We spent the day exploring the island of Santa Cruz. In the morning, we visited the highlands where we found giant tortoises. We also visited a farm to see how local farmers live their lives on the islands and how they contribute to the local production of food. We ended the day onboard National Geographic Islander II enjoying live music and dance performed by local artists. Guests danced to Ecuadorian rhythms and enjoyed the artists playing unique, traditional instruments from the Andean region.
11/16/2024
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National Geographic Islander II
Genovesa Island
Genovesa is one of the most incredible islands in the Galapagos, and today we visited it! This island offers sightings of the largest breeding colony of red-footed boobies and also Nazca boobies. As we walked along the trail, we observed countless juvenile frigatebirds, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, lava gulls, sea lions, and so much more. This is a short trail, but it’s packed with wildlife. Later in the morning we went for our last snorkeling of the expedition in the beautiful wall of Genovesa, where plenty of colorful fish can be found. The afternoon brought the option for hiking a very unique place: Prince Philip’s Steps. This area is not only full of different species of boobies, but it also offers the opportunity to spot an interesting bird: the short-eared owl. This bird is usually nocturnal, but the lack of another main predator in Genovesa offers the owl this ecological niche.
