Early in the morning we reached Santa Cruz Island, which is not only the second biggest island in the Galapagos but also the most populated, with something like 20,000 inhabitants. Some own farms, and today we visited Manzanillo Ranch, where giant tortoises move freely in the highland territory. Surrounded by green vegetation, this area is the perfect spot for these gigantic reptiles. They enjoy roaming, resting, and taking muddy baths unbothered by the presence of humans.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 02 Nov 2021
Santa Cruz Highlands & Las Bachas, 11/2/2021, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Paulina Saa, Naturalist
María, who goes by her middle name Paulina, was born and raised far from the sea in the Andean city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. She came to the Galápagos Archipelago for the first time on holiday when she was nine years old, and was smitten. Sh...
Read MoreShare Report
Exploring Galápagos
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/7/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Santiago Island
We began our day with a very active snorkeling excursion, where some of our snorkelers saw several whitetip reef sharks, a few sea lions, and fish of all kinds. We also kayaked and went paddleboarding. The geological formations are impressive here, such as the world-famous praying monk that captured our attention while on a Zodiac ride. If that wasn’t enough, we had a few rounds of glass bottom boat rides, a fabulous tool that allows us to have a clear view of the fish, and especially those sharks. Soon after lunch, we had an adventurous wet landing on Puerto Egas, with its black sandy beach that we had all to ourselves. We walked along the shore and intertidal pools of Santiago with sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, shore birds, and Galapagos fur seals. After cocktail hour and a fun recap, we enjoyed a barbeque dinner on the top deck.
5/7/2025
Read
National Geographic Gemini
Isabela Island
Isabela is the largest island in Galapagos and today we had the opportunity to explore Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno. These two visitor sites are very close but very different from one another. Elizabeth Bay is covered with black lava and a mangrove forest, which becomes a perfect shelter for many species. The bay is home to flamingos, brown pelicans, and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This combination is a good reflection of the colonization of flora and fauna of the Galapagos.