|
We're proud to be awarded the #1 small ship cruise line by the 2021 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards! |
We’ve been back in Galápagos since June 2021, with two ships exploring the islands weekly. The vibe is warm and welcoming and reports coming in from the field are a joy to read.
Blue-footed boobies nesting on the hiking trails, staring quizzically as you walk past. Mockingbirds landing on camera lenses and peering at their reflections. Sea lions hopping off rocks as you hop out of your Zodiac, eager to look at you, or swim with you. Galápagos is a rare and magical place and the most welcoming place to be after the year our species has had. We know—we’ve been leading expeditions here for more than 50 years.
In Galápagos, one thing is certain: expect the unexpected! Surrounded by wildlife on land and at sea, you never know what might happen. And that’s been the draw since Darwin landed in 1835.
Read more
Galápagos
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$7,710
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Special Offers
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Length
16 days
From
$13,910
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Peru
Special Offers
Galápagos
Peru
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$7,330
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Peru
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Galápagos
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Length
7 days
From
$6,020
Prices are per person
Galápagos
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Travel to the Galápagos is on! Here are some things you might be wondering if you're considering a trip to the world's most interesting islands.
Dive in and experience Galápagos with all your senses. Choose how you want to explore—hike, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel, or arrange to dive (on select departures). Take a long hike or just relax on the beach. Our generous staff-to-guest ratio means you can always find a naturalist whose interests and approach you share whether you want to focus on birding, human history, photography, the undersea, or more. Since the first international tourist expedition cruise to the Galápagos Islands in July 1967 with Lars-Eric Lindblad, we’ve introduced generations of guests to these strange and wonderful islands, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.
See more Highlights
Paula Tagle, Expedition Leader, Jan. 11, 2022 (photo by Adrian Vazquez)
more daily expedition reportsFrom climate conditions, to water temperature, to packing the right footwear. Find answers to the questions our Expedition Specialists get most often.
Read moreHenry David Thoreau called it the “tonic of wildness.” It’s what a cruise to Galápagos, with its beauty and wildness, gives you—a spirit lift. To compound this healthful effect, we provide a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
This is the best trip we have ever taken. We have been all over the world and nothing else compares.
Barry Z.
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in Galápagos currently support our regional partners—the Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and the Scalesia Foundation—in their efforts to research and conserve the unique wildlife of the islands and promote education in the region.
1/20/2022
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Thanks to its high elevation, Santa Cruz Island has a variety of vegetation zones. Today, we landed on the north side of the island and boarded buses that took us through the humid zone. We visited El Manzanillo Ranch, located within the farming zone of Santa Cruz. We admired the size of the giant tortoises, an endemic species. These amazing creatures prefer the south end of the island with its abundant vegetation and suitable nesting grounds. Upon returning to National Geographic Endeavour II , we weighed anchor and navigated towards Bowditch Bay. This isolated and stunning beach has white sand and turquoise water. It is the perfect location to swim, snorkel, enjoy a stretching session or simply relax.
1/19/2022
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Santiago Island is special to Lindblad Expeditions, as it is our adopted island. Years ago, the island was overrun by invasive species, like goats, pigs, donkeys and many others! We adopted Santiago Island to support the conservation and restoration of its ecosystems. Today’s results are amazing! The island is once again a paradise for giant tortoises. Thanks to the restoration program, even the iguanas that Charles Darwin saw on his visit are back. In the early hours of the morning, we landed on Espumilla Beach for exploration. This was possibly the best morning of the trip, as this place is a breeding ground for Pacific green sea turtles. The turtles come by the thousands year after year to nest in the Galapagos Islands. Pelicans nest in the mangrove forest, and Galapagos hawks perch in trees. What a paradise for wildlife! We explored Buccaneer Cove after breakfast, where we went kayaking and deep water snorkeling. This was an opportunity to get to know more about the human aspect in the history of the Galapagos. Pirates, whale hunters, seal hunters and Charles Darwin himself visited this place! In the afternoon, we landed at Puerto Egas. Here, we had a couple of options for exploration. Some guests took a hike along the shore of Santiago Island, which was amazing due to the abundance of wildlife. Guests saw sea lions, crabs, iguanas and seabirds. Other guests snorkeled in the shallow reefs. When you land, you can find the ruins of a human settlement left by salt miners that inhabited this bay back in the 1950s. Today, the Galapagos National Park Service protects and manages Santiago Island. What an amazing opportunity to visit Santiago Island, and I can say it was another day in paradise!
1/19/2022
Read
National Geographic Islander
This morning, National Geographic Islander anchored in Urbina Bay at the foot of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast of Isabela Island. After a wet landing, we took a trail inland to see Galapagos land iguanas and giant tortoises. We spotted quite a variety of endemic land birds, among them finches and mockingbirds. We also had the opportunity to see the coral reef exposed due to the uplifting of this area in 1854. After the hike, we went to the beach to enjoy the refreshing waters found west of the archipelago. In the afternoon, we enjoyed kayaking and paddleboarding in Tagus Cove. Very calm conditions allowed us to get close to the wildlife. We also went snorkeling. The water was mostly clear and full of activity. The main attractions were the reefs, sea turtles and schools of different species of fish. After this, we went for a hike to see Darwin’s Lake and the beautiful landscape of the north profile of Isabela Island. Some of us went for a Zodiac ride along the coast and spotted many Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants. The various geological features were amazing.
1/18/2022
Read
National Geographic Islander
Our visit to Bartholomew Island started early in the morning. The tiny island showed incredible volcanic formations, and guests aboard National Geographic Islander enjoyed the landscape photo opportunities. Starting on the dry landing and all the way to the top (374 feet), we discovered spatter cones and lava bombs. After hiking up 365 stairs, we reached the summit of the volcano. The view of Santiago Island, situated in front of Bartholomew, was breathtaking and perfect for pictures. In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to snorkel near Guy Fawkes Islets. An eroded volcano offered the perfect habitat for different species of fish and marine invertebrates. Following the water activities, we got ready for a hike at Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island. A dry landing on a rocky pier led us to a dry vegetation forest. Plenty of palo santo trees and prickly pear cacti made an ideal trail for land iguanas. Land iguanas, vegetarian reptiles of pale-yellow and brown coloration, are one of three species endemic to the islands. The iguanas are found under bushes or even in the middle of trails.
1/17/2022
Read
National Geographic Islander
This morning, National Geographic Islander anchored at the south of North Seymour Island. We enjoyed an early nature walk to see colonies of different species of seabirds and the unique Galapagos land iguana. The highlight of our excursion was probably the mating performance of the blue-footed boobies. We also enjoyed a very close view of male frigatebirds with their red gular pouches inflated. In the afternoon, we enjoyed an amazing time snorkeling off the red sandy beach of Rabida. The sea lions were very playful. We saw a variety of fish around the rock reef, including whitetip reef sharks and a diamond stingray. After this, we took advantage of the light during the golden hour. We walked along the shore of this amazing place and witnessed a feeding frenzy as brown pelicans and boobies plunged for fish. In addition, some guests went kayaking along the coast to observe and enjoy the wildlife and the impressive geological features in this area.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
With Free Air
