North Seymour and Rabida Islands, 7/4/2023, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
National Geographic Islander II takes us to unique wild places in the Galapagos. On board we have modern Zodiacs that take us even closer to landscapes so we can better understand the geological and natural history that produced such unique flora and fauna.
Walter was born in a very small town on the mainland of Ecuador. His first trip to the Galápagos was when he was 12 years old, visiting friends and aunt, who had moved to the islands. From the first moment he saw the Islands, he fell in love with the...
Today our guests explored Santa Cruz Island. After a delicious breakfast we landed in Puerto Ayora, which is the home port for most of the tour boat operations in the Galapagos. This town is also where the Galapagos National Park headquarters and Charles Darwin Research Station are located. Today our guests hiked into giant tortoise territory and learned about the iconic giant tortoise restoration project.
Our expedition onboard National Geographic Islander II took us to the captivating South Plaza and Santa Fe Islands where we were treated to an extraordinary day of wildlife encounters, breathtaking landscapes, and a deeper understanding of the islands’ unique ecosystems.
San Cristobal is the easternmost island of the Galapagos and one of the oldest. It has a wealth of human, geological, and genetic history, with a unique contrast among its habitats. Today we visited its most iconic sites, including Punta Pitt’s golden beach, which is made from volcanic material and is a resting site for sea lions. Its mountain is comprised of compact ash, known as tuff cones. This destination has a healthy colony of red-footed boobies, which are the least known in the archipelago, and we were surprised by the dance of blue-footed boobies and the beautiful great frigatebirds nesting near the trail. We also visited the western central coast of the island at Cerro Brujo, with one of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago, with soft, fine white sand. Our day culminated with a beautiful sunset at Kicker Rock.
