Our expedition around the magical Galapagos Islands brought us today to Puerto Ayora, the capital of Santa Cruz Island. This colorful and lively community is by far the largest human settlement of this enchanted archipelago.
Many guests have been waiting for this day with great expectations, for it is dedicated in its entirety to the most emblematic animal species of the Galápagos Islands—the splendid giant tortoises.
We spent the early morning witnessing one of the longest-running and most successful conservation projects run by the Galapagos National Park Service—the captive breeding and posterior release program of the giant tortoises of the Galapagos. In the breeding center, we had the opportunity to appreciate firsthand the immense and necessary efforts to save the giant tortoises from extinction and to recover vanishing populations.
After this enlightening visit, we spent some time exploring Puerto Ayora town. We then continued to the highlands to visit a sugar cane press, where we learned how a local family makes a living by cultivating coffee and sugar cane. Some guests opted to visit a local school, Tomas de Berlanga, supported by Lindblad Expeditions, while others preferred to ride mountain bikes.
After lunch, we explored a paradisiacal location in the luxury green highlands of Santa Cruz. We observed the giant tortoises roaming peacefully in their natural habitat. These enormous antediluvian-looking creatures are truly captivating to observe. We spotted many individuals that ranged from smaller juvenile tortoises to huge older individuals that can easily reach four to up to three hundred pounds!
We left the giant tortoise territory behind and headed back to town and then to our home this week, the National Geographic Endeavour.
After dinner we had a party with animated music played by a local professional band that came aboard, accompanied by beautiful dancing girls who were wearing traditional hand-painted Ecuadorian dresses.
In the aftermath of this long but spectacular day, our minds and hearts are fulfilled with unforgettable new memories and discoveries.
