Visiting Santa Cruz is always a treat. The main characters of the day were the giant tortoises that we observed at the Breeding Center and the ones we found in the wild in the highlands of Santa Cruz. In addition, we observed many species of land birds and had an immersive experience learning about the local culture of this island.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 06 Mar 2025
Santa Cruz Island, 3/6/2025, National Geographic Delfina
- Aboard the National Geographic Delfina
- Galápagos
Javier Carrion, Naturalist
Javier grew up on Santa Cruz island where his grandparents first arrived in the 1940´s. Veritable pioneers, his grandparents settled in the highlands where they found a place to raise their children.
Read MoreShare Report
Galápagos by Catamaran: An Intimate Voyage
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/4/2025
Read
National Geographic Delfina
Genovesa
After six hours of navigation through the night, we anchored in Darwin’s Bay, named after the well known naturalist, even though he never made it to this island. Early in the morning, part of our group headed to Prince Phillip´s Steps. Up on the cliffs, we witnessed a whole community of marine birds, and unphased by our presence, we were able to observe their natural behaviors. After a pleasant kayaking excursion and a delicious lunch, we enjoyed more of the boobies, frigatebirds, and gulls, but in a different environment. We finished our day with refreshing snorkeling to test our equipment and returned to National Geographic Delfina where we were gifted by a beautiful sunset.
5/2/2025
Read
National Geographic Delfina
Rábida and Sombrero Chino
What an amazing way to finish an epic visit to the unique Galapagos Islands. On our final day, National Geographic Delfina stopped by two islands, both very scenic and home to the endemic species of the archipelago. The combination of the red iron-oxide beach surrounded by the vast, upwelling ocean captivated us. After a 40-minute navigation, we anchored next to a large, monogenic cinder cone adjacent to the historic Santigo Island. The separation between these two formations created ideal conditions for terrestrial and marine wildlife to unite. For a nice send off, we snorkeled with sharks and colorful reef fish, as well as shared a beach with sea lions.