Returning to the mainland after a week cruising the Galápagos Islands feels like crashing back to earth from an otherworldly voyage. There’s no need to kiss the ground upon arrival, though. By the end of your trip to the archipelago located 560 miles west of Ecuador, nobody wants to leave the geological wonder that draws visitors from around the planet for a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Or twice in a lifetime. Remarked one enthusiastic tourist, who returned to the islands after 30 years to share her love of penguins with her young grandson: “This is the last item to cross off on the bucket list of my entire life.”  National Geographic’s latest documentary series, Secrets of the Penguins, offers a glimpse into why the Galápagos Islands elicit such strong reactions from its visitors.  Each of the 13 major islands and six minor islands, the majority completely uninhabited, feature a magical combination of colorful habitats, from black basalt lava cliffs, to red sand beaches and one of the world’s most active volcanos, on Fernandina Island, towering almost 5,000 feet. The headliner for visitors, though, often weighs less than five pounds, and its elusivity in some ways is the main attraction.  The Galápagos penguin is one of the rarest penguins in the world, which according to National Geographic’s May issue, are considered vulnerable or endangered along with more than half of all penguin species. Though these majestic creatures are negatively impacted across the globe by threats like pollution, warming climates, and overfishing, the blueprint on how humanity can affect positive change through conversation are found in the Galápagos. Secrets of the Penguins, which is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, is led by director of photography, producer, and National Geographer explorer Bertie Gregory. He started filming the series in Galápagos, and joked that the cold water acclimatization “spoiled me,” as he hung out in the tropics with the sea turtles. Soon after he was traveling to colder climates like Antarctica to follow emperor penguins in often treacherous and potentially dangerous conditions. However as the production packed up for various locales, the efforts of the Ecuadorian people and natives of Galápagos stuck with Gregory.  “[Galápagos] is set up with this ethos and this mantra that wildlife has value both intrinsically and of course economically It’s an amazing model for how we should be treating nature.”  We got to see it firsthand as Den of Geek was invited to experience the islands through National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions on an expedition cruise that toured islands like San Cristobal, where Charles Darwin famously first landed in Galápagos, and the seahorse shaped Isabela, the largest island formed by the fusion of six shield volcanoes. It was off Isabela where I caught my only peek at those elusive Galápagos penguins during a deep sea-snorkeling excursion. After adjusting my snorkeling mask above water, I dunked down only to lock eyes with a sea turtle, then whipped my head around underwater and two penguins darted past me like torpedoes. I failed to spot another penguin the rest of the trip, though my subpar deep-sea swimming skills could be to blame.  Being flanked underwater by those penguins was fleeting but unforgettable. When we spoke with Gregory on the vessel via Zoom, after watching a special premiere of the docuseries’ three episodes, he was in awe that we spotted penguins after mere days, when it took their crew weeks to corral suitable footage for the show. For our group of press and general public aboard the expedition, a major part of what made the journey special was the expertise on board that not only helped us spot wildlife, but contextualize their relationship to breathtaking habitats that surrounded them, from land iguanas of various sizes, textures, and colors at Urbina Bay to the flush forest of the highlands on Puerto Ayora, where great giant tortoises roam.  Lindblad Expeditions relationship to the island dates back to 1967, when the company’s founder, Lars-Eric Lindblad, led the first voyage to the islanders for international travelers. Through their partnership with National Geographic, the expertise only deepened. Aboard the ship, National Geographic certified photo instructors helped arm guests with the best practices to capture shots of the blue-footed boobies or sea lions flopping around the beaches. The naturalists, almost exclusively from Ecuador or Galápagos, made themselves readily available day or night to answer questions pertaining to the wildlife, environment, or conservation. They have immense pride in the creatures on these islands and take seriously the efforts to protect them. When you disembark the expedition vessel on zodiac boats, all groups of no more than 16 people must have at least one naturalist with them at all times. So limited are the number of visitors and ships around these islands, you’re constantly required to keep the vessel moving every 12 hours. It leaves you in awe of the pristine playground wildlife like penguins have. And you walk away with a new or renewed interest in community efforts around conversation.  “The challenge is never with the wildlife,” Gregory says. “My hope is that this series kind of gets people to sit up and think about penguins a bit more and realize that their success is intertwined with our success. If more places around the world were like the Galapagos, the world would definitely be a better place.” Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!