Today’s expedition on Santa Cruz Island began with a visit to the Tortoise Breeding Center in Puerto Ayora to learn about the efforts to protect and rehabilitate Galápagos giant tortoises. In the afternoon, we ventured into the highlands to see the wild Santa Cruz tortoises in their natural habitat, roaming freely. The day concluded with a visit to the Gemelos Pit Craters and the lush Scalesia Forest. The stunning volcanic craters and vibrant forest provided a perfect end to an educational and adventurous day on the island.
5/29/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Genovesa Island
Genovesa is considered one of the Galapagos crown jewels, and today it was showing off all of its splendor. Immediately after breakfast we put on our sturdy shoes and set out to explore Prince Philip’s Steps. This area is known for opportunities to observe not only large colonies of nesting Nazca and red-footed boobies, but maybe, just maybe, the short-eared owl which exhibits diurnal behavior on this island. After this walk we got ready for a dip in the Pacific Ocean and snorkeling along the inner coast of this caldera. The afternoon was equally amazing as we disembarked to explore Darwin Bay, along a short and easy trail that was packed with wildlife. Here we observed not only nesting frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies, but also a few yellow-crowned night herons. It was another incredible afternoon in the Galapagos Islands.
