Exploring the Galapagos with Lindblad Expeditions & National Geographic
View of the Lindblad National Geographic Endeavor II from a zodiac
Greetings from the Galapagos!
I am in Ecuador this week with Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic. It has been an other-worldly week to say the least. So many creatures, great and small, all living their lives without much contact with humans. Ready to talk about the Galapagos? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.
I started my trip in Quito, Ecuador -- you can fly from Miami to Quito in just four hours. From there it's about an hour ride into central Quito. I stayed at the Swissotel — arranged by Lindblad — which is billed as a 5 star property but will feel more like a 4 star to well-traveled souls. The rooms are badly in need of upgrading but everything was very clean, the staff was very nice, and there are some really nice restaurants and shops on property. My advice? Pay extra for the upgrade to the Club Floor, which has fab views out over Quito.
We got to the hotel after 9 pm and the only restaurant open was the Japanese one. Japanese in Ecuador? OK! The sushi was actually pretty good.
Quito from the top of the Swissotel, Quito
For guests who start their Lindblad journey in Quito, there's a half-day city tour including a great lunch in town at a Relais & Chateaux property, Casa Gangotena. I enjoyed our 3 hour tour -- it was the perfect length and we saw just enough--a local food market, a statue of the Virgin Mary atop a hill in Quito, a few churches, and some large squares. In hindsight, I would have loved to visit some craft markets.
And then began our journey to the Galapagos. It started with a 4:45 am wake-up call. Luggage out in the hallway by 5 am and on the road by 6 am. We arrived at the airport around 7 am for our 9:20 am flight which made two stops -- one in Guayaquil and the other in San Cristobal. San Cristobal is a very small airport and it took forever to get through Galapagos immigration (yes, this is a thing) and baggage claim. But then it was just a 10 minute drive to the port to board our Zodiacs to the National Geographic Endeavor II.
My serviceable cabin, Cabin 326. There are no balcony cabins on the Endeavor II.
Once onboard, we quickly toured our small but serviceable cabins. I was in 326. I liked being on Deck 3 on the Endeavor II because we were on the same floor as the lounge where evening presentations took place.
One afternoon, we had roasted suckling pig for lunch. It was incredible.
After dropping our bags, we made our way to lunch. I thought the food onboard was great. This is not a great cruise though if you want American food and pizza and pasta at all meals. All of our meals had an Ecuadorian flair. This is really regional cuisine. The avocados onboard were particularly great.
Kicker Rock
The first evening, the staff were easy on us. We just enjoyed a nice scenic sail around Kicker Rock. It was very relaxing and scenic. But the next day, the adventure really began.
You will spend a lot of time in zodiacs on a Lindblad Galapagos expedition!
This is an Expedition Cruise, not a normal cruise! So you need to be ready to hike and snorkel and kayak. Every day, we had at least one if not two or three scheduled outdoorsy outings, plus some optional snorkeling, kayaking and zodiac rides. If you are not an outdoorsy person, if you don’t like sea lions or tortoises, or if you have mobility issues, this is not the cruise for you. As I write this, I am relaxing after a 1 hr and 45 minute hike in the heat that required navigating about 30+ big steps up and down a cliff at the front and end of the hike. This doesn't seem too bad but bear in mind these steps were wet at the bottom from the splash from the waves and covered in guano (bird poop) the rest of the way.
My favorite day was when we visited Bartolome. We had an incredible morning snorkeling at a local beach, followed by some of the best snorkeling of my life -- but of the deep-water kind, not off a beach. Then, we ended the day with an incredible zodiac ride at sunset where we saw penguins, baby sea lions, sharks, lizards, and all sorts of marine life.
Another great day was on Santa Cruz. We spent the day with giant tortoises, visited a hydroponic farm, and then had a lovely lunch on a ranch home to hundreds if not thousands of giant tortoises.
The Lindblad National Geographic Endeavor II holds about 98 passengers and 63 staff members. Our cruise was about 98% full. Guests came from all over the world but were mostly American and Canadian. Our naturalists were outstanding...there were so many onboard, and every night, they'd give us a presentation on something we had seen that day. (Sea lions, tortoises, lizards, and more.) Most nights ended around 9 pm after dinner -- this isn't a late night party crowd. There was live music one night -- a local band came onboard -- but otherwise, your entertainment is the great outdoors. At night, if you look over the side of the ship, you'll probably see some sharks and rays -- it's very cool. And on a clear evening, the stars of course are incredible.
If I could do this trip again, I would have brought closed-toed water shoes, a hat with a wide brim and a chin strap for the Zodiac, more waterproof outfits (swim shorts and rash guards, essentially, because I lived in the one swim outfit I brought), a 10 liter drybag BACKPACK instead of just a pouch, and I would have tried to find a better waterproof phone case with a wrist band or neck strap for taking photos. I had to keep taking my camera out of my neck pouch to take pics on the Zodiac and it made me very nervous.
Most of the travelers on our ship seemed to be in their 60s and 70s, with a few travelers in their 80s. Honestly, I think this is the type of trip you want to try to do far before you turn 80. It's just so active and you want to be able to enjoy all the hikes and the kayaking. Lindblad makes it very easy to get into and out of the zodiacs but you still want to feel confident doing this.
Note we did the full one-week experience with Lindblad on the Eastern itinerary. There is also a one-week western itinerary and you can also do shorter 4- and 5-night cruises. Here are a few itineraries to consider. Note I am a preferred partner with Lindblad and can VIP your experience.
Sailing with Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic in the Galapagos was an incredible once-in-a-lifetime trip. It is not for everyone though! There are other ways to do the Galapagos by land that aren't so active. And there are also ways to the Galapagos that are more 5 star than our experience. (While Lindblad is priced like a 5 star experience, I'd say the cabins make it more of a 3.5/4 star experience.) Ready to talk about your trip to Ecuador and The Galapagos? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.
About Krista
I’m a Virtuoso travel advisor based in West Palm Beach, Florida. I attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad and I have my MBA from the University of Chicago. Before building my travel business, I spent 20 years in the investment management industry and over a decade living and working in London, England. I’ve personally traveled to 80 countries and now design thoughtful, highly customized trips for travelers who value expertise, access, and a seamless experience.
I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation for travelers considering a custom itinerary or luxury cruise. Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.
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