Guests onboard National Geographic Endeavour II spent the day exploring Santa Cruz Island. We visited the Charles Darwin Research Station and the captive breeding center followed by the Trapiche Farm in the highlands. Finally, guests observed and photographed Santa Cruz giant tortoises at Manzanillo Ranch.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 26 May 2022
Santa Cruz Island, 5/26/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Sebastian Abad, Naturalist
Sebastian was born in the enchanted land of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, and has spent his life between the two opposite environments of a large, bustling city and a remote island paradise.
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Exploring Galápagos
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5/7/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Santiago Island
We began our day with a very active snorkeling excursion, where some of our snorkelers saw several whitetip reef sharks, a few sea lions, and fish of all kinds. We also kayaked and went paddleboarding. The geological formations are impressive here, such as the world-famous praying monk that captured our attention while on a Zodiac ride. If that wasn’t enough, we had a few rounds of glass bottom boat rides, a fabulous tool that allows us to have a clear view of the fish, and especially those sharks. Soon after lunch, we had an adventurous wet landing on Puerto Egas, with its black sandy beach that we had all to ourselves. We walked along the shore and intertidal pools of Santiago with sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, shore birds, and Galapagos fur seals. After cocktail hour and a fun recap, we enjoyed a barbeque dinner on the top deck.
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Isabela Island
Isabela is the largest island in Galapagos and today we had the opportunity to explore Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno. These two visitor sites are very close but very different from one another. Elizabeth Bay is covered with black lava and a mangrove forest, which becomes a perfect shelter for many species. The bay is home to flamingos, brown pelicans, and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This combination is a good reflection of the colonization of flora and fauna of the Galapagos.