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.
10/7/2024
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National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Highlands
Our expedition started on board National Geographic Islander and the things we discovered today were amazing. We visited the most populated island of the Galapagos, Santa Cruz Island, and we learned that in the Galapagos, humans and nature can coexist in harmony. The journey began in the morning as we arrived at El Trapiche, a sugarcane plant built in 1950 and an historical destination owned by Mr. Adriano, one of the first Ecuadorians that came to the island. Our guests learned how moonshine is produced in an artisanal way out of sugarcane juice and also how coffee beans are harvested, dried, and processed in order to produce delicious coffee. We continued our journey toward the highlands of Santa Cruz, to Los Gemelos, two stunning volcanic sinkholes formed by the collapse of volcanic chambers and an area where you can walk through lush vegetation and the unique Scalesia pedunculata forest. The panoramic view was breathtaking. At mid-day we reached our lunch destination, the spectacular Manzanillo Farm. After enjoying a delicious lunch we were ready for the most wonderful adventure, we walked beside Galapagos giant tortoises! Roaming with these fantastic reptiles in their natural habitat offered us the opportunity to take amazing pictures. The best way of ending this incredible day was a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park Facilities to learn how the giant tortoise breeding program works and how this endangered species was recovered.
