Jonathan Aguas, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
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Sail the iconic archipelago with the pioneers of modern expedition travel
Lindblad Expeditions pioneered expedition travel to the remarkable Galápagos Islands more than 50 years ago. Today, we lead expeditions year-round to this magical archipelago famed for its vibrant wildlife. Encounter giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, playful penguins, and charismatic sea lions in their natural habitats, unfazed by your presence. Enjoy multiple adventures each day on land and undersea, including walks and hikes, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling, in the company of local expert guides.
In Galápagos, one thing is certain: expect the unexpected! Surrounded by wildlife on land and at sea, you never know what might happen. And that’s been the draw since Darwin landed in 1835.
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A new ship for the Galápagos
Lindblad Expeditions is delighted to welcome the newest member to our Galápagos fleet: an all-suite vessel with just 26 suites and a 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio. National Geographic Islander II elevates the guest experience in the Galápagos Islands to an entirely new level. National Geographic Islander II, a best-in-class expedition ship, is expertly refitted to facilitate the active exploration at the heart of the Lindblad experience. Guests will enjoy more space and amenities while exploring the Galápagos Islands.
Dive in and experience Galápagos with all your senses. Choose how you want to explore—hike, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel, or arrange to dive (on select departures). Take a long hike or just relax on the beach. Our generous staff-to-guest ratio means you can always find a naturalist whose interests and approach you share whether you want to focus on birding, human history, photography, the undersea, or more. Since the first international tourist expedition cruise to the Galápagos Islands in July 1967 with Lars-Eric Lindblad, we’ve introduced generations of guests to these strange and wonderful islands, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Highlights
Travel in Extraordinary Company
Visit itinerary dates to view additional staff and guests
Carl Safina
Carl Safina writes about the human relationship with the natural world. His books include Song of the Blue Ocean, Voyage of the Turtle, and Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel. He hosted the PBS series Saving the Ocean. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Audubon, and on the Web at National Geographic News and Views, Huffington Post, CNN.com, and elsewhere. He is now the first Endowed Professor for Nature and Humanity at Stony Brook University and runs the not-for-profit Safina Center.
From arresting photographs of vibrant tribal dances to underwater scenes of elephants swimming at sea to 3-D photogrammetric models of submerged archaeological sites, Jonathan’s penchant for travel and love of the wild have taken him to some of the most remote and unmapped corners of the globe. His work has appeared in print and online in National Geographic, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal.
Award-winning photographer and filmmaker Rich Reid has specialized in environmental and adventure photography for over two decades. North American Nature Photography Association elected Rich as a Fellow for his significant contributions to the nature photography industry, and he was a finalist for the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his time-lapse video documenting forest fire ecology.
Underwater photographers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes are married partners who work together as a team to produce National Geographic stories from equatorial coral reefs to beneath the polar ice. David estimates he has spent nearly half his life in the sea since taking his first underwater photograph at the age of 12 with a Brownie Hawkeye camera sealed in a bag.
Henry David Thoreau called it the “tonic of wildness.” It’s what a cruise to Galápagos, with its beauty and wildness, gives you—a spirit lift. To compound this healthful effect, we provide a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
National Geographic Islander II's Maiden Voyage
Enjoy this glimpse of the new, all-suite National Geographic Islander ll welcoming the first guests aboard the August 18, 2022, maiden voyage sailing the Galápagos. She is purposely outfitted to reduce impact, build community on board, and foster authentic connection to the people and culture of Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.
Embark on a sweeping adventure that encapsulates all the wildness of Galápagos balanced with the cultural and historic experiences of Machu Picchu & Peru's Land of the Inca. Explore Galápagos in depth aboard either of our ships, then discover the culture and history of Peru and the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu.
National Geographic Islander II: A Truly Ecuadorian Ship
Our new ship for the Galápagos Islands, the National Geographic Islander II, celebrates the cultures of Ecuador and the islands themselves. Join Vice President of Hotel Operations Ana Esteves as she finds inspiration around the country—meeting acclaimed local artisans, chefs, and artists who showcase the beauty and wonder of Ecuador.
‘Good Morning America’ Reports Live from National Geographic Endeavour II
In February 2022, Good Morning America's Amy Robach joined Lindblad Expeditions in the Galápagos, where GMA became the first U.S. television show to broadcast live from the islands. View clips from the show, see our daily photo diaries, and explore even more.
A true gem in the crown of conservation and sustainability, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) has worked for six decades to protect the Galápagos and ensure that its pristine ecosystems and incredible biodiversity will continue to thrive for generations to come.
The Galapagos Islands are a spectacular archipelago, but not all islands are the same; each one has its unique character. This was what inspired the great naturalist Charles Darwin when he was visiting the islands in 1835.
See, do and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Our naturalists, passionate about the islands where most of them were raised, illuminate each facet of natural and human history here through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
See what lies beneath the waves—even if you choose to stay dry with the help of your undersea specialist. These pros snorkel or dive to shoot footage of sea life and share it in the lounge. They lead snorkeling outings and glass-bottom boat excursions, offering voiceover on all you see.
Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition, and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
This is the best trip we have ever taken. We have been all over the world and nothing else compares.
Barry Z.
Making a Difference
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in Galápagos currently support our regional partners—the Charles Darwin Foundation, Galápagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and the Scalesia Foundation—in their efforts to research and conserve the unique wildlife of the islands and promote education in the region.
