Our day began with a hike in Urbina Bay, where we observed giant tortoises and land iguanas. Returning to the ship, we experienced the mysterious mist that gave this archipelago the nickname, the Enchanted, or Bewitched, Islands. After a presentation by National Geographic photographer Massimo Bassano, we enjoyed a fantastic Ecuadorian lunch. In the afternoon, we enjoyed seeing wildlife on kayaks and paddleboards and with our snorkeling gear. We ended the day on an amazing note with a hike to the top rim of Darwin Lake for a dramatic view of volcanic cones, plus a Zodiac ride to see the famous Galapagos penguins and a beautiful sunset.
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.
