NATGEOTRAVEL.COMTHOMAS P. PESCHAK/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTIONGO WITH NAT GEO
ECUADOR
EXPEDITION CRUISEEvolutionary Escape
Iguanas that dive. Penguins that play. Blue-footed boobies that dance. The
animals of the Galápagos steal the show, but the varied and volcanic topography
of the storied archipelago (13 major islands, six smaller ones, and lots of islets)
is just as fascinating. The best way to see it is by expedition cruise aboard the
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ISLANDER and ENDEAVOUR II, which call at multiple
islands—some inhabited by humans, others as wild as when they first bubbled
up from the seafloor—for excursions guided by naturalists. No day is typical
in the cradle of evolution, but expect to snorkel with sea lions, trail a giant
tortoise, and scamper across the shore like a Sally Lightfoot crab. At night, visit
the ship’s top deck to see star-washed skies over a land that feels undiscovered,
even though its natural heritage changed the world.—George W. StoneFOREST LODGEWooded Bliss
Cradled in the western
Andes, a three-hour drive
from Quito, is a wooded
retreat like no other. Equal
parts wilderness resort
(with a modernist twist)
and Jurassic Park (minus
T. rex), Mashpi Lodge is an
oasis in the cloud forest.
Days pass in excursions
that include nature walks,
conservation talks, river
hikes, lush arbors, more
hummingbirds than you
can count—plus delicious
Ecuadorian cuisine and
BOOK IT natgeoexpeditions.com/explore • natgeolodges.com/explore dreamy nights. —GSCOASTAL LODGEIsland Life
Just like the giant tortoise,
many of the archipelago’s
famed endemic species
are terrestrial. For visitors
who prefer to be on land
instead of at sea, Finch Bay
Galapagos Hotel, on Isla
Santa Cruz, is the perfect
choice. Darwin’s finches
dart through the treetops
and sea lions swim with
snorkelers near the lodge,
which arranges day trips by
yacht to other Galápagos
isles. Return from exploring
and soak in a solar-heated
pool. —Alena HadleyGalápagos
tortoises rest in
a pool of mud on
volcanically active
Isla Isabela.NATGEOTRAVEL.COM
THOMAS P. PESCHAK/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTIONGO WITH NAT GEO
ECUADOR
EXPEDITION CRUISE
Evolutionary Escape
Iguanas that dive. Penguins that play. Blue-footed boobies that dance. The
animals of the Galápagos steal the show, but the varied and volcanic topography
of the storied archipelago (13 major islands, six smaller ones, and lots of islets)
is just as fascinating. The best way to see it is by expedition cruise aboard the
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ISLANDER and ENDEAVOUR II, which call at multiple
islands—some inhabited by humans, others as wild as when they first bubbled
up from the seafloor—for excursions guided by naturalists. No day is typical
in the cradle of evolution, but expect to snorkel with sea lions, trail a giant
tortoise, and scamper across the shore like a Sally Lightfoot crab. At night, visit
the ship’s top deck to see star-washed skies over a land that feels undiscovered,
even though its natural heritage changed the world.—George W. Stone
FOREST LODGEWooded Bliss
Cradled in the western
Andes, a three-hour drive
from Quito, is a wooded
retreat like no other. Equal
parts wilderness resort
(with a modernist twist)
and Jurassic Park (minus
T. rex), Mashpi Lodge is an
oasis in the cloud forest.
Days pass in excursions
that include nature walks,
conservation talks, river
hikes, lush arbors, more
hummingbirds than you
can count—plus delicious
Ecuadorian cuisine and
BOOK IT natgeoexpeditions.com/explore • natgeolodges.com/explore dreamy nights. —GS
COASTAL LODGEIsland Life
Just like the giant tortoise,
many of the archipelago’s
famed endemic species
are terrestrial. For visitors
who prefer to be on land
instead of at sea, Finch Bay
Galapagos Hotel, on Isla
Santa Cruz, is the perfect
choice. Darwin’s finches
dart through the treetops
and sea lions swim with
snorkelers near the lodge,
which arranges day trips by
yacht to other Galápagos
isles. Return from exploring
and soak in a solar-heated
pool. —Alena HadleyGalápagos
tortoises rest in
a pool of mud on
volcanically active
Isla Isabela.