This is without doubt one of the most inspirational and informative journeys or expeditions into the Southern Ocean ecosystem that one can make anywhere in the world. Long recognised for their rich biodiversity, the Subantarctic Islands, as featured in Conde Nast Traveler's influential 'The 25 Best Places to Go in 2025' list along with Heritage Expeditions and our voyages, lying to the south of New Zealand are UNESCO World Heritage sites. This places them in a select group of only 180 natural sites that have been designated as ‘the most important and significant natural habitats' on the planet.

They are also afforded the highest conservation status and protection by the Australian and New Zealand governments and access to these islands is by permit only. On this expedition we offer you the unique chance to explore, photograph and understand these wonderful places in the company of some of the most knowledgeable and passionate guides. Heritage Expeditions is the most experienced Southern Ocean operator, and the only Australasian family-owned and operated cruise company, and have been exploring the Subantarctic Islands for more than 35 years.

We organised New Zealand's first commercial expedition to these islands in 1989, now, many years and 100s of expeditions later, Galapagos of the Southern Ocean has become one of our signature voyages. As the original concessionaire we enjoy excellent relationships with the conservation departments and some of the access permits we hold are unique to these expeditions. The name we have given to this voyage ‘Galapagos of the Southern Ocean' reflects the astounding natural biodiversity and the importance of these islands as a wildlife refuge.

(The book Galapagos of the Antarctic written by Rodney Russ and Aleks Terauds and published by Heritage Expeditions describes all of these islands in great detail. ) The islands all lie in the cool temperate zone with a unique climate and are home to a vast array of wildlife including albatross, penguins, petrels, prions, shearwaters and marine mammals like sea lions, fur seals and elephant seals. The flora is equally fascinating; the majority of it being like the birds and endemic to these islands.

 Our 17 December 2026 voyage offers guests the opportunity to join Nikon Ambassador and multi-award-winning seabird photographer, Rachel Bigsby, on an exclusive wildlife photography workshop. With accolades including Wildlife Photographer of the Year andBird Photographer of the Year, Rachel’s hands-on approach and specialisation in seabirds offers the perfect blend of creativity, technical skill and adventure whether you’re a seasoned photographer or beginner. Join interactive sessions on board as well as guided excursions and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to capture rare wildlife and stunning landscapes.

These expeditions include the option to join a sea kayaking excursion with an expert guide offering a wide array of habitats to explore beyond the reach of our Zodiacs