is a great way to start your holiday or to while away flight connections in comfort. Scuba Travel works with Lounge Pass to offer a huge range of affordable airport lounges around the world. click here for more info on Lounge Pass

Parking

Prebook your airport parking to save money! If you have a long way to travel, why not also look at booking an airport hotel. These aren't as expensive as you might think. click here for holiday extras

What happens when I arrive?

On arrival to the Ecuador mainland, you will need to clear immigration and collect your baggage. You will then be met outside of arrivals by a representative. They will be holding a board with either your destination or your name on it. If you have any issues at all locating your rep, please contact us. We have an emergency contact, manned by a member of the team here in the UK. Please call 0044 7747 488 002. We will be able to help your rep locate you in the airport.

Transfers

Quito airport is around 1 hour by car from Quito city. Guayaquil airport is closer to the city, and transfers to your hotel are usually no more than 30mins. You will be advised locally of your pick up time for your return to the airport and flight to the Galapagos Islands. The flying time is around 2 hours between Guayaquil and San Cristobal

Departures

At the end of your holiday, your return transfer details will be advised locally. On leaving the Ecuador there is an departure tax of $30-$40 which must be paid in cash.

Info

Tipping

The last night Sunday dinner is arranged locally.

Currency

The U.S. dollar the standard currency used in Ecuador. We strongly recommend taking cash USD to the Galapagos for gratuities and onboard charges are best paid in cash. This avoids any additional Ecuadorian taxes and service fees. Credit cards are subject to the 14% VAT plus 5% in bank fees.

Phone coverage

Very limited, private calls might be made from the yacht by satellite phone with the crews permission.

Plugs and electricity

110 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs used are American-style (two perpendicular flat blades above a circular grounding pin) and Japanese-style (two perpendicular flat blades). It is advisable to take an adaptor. We also highly recommend that you take a surge adaptor with you if using expensive and valuable appliances.

Extras

Hire equipment

We recommend all divers bring their own mask, gloves, booties, fins, hood or hooded vest and computer. A personal wetsuit is also a good idea if you have space. Diving in Galapagos can be challenging and it is important that you are comfortable with the equipment you dive with.

Extras

Galapagos National Park fee: $155 (inc Hyperbaric Chamber fee & Tourist transit card). Option to prepay nitrox.

Souvenirs

No souvenirs are included in the price, but there will be souvenirs available locally.

Nitrox/Gas

Nitrox is currently 150USD and can be paid either locally on the boat or prepaid.

Payments

Deposits and Balances

A typical deposit will be 30% of your liveabaord package. Additional payments maybe required to secure your flights. This will be due once your holiday has been confirmed. Your balance will then be due 90 days before travel.

Ways to pay

We accept mastercard and visa debit or credit cards. If you would like a pay by link to complete check out via email please let us know and it can be set up for you. We do not take AMEX. All non sterling card payments and UK business debit cards will be subject to the 3% surcharge. Alternatively, you are welcome to pay via bank transfer. Overseas bank transfers must add £8 to the sterling total to cover international handling fees. We are not able to accept PayPal transactions or personal cheques.

Group Payments

If you have booked as part of a group, you can still call and pay directly without needing to go via your group leader. Please have your trip reference number to hand to help us locate your holiday as quickly as possible. You will receive a transaction receipt - your group leader will forward your ATOL certificate and booking confirmation

Discounts

Repeat Guests

Are you one of Scuba Travel's repeat customers?
Over 60% of our customers trust Scuba Travel to book their next diving holiday, time after time.

And we believe you deserve a huge thanks for your ongoing support over the years, which is what our loyalty discount is all about! If you have booked directly with Scuba Travel, on your 3rd full price holiday you will automatically be eligible for a loyalty discount. That's all you have to do. No forms, no numbers to remember, no fuss, just a good honest price reduction. We are always happy to offer discounts as described below but these are not cumulative and we do not offer further discounts on special offer prices.

5% off for loyalty customers Travel again with any Explorer Ventures liveaboard in 12 months and join the 5-5-5 programme. Book your next trip with only a 5% deposit and extra 5% discount. You can enjoy up to 5 dives a day (where possible) and there's no charge if you have to reschedule your trip within 6 or 8 mths (depending on destination) Is this your 6th full price Explorer Ventures liveabaord? Then the fleet will apply the average price paid for those trips toward the standard retail rate of your sixth trip which, depending on the itinerary you choose, could be absolutely free!

Included

Your liveaboard is based on a twin share cabin, twin or double bed, on a full board basis, including alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages, premium alcoholic beverages available for an additional charge

A 12lt tank, air fills and weights are included with up to 4 dives daily (weather permitting)

Transfers within Galapagos Islands for same day arrivals & departures

Fuel tax is included as of July 2021

Excluded

Excluding international flights to Ecuador or San Cristobal. Ask for a competitive quote to add flights and en route hotels to your booking.

To pay on board are the departure tax, fuel surcharge $150, Galapagos park fees ($100), chamber tax ($35), tourist card ($20) and nitrox ($150).

Crew gratuities are not included in your package. The boat suggests in regards to crew gratuities (if of course you are happy with the service which you have received) on dive trips in Galapagos is between 10% and 15% of the package price per passenger.


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