We spent our final full day in Galapagos on San Cristobal, the easternmost island of the archipelago, the very same island where Darwin started his explorations of this magical place! This is a large island formed by the fusion of two great volcanoes, middle of the range age-wise. It has fascinating geology, made of richly texture tuff stone formations and spectacular beaches, and a rich wildlife. We visited two different sites on the island, a place called Punta Pitt to the far north of the island, followed by an unforgettable afternoon explore the long white beach of Cerro Brujo. We later cruised by the emblematic rocky formation named the Sleeping Lion (or Kicker Rock, English name) whilst celebrating many unforgettable sightings and experiences, shared with a wonderful new group of friends.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 11 Jan 2019
Punta Pitt and Cerro Brujo, San Cristobal Island, 1/11/2019, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Emma Ridley, Expedition Leader
Born of a Scottish father and English mother, Emma enjoyed an international upbringing because of her father’s job as a foreign correspondent. Although her family eventually settled in Rome, Emma's schooling was conducted in French, having started he...
Read MoreShare Report
Exploring Galápagos
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/7/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Santiago Island
We began our day with a very active snorkeling excursion, where some of our snorkelers saw several whitetip reef sharks, a few sea lions, and fish of all kinds. We also kayaked and went paddleboarding. The geological formations are impressive here, such as the world-famous praying monk that captured our attention while on a Zodiac ride. If that wasn’t enough, we had a few rounds of glass bottom boat rides, a fabulous tool that allows us to have a clear view of the fish, and especially those sharks. Soon after lunch, we had an adventurous wet landing on Puerto Egas, with its black sandy beach that we had all to ourselves. We walked along the shore and intertidal pools of Santiago with sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, shore birds, and Galapagos fur seals. After cocktail hour and a fun recap, we enjoyed a barbeque dinner on the top deck.
5/7/2025
Read
National Geographic Gemini
Isabela Island
Isabela is the largest island in Galapagos and today we had the opportunity to explore Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno. These two visitor sites are very close but very different from one another. Elizabeth Bay is covered with black lava and a mangrove forest, which becomes a perfect shelter for many species. The bay is home to flamingos, brown pelicans, and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This combination is a good reflection of the colonization of flora and fauna of the Galapagos.