We spent the whole day at Isabela Island, enjoying the western part of the archipelago one last time. Our planet has seen many changes throughout time, and we are able to witness recent geological activity at Urbina Bay. This area rose out of the sea in the early 1950s. Nowadays it is home to Darwin finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, and Galapagos land iguanas. From time to time, we can observe visitors such as the Alcedo giant tortoise; we were lucky to find several of these gentle giants along the trail. Isabela Island is a marvel of nature, and our guests enjoyed taking pictures of breathtaking landscapes. We had fun while kayaking with Galapagos penguins and snorkeling with Pacific green sea turtles and flightless cormorants. Galapagos…where dreams come true!
5/2/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Bartolome and Sombrero Chino Islands
We awoke at sunrise and observed the majestic Bartolomé Island showered by the first sunrays of the morning. Our first hike of the day was invigorating, almost 400 steps to the summit of Bartolomé to appreciate the astonishing beauty of the surroundings. What an amazing view! We saw several parasitic volcanoes, an underwater crater, golden sandy beach, and the many shades of blue of the ocean. On our way back to National Geographic Endeavour II, we took a detour to search for the iconic Galapagos penguins and we found them. Yay! Our afternoon destination was Chinese Hat, a small island surrounded by lava fields, fine white sand, and crystal-clear waters. We went snorkeling and swimming and had more encounters with Galapagos penguins. They’re so fast, they look like they’re flying under the water. The day wouldn’t have been complete without a sunset exploration by Zodiac to explore the coasts of Santiago Island and Chinese Hat. Some friendly sea lions greeted us with their spectacular, playful behavior. Soon, we found ourselves riding back under the light of the sunset with the impressive volcanic background of the Galapagos.