Expedition Stories

Our fleet navigates the world in search of adventure. These are the stories they bring back…

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Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2025

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Hood River, Oregon

It was a windy, stunning, sunny, and vibrant day along the Columbia River Gorge! This morning, we traversed our first dam at Bonneville and made our way past the Bridge of Gods. After disembarking the ship, guests went to Multnomah Falls and saw some beautiful sights before splitting towards Beacon Rock or the hatchery at Bonneville Dam. Some of us hiked the mile up the 848-foot-tall basalt monolith, others did a nature walk, and the rest got to hang out at the hatchery with Herman the Sturgeon.   To top it all off, we ended the day at Syncline Winery for drinks and appetizers before returning to National Geographic Sea Bird to enjoy a gorgeous sunset. Onwards!

Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2025

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National Geographic Gemini

Isabela and Fernandina Islands

Today we had our first full day in the western region of the archipelago. In the morning, we enjoyed Tagus Cove, walking inland to get beautiful photos of the landscape, including the famous Darwin’s Lake. We also went kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling along the shoreline to see Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and more.   Our visit to Fernandina Island later in the afternoon provided sightings of colonies of marine iguanas on lava flows and sea lions on the sand. Without a doubt, it was one of the highlights of this trip!

Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2025

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Floreana Island

Floreana Island welcomed us early in the morning as we landed at Cormorant Point along the northern coast. Some of the deepest human history of the islands is found among the unique flora and fauna found here. This is one of only two islands in the archipelago that has fresh water year round.   American flamingos waded in the brackish pond to feed as blue-footed boobies dove for their sustenance along the coast. Galapagos flycatchers flitted about with a very lyrical song and Darwin’s finches were busy in their nesting areas as we walked inland.   Guests found the geology interesting as we walked upon a peridot/olivine crystal beach and hiked to a coralline organic sand beach where numerous Pacific green sea turtle tracks were seen from the previous evening.   The late afternoon brought us to Post Office Bay. We continued the long-running tradition of taking mail (from a post barrel that has been around since the late 1700s) to be hand delivered back home and leaving post cards for fellow travelers to deliver in the future.   The hues of the setting sun broke through the clouds as Captain Mario lifted the “hook” and we continued our journey of exploration into the night.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2025

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National Geographic Endurance

Graciosa

The island of Graciosa is one of the smaller of the Azores but is certainly no less picturesque or fascinating. Dominated by a mighty volcanic caldera and rimmed with lava-stone wine and pasture lands, it is a beautiful place to find oneself on a sunny, mild day. We explored the island by coach, visiting its many vistas and intriguing places, or took to the trails to discover what we could about the mysterious volcano. The highlight? Taking the 180 steps in a spiral staircase down inside the still active caldera to see the lake, huge cavern, and bubbling mudpot fueled by the still active magma below.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/13/2025

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National Geographic Islander II

Floreana Island

Today we went to Floreana Island, starting with a visit to the very famous Post Office Bay. Here we had the chance to deliver postcards through one of the oldest mailing systems in the Americas. Later on, we rode our Zodiacs to explore the small islet of Champion, where marine birds and sea lions display on the shore. We also snorkeled in this same area, and had close encounters with the playful sea lions.   In the afternoon we hiked at Cormorant Point, an old tuff cone with a greenish sandy beach at its base surrounded by black mangroves. We explored the area looking for wildlife and enjoyed the presence and color of the greater American flamingos. On the other side of this visitor site there is a beautiful white sand beach, which is also a sea turtle nesting site. We enjoyed the last rays of today’s sun at this magical location.