Expedition to Galapagos

Ahoy Mates!  Batten down the hatches and secure your booty in a comfortable seat.  We are about to embark on an adventure on the high seas and land that takes us to distant shores to a Land Beyond Expectations.

This is the captain, gather ‘round to learn about our vessel, Celebrity Flora®, before we depart on our expedition to a land beyond expectations, Galapagos Islands.  She is a beauty, the first of its kind built specially to traverse the Galapagos archipelago.   Alas, only 100 souls can make this journey on this ship along with the naturalists that are familiar with the terrain and its inhabitants.

Each of your suites provide an outward-facing view of our surroundings.  Be vigilant throughout our journey so you do not overlook anything.   When we stop to go ashore, we will board landing craft while our ship remains stationary without even weighing our anchor.  This way the natives will not even hear us coming.

Over one hundred sixty years ago, a man wrote about his quest that took him to a place where he would discover how life evolved thousands of years ago.  We are about to follow in his footsteps and discover a land that is inhabited by species that can be found nowhere else on earth.  Sit back, relax, and watch this briefing. 

Captain, Isn't travel here dangerous now?   

No Mates, we have safety & health protocols in place:

(Click images to enlarge)

Why Visit Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands contain a unique combination of land and oceanic ecosystems, with many distinct habitats found in each. The Galapagos are located at the point where major ocean currents meet and the islands straddle the junctions between several shifting tectonic plates. This area is truly unlike any other place on earth.

The Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), one of the world's largest protected areas, has more than 2,900 reported marine species and over 18% of those live nowhere else on earth. Some of the best-known coastal animals of Galapagos include sea lions, fur seals, flightless cormorants, albatrosses, three species of booby, two frigatebird species, sea turtles, the marine iguana, and penguins.

 

Off the Beaten Path Krka National Park

Krka National Park 

& Waterfalls

Split, Croatia

Continuing our 12-Night Mediterranean & Greek Isles Cruise, our next port of call was Split, Croatia.  Here we ventured off the beaten path one more time to Krka National Park & Waterfalls.  Our day began with a big drive, almost two hours from boarding the bus at Split pier, onwards through the Croation countryside to the glorious national park.  We'll talk about the countryside in another post - this one will focus on the park itself.

The Adriatic coast attracts tourists from all over the world and you'll quickly see why as you enter Krka National Park, a breath-taking natural wonder. This vibrant area was declared a national park in 1985, one of seven in Croatia, and is named after the river that runs through all 35,000 acres. Krka River, with its seven magical waterfalls, travels two thirds of its way to the sea through canyons.

The Sounds of Nature

Close your eyes and listen intently to the sounds of nature that surround you...    One of the 222 species of birds sings out in the silence, searching for a mate.    The water rushing is getting more intense;  a waterfall must be just around the bend.  A gentle breeze ruffles the leaves.  You continue walking and silence returns, but only for an instant as once again you hear water rushing.

The park is a natural haven for over 400 species of animals, including Adriatic salmon, and thousands of different types of plant life but the true spectacle are the waterfalls.  Skradinski Buk, the part of the park we visited, features the largest and most dramatic waterfall in Krka National Park at 151 feet in height and approximately 1,312 feet wide.

Footpaths that meander above and below the falls offer the most dramatic and extensive views of this natural wonder. Swimming is allowed in some pools at certain times (your Guide will be able to advise you) so you may want to pack your swim gear and towel just in case you get the urge to jump in and cool down.

We leave you with a sampling of images...  

More can be found on our Facebook Fan Page in our album:

  KRKA National Park & Waterfalls

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

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