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Best Cruise Line in the Galápagos (Expedition Category)
Sail the iconic archipelago with the pioneers of modern expedition travel
Lindblad Expeditions pioneered expedition travel to the remarkable Galápagos Islands more than 50 years ago. Today, we lead expeditions year-round to this magical archipelago famed for its vibrant wildlife. Encounter giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, playful penguins, and charismatic sea lions in their natural habitats, unfazed by your presence. Enjoy multiple adventures each day on land and undersea, including walks and hikes, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling, in the company of local expert guides.
In Galápagos, one thing is certain: expect the unexpected! Surrounded by wildlife on land and at sea, you never know what might happen. And that’s been the draw since Darwin landed in 1835.
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New 7-Day Wild Galápagos Escape
Lindblad Expeditions is delighted to offer a new option to see the Galápagos in 7-days, departing on Tuesdays. Our active exploration of the legendary archipelago offers multiple adventures daily on the latest addition to our Galápagos fleet, National Geographic Islander ll.
Soak in the scenery and culture of the Sacred Valley of the Inca
Journey between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu by Inca Rail
Remain into the late afternoon at fabled Machu Picchu, introduced to the world by Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 issue of National Geographic magazine
Dive in and experience Galápagos with all your senses. Choose how you want to explore—hike, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel, or arrange to dive (on select departures). Take a long hike or just relax on the beach. Our generous staff-to-guest ratio means you can always find a naturalist whose interests and approach you share whether you want to focus on birding, human history, photography, the undersea, or more. Since the first international tourist expedition cruise to the Galápagos Islands in July 1967 with Lars-Eric Lindblad, we’ve introduced generations of guests to these strange and wonderful islands, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.
Henry David Thoreau called it the “tonic of wildness.” It’s what a cruise to Galápagos, with its beauty and wildness, gives you—a spirit lift. To compound this healthful effect, we provide a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
National Geographic Global Explorers Program
One of the most rewarding sights on an expedition is witnessing the gleam of discovery in a child’s eyes, whether they’re walking alongside a grazing giant tortoise or watching blue-footed boobies perform an elaborate courtship dance. Moments like these are abundant in the Galápagos—and they’re especially meaningful when complemented with the learning opportunities offered through our exclusive National Geographic Global Explorers Program for kids and teens 18 and under.
See, do and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Our naturalists, passionate about the islands where most of them were raised, illuminate each facet of natural and human history here through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
See what lies beneath the waves—even if you choose to stay dry with the help of your undersea specialist. These pros snorkel or dive to shoot footage of sea life and share it in the lounge. They lead snorkeling outings and glass-bottom boat excursions, offering voiceover on all you see.
Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition, and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
Wild places like the Galápagos hold infinite learnings for young travelers who are nurturing new relationships with the natural world. The certified field educators at the helm of the National Geographic Global Explorers program are experts at interpreting the fascinating stories of species and their habitats so that kids and teens can return home inspired by the planet and primed to protect it.
Visit itinerary dates to view additional staff and guests
David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes
Underwater photographers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes are married partners who work together as a team to produce National Geographic stories from equatorial coral reefs to beneath the polar ice. David estimates he has spent nearly half his life in the sea since taking his first underwater photograph at the age of 12 with a Brownie Hawkeye camera sealed in a bag.
Award-winning photographer and filmmaker Rich Reid has specialized in environmental and adventure photography for over two decades. North American Nature Photography Association elected Rich as a Fellow for his significant contributions to the nature photography industry, and he was a finalist for the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his time-lapse video documenting forest fire ecology.
Lucas Bustamante is a biologist and conservation photojournalist. He co-founded Tropical Herping and Savia Fund, an Ecuadorian nonprofit that works in the legal defense of nature, environmental and cultural conservation, and visual storytelling. His photographic work has been featured in National Geographic, Audubon, BBC Wildlife, GEO, Smithsonian, and many other magazines, books, photo exhibitions, and articles.
Krista Rossow began her career as a photography editor at National Geographic Traveler magazine. She has shot feature stories as a contributing photographer for Traveler in Japan, South Africa, Morocco, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and various U.S. cities. She regularly judges Instagram contests for @NatGeogTravel and edits photos for National Geographic Books.
Over the past three decades, award-winning photographer Michael Melford has produced more than 50 stories for National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler magazines. His assignments have focused on conservation and celebrating the beauty of wilderness and national parks around the world.
