Kicker Rock Snorkeling from San Cristóbal

Hammerheads and boobies share the same 60-foot channel beneath Kicker Rock's towers.

Snorkel Kicker Rock, one of the Galapagos' most productive dive sites, with a certified naturalist guide who speaks English or Spanish. The tour departs San Cristóbal at 7:30 am, includes two hours of navigation to the site, snorkeling among lava formations where hammerheads, sea turtles and Galapagos sharks patrol, and a second stop at either Cerro Tijeretas or a deserted beach like Manglesito to relax and watch wildlife on land. Box lunch and all snorkeling gear are provided. The full day runs six hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kicker Rock snorkeling and beach visit

• Meet guide at Puerto Baquerizo
• Navigate 2 hours to Kicker Rock
• Snorkel at Kicker Rock lava formations
• Observe seabirds on rock towers
• Swim with hammerheads and sea turtles
• Visit Cerro Tijeretas or deserted beach
• Relax and observe wildlife on beach
• Enjoy box lunch on boat

The experience

You meet your guide at Puerto Baquerizo at 7:30 am and spend two hours on the boat heading to Kicker Rock. The journey itself is part of the experience: the water and islands shift as you move away from the main settlement. Once you arrive, you enter the water at the base of the rock's twin towers and descend into the channel that connects them below the surface. The walls drop 60 feet, and the confined space concentrates the marine life: hammerheads move through in schools, sea turtles graze on the bottom, and Galapagos sharks cruise the walls. Above the waterline, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and tropicbirds perch on the rock's edges.

After Kicker Rock, the tour stops at either Cerro Tijeretas or one of the deserted beaches (Manglesito or Puerto Grande), depending on conditions that day. You snorkel again at this second site and then have time to walk on the sand and watch wildlife on shore. Box lunch arrives on the boat during this part of the day, so you eat while the islands are still in view. The guide speaks English or Spanish and holds a naturalist certification, so questions about what you are seeing get answered with detail rather than guesswork.

All snorkeling equipment (mask and fins) comes with the tour. Children from age four are welcome. The day is suitable for all fitness levels, though comfort in the water and the ability to snorkel are assumed. The operator does not provide wetsuits, so bring your own if you want extra warmth in the Galapagos current.

What’s included

• Guided snorkeling at Kicker Rock and a second site.
• boat transport from Puerto Baquerizo.
• snorkeling mask and fins.
• box lunch served on the boat.
• certified naturalist guide in English or Spanish.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 to 78 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Latin Adventures Cía Ltda

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to snorkel the Galapagos' most concentrated marine life in a single morning and afternoon, with a guide who can explain what you are seeing. The shared boat and fixed schedule keep the cost lower than a private charter and the departure time early enough to reach Kicker Rock while visibility is best.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What wildlife will I actually see snorkeling at Kicker Rock?

Hammerhead sharks, sea turtles and Galapagos sharks inhabit the 60-foot channel between the rock's towers. On the surface, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and tropicbirds nest on the rock itself.

How long is the boat ride to Kicker Rock from San Cristóbal?

The navigation from Puerto Baquerizo takes two hours each way. The full tour runs six hours from start to finish.

What is included in the price?

Guided snorkeling at two sites; boat transport; snorkeling mask and fins; box lunch; and a certified naturalist guide who speaks English or Spanish.

What happens at the second stop after Kicker Rock?

Depending on conditions, you visit either Cerro Tijeretas or a deserted beach such as Manglesito or Puerto Grande, where you snorkel again and then walk on shore to observe wildlife on land.