Our 2019 class of Grosvenor Teacher Fellows recently returned from expeditions around the globe aboard Lindblad-National Geographic ships. Four of this year’s 45 fellows took time to share some of their favorite, funny, and unexpected moments in the wild.
Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil This UNESCO World Heritage site is the definition of remote wilderness. Located 220 miles off the northeast coast of Brazil, this series of 22 islands
Born of influential Edo-period Japan, landscape gardens are tranquil works of art, meant to inspire contemplation. Discover some of the premier strolling gardens you’ll encounter on your journey.
As COVID-19 stilled human sound and motion, the whole world heard it: a silence in which something was calling out to be heard. The wildness at the heart of the world. Now, it’s time to listen. To find out what the world has to say. To give the places where wildness is still sovereign, or still in harmony, or, still unbroken, a genuine listen.
An ancient sanctuary of tower temples and a striking seascape of limestone pillars—these are just a few of the wonders hidden along Vietnam's storied coastline.
Explorer, anthropologist, filmmaker, author, and public speaker Dr. Lawrence Blair will join guests on Lindblad's new expedition to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
The largest Buddhist monument in the world, Borobudur Temple rises towards the heavens from a Javanese hilltop. This complex feat of architecture is an absolute must-see for any traveler to Indonesia.
Today was an absolutely beautiful day here in Southeast Alaska onboard National Geographic Quest . We had the privilege of sailing in the pristine waters of Glacier Bay National Park. We picked up the park ranger early and then began with our first wildlife hotspot at South Marble Island. Here we were treated to views of humpback whales, Steller sea lions, and tufted puffins. We then continued into the bay and the natural history staff was able to find nine brown bears. The skies cleared as we reached the northern part of the park just in time to see Johns Hopkins Glacier. It was truly an incredible day here in one of Alaska’s most incredible parks.
We spent our morning traveling from Corpach to Oban, watching the rain hit the windows while we were cozy inside the beautiful lounge of Lord of the Glens . Naturalist and Historian John gave a presentation on the Royal National Lifeboat Institution before lunch. Just as we were finishing our meal, the rain stopped, so we were able to enjoy Oban and stay dry. This charming town has many interesting shops and delicious dining establishments, so we passed the afternoon exploring those. Some of us walked up to McCaig’s Tower atop the hill, and others took a stroll through the woodland. After dinner we had a whiskey tasting from Oban Distillery, and tomorrow we go to Iona!
Our day started with a very relaxing hike in the morning at South Plaza. It was a pronounced climb all the way from the shore to the summit of a cliff where we were able to spot, not only a nice bunch of iguanas, but also a large number of sea birds eating. Later, we travelled to Santa Fe where we had the chance to snorkel to refresh ourselves. In the afternoon, we wrapped up our beautiful day on board with a visit to a sea lion colony where we were able to watch these entertaining creatures as well as relax for a while on the beach.
We are about to finish our expedition on National Geographic Endeavour II and today took us to the two iconic islands called Bartholomew and Chinese Hat, offering a blend of unique geological formations, diverse wildlife, and a glimpse into the Galapagos' geological history. In the morning, we started with a walk up to the summit of Bartolomé and later in the morning we enjoyed an amazing snorkeling excursion with penguins. Later in the day we moved locations to Chinese Hat, named for its distinct shape resembling a traditional Chinese hat. The unique lava formations captivated us. The small, cone-shaped island showcased a variety of volcanic features, including lava tubes and fissures. Brown pelicans, marine iguanas, and Sally Lightfoot crabs welcomed us as we explored the coastline.
Today we had the great opportunity to start exploring the riverbank of the Ucayali River. We loaded the skiffs right after sunrise. As we cruised along the riverbank, different species of birds were seen. A highlight of that early exploration was the sighting of a tayra, a small omnivorous creature in the weasel family, that didn’t stay long in our view. After breakfast, we walked through Yanallpa flooded forest. Here our naturalist explained to us the importance of the floods for the Amazon forest. They also pointed out the effect of climate change over the area and how it has changed the use of the soils after the floods. It was a morning of learning about how the forest has manage to adapt to the seasonal floods and how fish and other animals depends on those events. Our late afternoon activities were held on Dorado River. Our naturalists brought out spotlights after sunset. Black caimans and spectacled caimans were the major attraction for our guests. Other night dwellers were also spotted by our naturalists, such as fishing bats, boat-billed night herons, night jars, and many other animals were seen by our guests. It was another awesome day exploring the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.