Our expedition just started on board National Geographic Islander II and the things we discovered today were amazing. We visited the most populated island of the Galapagos, Santa Cruz Island, and we learned that here in the magical Galapagos, humans and nature can coexist in harmony.
Our journey began in the morning as we arrived at El Trapiche, an ancient farm owned by one of the first Ecuadorian families that came to the island. Our guests learned how moonshine is produced in an artisanal way, out of sugar cane juice, and how coffee is harvested, dried, and processed to produce a delicious and fine coffee.
We continued our journey towards the highlands of Santa Cruz to find a wonderful Scalesia forest, a unique plant that belongs to the daisy family which forms a lush, green forest, the perfect site for finches and great photography opportunities.
We could not finish the expedition to this island without an encounter with the magnificent symbol of the archipelago, the giant tortoise, which resides in the highlands on this island. They spend most of the year resting and eating. We were able to walk beside these fantastic reptiles of different sizes, giving us time to observe them and understand their behavior and biology. It could not have been a better way to start our wonderful expedition!!