We woke up to super calm waters off the northern coastline of Floreana Island. Perfect conditions for a bit of kayaking among the offshore islets near Post Office Bay! Brown pelicans, egrets, green sea turtles, and red, black, and white mangroves…a peaceful environment for an hour or so before breakfast. Some guests went straight to the beach to walk a few yards through saltbushes and found themselves facing the famous “barrel” of Post Office Bay. It’s been over a century since the barrel was first placed here for use by whalers to exchange correspondence and carry back letters of business, or perhaps letters to loved ones. Today, postcards fill the barrel, but the turnover is fast. Each day, some of the postcards are taken for delivery while others are left behind in hopes that someone will continue the tradition and hand-deliver them in the weeks to come. Between breakfast and lunch, we played in or on the water around Champion Islet, just to the northeast of Floreana Island. We didn’t make a landing but explored by Zodiac, including a birdwatching circumnavigation followed by deep-water snorkeling in incredible waters with parrotfish, angelfish, pufferfish, damselfish…all kinds of fish! Sea lions buzzed by, desperate to draw attention and get a reaction out of us, which they did. Squeals and shrieks were heard. After an instructional briefing on iPhone photography and a presentation on Charles Darwin in the afternoon, we went ashore on the main island of Floreana. There has been quite a drought this year and not much rain the previous year either. The land was dry, the vegetation was brittle, and dead leaves were everywhere. But all that is fine for the native and endemic species; after all, they’ve been through this before, over the millennia, and survived. The stress is on the introduced species who depend on higher amounts of freshwater for survival. While their defenses are down and populations are stressed, now is the time to really push for programs to eradicate introduced species. Floreana Island is ready for restoration. The National Park and collaborating NGOs are preparing Floreana to receive native species that were once thought doomed for extinction. Giant tortoises, Floreana mockingbirds, and racer snakes may yet survive and prosper with the help of these organizations. We spent the afternoon following an easy trail from a dark-colored beach of mineral origin and over the isthmus to a white, organic beach where green sea turtles were riding the breakers offshore. The turtles are not quite ready to come ashore and lay eggs, as temperatures are still too low for another month or so. But a great blue heron and frigatebird were checking out the scene, just in case someone tried for an early nesting. It will be a couple months before hatchlings try to race to the ocean in the dark of night. We returned to our base of operations as the sun set low on the horizon. National Geographic Islander II was waiting for us with hot water and the comforts of home.
In the early morning, National Geographic Islander II visited Bartolome Island, one of the most iconic places in the Galapagos Islands. We made it all the way to the top to get panoramic pictures of the pinnacle view. Then we headed back to the ship for breakfast and to get ready for the beach, where we planned to practice with our snorkeling gear for the first time. Afterwards, some of our guests enjoyed deep-water snorkeling, and others took tours in the glass-bottom boat. During the afternoon, we visited Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz Island to look for land iguanas, and we found them posing for us on the trail. It was an amazing day aboard National Geographic Islander II !
Morning activities started early…before breakfast! Eager photographers visited the fine sand beach at Espumilla on Santiago Island with on-board photo instructor Anahi. A small group accompanied me on an adventurous kayak paddle along the shores of James Bay towards Buccaneer Cove. Fur seals growled and screeched from between the boulders while Galapagos sea lions accompanied us in the water–jumping alongside or in front or in back or somewhere nearby. Wet, shiny, dark brown pelts reflected flashes of sunlight which we caught in glimpses from the corners of our eyes. I expected the wind to pick up a bit as it always does after an hour or so, but it came with more power than expected! Enough that I lowered my guard and capsized in a flash. But no big deal…water temperatures are fine, and everything with me was waterproof. Everyone certainly had a good laugh at my expense! Fortunately, no one was filming… During breakfast, the captain repositioned the ship to Buccaneer Bay, where we snorkeled, kayaked, and used the glass-bottom boat to explore the undersea world of Galapagos. Parrotfish! Hogfish! Pufferfish! Black, green, and white sea urchins! Blue, yellow, and red sea stars. Some even looked like chocolate chip cookies! On board for this expedition, we are carrying scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station, a Galapagos National Park warden, and two guests from the National Geographic Society. All these individuals are involved in researching the deep ocean of the Galapagos Marine Reserve using deep sea camera systems. Whenever we can help, Lindblad Expeditions enjoys providing a platform for this type of research, or any type for that matter. What better platform than National Geographic Islander II ?! The team organized two camera drops and recovery, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Whatever is caught on film is sure to increase our knowledge of the Galapagos Marine Reserve since virtually everything at those depths is pretty much new to science. The afternoon was spent in lovely light as we meandered along the shoreline of Puerto Egas. It is October here, and although Galapagos is not on the way to anywhere, we do occasionally spot a few migrating shorebirds. Today there were sandpipers in droves, ruddy turnstones, and semipalmated plovers in a mixed flock. Galapagos sea lions are giving birth these days, so pups of one to two weeks old are starting to appear in the cracks and shelves of tuff stone and lava. Santiago marine iguanas are looking tubby and healthy, and a wonderful feeding frenzy took place near shore while an unidentified whale blew in the far distance. What a serene finale to an expedition. May you have fair winds and following seas on your next journey.
Today we visited the western part of the archipelago, and what an impressive day it was. We had the chance to see some of the most iconic species of the Galapagos Islands, like the Galapagos penguin and the flightless cormorant.
It will never leave you if you go to the Galápagos islands. You will have stories for the rest of your life—I can promise you.
