Accommodating just 48 guests and sailing with a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio the new, all-suite National Geographic Islander II has the spirit and soul of a private yacht. Special features include teak decks, indoor-outdoor dining options, an impressive observation deck, and new expedition amenities like a spacious climate-controlled Marina and Science Hub.
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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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We offer four distinct itineraries: spend a week or 10 days exploring the islands’ lush highlands and pristine beaches or combine Galápagos with Machu Picchu and Peru’s Sacred Valley for an adventure that blends the beauty and wonder of the natural world with a discovery of one of the world’s greatest civilizations.
This August, Lindblad Expeditions will welcome a new member to our Galápagos fleet: an all-suite vessel with just 26 suites and a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio. The National Geographic Islander II will replace the National Geographic Islander, elevating the guest experience in the Galápagos Islands. The 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 than ever before while exploring the Galápagos Islands.
Galápagos
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$7,710
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Special Offers
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Length
16 days
From
$13,910
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Galápagos
Peru
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$10,450
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Peru
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Galápagos
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Length
7 days
From
$9,390
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
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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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.
Embark on a sweeping adventure that encapsulates all the wildness of Galápagos balanced with the cultural and historic experiences of Machu Picchu & Peru's Land of the Inca. Explore Galápagos in depth aboard the 96-guest National Geographic Endeavour II, then discover the culture and history of Peru and the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu.
Anahi Concari, Naturalist, January 23, 2022
more daily expedition reportsFrom climate conditions, to water temperature, to packing the right footwear. Find answers to the questions our Expedition Specialists get most often.
Read moreThis is the best trip we have ever taken. We have been all over the world and nothing else compares.
Barry Z.
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.
6/26/2022
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Guests onboard National Geographic Endeavour II spent the day exploring Española Island. Two options were offered this morning to explore the marine realm of the island; passengers could either go to the beach to receive tips and tricks from their naturalists in order to maximize their snorkeling experience throughout the week, or they could disembark for deep water snorkeling at Gardner Islet. Deep water snorkelers joined beachgoers on the beach after snorkeling at Gardner Islet. In the afternoon, we disembarked for a hike at Punta Suarez. The physical characteristics of the island are indicative of its age. Islands have a life cycle themselves; when they grow older, they become flatter as landmasses erode and sink into the sea. Española is the oldest island in the Galapagos and one of the flattest. Given that evolutionary processes have been occurring for millions of years on Española, it is home to several species that cannot be found on any other island in the archipelago. Some species endemic to Española Island include the mockingbird, lava lizard, ground finch, a marine iguana subspecies, and the waved albatross. We were overjoyed to see so many waved albatrosses on the trail today. Many individuals were incubating eggs, and mating pairs preened and engaged in ceremonial dances. The albatrosses leave land in January to feed on the nutrient rich waters of Peru until they return in April. Upon their return, they find their mate and begin the business of producing offspring. Courtship ceremonies are observed throughout the year while the birds are still in Española, often by unmated individuals or pairs that have not hatched a chick. They are the only albatross species to live in the tropics. These albatrosses have one of the largest wingspans of any bird on the planet. Española ground finches and large cactus finches were also spotted. Blue-footed boobies lined the trail with several pairs caring for very young hatchlings. Toward the end of the trail, guests enjoyed observing the blowhole at Punta Suarez. Families took turns snapping action shots with this impressive view. Photo caption and photographer: A waved albatross incubates an egg right along the trail at Punta Suarez. The albatross will rear a single hatchling per season. The waved albatross is considered critically endangered, with approximately 33,000 individuals in the world. Photo by Alexandra Widman
6/24/2022
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Today is our last day in paradise, an adventure that seems unreal. We all bonded as one. Even though we are from different backgrounds, today we are one. The Galapagos brings magic to our souls and minds. On an expedition, a journey of discovery through time, we have traveled together and reached Fernandina Island and San Cristobal Island, the youngest and one of the oldest in the archipelago. Today we landed on a green olivine beach. Peaks of tuff high in the sky made this site very different from what we have already observed. The volcanic scenery during our intense hike was spectacular. We bonded over our profound feelings as we enjoyed a moment in life that will live in our hearts forever. Punta Pitt also has impressive scenery from up above. We observed the skies and occasionally the inversion layer that kept us cool and pleasantly comfortable during our walk. All our senses were heightened as we listened to our surroundings while searching for red-footed and blue-footed boobies. We were lucky to see them up close. This is the breeding season, and the chicks were fluffy. We also experienced a soft misty rain that is locally called “garua.” Soon after, it was beach time. We played with fun sea lions and went snorkeling. Later, we repositioned to Cerro Brujo for our last walk over a white sand beach. We observed the turquoise ocean and more sea lions. What a wonderful way to say goodbye to the Galapagos. Today was particularly special for it was spring tide. The ocean was magical, sending in waves of different lengths and frequencies that mesmerized us on this wonderful white sand beach. We boarded the ship and passed Kicker Rock, an impressive and massive tuff formation, as the sun set along the horizon. We are now together at the lounge celebrating life as frigatebirds fly very nearby, like they are saying goodbye without anyone noticing. Today is our last full day in the islands. We made it to the Galapagos, and it was not easy. We now share a deep appreciation with others who actually made it to the islands. Today, we are honored to be part of this unforgettable experience and hope one day we all have the willpower to make a positive change in this wonderful world of ours. Our expedition is now over. Life goes on, but we are sure this place has changed many lives, this place that can never be fully described. We all arrived with different backgrounds, and we shared a magic that will exist in our minds forever. “We must rethink our indoctrinated acknowledge, the methodical saying ‘don’t humanize the animals’ and instead ‘animalize the human’ by perceiving our surroundings with all our senses; embracing nature with our true-spirit by coexistence and respect for one another, so we can become one with nature as we once were.” Celso Montalvo. Farewell, amigos.
