Española Island is the southeasternmost island in the archipelago. It is slowly but surely losing the battle against the elements, after drifting over 200 kilometers from its birthplace. As it has moved on top of the Nazca tectonic plate, it has effectively lost all influence of the Galapagos Hotspot, the life force that fuels most volcanic activity in this group of islands. Despite being presently only a fraction of its original size, it is still home to vast numbers of sea birds, as well as an endemic species of mockingbird and lava lizard, unique not only to the archipelago but specific to Española. We explored the northeastern end of the island at Gardner Bay and nearby Gardner Islet during the morning, and the western end at Suarez Point during the afternoon.
1/21/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz Island
We had a day full of wildlife encounters mixed with unique and fun cultural experiences on Santa Cruz Island. From the town of Puerto Ayora, we got on buses to visit El Trapiche Farm. It’s an interactive farm where our guests had the opportunity to learn about the process of sugarcane, cocoa, and coffee production. These activities are displayed by a local family that has followed these traditions for many generations. Our guests took part in these activities by helping to extract sugarcane juice, roasting coffee in an old-fashioned way, and distilling sugarcane liqueur. It was definitely a fun way for our guests to interact with the locals while learning how they make a living from farming. And as an extra bonus, we saw a barn owl sitting on a beam of the interior of the building’s roof. After visiting El Trapiche, our guests had a great time seeing the emblematic giant tortoises roaming freely by Manzanillo Ranch. We saw tortoises wandering around, some inside a mud pond, and even a mating couple. It was a spectacular way to end another day in the Galapagos.
