Course overview

Get a recognised entry-level qualification with the SSI Scuba Diver course out of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Over a few days you complete core digital academics, confined-water skills and two supervised open-water dives in sheltered Galapagos shallows visited by sea lions and turtles, qualifying you to dive to 12 metres with an SSI professional. It's a flexible step toward full Open Water certification.

What you’ll learn

• Set up and use basic scuba equipment
• Breathe, equalise and descend with control
• Clear your mask and recover your regulator
• Hold neutral buoyancy and fin efficiently
• Plan and complete a guided dive within Scuba Diver limits

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 (Junior)
• No prior certification required
• Basic swimming ability and water comfort
• Diver medical questionnaire completed beforehand

What's included · What's not

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Theory & confined water

   Complete core digital academics and confined-water skill practice near Puerto Ayora.
2. Day2
   First open-water dive

   Apply your skills on a supervised open-water dive in a sheltered Santa Cruz bay.
3. Day3
   Second dive & certification

   A second supervised open-water dive, with sea lions and turtles often nearby, completing the SSI Scuba Diver certification.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Galapagos.

Frequently asked questions