Wonders of the Galapagos Islands

The NAA travelers began their journey in Quito.  Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, yet only miles from the equator, the city is known for its magnificent Spanish colonial architecture and colorful street life.  They continued onto Calderon, a small town where artisans continue the time-honored tradition of marsapan, the crafting of intricate figurines, dolls and Christmas ornaments from bread dough.  The travelers hopped aboard their state-of- the-art exploration vessel, the M.V. Santa Cruz, designed specifically to navigate the Galapagos Islands.  They journeyed to the island of Santa Cruz, where they saw vibrantly colored flamingos, iguanas, prehistoric-looking iguanas and immense tortoises.  Next, they traveled to the Bartolome Island, famous for the Pinnacle Rock and its pristine beaches.   The group visited the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about efforts to protect the island's rare population of giant tortoises.   The travelers continued to North Seymour Island, a tiny sandy-shored isle, that is an ideal home for seal lions, marine iguanas and whale watching.  They enjoyed a special breakfast in the highlands of San Cristobal, the first Galapagos isle that Darwin landed on in 1835, and home to the Galapagos' provincial capital of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.  The final stop on this journey was Guayaquil, founded in 1530 and is Ecuador's principal port and a very cosmopolitan city. 

View a photo gallery from this exciting trip.

Learn more about the tours offered in 2008.