We recently checked a BIG destination off of our bucket list – a Galapagos Expedition! We explored remote islands with Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic onboard the National Geographic Endeavour II which was epic.
During our week expedition, we saw so much incredible wildlife, visited the Charles Darwin research centre and learned a lot about all of the conservation efforts in the Galapagos.
In this blog post we are sharing everything that you need to know before you visit the Galapagos on an expedition cruise with Lindblad and National Geographic. Let’s get into it!
Know Before You Go to The Galapagos
How to Get To The Galapagos
Your journey to the Galapagos will begin in either Quito or Guayaquil Ecuador. Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Expeditions will provide airport pickup and one night of hotel accommodations in either city the night before you depart to the Galapagos. From either city you will then depart on a domestic flight to the Galapagos the next morning.
TIP: You can add additional time in either city before and after your trip with Lindblad Expeditions with their add on itineraries. We highly recommend doing this as both cities have a lot of history and culture to learn about.
Getting to the Ship
From the domestic airport in the Galapagos, the expedition team will meet the entire group and transfer you to the boat dock in a bus! This is a great time to meet fellow guests. From the boat dock you will board a zodiac boat that will take you to the ship.
Currency in the Galapagos
The U.S. Dollar is used as the primary currency throughout Ecuador as well as the Galapagos Islands. You can used credit cards like Visa and Mastercard in some establishments, and you will need a credit card once you board the ship for any onboard purchases. Otherwise, we recommend keeping cash for any land excursions during your itinerary for additional food and souvenirs as we found most places only accept cash.
Best Time To Visit The Galapagos
The Galapagos is a destination that is great to visit all year round. Their “warm” season is typically from December to May, which means a bit more humidity, a chance of some quick rain showers but also calmer and warmer seas and lush landscapes. From June to November is when a colder current comes through the surrounding seas making the water temperature a bit colder. However, this current makes the sea more nutrient rich which is ideal for spotting more marine life, like whales! There is NO bad time to visit the Galapagos.
What To Pack
Some essentials we think you need are: a few Sun Protective Shirts for activities both in and out of the water as the sun here is hot and you can burn easily. You will also need waterproof shoes for wet landings (more on that later), we love our Teva’s for this type of activity. You will also need a waterproof bag or backpack for shore excursions to keep all of your important things dry!
You can find our detailed packing list here! – it even has a print out!
What’s Included with your Expedition
An expedition with Lindblad and National Geographic is considered “inclusive”. This means that all of your meals, wine, beer and some spirits, all excursions, a 24 hour gym, a reusable water bottle you can keep, park and entrance site fees and port taxes as well as wifi is all included in your expedition!
What it’s like to stay on the National Geographic Endeavour II
The National Geographic Endeavour II was a great base for an epic adventure in the Galapagos Islands. Not only are the rooms comfortable, but there is ample lounge space to hang out and listen to the daily lectures, some tasty meals served up every day in the dining room and a roof top deck that was a great place for the morning stretch class, taking in the sunset and spotting wildlife.
The Deck Plan for the National Geographic Endeavour II
This ship has such a great set up. From the top deck, to the lounge spaces and even a gym, spa and sauna on board, there is no shortage of places to hangout and things to do while onboard. The ship itself sleeps 96 guests and has 5 decks making it very spacious!
The Cabins Onboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
We had the pleasure of staying in room #414 which was on the bridge deck. Our room had a large window, a queen sized bed, an arm chair, a desk, two night stands and a closet! Our bathroom had a stand up shower and all the other essentials needed, including a clothing line in the shower for wet clothes.
We really enjoyed waking up to some epic views each morning out our window.
Other categories of cabins on the ship include:
Cabin #415 – This is a suite and is the largest cabin aboard. This cabin also comes with complimentary laundry and priority access to one spa appointment per departure.
Cabin #320 – Travelling with your family? This suite features two large windows, armchair, oversized bathroom, double closet, writing desk and chair, mini-fridge. It can be booked with Cabin #322 to make a family suite. This cabin also comes with complimentary laundry and priority access to one spa appointment per departure.
Common Areas and Lounge Spaces
There is no shortage of space on the National Geographic Endeavour II. Let us run you through all of the common areas that you can explore while onboard!
The Bridge
There is an open bridge policy onboard the National Geographic Endeavour II. This means that you can visit the bridge at any time the officers deem it safe too, to ask questions and explore.
The Lounge
The Lounge is where you will likely spend the most amount of your time when you are onbaord. This is the meeting point at the end of every night during your expedition to debrief about the day you had, and go over the itinerary for the next day. It is also where the lectures from the Naturalist on board will take place. In the lounge you will find snacks 24 hours a day, a coffee machine available 24 hours a day and the bar!
The Dining Room
Located on the main deck, the dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Breakfast is served buffet style, and often features Ecuadorian specialties as well as an omelette station. For lunch there is also a buffet typically with a daily soup special. For dinner, you will have a plated meal which is typically an option between a few different specials for the evening.
A Note: The staff went above and beyond to accommodate any special dietary restrictions and allergies.
The Library
The library is located on the bridge deck. There is a heap of relevant resources to learn more about the Galapagos, as well as some fiction books and board games. There is a coffee machine in the Library as well .
The Global Gallery
Also located on the bridge deck, the Global Gallery is a place where you can buy hand crafted souvenirs and other essentials onboard. This is not your typical shop as all of the art here is made by local artisans throughout the Galapagos Islands. One night of our expedition all of the artisans were brought on board for a Market where we got to meet the people behind the art.
