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Expedition Stories
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Guest Impressions: Exploring Galápagos with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad Expeditions’ new CEO Natalya Leahy recently traveled to Galápagos where she had the opportunity to speak with some guests about their favorite voyage highlights and why they chose to explore with the pioneers of modern expedition travel.
What to Expect: Sailing the Northwest Passage
Naturalist and certified photo instructor Eric Guth prepares modern-day adventurers for a once-in-a-lifetime voyage through the legendary Northwest Passage in this episode of What to Expect.
7 Immersive Activities for Young Explorers in Iceland
Certified Field Educator Anna Kayes highlights some of the amazing activities kids might participate in while exploring Iceland with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Crow Butte and Umatilla Wildlife Refuge
It was another beautiful day, continuing the trend of glorious sunshine throughout the entire voyage. In the morning, we walked and hiked at Crow Butte where there were many scattered wildflowers and plentiful sagebrush. We also saw an abundance of bird life, including American kestrels and red-winged blackbirds. After a wonderful lunch, we headed out in Zodiacs to cruise the Umatilla Wildlife Refuge. Again, we saw an amazing amount of birdlife, including American white pelicans, bald eagles, and American coots. The river was sunny and still, allowing us to cruise in t-shirts! We finished the evening with a wine pairing during recap, followed by a great dinner and a beautiful sunset.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz Island
Today, we spent a full day on Santa Cruz Island where we immersed ourselves in one of the most important and unique conservation stories in the Galápagos. Our morning began at the Fausto Llerena Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we witnessed the extraordinary efforts of Galapagos park rangers working to ensure the survival of these iconic reptiles. Inside the rearing pens, baby tortoises were freely exploring their surrounding areas while park rangers carefully measured the growth of the young tortoises, cleaned their enclosures, and explained the delicate process of repatriating these animals back into the wild once they reach a safe size. Just outside the enclosures, a large-billed flycatcher flew from branch to branch in the shade of a poison tree, adding a cheerful note to our visit. In the afternoon, we traveled to the highlands of Santa Cruz where we had the unforgettable opportunity to observe adult giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat. One particularly impressive individual paused just a few feet in front of our group, offering a moment of silent connection. Seeing these majestic creatures in the wild, after witnessing their earliest stages of life this morning, brought the conservation message full circle in the most powerful way.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Terceira, Azores
Sunshine and calm seas allowed us to take the kayaks out for a morning paddle in the beautiful bay of Angra do Heroísmo. Alternatively, guests could enjoy a hike at Baías da Agualva with stunning views from the Miradouro de Alagoa or learn about the island's history on a panoramic tour of the island, including a visit to the 15th century church of São Sebastião, famous for its newly restored frescoes. From the top of the 545-meter-high Serra do Cume, we admired the stone-walled green fields for which the island is known. In the afternoon, we hiked up Angra's backyard mountain, Monte Brazil and were rewarded with great views of the city below. For those who wanted to enjoy the fantastic weather at a more leisurely pace, Zodiacs took us ashore for either a walking tour of the city to learn about the culture and local delicacies or a photo walk with our National Geographic photographer who shared her knowledge on how to capture lasting impressions of our visit to Terceira.
4/14/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
Española
With a very relaxing morning at Gardner Bay, our day began. Nice, sunny beach time with amazing views beside a massive colony of sea lions was a treat to start the day. We also had a wonderful opportunity to explore Gardner Islet underwater. Later at Punta Suarez, we went for a great hike with a bunch of marine birds, including waved albatrosses and a colony of the incredible Nazca boobies. We also enjoyed the unique landscape of the eroded, mature island of Española with its pronounced cliffs and crashing waves. Sally Lightfoot crabs were the cherry on top.
