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Aboriginal Art, Fjords, Waterfalls
Australia & New Zealand—two vastly distinct countries with exceptional ways to explore them.
Discover Australia's best kept secret—the majestic Kimberley—a land so old that vast tracts predate fossils, and see it in the manner befitting its immense scale: by sea. A rare look at the stunning, isolated northwest coast of Australia, see spectacular gorges formed by geological forces, extraordinary Aboriginal cave paintings, and remarkable wildlife. Then venture into Indonesia for incredible snorkeling and meet welcoming people who live close to their ancestral traditions. Plus, search for Komodo dragons, crocodiles, and more.
And when a film script calls for a backdrop of stunning scenery, New Zealand steps up with its dramatic peaks, scenic fjords, and white-sand beaches. The last country to be inhabited by humans, New Zealand’s pristine landscapes impress with endemic flora and fauna. Add Māori culture, cities known for their quality of life, the beautiful Subantarctic Islands, and celebrated wines and gastronomy, and it’s easy to understand the country’s longstanding appeal.
*Important note: Australia permits are pending; guests will be notified immediately if there are itinerary changes due to permits.
(4) Australia and New Zealand Itineraries
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NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged. More details.
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Jan
Oct
Nov
From
$19,419
Prices are per person
Highlights
Australia and New Zealand
Coastal New Zealand: Scenic Fjords, Māori History, and Abundant Wildlife
Duration
16 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Jan
Oct
Nov
From
$19,419
Top Highlights
Glide into three phenomenal fjords: the legendary Milford Sound; Doubtful Sound, New Zealand’s deepest; and the lesser-known Dusky Sound
Delve into the rich culture of the Māori on a visit to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Look for little blue penguins on the beaches of the Otago Peninsula, and hike the rainforests of Stewart and Ulva islands to spot rare birdlife
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
May
Jun
Jul
From
$16,745
Prices are per person
Highlights
Australia and New Zealand
Indonesia & Papua New Guinea
Asia
Kimberley Expedition: Northwest Australia & Indonesia
Duration
16 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
May
Jun
Jul
From
$16,745
Top Highlights
Experience both Gwion Gwion and Wandjina rock art dating from 4,000 to 12,000 years in age
Zodiacs land virtually anywhere and take us up close to the unique wildlife in this region—watch for crocodiles, migrating humpback whales, and endearing wallabies
Visit the remarkable Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to go in search of the legendary Komodo dragon
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Jan
Oct
Dec
From
$12,994
Prices are per person
Highlights
Australia and New Zealand
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Roots of the Pacific: Exploring New Zealand and Melanesia
Duration
15 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Jan
Oct
Dec
From
$12,994
Top Highlights
Encounter an impressive diversity of cultures from the Māori of the Bay of Islands to the spear dancers of the Solomons, and delve into their artistic and spiritual traditions
Venture to the former penal colony of Norfolk Island, now a UNESCO World Heritage site boasting the unusual trees called Norfolk Island pines
Visit the island nation of New Caledonia, made up of immaculate beaches and steep coral cliffs, and hike into the tropical forest to a vanilla plantation or enjoy world-class snorkeling among diverse coral species
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Nov
Dec
From
$28,962
Prices are per person
Highlights
Antarctica
Australia and New Zealand
Southern Odyssey: New Zealand and the Subantarctic Islands
Duration
22 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Nov
Dec
From
$28,962
Top Highlights
Get immersed in beauty: scenic beaches and lush native forests in the North Island and deep fjords and dramatic landscapes in the South Island
Discover the history and dynamic culture of New Zealand and the Māori people.
Explore the sub-Antarctic islands which remain almost completely protected from human activity and are home to a diverse collection of endemic plant and animal species
Travel to a part of the world where the landscapes are ancient, the air and water pristine, and the wildlife rare and abundant. National Geographic Orion, purpose-built to explore the most remote places while providing maximum comfort and safety, is the perfect “base camp” to discover all the nooks and crannies of Australia and New Zealand.
See more
Highlights
Discover
Expedition Spotlight: Exploring Fiordland National Park
This trip was classic Lindblad. Excellent staff, weather challenges creatively addressed, beautiful and inspiring places that are very difficult to visit. The superb National Geographic Orion staff continue to provide a remarkable sense of world-class hospitality that makes the ship home.
Guest aboard Southern Odyssey: New Zealand and the Subantarctic Islands, January 2023
It is a privilege to visit Australia and New Zealand, two richly diverse and culturally fascinating geographies. And to the privilege of cruising around Australia and New Zealand, National Geographic Orion adds the luxury of comfort—a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and revitalize body, mind, and spirit.
Explore with National Geographic Experts: Photographing New Zealand with Ricky Qi
National Geographic Photography Expert Ricky Qi goes in-depth on the natural and cultural richness of New Zealand and the rewarding experience of teaching guests how to capture the region’s beauty.
