Christian Saa, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Be the first to sail on National Geographic Islander II
Deepen your understanding of the Galápagos Islands through Lindblad Expeditions' 50-year history leading voyages through this iconic archipelago. Reserve your seat now on select October and November sailings and enjoy special savings plus free round-trip air from Miami. See below for more details.
We're proud to be awarded the #1 small ship cruise line by the 2021 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards!
Sail the iconic archipelago with the pioneers of modern expedition travel
Lindblad Expeditions pioneered expedition travel to the remarkable Galápagos Islands more than 50 years ago. Today, we lead expeditions year-round to this magical archipelago famed for its vibrant wildlife. Encounter giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, playful penguins, and charismatic sea lions in their natural habitats, unfazed by your presence. Enjoy multiple adventures each day on land and undersea, including walks and hikes, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling.
In Galápagos, one thing is certain: expect the unexpected! Surrounded by wildlife on land and at sea, you never know what might happen. And that’s been the draw since Darwin landed in 1835.
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A new ship for the Galápagos
Lindblad Expeditions is delighted to welcome the newest member to our Galápagos fleet: an all-suite vessel with just 26 suites and a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio. National Geographic Islander II elevates the guest experience in the Galápagos Islands to an entirely new level. National Geographic Islander II, a best-in-class expedition ship, is expertly refitted to facilitate the active exploration at the heart of the Lindblad experience. Guests will enjoy more space and amenities while exploring the Galápagos Islands.
Limited-time offer
Reserve your suite now and be one of the first guests to enjoy the next-level comfort of the new, all-suite National Geographic Islander ll's inaugural season. Enjoy $1500 special savings and free round-trip air from Miami on the Oct. 28 Wild Galápagos & Peru Escape sailing and Nov. 5 Wild Galápagos Escape sailing.
If you are unable to join us on one of these special voyages, we are delighted to extend free round-trip air from Miami to Galápagos on the Nov. 10 Wild Galápagos Escape sailing and Nov. 11 Wild Galápagos & Peru Escape sailing. For the ultimate experience, book an Islander Suite (category IS) on any of these select departures and we will upgrade you to business class from Miami to Guayaquil round-trip. New bookings only. Book by Oct. 31, 2022.
Book by October 31, 2022, and we will waive the solo premium on solo cabins on select departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures in 2022, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
FREE ROUND-TRIP AIR ON SELECT DATES
Book by January 13, 2023, for Free Air from Miami—or from $249 and $349 from popular home cities—on select 2022-23 departures. Business class upgrade starting at $750.
Offer on American Airlines only, economy class. Upgrade to Business Class flights starting at $750, subject to availability. Free air offer includes internal flights between mainland Ecuador and Galápagos. All offers are valid for new bookings only, must be ticketed by Lindblad Expeditions and are subject to availability at time of booking. In the case that offered Miami flights are no longer available, Lindblad reserves the right to issue a credit. Baggage fees may be additional.
4TH GUEST TRAVELS FREE
4th person travels free on select 2022 departures. Book by January 13, 2023. Bookings of three full-paying guests may bring a fourth person for free. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. Valid on select departures, for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on airfare or extensions, and is not combinable with other offers. Call for details.
Book by January 13, 2023, for FREE ROUND-TRIP economy group airfare from Miami to Galápagos/Lima to Cusco on select 2022-23 departures. Upgrade to Business Class to Guayaquil starting at $750, subject to availability. All offers are valid for new bookings only, must be ticketed by Lindblad Expeditions and are subject to availability at time of booking. In the case that offered Miami flights are no longer available, Lindblad reserves the right to issue a credit. Baggage fees may be additional.
Free round-trip air from Ecuador to Galápagos on select 2022 departures. Book by October 31, 2022. New bookings only and subject to availability. All air offers are based on economy group flights that must be ticketed by Lindblad Expeditions. Baggage fees may be additional.
FREE AIR IN 2023
Free Round-Trip Air from Miami/Galápagos on all 2023 departures aboard National Geographic Islander II. Book by October 31, 2022. New bookings and subject to availability. All air offers are based on economy group flights that must be ticketed by Lindblad Expeditions. Baggage fees may be additional.
Free round-trip air from Ecuador to Galápagos on select 2022 departures. Book by October 31, 2022. New bookings only and subject to availability. All air offers are based on economy group flights that must be ticketed by Lindblad Expeditions. Baggage fees may be additional.
