Isolated by time and ocean, the wildlife of Galápagos has never developed an instinctive flight response to humans. Blue-footed boobies nest on hiking trails, oblivious to humans walking past. Mockingbirds land on camera lenses and peer at their reflections. Sea lions hop off rocks as you hop out of your Zodiac, eager to get a look at you under the water. Galápagos is a rare and magical place. We know—we’ve been leading expeditions here for more than 50 years. No other company has the depth of connection to the place, its wildlife, its human population and its conservation that we do. This is not a boast on our part but rather a reason: Our tenure here is your assurance that traveling with us will make the most of your time, intelligence, and curiosity.
Galápagos
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$7,560
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Special Offers
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Length
16 days
From
$13,760
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$7,190
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Galápagos
Special Offers
Length
7 days
From
$5,900
Prices are per person
Galápagos
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. 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.
See more Highlights
This is the best trip we have ever taken. We have been all over the world and nothing else compares.
Barry Z.
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.
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.
Mar 20
Read
National Geographic Islander
Tower, or Genovesa, is home to over one million seabirds. Our highlights here were diverse, from Nazca, red & blue-footed boobies and gulls to owls, fur seals, hammerhead sharks, turtles and manta rays.Our adventure began with a wet landing on a white coralline beach inside Darwin Bay, named by a celebrity visitor, William Beebe, in honor of the great naturalist who re-directed human thought, Charles Darwin. At low tide and over a platform, we walked surrounded by birds of all kinds, their chicks, behavior, and colors. We were first moved by so much seabird activity – parents taking care of juveniles, hoping one day they can fend for themselves. Naturalists were also very excited that our guests were able to see many male great firgatebirds and red-footed boobies in this northern hemisphere island which has a very different ecology than any other. When we reached our hike’s turning point, we were surprised by the low tidal access to a larger platform. Back on board we prepared for our last snorkeling outing. This undersea realm gave us close encounters with many hammerhead sharks, fish, and playful sea lions for the last time. To see them so close brought excitement and admiration. Some of us opted for beach snorkeling, which became much more fun than expected. After this great adventure, we returned to our ship anchored inside Genovesa’s caldera to be briefed on our departure, and enjoy our last delicious lunch, a pride for our culinary staff. We were then ready begin our next adventure at Prince Philip’s Steps. It was a red-footed booby day, as we were able to spot so many of them! We also saw several Nazca boobies, as well as frigatebirds with the long awaited red-gular pouch, a bachelor’s eager signal for females. My colleague, naturalist Javier Carrion was able to find the elusive short-eared owl. All of us felt rewarded to have a unique view to the only camouflage diurnal raptor. Taking this walk was like being transported back in time. There were birds flying all over, like in prehistoric times, and lava formations resembling the first foundation of Earth. As we look back and gaze at the sunset and the islands for the last time, this place now seems to be timeless and our exploration has been unforgettable. We have all bonded like family, united by this invisible mysticism. At the end of our journey we hope to stay in touch, and that the experience our guests had this week will stay with them for a lifetime. “We must not acknowledge the methodical saying ‘don’t humanize the animals’ but instead ‘animalize the human’ by perceiving our surroundings with all our senses; embracing nature by coexistence and respect for one another, so we can become one with nature as we once were.” —Ceslo Montalvo Adiós, amigos.
Mar 20
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
After breakfast, we had a wet landing to explore Darwin Bay. As soon as we got to the site we encountered hundreds of red-footed boobies, some of them nesting on red mangroves, others looking for nesting material to build their nests in trees. Genovesa is a magical island, especially right now, since we are in the middle of the breeding season for frigate birds, red-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls. Male magnificent frigate birds are on display, attracting females to their nests, to breed and stay together for the season. Swallow tailed gulls are also breeding and building nests under the salt bushes. Love is in the air at the moment on this island, and we sure enjoyed watching all the interactions among species. After the hike we went deep water snorkeling and explored the waters around the cliffs of Genovesa. While snorkeling, some of us spotted around fifteen hammerhead sharks, a school of golden rays and a large variety of tropical fish. The hammerheads were really a very unexpected surprise. During the afternoon we went to explore Prince Phillip Steps. After a dry landing, we encountered a large breeding ground of Nazca boobies, a small forest of dwarf incense trees, and great frigate birds soaring the sky. One of the highlights of the afternoon visit was the possibility of finding short-eared owls, and we found one hiding within a cave! The hike was outstanding, so many sea birds busy for the day, interacting! On our way back we spotted a few fur seals (really a type of sea lion) resting on the lava rocks. This was an incredible day and perfect day to finish our expedition week around Darwin’s archipelago./p>
Mar 20
Watch
National Geographic Islander
We woke up early this morning in the central part of the archipelago, anchored near the small but impressive island of Sombrero Chino. Sombrero Chino is home to an incredible underwater landscape where black lava meets white sand. There was great visibility, so we eagerly anticipated close encounters with species like penguins and of course fish, and fishes (the plural when referring to different species). Our activities varied with choices like pre- and post-breakfast kayaking, walks, strolls along the beach, paddleboarding and even deep-water snorkeling, which was fantastic. We were extremely happy to see so many fish, sea lions, and even Galapagos penguins jetting right through our snorkeling group. The water temperature was 79 degrees Fahrenheit, with excellent water visibility, and a calm ocean with almost no current. All in all, an exceptional (and fun!) underwater environment. Back on board, we had lunch as we traveled to our next destination. Soon after lunch, we were given a talk about Charles Darwin, a young naturalist who visited the Galapagos in 1835, and changed the world forever! We anchored, and soon after a Zodiac ride took us to Sullivan Bay at James Island. Here, we had a one-and-a-half-mile long hike over lava flows, frozen in time as liquid rock solidified long ago. Another Zodiac took us to a nearby beach where we snorkeled and rested either on a towel or right on the soft white sandy beach. Later in the evening we reminisced on our many experiences of this wonderful day. As we gazed upon these islands for the last time, understanding that tomorrow will be our final full day, this place now seems to be timeless to us. It is now deep within our hearts, and our experience has been unforgettable – in a place where wildlife that has no fear and allows us to realize that we are not so different after all. Therefore, my introspective thought: “We must not acknowledge the methodical saying ‘don’t humanize the animals’ but instead ‘animalize the human’ by perceiving our surroundings with all our senses; embracing nature by coexistence and respect for one another, so we can become one with nature as we once were.”
Mar 20
Read
National Geographic Islander
The day began with an early pre-breakfast disembarkation at South Plaza Island. Our first wildlife encounter came in the form of playful sea lions found in nearby pools. We then saw Galapagos land iguanas along our trail, this was followed by several seabirds such as swallowtail gulls, magnificent frigate birds and red bill tropicbirds. In the afternoon while some guests hiked to the top of Santa Fe Island, others went for a kayaking session. The goal for both groups this afternoon was to spot the Santa Fe land iguana, a unique species of iguana that inhabits only this island. As an added bonus, guests found a colony of over a hundred Galapagos sea lions resting on the beach!
Mar 20
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Today we woke up on the island of Bartolome. The excursion on this island started early and we had the chance to see the sunrise before we landed. The hike to the summit was wonderful, nice weather and a great view from the top. After breakfast, some people enjoyed a nice time on the beach and later, everyone went for a snorkeling session. We saw penguins, sharks, reef fish, rays, and more. In the afternoon, we started with another snorkeling session, followed by a Zodiac ride around Chinese Hat. We had a great day here in the Galapagos Islands.
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.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
