In this short video, Unplastify co-founder Agustina Besada shares more about her ongoing mission to inspire teens to “unplastify” their lives and their local communities.
This week's photos from the field included spectacular images of lava flows on La Cumbre, an active volcano on Fernandina Island in the Galápagos Islands.
Guests aboard National Geographic Venture witnessed a rocket launch, while National Geographic Explorer explored South Africa and National Geographic Sea Bird cruised the Columbia River.
In this episode of Expedition Spotlight, join Cultural Specialist Susan Flanagan as she reveals what discoveries are in store on our Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland expedition.
This week's photos from the field included a rare river otter sighting in Patagonia, gray whale encounters in Baja California, and a shark off the coast of South Africa.
In this Expedition Spotlight, Expedition Leader Dan Olsen reveals what makes Karukinka Natural Park so special and how we're helping to protect this awe-inspiring region.
This morning National Geographic Endeavour II welcomed the dawn upon arriving at Fernandina Island, the youngest volcano of the archipelago and still in formation. We took a walk along the shoreline of Espinosa Point to see one of the largest colonies of marine iguanas in the Galapagos. We also encountered a couple of Galapagos snakes, flightless cormorants, sea lions and a Galapagos hawk. Afterwards, we had an amazing time snorkeling. We saw sea turtles as well as marine iguanas nibbling on the rocky bottom of the sea to feed on the algae. Then, our captain repositioned the ship at the southeastern side of the island where we enjoyed the impressive spectacle of incandescent lava reaching the ocean. Without a doubt, this is one of the highlights of our Galapagos experience this week!
We arrived early to the island of Tenerife to explore Anaga Rural Park, walking through the subtropical forest on a lovely morning by ourselves. The prehistoric laurel forests still survive in some areas of the Canaries and today we had a chance to enjoy it, as well as the great views of the island. After our hike we walked through La Laguna, a beautiful, colorful, and bursting with life UNESCO city. The mixture of the architecture, the culture, and even the famous native dragon trees were outstanding. Some of us went on a more historical journey, visiting the Pyramids of Guimar and Santa Cruz. We enjoyed an indulgent traditional Canary lunch with a variety of tapas including local cheeses, croquettes, mojo, and great salads. It was a beautiful day exploring the rich culture, history, and nature of Tenerife.
As this journey begins, National Geographic Endeavour II awakens at North Seymour Island, almost dead center in the archipelago. This low-lying, uplifted volcanic island does not appear to hold much, however it is brimming with wildlife as we land. Walking among great and magnificent frigatebirds, with males trying to attract mates, we encounter Galapagos land iguanas highly camouflaged against the rocky background with endemic lava lizards fleeting about. The bright cerulean color of the blue-footed boobies stands out as we explore this land before time. The afternoon brings us to Rabida Island and its incredible contrast with its deep red, oxidized volcanic landscape, the only such island in the Galapagos. Exploration along the coast with kayaking or snorkeling, we encounter the ocean busy with wildlife, including Galapagos sea lions, whitetip reef sharks, and colorful reef fish. A sunset walk along the red sand beach allows us to get close to the sea lions as the sun dips below the horizon.
Talofa! A very warm welcome to Samoa. National Geographic Orion arrived in Samoa after a long sea travel from Rarotonga. We were truly in the remote Pacific and ready for exploration. The warmth from the Samoan people was intoxicating and we received special treatment today. We were shown around Robert Louis Stevenson’s house and the surrounding botanical garden, we had a Sunday feast cooked in an umu, we enjoyed a cultural performance, and then went snorkelling at Palolo Marine Reserve.
Entering the Spanish autonomous territory of the Canary Islands, we spent the day exploring Gran Canaria. One group went off hiking in the ravine of Los Cernicalos, taking in the native flora and fauna while wandering through the willow forest. The rest of the guests had a full day starting at Los Berrazales Valley, tasting the rich ‘black gold’ coffee and the local wine and goat cheese. A few wished they hadn’t eaten quite so much for breakfast back on the ship! Then we visited the small town of Galdar which had a museum housing an excavation of an indigenous village, including a 13th century cave with paintings. The temperature dropped about 15 degrees as we climbed up the mountains to our lunch destination with stunning views over the central mountains. The skill of our bus driver was tested with the curved roads and tiny villages.