Our last day in the Galapagos brought us face to face with some of the islands’ incredible marine life! One of the most thrilling encounters of the day was spotting orcas, a rare and majestic sight that left everyone in awe. The pod followed our Zodiacs for over 30 minutes, acting curious and playful. Our guests were glowing with excitement, describing the day as unforgettable and deeply moving. It was a beautiful reminder of the wild magic of the Galapagos Islands and why we love sharing this extraordinary place!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 18 Apr 2025
Rabida and Chinese Hat Islands, 4/18/2025, National Geographic Delfina
- Aboard the National Geographic Delfina
- Galápagos
Roberta Schiess, Naturalist
Born and raised in the Galápagos, Roberta Schiess Bahamonde’s grandparents were among the first permanent inhabitants of Santa Cruz Island, arriving from Switzerland in the 1940s. Her mother is also a naturalist guide in the Galápagos, so this is a p...
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Galápagos by Catamaran: An Intimate Voyage
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5/27/2025
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National Geographic Delfina
Floreana Island
We started the morning with kayaking at Floreana; this island is in the south-central area of the archipelago, and was the first island in Galapagos to be populated. We visited Post Office Bay, where we checked out the postcards from the famed first mail system in all of the Americas: the post office barrel. Afterward we also explored the amazing lava tunnel of the pirates. After lunch we relocated the ship to our next destination, Champion Islet, for some astounding snorkeling. Later we visited Punta Cormorant, where we found flamingos, many blue-footed boobies, and hundreds of nests of Pacific green sea turtles. Today we visited an island like no other; what an amazing adventure in paradise!
5/26/2025
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National Geographic Delfina
Española Island
The morning started with our guests going out to kayak and paddleboard along the shoreline of Gardner Bay. Then we explored a beach that has a big colony of sea lions; it was an incredible experience to sit on the beach close to them. Later we snorkeled around Gardner Islet; as soon as we jumped into the ocean, we saw amazing marine wildlife, including sharks, rays, marine turtles, and a great variety of multicolored fish. Toward the end we had a big surprise — a pod of about 100 bottlenose dolphins arrived and swam all around us. What a unique and memorable moment! An event that happens once in a blue moon. The afternoon was magical too, as we walked among marine iguanas, lizards, crabs, mockingbirds, and the majestic waved albatrosses. The journey was outstanding, unique, amazing, unforgettable — and it is just the beginning of our week exploring these Enchanted Islands.