Fun Fact: A percentage from every sale in the Global Galleries and Market goes back to the Artisan Fund.
The Gym and Spa
We loved the option of having a gym and spa onboard. The gym had essentials like treadmills, an elliptical, a stationary bike and weights. The spa offered incredible massages and facials. While the gym is open at anytime, the spa is by appointment only. We highly recommend make an appointment early on in your voyage so you can get the time you want! The wellness expert onboard has a tentative itinerary of each day onboard so you can plan around excursions and activities
TIP: The wellness expert onboard also hosts a complimentary stretching class each morning on the observation deck (weather permitting) and we highly recommend joining that!
The Observation Deck
This was our favourite place on the ship. This is a great place to spot wildlife at any time of the day, especially when you are sailing from one island to the other. We spotted Manta Rays one morning, and SO many amazing birds. There are sun loungers, couches, chairs and a bar which makes this a perfect place to enjoy some sun during the day and the sunset in the evening. The expedition team hosted a wine tasting one evening as we sailed across the equator which was so special.
Things To Do In the Galapagos
Each day during your expedition will be different and action packed. A printed itinerary will be left in the pocket on your door each night after the evening debrief so you can prepare for all of the exciting things happening the next day.
There are many different islands in the Galapagos and each one has something special to offer. See below the map with descriptions of the various islands in the Galapagos.
Extras onboard Lindblad expeditions and national geographic endeavour ii
Kayaking and Paddle boarding
If the conditions are good and location allows, the expedition team will put a sign up list out in the evening for Kayaking and Paddle boarding. It is first come first serve to sign up and if extra sessions allow, people who did not already get to go, get priority sign up.
There were double and single kayaks as well as stand up paddle boards. We highly recommend signing up for one of the sessions as it is such a unique way to see the coastline of the islands.
Glass Bottom Boat
This is a unique feature of the National Geographic Endeavour II. The expedition team will put a sign up sheet out in the evening to sign up for a time to explore in the glass bottom boat. You cruise along the coastline and see the coral and fish underneath of you. This is such a great way to learn more about the sea life in the Galapagos in real time. We saw a Manta Ray, and Eagle ray, beautiful schools of fish and sharks!
According to our expedition specialist this is the only glass bottom boat in the Galapagos as part of an expedition ship. We highly recommend signing up for a time to explore in the glass bottom boat.
Global Explorers Program
This Galapagos Expedition is very kid and family friendly. The Global Explorers program is for children onboard the ship to participate. They receive a journal at the beginning of their voyage to complete tasks and challenges. At the end of the voyage their points are totalled and they are given some prizes and a Global Explorers Certificate by the captain.
A Celebration of Ecuadorian Culture
On evening during our expedition we had a afternoon and evening of celebrating Ecuador and the Galapagos. A local band from Santa Cruz island came on board to play some music as well as some dancers. The expedition team also invited some of the local artisans onboard to meet them outside of the global gallery. This Artisan Marker was an opportunity to purchase directly through the local vendors and meet the faces behind the art onboard!
How to Spend a Day in the Galapagos
One of the things that we love about Expeditions is that they can change and adjust at the drop of a hat. Whether it is weather, or wildlife sightings, the expedition staff will adjust the days plans accordingly. Every expedition has a different experience from week to week as the ship visits different islands and you see different wildlife! We also were on board for a pre-screening of a new National Geographic series called “The Secrets of the Penguins”!
This is a sample itinerary from our second day of our expedition so you can get a bit of an idea of what to expect day to day while exploring the Galapagos.
Keep in mind, this itinerary was for our expedition and will vary and change during your visit.
Example Day Itinerary
6:00AM – Morning coffee and snacks available at the lounge. Join the team at the observation deck to spot marine mammals and wildlife.
6:30AM – Join the Wellness Specialist for a stretching session on the Observation Deck.
7:00AM – Breakfast is served.
8:00AM – Option 1 – A Dry landing for a 1.5 mile trail walk at Punta Espinoza.
8:15AM – Option 2 – A Zodiac cruise to explore the coastline of Punta Espinoza (no landing).
10:15AM – All aboard.
11:00AM – Deep water snorkelling from the Zodiacs along the coast of Fernadina Island.
12:30PM – Mexican Themed Lunch
1:30PM – Global Explorers Bridge Tour with Naturalist (kids only program)
1:45PM – Join the Certified Photo Instructor for a presentation on “Useful Settings for Smartphones: in the lounge.
2:15PM – Join the Naturalist and Undersea Specialist for a presentation “The Oceanography & Geology of the Galapagos Islands” in the lounge.
3:30PM – Zodiac rides along the coast of Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island.
5:30PM – The hotel department hosts a wine tasting event at the Observation Deck as we navigate north during sunset to celebrate the equator crossing!
6:45PM – Recap of the day and briefing for tomorrow’s activities in the lounge.
7:30PM – Dinner is served in the dining room.
8:45PM – Special preview and presentation of National Geographic’s new series “The Secrets of the Penguins” in the lounge.
Final Thoughts
If the Galapagos is on your bucket list, then we cannot recommend an expedition cruise enough. Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Expeditions truly go above and beyond to make your experience memorable! We met so many incredible naturalists onboard dedicated to the conversation of these islands and it truly left us with a mark on our heart.
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