Today, our land exploration of Santa Cruz started with a visit to Los Gemelos, a geological formation located in the highlands of the island. Our second stop along the road was Manzanillo Farm, where we enjoyed the presence of more than 50 tortoises roaming freely around us. After witnessing the gentleness of these giants, we came back onboard to rest before getting ready for a visit to Las Bachas. This white sandy beach was the perfect spot to snorkel and swim in crystal clear waters. During a hike, a flamingo showed up in one of the brackish lagoons. A full day with a combination of experiences that revealed the wonders of the Galapagos.
4/28/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
Española Island is considered the oldest of the Galapagos Islands. This island is home to diverse and abundant species, even if from afar it looks like a deserted island. Mockingbirds, endemic to this islands, lava lizards, and large colonies of sea lions are a few of the species that we observed today. Our morning took us to one of the most wonderful and pristine white sandy beaches in the world, Gardner Bay. Here we could try out our snorkeling gear and practice some snorkeling among curious baby sea lions that swam by. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to take our guests on a boat ride to observe the breathtaking coastline of Española. Its dramatic cliffs make the perfect runway for waved albatrosses to take off, as they are a very heavy bird. This species of albatross only nest on this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and our guests were lucky to observe the first albatrosses of the season, as April is the month in which they return to breed.