Our South Pacific trips are packed with thrilling experiences—some carefully planned; others, discovered. Below are just some of our favorites as described by guests and staff.
Close-up shark encounters in their natural habitat is a thrill that relatively few people experience and even fewer forget. Here's where and how to see them.
I was lucky to meet Lars-Eric Lindblad back in 1977; he immediately hired me to be a naturalist, lecturer, boat handler, and guide aboard his famous ship Lindblad Explorer, otherwise known as the “Little Red Ship.” This was the original Expedition Passenger Vessel, a designation made up by the U. S. Coast Guard by necessity in order to categorize this exceptional ship. Lindblad has been in the business of conducting expeditions, ever since. And now, under Sven Lindblad’s guidance, a fleet of 13 ships has replaced the original "Little Red Ship".
Tattoos are so ubiquitous around the world these days, it’s easy to barely even notice them at all. But there’s one place where the tattoos are so distinctive and artful they stand out from the inking seen anywhere else. That place is the remote and rugged Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.
The Marquesas Islands are one of the few places where divers and snorkelers can see both the oceanic and reef species of manta rays. Their unique spot patterns can serve as data points to track the manta ray populations in this region.
National Geographic Sea Bird sailed into Crow Butte in the early morning while guests on the bow enjoyed viewing the Columbia River, which forms the border between Washington and Oregon. Guests had the option of an aerobic hike, nature hike, photo hike, and history walk around Crow Butte and Crow Butte Campground. The beauty of the area awed guests, sporting views of local vineyards, dams, wildlife refuges, and the dry sagebrush-step ecosystem that dominates the area. Guests spied a variety of wildflowers and birds of prey, including spotting a golden eagle. After hiking, guests enjoyed a hot beverage on shore brought by National Geographic Sea Bird’s hospitality team, followed by an informal chat on food, wine, and energy by Naturalist Patrick MacQuarrie and Wine Expert Eric Degerman. After lunch, the ship transited the McNary Dam and Lock, the last one on the Columbia River. Guests were treated to an expert presentation on geology by Naturalist Kyle Bowman, and ‘Lewis and Clark Lead to World’s No.1 Wine’, presented by Wine Expert Eric Degerman. The evening concluded with cocktail hour, traditional recap, and dinner while sailing through the Wallula Gap.
Today we arrived at Cerro Dragon on the northwestern side of Santa Cruz Island. The outing allowed us to visit the home of one of the most emblematic creatures of the archipelago, the yellowish, golden Galapagos land iguanas. Later, we went for an amazing snorkeling excursion to enjoy the deep blue waters with playful sea lions and lots of sea stars. In the afternoon, we arrived at Bahia Borrero where we explored the bay by kayaking and paddle boarding, looking for baby sharks and rays in the mangrove forest. Just before sunset we circumnavigated around Daphne Major Islet, a very important study site for the famous Darwin finches. It was another amazing day full of adventure in the Galapagos!
On our second day in Cabo Verde, we explored the island of Fogo. During our tour of the island, we were able to witness the different types of lava that the most recent volcanic eruptions have left behind. Driving and walking across the moon-like landscape, we made our way to the peak of the island, which reaches almost 10,000 feet. We also visited one of the many vineyards that pepper the island and marveled at the resilience of its inhabitants, still re-building after the last eruption in 2014.
Today National Geographic Endeavour II anchored at Academy Bay on the southeast side of Santa Cruz Island to enjoy a day full of amazing experiences. We started with a visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center at the Charles Darwin Station and National Park Headquarters. Afterwards some of our guests chose to explore the hydroponic farm of the Ochoa family, while others went to El Trapiche, a sugar cane farm of the Cabrera family in the highlands. In the afternoon we enjoyed a walk among the Galapagos giant tortoises along their migration route through the farming area. Afterward, we explored the town of Ayora before returning to the ship. Back on board we enjoyed meeting artisans from the islands, an interesting presentation on conservation work by one of the scientists from the Darwin Station, and a great performance by musicians and dancers. We had such a wonderful time!
Today's expedition took us to the diverse landscapes of San Cristóbal Island. We experienced the nesting sites of blue and red-footed boobies at Punta Pitt and encountered playful dolphins during our navigation to Cerro Brujo, a pristine beach paradise.