Santa Cruz Highlands: Wild Galápagos Giant Tortoises

Highlands to see giant tortoises is a dive site in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands.

See below for all liveaboards that dive Highlands to see giant tortoises.

The liveaboard shown opposite is the highest customer rated liveaboard diving Highlands to see giant tortoises, scoring 9.7/10. You can easily book the Tiburon Explorer liveaboard using this link.

Tiburon Explorer
Nortada Liveaboard

The Santa Cruz Highlands are a land excursion, not a dive site, offering the chance to see giant tortoises roaming in the wild. Some Galápagos liveaboard itineraries include the highlands before or after the diving route, often alongside lava tunnels or Los Gemelos.

The liveaboard shown opposite is the second highest customer rated liveaboard diving Highlands to see giant tortoises, scoring 8.7/10. You can easily book the Nortada Liveaboard using this link.

Galapagos Islands liveaboards that dive Highlands to see giant tortoises

Below are all the dive liveaboards currently found for Highlands to see giant tortoises in Galapagos Islands, sorted from highest to lowest customer liveaboard rating, with unrated liveaboards shown last.

9 liveaboards dive Highlands to see giant tortoises Show liveaboards

Tiburon Explorer

Tiburon Explorer

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 9.7/10

SDE Rating: 76%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Tiburon Explorer Liveaboard: 76%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Tiburon Explorer liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Tiburon Explorer liveaboard are ([Diving:10/10] + [Cabin:7/10] + [Boat:8/10] + [Dining:9/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 37/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Tiburon Explorer liveaboard is calculated as 37/60 = 76% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £573.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 9·Bathrooms: 9·Guests: 16

Length: 129.6 ft·Beam: 24.6 ft

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 100 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Nortada Liveaboard

Nortada Liveaboard

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 8.7/10

SDE Rating: 73%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Nortada Liveaboard: 73%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Nortada Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Nortada Liveaboard are ([Diving:10/10] + [Cabin:6/10] + [Boat:9/10] + [Dining:7/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:4/10] = 36/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Nortada Liveaboard is calculated as 36/60 = 73% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £401.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 4·Bathrooms: 5·Guests: 12

Length: 25.66 m·Beam: 5.4 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 50 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Humboldt Explorer

Humboldt Explorer

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 8.8/10

SDE Rating: 61%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Humboldt Explorer Liveaboard: 61%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Humboldt Explorer liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Humboldt Explorer liveaboard are ([Diving:8/10] + [Cabin:5/10] + [Boat:8/10] + [Dining:4/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 28/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Humboldt Explorer liveaboard is calculated as 28/60 = 61% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £510.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 8·Bathrooms: 8·Guests: 16

Length: 111.5 ft·Beam: 21.3 ft

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 100 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Galaxy Diver II

Galaxy Diver II

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 9.4/10

SDE Rating: 70%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Galaxy Diver II Liveaboard: 70%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Galaxy Diver II liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Galaxy Diver II liveaboard are ([Diving:9/10] + [Cabin:6/10] + [Boat:9/10] + [Dining:5/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:4/10] = 33/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Galaxy Diver II liveaboard is calculated as 33/60 = 70% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £517.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 8·Bathrooms: 9·Guests: 16

Length: 29 m·Beam: 6.6 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 50 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Galapagos Master

Galapagos Master

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 8.7/10

SDE Rating: 65%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Galapagos Master Liveaboard: 65%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Galapagos Master liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Galapagos Master liveaboard are ([Diving:8/10] + [Cabin:5/10] + [Boat:7/10] + [Dining:8/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 31/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Galapagos Master liveaboard is calculated as 31/60 = 65% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £325.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 9·Bathrooms: 10·Guests: 16

Length: 32.3 m·Beam: 7.5 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 50 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Galapagos Aggressor III

Galapagos Aggressor III

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 9.1/10

SDE Rating: 58%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Galapagos Aggressor III Liveaboard: 58%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard are ([Diving:9/10] + [Cabin:5/10] + [Boat:6/10] + [Dining:5/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 28/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Galapagos Aggressor III liveaboard is calculated as 28/60 = 58% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £510.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 8·Bathrooms: 11·Guests: 16

Length: 100 ft·Beam: 22 ft

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 100 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Danubio Azul Liveaboard

Danubio Azul Liveaboard

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 7.3/10

SDE Rating: 68%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Danubio Azul Liveaboard: 68%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Danubio Azul Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Danubio Azul Liveaboard are ([Diving:9/10] + [Cabin:5/10] + [Boat:7/10] + [Dining:7/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:5/10] = 33/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Danubio Azul Liveaboard is calculated as 33/60 = 68% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £338.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 8·Bathrooms: 7·Guests: 16

Length: 24.84 m·Beam: 5.47 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 50 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Calipso Dive Liveaboard

Calipso Dive Liveaboard

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 9.4/10

SDE Rating: 73%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Calipso Dive Liveaboard: 73%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Calipso Dive Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Calipso Dive Liveaboard are ([Diving:10/10] + [Cabin:7/10] + [Boat:8/10] + [Dining:8/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:2/10] = 35/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Calipso Dive Liveaboard is calculated as 35/60 = 73% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £468.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 10·Bathrooms: 9·Guests: 16

Length: 35.4 m·Beam: 8 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 100 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Aqua Liveaboard

Aqua Liveaboard

Galapagos Islands

Liveaboard Rated: 9.1/10

SDE Rating: 68%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Aqua Liveaboard: 68%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Aqua Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Aqua Liveaboard are ([Diving:10/10] + [Cabin:6/10] + [Boat:7/10] + [Dining:6/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 32/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Aqua Liveaboard is calculated as 32/60 = 68% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £386.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 9·Bathrooms: 9·Guests: 16

Length: 26 m·Beam: 5.5 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 50 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices

Galapagos Islands; Highlands to see giant tortoises Dive Site Details

Highlands to see giant tortoises Common Sightings

Highlands to see giant tortoises Liveaboard Itinerary Stop

The Santa Cruz Highlands provide one of the best-known land experiences in the Galápagos Islands: seeing giant tortoises moving through their natural habitat. This is not a dive site. The cooler, greener highlands contrast sharply with the dry coast and give visitors a different view of the island’s volcanic landscape and wildlife.

Tortoise activity changes with weather and season, and encounters remain wild rather than staged. Darwin’s finches and other highland birds may also be seen during the walk. Visitors should follow the naturalist guide, remain on permitted routes and keep the required distance from animals.

A liveaboard itinerary may include the highlands before embarkation or after the final dive, making good use of time around the Baltra airport transfer. It is often paired with Los Gemelos or the Charles Darwin Research Station. Check whether the excursion is included or optional.

The Galápagos Conservancy guide to Santa Cruz describes the island’s highlands and visitor sites.

The ""Highlands to see giant tortoises" visitor stop in Galapagos Islands is included on itineraries operated by nine liveaboards. The highest customer-rated liveaboard scores 9.7 out of 10. Prices across these liveaboards start from £325.00.

If you want a more intimate experience, the smallest liveaboard whose itinerary includes "Highlands to see giant tortoises" is Nortada Liveaboard, which has 4 cabins, accommodates up to 12 guests, and is 25.66 m in length. If you prefer a larger boat, Aqua Liveaboard, which is 26 m in length, has 9 cabins, and accommodates up to 16 guests.

Check Live Availability & Prices