Last night we arrived to Santa Cruz Island and today went to the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center for Galapagos Giant Tortoises; this place has one of the most successful projects aiming to restore populations of the emblematic tortoises to their natural environment. We observed land tortoises from different islands as well as Galapagos land iguanas. Along the trail, we observed different species of Darwin’s finches, such as the common cactus finch and its long beak. There were also some Galapagos mockingbirds and Galapagos flycatchers flitting around us as we walked, looking for insects to feed on. The vegetation surrounding the area is impressive, with the endemic giant prickly pear cactus, which looks the same as a typical tree with golden brown bark, but reaches heights of more than twelve feet tall.
After walking through the center, we had some time to walk around the town before heading up to the highlands. We had several options for the highlands: some of our guests went biking to a local farm, others went to the farm using local buses, while others went to visit a local school where children study in direct contact with nature.
At the end of the morning, we headed to a local restaurant to have lunch, and from there we departed for a place known as Manzanillo farm, where we looked for wild Galapagos giant tortoise. We saw many of them all around the property throughout afternoon. Most of these animals are on their way to other areas of the island, where they can find fresh water and plenty of grass to eat. This farm lies directly on the migratory route of the tortoises.
At the end of the afternoon, we returned to the National Geographic Endeavour, where we enjoyed a lovely evening with performances by local musicians and dancers from Galapagos. It was a fantastic day!
