Today we visited my home island, Santa Cruz. Puerto Ayora town is located in the southern part of Santa Cruz Island, and here we find the headquarters of the Galapagos National Park and the famous Charles Darwin Research Station. We used this opportunity to visit the giant tortoise breeding center and learn firsthand about the conservation efforts to protect the Galapagos Archipelago. There was even time for shopping and wandering in the cozy town. In the afternoon, we visited the highlands, stopping first at a local farm, called El Trapiche, then we all enjoyed a great meal served at a restaurant Aquelarre and the rest of the afternoon was spent at the giant tortoise natural reserve. Here our guests had a great time observing the gentle giants in their environment. It was a fantastic day!
5/12/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Floreana Island
We started our day early at Punta Cormorant just as the sun came up. Nearby, the rocky outline of Devil’s Crown stood out in the distance. As we landed, sea lions were waiting on the beach, giving us a lively start to the morning. During our walk, we visited a large brackish lagoon that’s known for attracting flamingos. We were lucky to see a few of them, which can be rare depending on the season. The highlight of the day was snorkeling at Champion Islet. The water was calm and clear, and we saw a wide variety of marine life. Sea lions swam nearby, and we spotted plenty of colorful fish. In the afternoon, we went kayaking in a quiet, protected area, sharing the space with sea turtles and rays. We finished the day at Floreana Island’s Post Office Barrel where we joined the tradition of leaving and/or taking a postcard for hand delivery upon our return home. A beautiful sunset ended the day.