4/14/2025
Read
National Geographic Delfina
Española Island
Today, our adventure took us to the breathtaking Española Island, one of the oldest and most ecologically rich islands in the Galápagos Archipelago. Under a bright equatorial sun and a light ocean breeze, we stepped onto the powdery white sands of Gardner Beach. We were greeted immediately by a welcoming committee of Galápagos sea lions. Some lounged lazily along the shoreline, while others played in the gentle surf, offering us an intimate view into their curious and social nature. In the afternoon we landed in Punta Suarez. Here, we were fortunate to observe marine iguanas in peak nesting season. These reptiles dug shallow nests in the sand, defending their territory with slow-motion head-bobs and short bursts of territorial aggression. The true highlight of the day was our encounter with the island’s most iconic resident, the waved albatross. As we followed the trail inland, we came upon many of these majestic seabirds sitting quietly, waiting for their partners to return from their long journey in the open ocean. Overhead, several individuals took flight, gliding effortlessly on the sea breeze with wingspans that defied gravity. Watching them soar against the backdrop of crashing waves and endless sky was a moment of pure awe.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Crow Butte and Umatilla Wildlife Refuge
It was another beautiful day, continuing the trend of glorious sunshine throughout the entire voyage. In the morning, we walked and hiked at Crow Butte where there were many scattered wildflowers and plentiful sagebrush. We also saw an abundance of bird life, including American kestrels and red-winged blackbirds. After a wonderful lunch, we headed out in Zodiacs to cruise the Umatilla Wildlife Refuge. Again, we saw an amazing amount of birdlife, including American white pelicans, bald eagles, and American coots. The river was sunny and still, allowing us to cruise in t-shirts! We finished the evening with a wine pairing during recap, followed by a great dinner and a beautiful sunset.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz Island
Today, we spent a full day on Santa Cruz Island where we immersed ourselves in one of the most important and unique conservation stories in the Galápagos. Our morning began at the Fausto Llerena Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we witnessed the extraordinary efforts of Galapagos park rangers working to ensure the survival of these iconic reptiles. Inside the rearing pens, baby tortoises were freely exploring their surrounding areas while park rangers carefully measured the growth of the young tortoises, cleaned their enclosures, and explained the delicate process of repatriating these animals back into the wild once they reach a safe size. Just outside the enclosures, a large-billed flycatcher flew from branch to branch in the shade of a poison tree, adding a cheerful note to our visit. In the afternoon, we traveled to the highlands of Santa Cruz where we had the unforgettable opportunity to observe adult giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat. One particularly impressive individual paused just a few feet in front of our group, offering a moment of silent connection. Seeing these majestic creatures in the wild, after witnessing their earliest stages of life this morning, brought the conservation message full circle in the most powerful way.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Terceira, Azores
Sunshine and calm seas allowed us to take the kayaks out for a morning paddle in the beautiful bay of Angra do Heroísmo. Alternatively, guests could enjoy a hike at Baías da Agualva with stunning views from the Miradouro de Alagoa or learn about the island's history on a panoramic tour of the island, including a visit to the 15th century church of São Sebastião, famous for its newly restored frescoes. From the top of the 545-meter-high Serra do Cume, we admired the stone-walled green fields for which the island is known. In the afternoon, we hiked up Angra's backyard mountain, Monte Brazil and were rewarded with great views of the city below. For those who wanted to enjoy the fantastic weather at a more leisurely pace, Zodiacs took us ashore for either a walking tour of the city to learn about the culture and local delicacies or a photo walk with our National Geographic photographer who shared her knowledge on how to capture lasting impressions of our visit to Terceira.
4/14/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
Española
With a very relaxing morning at Gardner Bay, our day began. Nice, sunny beach time with amazing views beside a massive colony of sea lions was a treat to start the day. We also had a wonderful opportunity to explore Gardner Islet underwater. Later at Punta Suarez, we went for a great hike with a bunch of marine birds, including waved albatrosses and a colony of the incredible Nazca boobies. We also enjoyed the unique landscape of the eroded, mature island of Española with its pronounced cliffs and crashing waves. Sally Lightfoot crabs were the cherry on top.
