It is extraordinary to see how humans coexist with nature in an inhabited island. This morning we went to visit the “Fausto Llerena” giant tortoise breeding center and we were very lucky to observe recently hatched tortoises from Floreana and Santiago islands. In the last 60 years, many tortoises have been brought back into the wild, replenishing the population. Our guests learned about the importance of conservation efforts that protect this pristine archipelago. In the afternoon, we walked in the highlands among the Santa Cruz giant tortoises, seeing many tortoises of all ages, some even mating.
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.
