Today was our first full day in the Galapagos Islands, and we started the day on North Seymour, an uplifted, bird magnet island. This island is home to great and magnificent frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies, and Galapagos yellow land iguanas. As we walked along the trail, we encountered these species and many curious and beautiful sea lion pups as well. In the afternoon, we continued the expedition on a famous red island known as Rabida, where we took the adventure into the water with our first snorkeling outing. The day ended with a sunset walk to observe flamingos nesting and sea lions coming to the shore to rest. It was a magical day on the Enchanted Islands, and this is just the beginning!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 20 Nov 2022
North Seymour & Rábida Islands, 11/20/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Gianna Haro, Naturalist
Most of Gianna´s memories seem to be dreams, made on flawless white sandy beaches with black lava rock contours and gorgeous turquoise ocean waters. Most of it happened while barefoot, in an enchanting place that some people regard as an ideal natura...
Read MoreShare Report
Exploring Galápagos
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/4/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
North Seymour and Rabida Islands
This was our first full day of expedition, and we started with a beautiful island in the center of the archipelago. North Seymour is a small, flat island where big colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds can be found nesting. Mating season has already started. Male frigatebirds displayed inflated red gular pouches, and the blue feet of the boobies were visible in the air. Along the trail, we found the famous Galapagos land iguanas. These reptiles are adapted to eating opuntia cactus, and we spotted one of them taking bites. In the afternoon, we visited a beautiful red sand Island. We practiced our first snorkel and enjoyed observing an abundance of colorful fish and feeding marine iguanas. Later in the afternoon, we took a relaxing stroll along the beautiful beach with the last rays of sun making the red sand shine. Flamingos spotted in a lagoon were the golden finale of this amazing day.
5/2/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Genovesa Island
Today we had the pleasure of visiting Genovesa Island, a bird paradise in northern Galápagos. In the morning, we landed at Prince Philip’s Steps, where the trail led us through a dry forest filled with Nazca boobies and red-footed boobies nesting in the branches. One of the highlights of the morning was spotting several short-eared owls camouflaged among the lava rocks—an exciting and rare sight that amazed us all. Galapagos storm petrels, swallow-tailed gulls and Galápagos doves also accompanied us along the path, making this a fantastic birdwatching experience. In the afternoon, we visited Darwin Bay, where the calm waters and white coral sand created the perfect setting for a relaxing and scenic walk. The contrast between the turquoise sea and the vibrant wildlife was breathtaking. We enjoyed watching frigatebirds flying overhead, their red throat pouches fully inflated, while playful sea lions rested near the shore. Some guests took a refreshing swim and had the chance to observe marine life close to the beach. Genovesa offered us an unforgettable day, filled with unique wildlife encounters and stunning landscapes. This remote island continues to be one of the most magical destinations in the archipelago.