The Great Pyramids of Giza. The Sphinx. Karnak Temple. Mention Egypt and these are the boldface names that immediately come to mind. And while these iconic sites are must-see stops on any Egyptian voyage, there are other extraordinary, lesser-known treasures not to be missed.
After more than two decades, the Grand Egyptian Museum prepares for its long-awaited opening. Here are five compelling facts about this megalithic museum.
Here in the South Pacific, we often get the chance to visit indigenous people. Sometimes the people are so warm, welcoming, and their sprit so contagious, that it is life changing. The people of Vanuatu are one such group of people and our visit today on the island of Lo was such an amazing experience that we truly felt at home.
Our adventure today began at Iguana Island, near the Peninsula de Azuero. It’s a great place with an incredible rock formation that tells of the huge volcanic activity that created the Isthmus of Panama. The small island is also an important nesting area for seabirds. The most remarkable bird from this zone is the magnificent frigatebird, which at this time of year are starting their nesting season. Males show their big red pouches to insinuate being the best in order to have a chance to mate with the females. The red pouch combined with movements of their wings and clicking sounds with their bills are part of the courtship display to attract females. The animal that gives its name to the island is certainly present here, and we saw two species of iguanas from the island. The large green iguana and the spiny-tailed iguana approached our station, getting the attention of our guests. Iguanas are a protected species and are quite abundant on this small island. After time at the beach enjoying snorkeling and walking tours, we returned to National Geographic Quest and savored a great cocktail hour on the sundeck.
Santa Cruz Island means a day with giant tortoises. Today is the day to see the enormous reptiles, survivors from the time of dinosaurs. The morning started with a visit to El Trapiche Ecologico, a traditional farm that shows us how the settlers managed to produce the basics in the olden times, without electricity but with lots of wit and determination. Next, we headed for Los Gemelos, a pair of massive sink holes surrounded by the remains of the original forest and found in the highlands of Santa Cruz prior to the arrival of the first settlers. After Los Gemelos, it was about lunchtime, so we rode towards El Manzanillo, a private giant tortoise reserve that happens to serve amazing meals. Finally, a small group of us decided to visit the Rearing Centre for Giant Tortoises back in Puerto Ayora before returning to National Geographic Islander II for dinner, our evening briefing, and some live music.
Our day began with the chance to have a sunny walk at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island where we spotted many iguanas as well as a bunch of sea lions that were nearby. In the afternoon, we saw a lot of geological features as we rode in the Zodiacs along the massive flank of Ecuador Volcano at Punta Vicente Roca.
Today was a magical day of weather and wildlife experiences on National Geographic Venture . In the mid islands we were able to land on Isla San Esteban, hiked up the arroyo, and even found an endemic chuckwalla. The vessel repositioned during lunch and we had two rounds of Zodiac cruises circumnavigating Isla San Pedro Martir. Blue-footed boobies, brown boobies, red-billed tropic birds, brown pelicans, Neotropic cormorants, and yellow-footed gulls were observed in incredible numbers. A stunning sunset ended this fantastic and exciting day!
