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Where to see hammerhead sharks in the Galápagos

Schools of scalloped hammerheads gather at Darwin and Wolf, the far northern islands that only liveaboard dive boats reach.

  • luckyodds of seeing one
  • Jun–Decbest months
  • 2places to see it
  • Critically EndangeredIUCN status
School of scalloped hammerhead sharks
Photo: RYO SATO from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0

Short answer: For schools of hammerheads you need a liveaboard dive cruise to Wolf and Darwin. Closer in, Kicker Rock off San Cristóbal and Gordon Rocks off Santa Cruz give occasional sightings from a day boat. June to December, the cool season, is when they are most abundant.

Scalloped hammerheads are listed as Critically Endangered. A Charles Darwin Foundation study at Darwin and Wolf found about 5 tonnes of hammerheads per hectare in March, in the warm season, against 21 tonnes in August, in the cold season.

When to see hammerhead sharks

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Best months: Jun–Dec. Odds of seeing one: lucky.

  • Jun–DecHammerhead sharks most abundant in the cool season

Where to see hammerhead sharks

Liveaboard

Wolf and Darwin

Liveaboard dive cruise only.

Wolf / Darwin

Day trip

Kicker Rock and Gordon Rocks

Day boat snorkel or dive; sightings occasional.

San Cristóbal / Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz island guide, San Cristóbal island guide

EQUATOR · 0° Volcán Wolf≈ 1,670 mVolcán Wolf: highest point about 1,670 m in the GMRT elevation gridCerro Azul≈ 1,650 mCerro Azul: highest point about 1,650 m in the GMRT elevation gridSierra Negra≈ 1,110 mSierra Negra: highest point about 1,110 m in the GMRT elevation gridAlcedo≈ 1,130 mAlcedo: highest point about 1,130 m in the GMRT elevation gridVolcán Darwin≈ 1,370 mVolcán Darwin: highest point about 1,370 m in the GMRT elevation gridLa Cumbre≈ 1,440 mLa Cumbre (Fernandina): highest point about 1,440 m in the GMRT elevation gridSanta Cruz highlands≈ 820 mSanta Cruz highlands: highest point about 820 m in the GMRT elevation gridSan Cristóbal highlands≈ 680 mSan Cristóbal highlands: highest point about 680 m in the GMRT elevation gridSantiago≈ 890 mSantiago: highest point about 890 m in the GMRT elevation gridPinta≈ 610 mPinta: highest point about 610 m in the GMRT elevation grid ISABELAFERNANDINASANTIAGOSANTA CRUZSAN CRISTÓBALFLOREANAESPAÑOLAPINTAMARCHENAGENOVESASANTA FEPINZÓNBALTRA North SeymourBartoloméSanta FeSouth PlazaPinzónKicker RockLos TúnelesTintorerasTortuga BaySierra NegraPunta SuárezEl ChatoLas GrietasDarwin Station Puerto AyoraPuerto Baquerizo MorenoPuerto VillamilPuerto Velasco Ibarra ✈GPSBaltra (GPS)✈SCYSan Cristóbal (SCY)✈IBBIsabela (IBB) Giant tortoisesPenguinsPenguinsBlue-footed boobiesFlamingosFlamingosSea lions in townMarine iguanasFlightless cormorantsWaved albatross (Apr–Dec)Red-footed boobiesTurtles & sharks (snorkel)White-tip sharks ↖ Darwin & Wolf: dive boats only 050 km N
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · tiles OpenFreeMap · depth GMRT · photos Wikimedia Commons, credited in each cardNot for navigation.

Which tour goes there

Day boats to Kicker Rock and Gordon Rocks give occasional sightings only; for schools, a liveaboard to Darwin and Wolf is the trip.

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Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. Many multi-day packages start in Quito, so check what is included. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure

Every tour on all islands, filtered by animal: day-tour finder.

Did you know?

  • Fun factAt Darwin and Wolf, hammerhead biomass was about 5 t per hectare in March and about 21 t per hectare in August.
  • SizeMales mature at about 1.5 to 1.8 m and females reach about 2.5 m; the largest recorded was 4.3 m.
  • Scientific nameSphyrna lewini

On every visit: keep 2 metres from wildlife, cameras included, and visit park sites with a certified naturalist guide. The full list: visitor rules.

Questions people ask

Where can you see hammerhead sharks in the Galápagos?

Schools gather at Wolf and Darwin, reached only by liveaboard dive cruises. Kicker Rock and Gordon Rocks give occasional sightings from day boats.

What is the best time of year for hammerheads in the Galápagos?

The cool season, about June to December. At Darwin and Wolf, hammerhead biomass in August was about four times that of March.

Can you see hammerheads while snorkelling?

Sometimes, at Kicker Rock, but sightings there are occasional. Divers on a liveaboard to Darwin and Wolf have far better odds.

Also on the card

Print the wildlife bingo card · Best month for your trip · Plan your days

Sources:Galápagos National Park and Governing Council, Charles Darwin Foundation. More numbers:facts and figures.

Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.