Birding Down Under - New Zealand's penguins, albatross and wildlife spectacle! 

   
   2024

• Download the Birding Down Under 2024 Itinerary. 
• Dec 3 - 19, 2024 from Queenstown, New Zealand.
• On the comfortable Heritage Adventurer operated by Heritage Expeditions we are working in collaboration with Hillstar Nature on this tour, George Armistead will be co-guiding with Alvaro Jaramillo.  
• The places visited are legendary - Snares, Bounty, Antipodes,Auckland, Campbell, Macquarie and Chatham Islands. Ten !! species of albatross breed here, many of them breed nowhere else. A total of 40 species of seabirds breed here, including many penguin species. This is the world's most diverse area for seabirds, including tubenoses, unique shags, endemic penguins, and even some unexpected landbirds - endemic snipe and parakeets for example! Truly an outstanding part of the world, rivaled only by South Georgia Island in the Atlantic for sheer spectacle of marine wildlife. 
• Multiple cabin types available including singles. Triple Cabins begin at $15,250 pp, multiple double room options, as well as superior single cabins, and double suites. All meals, house beer/wine, landings, lectures and on land accommodation (one night double occupancy) pre-cruise are included. Alvaro and George "included" as well to guide you and host you. We will have the ability to land as a group and have dinner/social time together and build community as Alvaro's Adventures/Hillstar Nature participants within the group, while also hobnobbing with other trip participants, guides and crew from Heritage Expeditions. 
•  The ship Heritage Adventurer is an expedition cruise ship, built in Finland and designed for polar expeditions. It will host 140 expedition clients, and an experienced ship's crew including experienced guides and lecturers with much nature and birding experience. A total of 14 zodiacs can be deployed to get folks on and off islands quickly and efficiently. More time on land and less time waiting around to be transferred. And should you require a little R&R, unwind in the library, pool, gym, hot tub, sauna and steam room, or indulge in some retail therapy​. There is also a cafe and bar, in case you want to celebrate with a hot drink or a cocktail! 
• Led by Alvaro Jaramillo and George Armistead, along with Heritage Expedition staff leaders. Alvaro and George are both fun, personable and easy going in their style and have a particular interest in seabirds and polar regions. Great teachers, great birders who you can "meet" by listening to the Life List Podcast they host with Mollee Brown. ​

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Below the Heritage Adventurer - Photo Aaron Russ. 

Photos below by Heritage Expeditions - G. Ryehle, S. Blanc, A. Fergus, Lysle Gwynne, Aaron Russ. 

Superior double cabin - The Heritage Adventurer is a very comfortable ship! Photo - Dana Brown.