Guests spent the day exploring the island of Santa Cruz. One of four inhabited islands in the Galapagos, Santa Cruz has the largest human population and is considered the economic hub of the province. We spent the morning at a beautiful ranch in the highlands looking for Santa Cruz giant tortoises. We walked the trails, spotting giant tortoises and learning about the behavioral ecology of these magnificent creatures. We spent quite some time taking photos. After a delicious lunch, we visited the giant tortoise breeding center at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here we had the opportunity to learn about important efforts to protect species of giant tortoises from extinction. We ended the day with a great visit by some local artists who came on board to share the wonderful creations they make, which are inspired by these islands.
7/16/2024
Read
National Geographic Islander II
North Seymour and Rabida Islands
Early in the morning after breakfast, we disembarked on North Seymour Island for a hike among the nesting grounds of many sea birds. On the trails, we saw several male frigatebirds in their courtship display, blue-footed boobies, and Swallow-tailed gulls. When it comes to showcasing adaptations of the Galapagos flora to dry environments, the incense tree forest is a highlight. The trail can be quite rocky, so those of us who wanted to explore North Seymour’s coast by sea had the option of taking a Zodiac ride. After our hike, we had a presentation on nature photography in the Cove Lounge aboard National Geographic Islander II . After lunch, we navigated towards Rabida Island. Once we arrived at Rabida, we had two options to either go deep-water snorkeling or snorkel off the beach along the coast of this beautiful red island. After snorkeling, we chose to kayak and walk along Rabida’s beach to search for wildlife. American flamingos were spotted in a brackish water lagoon. We came back to the ship after a breathtaking sunset.