We spent the whole day at Isabela Island, located in the western part of the archipelago. In the morning, we went out for a hike at Urbina Bay. This visitor site is of recent formation. The upheaval just occurred in 1954, and the place thrives with wildlife. It is home for several species of Darwin’s finches, the Galapagos hawk, and Galapagos land iguanas. Sometimes, Alcedo giant tortoises visit this site, too. The tortoises were numerous this morning, and it was a delight to see them walking along the trails. In the afternoon, we visited the historical site Tagus Cove. Once a place to drop anchor and look for water and food, it is now a great place to kayak and paddleboard. It was fantastic, and we enjoyed every minute. The highlight was to be so close to a huge manta ray. Snorkelers were able to enjoy that, too, and we finished the day with an invigorating hike to the top of the cone and a great Zodiac ride to observe Galapagos penguins! What a fantastic day!
5/5/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Punta Pitt and Cerro Brujo, San Cristobal Island
Located east of the Galapagos Archipelago, San Cristobal is a stunning island thanks to its geology. As it is one of the oldest, winds and waves have taken their toll, carving into sedimentary rocks, leaving beautiful formations and walls. We visited Punta Pitt in the morning, home to one of five colonies of red-footed boobies. They perch on trees and bushes, and their bright-red feet bring extra color to the vegetation. We had a chance to swim and snorkel off the olivine beach. There is nothing better than being accompanied on a swim by a couple of playful Galapagos sea lions. Captain Nathaly Alban repositioned our beautiful ship to Cerro Brujo by midday, and for a little while, we were followed by curious juvenile boobies. In the afternoon, weather conditions were perfect for us to explore the walls of the tuff cone that dominates this site. The beach here is one of the most beautiful in the islands, with its white, coralline sand and turquoise waters. Back on board, we admired a magnificent Galapagos sunset with some wine tasting as we navigated by the iconic Kicker Rock, celebrating the end of another day in this remote paradise.