Sail through Scotland's Caledonian Canal and the Inner Hebrides aboard Lord of the Glens, the only ship capable of transiting both with ease and grace. The 62-mile Great Glen seems to have been created by uncorking bucolic landscapes and spilling them over the Atlantic and North Sea in a colossal rush of isles, lochs, and canals.
National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson shares some of his favorite highlights from traveling in Scotland aboard the intimate Lord of the Glens.
To the uninitiated, Scotland’s wildlife amounts to a whole lot of sheep, those shaggy Highland cows, and of course, Nessie! But there’s an abundance of other species if you know where to look.
There are a select few destinations with which you connect at some deep, intangible level and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland does that for me, says David Barnes, Expedition Leader aboard Lord of the Glens. See why.
Experience Scotland as few others have on a stirring voyage that cuts through the heart of the Highlands and out into the wild isles that surround this fabled region.
Today we explored the western realm of the Galapagos. The western islands are formidable! We started early in the morning navigating near Punta Vicente Roca, a collapsed caldera of Volcano Ecuador where we proceeded across the equatorial line. After a Zodiac exploration, we snorkeled under great conditions, with swimming iguanas, Galapagos penguins, sea lions, flightless cormorants, several species of fish, and foraging Pacific green sea turtles feeding on seaweed. In the afternoon, we went ashore for a walk on Fernandina Island, the youngest of the archipelago, where it seemed we had been transported back to a time when the land was newly formed. The highlight of the hike were the countless Galapagos marine iguanas that were basking in the sun at the shoreline. We ended the day on the top deck with a wine tasting event at sunset.
The first day of 2025 was an eventful one, full of interesting adventures and insights exploring Antarctica aboard National Geographic Explorer . Shortly after breakfast, we reached the mouth of Charlotte Bay and made a landing on the Antarctic Continent at Portal Point. We climbed up to the top of the snow fields which provided views of the spectacular bay. Throughout the morning, we had many wonderful encounters with gentoo penguins, various seals, skuas and Arctic terns. The highlight of the morning was definitely whale watching from shore. We counted more than ten humpback whales that were lunge feeding and diving for basically the whole morning. During lunch we moved to Enterprise Island where we headed out for a Zodiac cruise around the old Guvernøren shipwreck. The story goes that this ship caught fire during a crew party in January, 1915 after a crew member bumped a burning lantern off a table. Then the ship was deliberately run aground. All 85 sailors survived but the whale oil was lost, along with ship. After a delicious dinner back on board, we were graced with a steady snowfall and more humpback whale sightings. We’re all looking forward to another day exploring tomorrow.
As bleary eyes emerged into 2025, we were greeted by the stunning sights of Cape Horn, its peaks shrouded in low-hanging clouds but still visible as we cruised by, morning coffee in hand. Black-headed albatrosses, sooty shearwaters, and other Subantarctic species greeted us back to land, their graceful flight adding to the magic of the moment. The morning was filled with talks of disembarkation and a heartfelt history lesson from our National Geographic photographer about the people of the Americas. The atmosphere on board was festive as everyone shared the buzz of the new year. Nature seemed to join in the celebration, as Peale’s dolphins, penguins, and even killer whales made an appearance, bow-riding alongside the ship, their playful antics lifting spirits even higher. Our final evening was spent enjoying a guest slide show, toasting with the captain, and reflecting on the adventure with new friends. Chef had prepared a traditional Argentinian asado, grilling juicy cuts of meat on the back deck, and the delicious aroma filled the air—a classic tradition for Argentinians. As the day drew to a close, Ushuaia came into view around 8 p.m., an early arrival time thanks to the calm, tranquil waters of the Drake Passage we had been fortunate to experience.
Today was the last day of the year and we had quite a spectacular one. Our morning took place on North Seymour, a small island which is home to frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, and land iguanas. Here we found the land iguanas feeding on cactus and in search of food in the dry forest that is soon turning green with the first rain of the hot season. After a short navigation, we reached the red island of Rabida where we had our first deepwater snorkel in crystal-clear water. Lots of beautiful, colorful tropical fish that stand out against the red sandy bottom made this outing a mesmerizing one. To finish the day, we had a stroll on the red sand beach where a colony of sea lions were laid out before us, and we saw the beautiful flamingos that are already nesting. Then a determined sea turtle made its way back to the ocean while our group looked on, a lovely sunset in the background, ending this magnificent day and year.
On our last day of 2024, we arrived at Urbina Bay in the western realm of Isabela Island. We walked along the trail of Urbina Bay and observed Galapagos land iguanas as well as Alcedo giant tortoises peacefully resting along the trail. Today, we wanted to celebrate the end of the year with a mega-swim from the shore to the ship as well as jumping off the back of National Geographic Endeavour II . This afternoon, we went snorkeling, kayaking, and went on an invigorating hike to the top of a large cinder cone. Along the path we saw Darwin finches as well as Galapagos mockingbirds and Darwin Lake. We celebrated the end of the year by taking part in some Ecuadorian traditions, such as the burning of an effigy that represents the ending year.