4/14/2025
Read
National Geographic Delfina
Española Island
Today, our adventure took us to the breathtaking Española Island, one of the oldest and most ecologically rich islands in the Galápagos Archipelago. Under a bright equatorial sun and a light ocean breeze, we stepped onto the powdery white sands of Gardner Beach. We were greeted immediately by a welcoming committee of Galápagos sea lions. Some lounged lazily along the shoreline, while others played in the gentle surf, offering us an intimate view into their curious and social nature. In the afternoon we landed in Punta Suarez. Here, we were fortunate to observe marine iguanas in peak nesting season. These reptiles dug shallow nests in the sand, defending their territory with slow-motion head-bobs and short bursts of territorial aggression. The true highlight of the day was our encounter with the island’s most iconic resident, the waved albatross. As we followed the trail inland, we came upon many of these majestic seabirds sitting quietly, waiting for their partners to return from their long journey in the open ocean. Overhead, several individuals took flight, gliding effortlessly on the sea breeze with wingspans that defied gravity. Watching them soar against the backdrop of crashing waves and endless sky was a moment of pure awe.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Crow Butte and Umatilla Wildlife Refuge
It was another beautiful day, continuing the trend of glorious sunshine throughout the entire voyage. In the morning, we walked and hiked at Crow Butte where there were many scattered wildflowers and plentiful sagebrush. We also saw an abundance of bird life, including American kestrels and red-winged blackbirds. After a wonderful lunch, we headed out in Zodiacs to cruise the Umatilla Wildlife Refuge. Again, we saw an amazing amount of birdlife, including American white pelicans, bald eagles, and American coots. The river was sunny and still, allowing us to cruise in t-shirts! We finished the evening with a wine pairing during recap, followed by a great dinner and a beautiful sunset.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz Island
Today, we spent a full day on Santa Cruz Island where we immersed ourselves in one of the most important and unique conservation stories in the Galápagos. Our morning began at the Fausto Llerena Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we witnessed the extraordinary efforts of Galapagos park rangers working to ensure the survival of these iconic reptiles. Inside the rearing pens, baby tortoises were freely exploring their surrounding areas while park rangers carefully measured the growth of the young tortoises, cleaned their enclosures, and explained the delicate process of repatriating these animals back into the wild once they reach a safe size. Just outside the enclosures, a large-billed flycatcher flew from branch to branch in the shade of a poison tree, adding a cheerful note to our visit. In the afternoon, we traveled to the highlands of Santa Cruz where we had the unforgettable opportunity to observe adult giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat. One particularly impressive individual paused just a few feet in front of our group, offering a moment of silent connection. Seeing these majestic creatures in the wild, after witnessing their earliest stages of life this morning, brought the conservation message full circle in the most powerful way.
4/15/2025
Read
National Geographic Endurance
Terceira, Azores
Sunshine and calm seas allowed us to take the kayaks out for a morning paddle in the beautiful bay of Angra do Heroísmo. Alternatively, guests could enjoy a hike at Baías da Agualva with stunning views from the Miradouro de Alagoa or learn about the island's history on a panoramic tour of the island, including a visit to the 15th century church of São Sebastião, famous for its newly restored frescoes. From the top of the 545-meter-high Serra do Cume, we admired the stone-walled green fields for which the island is known. In the afternoon, we hiked up Angra's backyard mountain, Monte Brazil and were rewarded with great views of the city below. For those who wanted to enjoy the fantastic weather at a more leisurely pace, Zodiacs took us ashore for either a walking tour of the city to learn about the culture and local delicacies or a photo walk with our National Geographic photographer who shared her knowledge on how to capture lasting impressions of our visit to Terceira.
4/14/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
Española
With a very relaxing morning at Gardner Bay, our day began. Nice, sunny beach time with amazing views beside a massive colony of sea lions was a treat to start the day. We also had a wonderful opportunity to explore Gardner Islet underwater. Later at Punta Suarez, we went for a great hike with a bunch of marine birds, including waved albatrosses and a colony of the incredible Nazca boobies. We also enjoyed the unique landscape of the eroded, mature island of Española with its pronounced cliffs and crashing waves. Sally Lightfoot crabs were the cherry on top.
4/14/2025
Read
National Geographic Delfina
Española Island
Today, our adventure took us to the breathtaking Española Island, one of the oldest and most ecologically rich islands in the Galápagos Archipelago. Under a bright equatorial sun and a light ocean breeze, we stepped onto the powdery white sands of Gardner Beach. We were greeted immediately by a welcoming committee of Galápagos sea lions. Some lounged lazily along the shoreline, while others played in the gentle surf, offering us an intimate view into their curious and social nature. In the afternoon we landed in Punta Suarez. Here, we were fortunate to observe marine iguanas in peak nesting season. These reptiles dug shallow nests in the sand, defending their territory with slow-motion head-bobs and short bursts of territorial aggression. The true highlight of the day was our encounter with the island’s most iconic resident, the waved albatross. As we followed the trail inland, we came upon many of these majestic seabirds sitting quietly, waiting for their partners to return from their long journey in the open ocean. Overhead, several individuals took flight, gliding effortlessly on the sea breeze with wingspans that defied gravity. Watching them soar against the backdrop of crashing waves and endless sky was a moment of pure awe.
Joining National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions on any voyage means signing up for adventure; and the reward for your curiosity is inevitable—the most exhilarating experience of pure discovery possible.
Sven Lindblad
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