Antarctica - Orion Expeditions New Zealand & Sub-Antarctic Is Wildlife Adventure
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Antarctica - Orion Expeditions New Zealand & Sub-Antarctic Is Wildlife Adventure

Protected by the Southern Ocean, secluded and seldom visited, the Australian and New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands, recognised by UNESCO as one of the worlds' precious regions of unique biodiversity, will be visited by Orion.

These remote Nature Reserves enjoy World Heritage status, recognised for their volcanic and glacial geological formations and extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna - much of which is endangered or recovering since being discovered and later plundered in the late 1700's and early 1800's by sealers and whalers.

Home to over half of the world's seabirds, some of which exist nowhere else, this wildlife paradise contains 40% of the world's albatross species and 50% of the world's penguin species including the endangered yellow-eyed penguin, plus hundreds of thousands of other endemic birds - petrels, prions and cormorants.

At Snares Island there is every expectation that guests will see Sooty Shearwaters, the endemic Snares Crested Penguins, Snares Fernbird and Tomtits. On Enderby Island expect to see pipits, parakeets and plovers, Hooker's Sea Lions, and perhaps even the Auckland Island Flightless Teal and Sub-Antarctic Snipe. Campbell Island, home to the Southern Royal Albatrosses, has the highest diversity of breeding albatrosses of any island in the world.

And then there are plant species that have to be seen to be believed, including 5 meter high tree daisies on Snares, giants compared to their relatives in more temperate climates. With convenient embarkation in Bluff (Invercargill, NZ) or Hobart, Orion will head south to visit (depending on voyage) Macquarie, Campbell, Stewart, Snares and Auckland Islands as well as spending time exploring New Zealand's beautiful Fiordlands (including Milford and Doubtful Sounds).

Day 1 Hobart,Australia
Day 2 At sea
Day 3 At sea
Day 4 At sea
Day 5 Macquarie Island
Day 6 At sea
Day 7 Campbell Island
Day 8 Auckland Islands
Day 9 Snares Island
Day 10 Stewart Island
Day 11 Milford Sound
Day 12 Dusky & Doubtful Sounds
Day 13 Dusky & Doubful Sounds
Day 14 Otago Harbour, Dunedin

Operated by Orion Expeditions

Departures: December, January

  • Contact us for more information, availability, current costs and to make a booking on this expedition.

Images Courtesy of Orion Expeditions - King Penguins Macquarie Island