Urbina Bay and Tagus Cove, Isabela Island, 3/25/2025, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Today’s morning adventure took us to Urbina Bay on Isabela Island. The highlight was spotting land iguanas and giant tortoises in the wild for the first time. Guests were thrilled to observe these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. The lush landscape was filled with Darwin's finches.
In the afternoon, we hiked to a stunning viewpoint at Tagus Cove. The trail led us through dry, rugged terrain with glimpses of endemic plants. At the summit, the panoramic view was unforgettable.
Andrés grew up in Floreana, an island with 150 inhabitants in the Galápagos Archipelago. Living without internet, television or cellphones encourages him to become a creative observer and a nature lover. He spent most of his childhood interacting wit...
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Santa Cruz Island is the largest inhabited island in the archipelago and perhaps the most diverse. The contrast between nature and culture makes it a very interesting and fascinating place. In the morning, we visited the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center and observed the young tortoises that will later be repatriated to their island of origin. As we walked into town, we encountered sea lions intermingling with humans, then we had a great lunch at the Bahia Mar restaurant along the waterfront. We spent the afternoon in the highlands where we visited a local family-run sugarcane plantation. We had the opportunity to taste some of their products such as sugarcane honey, molasses, taffy, and moonshine. This was a very rich experience where our guests learned how people live in the Galapagos and shared a little bit of their daily lives. We finished this interesting day by visiting giant tortoises in their natural habitat as well as a few birds, including mockingbirds, pintail ducks, moorhens, and finches.
We arrived at Santa Cruz Island with clear skies and bright sunshine. We experienced the humid and vibrant green of the island while visiting the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation, learning about the conservation efforts these two institutions have contributed over the years working together. Later, we were welcomed by some of the farmers in the highlands, and in the afternoon, we immersed ourselves in the habitat of the Giant tortoises which are the emblematic animal of this enchanted island. Photos by Christian Villaroel and Paola Luque
Today, we visited the western Galapagos Islands. The black, rugged coastline is evidence of the youth of Isabela Island, and we immediately felt like we had entered a new world. This morning, we explored the beautiful mangrove ecosystem of Elizabeth Bay by Zodiac and kayaks. Mangroves are typical of tropical locations, but here they are the habitat of the endemic Galapagos penguins. What a unique combination! At Punta Moreno, we explored an inland trail leading to a brackish pond where a couple of American flamingos gave a splash of color to this vast field of young, black lava. This jagged shoreline is home to the largest number of marine iguanas in the Galapagos. At this time of day, we observed them warming themselves up on the black lava. We watched endemic flightless cormorants prey upon octopuses and eels, making us feel like we were within a documentary. Galapagos never ceases to amaze us and wake up our inner naturalist!
