Located in the southern region of the Galápagos Archipelago, Floreana is an island with stunning landscapes, and a lot of human history as well as mysteries. Its jagged outline is dotted with parasitic cones and craters, completely covered by a mat of vegetation, now totally green thanks to the rains of the current season. It is a confluence of varied wildlife, from tropical American flamingos to Galápagos sea lions, oceanic marine birds and inconspicuous land birds, as well as bizarre stories of single-minded people that have tried to establish themselves here despite the harshness of this inhospitable land.
5/29/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Genovesa Island
Genovesa is considered one of the Galapagos crown jewels, and today it was showing off all of its splendor. Immediately after breakfast we put on our sturdy shoes and set out to explore Prince Philip’s Steps. This area is known for opportunities to observe not only large colonies of nesting Nazca and red-footed boobies, but maybe, just maybe, the short-eared owl which exhibits diurnal behavior on this island. After this walk we got ready for a dip in the Pacific Ocean and snorkeling along the inner coast of this caldera. The afternoon was equally amazing as we disembarked to explore Darwin Bay, along a short and easy trail that was packed with wildlife. Here we observed not only nesting frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies, but also a few yellow-crowned night herons. It was another incredible afternoon in the Galapagos Islands.