Enter New Zealand’s Glenfern Sanctuary, a Haven for Native Wildlife
Join Cultural Specialist Alexander Hillary as he leads us through Glenfern Sanctuary, a haven of native plant restoration on New Zealand’s Aotea Great Barrier Island, and once the site of a colossal ancient forest.
Discovering New Zealand with Lindblad Expeditions
In our latest webinar, learn about the many penguin species you can only see in this region, where you can sip the best cup of cappuccino at sea, and the stunning remote islands we privately visit with our exclusive access.
Only 1,000 permits are approved each year for Australia’s remote Macquarie Island. Pair that with the fragile weather systems which can make landfall difficult, and it quickly becomes a destination that very few people are privileged to see. But as guests aboard National Geographic Orion recently discovered, those who arrive are richly rewarded with dazzling sights that include 800,000 breeding pairs of the endemic royal penguin.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Australia’s Kimberley Region
One of the least populated areas on Earth, the Kimberley is as remote as it is spectacular. Here are five things you didn’t know about this ancient and wildly scenic corner of the world.
Discover some of New Zealand’s most delightful feathered fauna, including one of the world’s largest flying birds, smallest penguins, and a flightless owl-parrot.
Māori comprise around 16.5 percent of New Zealand's population, and many proudly work to keep their heritage alive—both by interweaving Māori values with modern life and by sharing their cultural taonga (treasures) with visitors.
The remote and wildly beautiful subantarctic islands of New Zealand and Australia, teeming with endemic wildlife and plants found nowhere else in the world, are rarely seen by humans. In fact, they are some of the Earth’s least-disturbed places.
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades. Go with an expedition leader, naturalists, historians, and more.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Undersea specialists are your eyes on the world that lies beneath the waves. Using an array of tools including a high-definition camera, our Cousteau-like undersea specialist dives frequently during the voyage to show you strikingly clear images of the seldom-seen world beneath the ship.
Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition, and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
Shoot with a National Geographic Photography Expert at your side, on deck and in the field, who will inspire and advise you. They share their secrets and tips and actively lead special photo walks on shore or on Zodiac cruises to help photographers of every skill level capture the best shots possible.
Today we arrived at Owaraha Island in the Solomons. Guests were given a chance to visit the village and see the traditional pan pipers and the cultural dances of the people of this village. Guests were also offered a chance to hike to a spiritual village and snorkel the reef of this island. A good time was had by all. For the rest of the day, we were at sea headed to Honiara.
The decision to remain in Vanuatu proved inspired as we experienced two marvelous days in Espiritu Santo. This morning as we finally made our way across to the Solomon Islands, the seas were kind. Gentle swells and light winds made for an exceptionally pleasant crossing and much better conditions for wildlife spotting. In the morning we saw tropic birds and petrels amongst the regular flutter of flying fish, drawn out by the splashing of the bow through the swell. Most of the ship enjoyed a slow, lazy morning to recover from some busy expedition days, and the hotel and galley team laid out a beautiful brunch on the back deck later in the morning. After lunch we had talks from Undersea Specialist Mike Greenfelder and Cultural Specialist and Navigator Tua Pitman before a special afternoon tea – pancakes! During our evening recap Expedition Leader Alex Searle explained our plans for the following morning in the Solomon Islands, and National Geographic Orion made way with spectacular views of the sunset.
The sound of the crunching leaves underfoot, the nagging, rattling call of the endemic Vanuatu kingfisher, the tickle of the sweat dripping down your knee, the glimpse from the corner of your eye of the shadow of a forest bird flying away, the yellow glow of the belly of the Vanuatu white-eye, the taste of the spongy coconut and the juicy pomelo at the end of our morning birding adventure. This morning, we explored the Loru Conservation Area in Espiritu Santo. The protected, 220-hectacre lowland forest is host to at least six Vanuatu endemics and many other songbird species. We were excited, sweaty, hot, curious, alert, occasionally frustrated, and ultimately rewarded. We were never bored. Birding in this kind of intact habitat is truly a special treat. In the afternoon, we took a beautiful canoe ride up to the Riri Blue Hole, where we went for a lovely swim. Vanuatu is a wonder to behold. What a time to be alive!
Santo is a wonderful island to explore with a diverse range of offerings. However, I feel that the friendly people are the highlight. Today, we explored the island in small vans with guides and drivers who made it a great experience. We visited a museum about World War II and the world-famous Million Dollar Point. We swam around a stunning blue hole and enjoyed the rope swing. But it was the water music by a group of women and the conversations we had with our guides that will stay with me. Photo caption and photographer: Having fun at the blue hole. Photo by Mike Greenfelder
We enjoyed two incredible presentations en route to the Solomon Islands. National Geographic expert Andy Revkin presented on his love and passion for photography, and the second presentation was given by our talented guest speaker about the history of weather and climate change. With a change of direction at lunch, we made it to Espiritu Santo just before the sun went down. The day finished off with a lovely afternoon presentation by onboard naturalist Martin Cohen.
With deeply indented coastlines, unique cultures, varied coastal geology, and rare wildlife, New Zealand is perfect for exploring by expedition ship.