Enjoy this glimpse of the new, all-suite National Geographic Islander ll welcoming the first guests aboard the August 18, 2022, maiden voyage sailing the Galápagos. She is purposely outfitted to reduce impact, build community on board, and foster authentic connection to the people and culture of Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.
Embark on a sweeping adventure that encapsulates all the wildness of Galápagos balanced with the cultural and historic experiences of Machu Picchu & Peru's Land of the Inca. Explore Galápagos in depth aboard either of our ships, then discover the culture and history of Peru and the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu.
National Geographic Islander II: A Truly Ecuadorian Ship
Our new ship for the Galápagos Islands, the National Geographic Islander II, celebrates the cultures of Ecuador and the islands themselves. Join Vice President of Hotel Operations Ana Esteves as she finds inspiration around the country—meeting acclaimed local artisans, chefs, and artists who showcase the beauty and wonder of Ecuador.
‘Good Morning America’ Reports Live from National Geographic Endeavour II
In February 2022, Good Morning America's Amy Robach joined Lindblad Expeditions in the Galápagos, where GMA became the first U.S. television show to broadcast live from the islands. View clips from the show, see our daily photo diaries, and explore even more.
A true gem in the crown of conservation and sustainability, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) has worked for six decades to protect the Galápagos and ensure that its pristine ecosystems and incredible biodiversity will continue to thrive for generations to come.
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in Galápagos currently support our regional partners—the Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and the Scalesia Foundation—in their efforts to research and conserve the unique wildlife of the islands and promote education in the region.
Today was the last full day of our expedition and we explored Santiago Island. We started with a pre breakfast kayaking along Buccaneer Cove, where later in the morning we explored by snorkeling and by glass bottom boat. This place was full of wildlife and dramatic volcanic scenery. During the afternoon we went to Puerto Egas, where some guests decided to go for a hike and others decided to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the beach. Sea lions were rolling around the shore and blue-footed boobies were plunging along the coast. What a great way to finish the day. Our guests will likely remember this adventure forever.
We arrived at Academy Bay early in the morning. Santa Cruz Island has a large population of giant tortoises as well as the breeding center for giant tortoises that belongs to the Galapagos National Park. We had a great time observing tortoises in captivity as well as in the wild. We also had a great opportunity to see the saddleback tortoises as well as the dome-shaped carapace. A very important aspect of the archipelago is not only the giant tortoises but also the unusual vegetation, such as the giant daisies and giant prickly pear cacti. We had a great time exploring this island and observing the wildlife as well as spending some time with the local community.
We arrived in the western realm of the Galápagos Islands. Early in the morning, National Geographic Islander II circumnavigated an emerging volcano called Roca Redonda, a great place to observe different kinds of seabirds. After breakfast we crossed the equator as we were navigating towards Punta Vicente Roca. We had the chance to observe Ecuador Volcano, which only partially remains due to the last eruption when half of it sank into the ocean. To complete the morning we had an incredible Zodiac ride followed by a snorkel excursion in the company of penguins, turtles, and sea lions. Later in the day we moved locations to the youngest island and home of the largest population of marine iguanas. We explored the shores, finishing off an amazing day here in the Galápagos Islands.
Today we visited the centrally located Santiago Island and enjoyed many different activities, including a pre-breakfast excursion searching for wildlife. Then we repositioned to Buccaneer Cove where a variety of water activities were offered, including kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, glass bottom boating, and Zodiac rides. Today was exceptionally calm, with clear waters for us all to enjoy lots of marine wildlife, like turtles, an octopus, and many different species of fish. We enjoyed lunch and then we made our way to another visitor site, Puerto Egas. Here, we saw fur seals, iguanas, shore birds, and sea lions. We also explored a black sand beach. An incredible sunset accompanied us as we headed back to National Geographic Endeavour II for our navigation toward our next day’s adventures. We are now a big family!
These two islands are spectacular places with unique characteristics. North Seymour is a flat and small island full of wildlife, such as frigates that nest all year around, blue-footed boobies, seagulls, marine and land iguanas, and a big colony of sea lions. In contrast, Rabida is an older secondary volcano and well known for having the most beautiful red sand beach where sea lions rest. It also has a small brackish lagoon with flamingoes, pintails, and other migratory birds. We had a wonderful experience exploring these two spots, by land and by sea - going for walks, snorkeling, Zodiac riding, and kayaking. Our tools of exploration were at the ready to facilitate our adventures.
It will never leave you if you go to the Galápagos islands. You will have stories for the rest of your life—I can promise you.