We had an amazing day during our explorations around this beautiful side of Isabela Island. The morning walk at Urbina Bay was definitely the highlight of the day as we saw a lot of land iguanas and many Galapagos giant tortoises. They were very active along the trails and were very relaxed with us walking nearby. Our guests had the opportunity to take remarkable photos which will remind us of the beautiful and special moments of this trip.
4/9/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Isabela Island
After breakfast, we boarded our kayaks and gently paddled the calm waters of Elizabeth Bay. As we glided through the mangrove channels, we were greeted by the sight of numerous green sea turtles swimming peacefully near us. We also spotted several juvenile blacktip reef sharks cruising through the shallow waters. The presence of golden rays added to the magical ambiance of the bay. At 2:00 p.m., we began our first afternoon outing with a snorkeling session along Punta Moreno. The underwater scenery was simply spectacular. We encountered more green sea turtles, and Galápagos sea lions added a playful element to the experience. The highlight for many was witnessing penguins swimming at remarkable speeds as they hunted small salemas. Later, we returned to shore to walk across a vast and striking lava field — a reminder of the islands’ volcanic origins. However, amid this seemingly barren landscape, we discovered true oases: brackish lagoons where several flamingos were wading gracefully through these pools, feeding on small crustaceans. As we neared the end of our walk, we had one last surprise — encounters with Galápagos penguins and the iconic flightless cormorants.