FREE AIR IN 2023
Free Round-Trip Air from Miami/Galápagos on all 2023 departures aboard National Geographic Islander II. Book by October 31, 2022. New bookings and subject to availability. All air offers are based on economy group flights that must be ticketed by Lindblad Expeditions. Baggage fees may be additional.
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS IN 2022
Book by October 31, 2022, and we will waive the solo premium on solo cabins on select departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures in 2022, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
4TH GUEST TRAVELS FREE
4th person travels free on select 2022 departures. Book by January 13, 2023. Bookings of three full-paying guests may bring a fourth person for free. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. Valid on select departures, for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on airfare or extensions, and is not combinable with other offers. Call for details.
Dive in and experience Galápagos with all your senses. Choose how you want to explore—hike, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel, or arrange to dive (on select departures). Take a long hike or just relax on the beach. Our generous staff-to-guest ratio means you can always find a naturalist whose interests and approach you share whether you want to focus on birding, human history, photography, the undersea, or more. Since the first international tourist expedition cruise to the Galápagos Islands in July 1967 with Lars-Eric Lindblad, we’ve introduced generations of guests to these strange and wonderful islands, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Highlights
Travel in Extraordinary Company
Visit itinerary dates to view additional staff and guests
Donald Johanson
Dr. Donald Johanson, one of the most accomplished scholars in the field of human origins,is best known for his 1974 groundbreaking discovery of the 3.2 million-year-old skeleton known as Lucy. He and co-author Maitland Edey won the National Book Award in Science for their 1981 book Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind. As founding director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University, he has authored several books, appeared on numerous documentaries; and hosted an Emmy nominated three-part NOVA series on PBS.
Susan Orlean is a bestselling author and one of her generation’s most distinctive journalistic voices. Her nonfiction works range from Rin Tin Tin to The Orchid Thief, on which the 2002 film Adaptation is loosely based. Her latest is On Animals, an essay collection about the creatures with whom we share our homes, lives, and the world. A staff writer at The New Yorker for over three decades, she is currently at work on adapting The Library Book for a forthcoming limited series with Paramount TV.
Marine biologist Sylvia Earle is an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society. She is former chief scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and founder of SEAlliance, which partnered with National Geographic on Mission Blue to further global initiatives aimed at restoring health and productivity to the ocean. She has led more than a hundred expeditions, logged over 7,000 hours underwater, and has authored more than 190 scientific, technical, and popular publications.
Carl Safina writes about the human relationship with the natural world. His books include Song of the Blue Ocean, Voyage of the Turtle, and Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel. He hosted the PBS series Saving the Ocean. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Audubon, and on the Web at National Geographic News and Views, Huffington Post, CNN.com, and elsewhere. He is now the first Endowed Professor for Nature and Humanity at Stony Brook University and runs the not-for-profit Safina Center.
From arresting photographs of vibrant tribal dances to underwater scenes of elephants swimming at sea to 3-D photogrammetric models of submerged archaeological sites, Jonathan’s penchant for travel and love of the wild have taken him to some of the most remote and unmapped corners of the globe. His work has appeared in print and online in National Geographic, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal.
Award-winning photographer and filmmaker Rich Reid has specialized in environmental and adventure photography for over two decades. North American Nature Photography Association elected Rich as a Fellow for his significant contributions to the nature photography industry, and he was a finalist for the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his time-lapse video documenting forest fire ecology.
Underwater photographers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes are married partners who work together as a team to produce National Geographic stories from equatorial coral reefs to beneath the polar ice. David estimates he has spent nearly half his life in the sea since taking his first underwater photograph at the age of 12 with a Brownie Hawkeye camera sealed in a bag.
Henry David Thoreau called it the “tonic of wildness.” It’s what a cruise to Galápagos, with its beauty and wildness, gives you—a spirit lift. To compound this healthful effect, we provide a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
National Geographic Islander II's Maiden Voyage
Enjoy this glimpse of the new, all-suite National Geographic Islander ll welcoming the first guests aboard the August 18, 2022, maiden voyage sailing the Galápagos. She is purposely outfitted to reduce impact, build community on board, and foster authentic connection to the people and culture of Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.
The Galapagos Islands are a spectacular archipelago, but not all islands are the same; each one has its unique character. This was what inspired the great naturalist Charles Darwin when he was visiting the islands in 1835.
See, do and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Our naturalists, passionate about the islands where most of them were raised, illuminate each facet of natural and human history here through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
See what lies beneath the waves—even if you choose to stay dry with the help of your undersea specialist. These pros snorkel or dive to shoot footage of sea life and share it in the lounge. They lead snorkeling outings and glass-bottom boat excursions, offering voiceover on all you see.
Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition, and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
This is the best trip we have ever taken. We have been all over the world and nothing else compares.
Barry Z.
Making a Difference
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in Galápagos currently support our regional partners—the Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and the Scalesia Foundation—in their efforts to research and conserve the unique wildlife of the islands and promote education in the region.
We spent today on the island of Santiago. Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist, camped here for nine days to observe the various species of the Galapagos Islands. We had an amazing day full of excitement, including great wildlife encounters and opportunities for photography.
Isabela Island is the largest island in the Galapagos archipelago. Its backbone is made of five huge shield volcanos, starting from the north: Wolf, Darwin, Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul. All these massive volcanos are active, and one erupts about every three years.
In the western realm of the Galapagos, we arrived at Fernandina Island, the youngest island of the archipelago. After an amazing sunrise, we began looking for marine wildlife as we navigated across the Bolivar Channel. Dramatic views of the impressive volcanic landscape enhanced our breakfast. We went ashore for a walk, and it was like we were transported back to a time when the land was newly formed. The highlights of our morning were countless. Galapagos marine iguanas basked along the shoreline. We found many unique creatures, including the flightless cormorant, Galapagos sea lions, and the top natural predator of the archipelago, the Galapagos hawk. After a walk on lava flows that are only hundreds of years old, we snorkeled under great conditions. We observed iguanas, sea lions, several species of fish, and green sea turtles feeding on seaweed. We were surrounded by Galapagos penguins and had the chance to feel accepted as part of this environment. The western islands are formidable and the most remote. The newest islands are strongly influenced by the Cromwell Undercurrent, which brings cold, nutrient-rich waters. The newer islands are also pretty active volcanically. In the afternoon, we backtracked north and navigated towards the northwestern realm of Isabela Island. We arrived at Punta Vicente Roca, a collapsed caldera of Volcano Ecuador and one of the six volcanos that form Isabela. Groups took Zodiac rides to explore the coast because the geology of the site does not allow disembarkation. We observed fur sea lions, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, Galapagos penguins, and the impressive flightless cormorant. After a spectacular day full of activities in the field, we returned on board. We celebrated as we crossed the equator with a sunset wine tasting on the top deck. Every day in the Galapagos is an opportunity to reconnect with the beauty of nature through unbelievable encounters, and today was no exception. Today’s visit was outstanding!
We started our day early on Santa Cruz Island, located in the center of the archipelago. We passed through town, the biggest settlement in the archipelago, on our way to the highlands, where our visit took place. We visited El Trapiche farm, where we met a family that farms coffee and sugarcane. We learned how the people of the highlands live, and we also tried some of the products they grow. Afterwards, we visited Los Gemelos, big geological formations in the middle of a Scalesia forest. Surrounded by this special vegetation, we explored the ecosystem, birds, and epiphytes. To end the morning, we visited El Manzanillo Ranch, where tortoises are found everywhere. The ranch is located right in the middle of the migration route of these prehistoric animals, so we had the opportunity to see them up close and learn all about them while they were feeding, sleeping, and walking around. In the afternoon, we visited the Charles Darwin Research Station and the National Park Headquarters. We walked on a special path created to educate visitors about the projects these institutions are working on. We explored a small part of town and the fish market, where we saw the catch of the day on display.
Today was our last day in the middle of the archipelago before we embark on a journey to the western realm! We visited North Seymour Island in the morning and Rabida in the afternoon. North Seymour Island’s uplifted geology has made the island a bird magnet location. This island is home to magnificent and great frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, and blue-footed boobies. Birds are not the only ones on the island, though. There are also sea lions and two of the most common reptiles found in the Galapagos: land iguanas and lava lizards. As we walked along the trail on North Seymour, we were very fortunate to spot all the species listed. It was amazing to see them right along the trail as they fed their babies, took a nap, or just explored the curious humans that admired them in turn. This is the beauty of the Galapagos: animals behave as if we are not there, which is known as ecological naivety. In the afternoon, we ventured into the ocean for our first snorkeling session. We ended the day by walking along Rabida Island, also known as the red island due to a large amount of iron oxide, which makes this island red in color. One of the highlights of our day was seeing flamingos nesting at the lagoon on Rabida Island. This has not happened in the last 30 years since the lagoon composition changed due to weather events like El Niño. To our surprise and joy, the lagoon has recovered, allowing brine shrimp to return and flamingos to nest again. The Galapagos Islands are always full of surprises, and today we got to see many!
It will never leave you if you go to the Galápagos islands. You will have stories for the rest of your life—I can promise you.
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