Today we arrived to La Gomera, our last stop in the Canary Islands before we sail off to Madeira. The weather has been nice, and many of us stood on the outer decks as National Geographic Explorer made her way into the island’s harbor.

As soon as we were cleared by local Customs’ officials, we disembarked and headed for the buses that would take us on tours around La Gomera. Some of us went to Garajonay National Park. We had the chance to walk around the lush forest of laurisilva, for which the island is famous. Others decided to hike to Raso de la Bruma for a quicker-paced exploration of the island’s wonderful trails.

We gathered together for lunch. We enjoyed a live demonstration of Silbo Gomero, the island’s whistling language, which was recently recognized as part of the cultural heritage of the Canary Islands.

To round up the day, the crew’s band, The Spice Boys and Girls, performed in the lounge after dinner.