6/23/2022
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National Geographic Islander
As we approach the end of a wonderful exploration onboard National Geographic Islander , we visited the mysterious Santiago Island, also known as James Island, so named by pirates. We started our day with an early walk along the beach. After a wet landing, our guests enjoyed the peaceful and unique landscape of beaches and a button/white mangrove forest. Along the sandy area, we appreciated green turtle nesting sites. By late morning, we move to Buccaneer’s Cove, an anchoring spot for pirates and whalers who wandered to this island to hide and to look for food and water. We enjoyed experiencing the marine diversity and the geologic landscape of the site. At the end of the day, we visited Puerto Egas. Some of our guests enjoyed a relaxing time on the basaltic eroded beach, and others went for a walk along the island. The trail goes around the arid zone of the island and along the coastline. It was a nice opportunity to explore the intertidal zone.
6/23/2022
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Today we woke anchored in Academy Bay with the sight of Puerto Ayora in the distance, a beautiful and busy town. This island has the largest population of giant tortoises and also the biggest human settlement of the islands. Our first visit of the day was to the Charles Darwin Research Station, where we went to the breeding center of the giant tortoises, the most iconic project of the national park. Here we found mating tortoises, eggs, and baby giants, and we learned all about the station’s work and the other conservation projects on the islands. Walking through town, we got to see local life unfolding, including the fishermen’s market where sea lions and pelicans waited for some leftovers. Then we visited the highlands of Santa Cruz. On the way, we stopped at a small farm that sold coffee, sugarcane, and exotic fruits. We watched how “panela,” a local sweetener, is made. We also observed the process of roasting coffee and even got to taste the local moonshine, which was really strong. The best part of the day was yet to come: seeing giant tortoises in the wild! At “El Manzanillo Ranch,” we had lunch as tortoises roamed freely. We changed into rubber boots and went to get a close look of these gentle giants.
6/22/2022
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National Geographic Islander
Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos, occupying 50% of the total area of the archipelago. It is one of the most beautiful islands with its diversity in fauna and flora and its incredible underwater world. Early in the morning, National Geographic Islander anchored in front of Urbina Bay, one of the most spectacular sites due to its incredible natural history. In 1954, 2 km² of underwater floor was lifted towards the sea surface, bringing with it gigantic coral heads, marine animals, and tiny crustaceans whose eco-skeletons can still be seen as petrified bodies in the rocks. Just as we were getting ready to board Zodiacs after breakfast to head for the beach at Urbina Bay, Juan Carlos Avila, our Expedition Leader, spotted a pod of dolphins swimming near National Geographic Islander . We boarded our Zodiacs, and we approached them. The show they gave us was unforgettable. Many jumped very close to us, while others swam below us, all of them officially welcoming us to this beautiful part of the Galapagos archipelago. We walked inland on the beach, and we saw our first land iguanas basking along the trail. Many of them looked at us indifferently, while others simply walked through the bushes, looking for food. Near the end of the trail, we came across some tortoises that probably came down from the top of the Alcedo Volcano to nest. Just before noon, National Geographic Islander began the voyage north toward Tagus Cove. One of the most popular and well-known sites for visitors of yesteryear, pirates and buccaneers used the site as a hideout after attacking and looting the Spanish galleons. At 2:45 p.m., our activities began in Caleta Tagus, where our guests could choose between kayaking or deep-water snorkeling. The ocean was completely clear and calm, perfect for discovering the incredible underwater world that surrounds Isabela. A pleasant surprise was meeting Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea turtles, and sharks. The most incredible thing was probably coming face to face with three or four cat sharks that swam very close to us without even flinching. Then, we got ready for our last outing. Many guests opted for a walk around Lake Darwin, observing this beautiful natural formation of a brackish water lake located just behind Tagus Bay. We observed many finches throughout the palo santo forest. At the end of the trail, the gigantic lava flows rose in front of us, like silent witnesses to the explosive past of the Galapagos. I was with the guests who preferred the dinghy ride. Along the seashore, we saw many pelicans, sea turtles, and, of course, penguins and cormorants returning to their nests. Just before sunset, we returned to our beloved National Geographic Islander , tired but with the best memories of a day that will stay with us forever.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
With Free Air
