Wild Images, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife photographic tours worldwide. Wild Images' exciting programme of tours includes both group and individual departures, and features such destinations as Hungary, Spitsbergen, Tanzania (Serengeti & Ngorongoro), India, Japan, Baja California, the Galapagos, Antarctica, South Georgia & The Falklands and the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia. Click on the picture above to visit the Wild Images website.
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THE SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA
The Ultimate ‘Down Under’ Birding Expedition
Monday 31st October -
Friday 18th November 2011
(19 days)
Leaders:
Hannu Jännes and Heritage Expeditions staff
Group Size Limit: 20 or more
Tour Category: Easy (although there are some optional Moderate grade walks, none of which are essential for seeing key birds)
For seabird enthusiasts, this has to be one of the greatest experiences possible on earth - nowhere will you see more penguins and albatrosses! This Royal Penguin is emerging from the surf on Macquarie Island, the southernmost poin to our epic journey (Pete Morris)
(Note: This is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)
The subantarctic islands of New Zealand and Australia are amongst the most isolated and least known places in the world. There are seven groups of islands in the region. The Chatham Islands, the Bounty Islands, Antipodes Island, Campbell Island, the Auckland Islands and Snares Island are sovereign territories of New Zealand, while Macquarie Island is a territory of Australia.
These islands all differ markedly in size and form and have contrasting vegetation. They are important refuges for a wide range of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. They are also breeding grounds for the countless seabirds and marine mammals that range over vast areas of the Southern Ocean. All the islands have been designated as nature reserves – the highest form of legal protection that can be given to a natural area by the governments of New Zealand and Australia. The integrity of these remote islands and their natural values is maintained through strict controls on entry. Visitor numbers are restricted and only 600 visitors a year are allowed to land in the New Zealand subantarctic islands and only 500 at Macquarie Island. There are further restrictions on the number allowed ashore at any one time or on any one day.
Our subantarctic islands expedition includes landings on the Auckland Islands, Macquarie Island, Campbell Island and the Chatham Islands, and zodiac cruises at Snares Island, Antipodes Island and the Bounty Islands. With a maximum of only 48 passengers plus staff on the expedition we are well within the allowable daily limits and everyone can go ashore at one time. The result is that we can spend entire days, not hours, ashore on some of the most remarkable islands in the world. This specially extended itinerary provides the most comprehensive cruise around the subantarctic islands that is available and will allow participants to experience for themselves the full range of the wonderful birdlife, other aspects of natural history and scenery that these fascinating islands have to offer.
The birdlife of the subantarctic islands is dominated by their spectacular seabirds. Quite a number are endemic (at least as breeding species) to the subantarctic and temperate regions of Australasia, including Snares Crested, Erect-crested, Royal, Yellow-eyed and Little Penguins, Gibson’s, Antipodean, Northern Royal, Southern Royal, Northern Buller’s (or Pacific), Southern Buller’s (or Buller’s), Salvin’s, Chatham and Campbell Albatrosses, Cook’s, Mottled, Chatham Island and Westland Petrels, Buller’s and Hutton’s Shearwaters, and Chatham Island, Campbell Island, Auckland Island, Bounty Island, Pitt Island and Macquarie Island Shags. Many other seabirds occur in the area, including King, Gentoo and Rockhopper Penguins, Wandering (or Snowy), White-capped, Black-browed, Grey-headed and Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, numerous petrels, shearwaters, prions and storm-petrels, and Common Diving Petrel.
The subantarctic islands also have some interesting landbirds, some of which are endemic, and in particular we shall be hoping to see Chatham Island Oystercatcher, the strange Shore Plover, Auckland Island Snipe, Chatham Island Pigeon, Antipodes Island Parakeet and Chatham Island Gerygone. Marine mammals are also a feature of the area and we should see large numbers of New Zealand (or Hooker’s) Sealions and New Zealand Fur Seals, and an assortment of cetaceans.
We shall be sailing on the Professor Khromov (capacity 48 passengers), a ship operated by Heritage Expeditions (who call her Spirit of Enderby). Ships of this class are Finnish-built vessels under Russian registry that were built in the 1980s and early 1990s under commission from the Academy of Sciences in Moscow. They were originally intended for oceanographic research, but were subsequently adapted for expedition-style cruising following the financial cutbacks that later affected all formerly Soviet research programmes. These ships are, of course, not ‘cruise ships’ in the traditional manner and will appeal most to those for whom exploring wild places and enjoying wild nature, rather than enjoying luxurious surroundings and ‘black-tie’ dinners with the officers, is the prime attraction.
Cabins are furnished with two berths and have some storage space and an outside view (many having en-suite bathroom facilities). Public facilities include restaurant, lounge/bar, lecture facilities and library. Food is plentiful, of good quality, waiter-served and prepared by European, New Zealand or Australian chefs. The ship carries a small complement of guest lecturers, including a naturalist, who give informal talks on the environment, wildlife and history of the subantarctic region and also guide shore excursions.
As much of the sailing as possible is done at night, thus maximizing opportunities for going ashore and enjoying the beautiful subantarctic landscape to the full. Landings are carried out by means of a fleet of zodiacs, the rugged, fast-moving inflatables developed by Jacques Cousteau for expedition work which allow safe landings on remote coastlines in all types of conditions. The sheer speed and efficiency with which the crew carry out these landings, coupled with the small complement of passengers, allows everyone plenty of time ashore. Further information about the cruise, including photographs and details of the ship layout, including cabin layouts, are available on the Ocean Adventures (at Birdquest) website (www.oceanadventures.co.uk). The great advantage of taking this particular cruise, if you are especially interested in seeing the subantarctic islands’ fantastic wildlife, is that the itinerary and day to day schedule are strongly wildlife-orientated, and the group will greatly benefit by having an experienced ornithologist guide.
Birdquest has operated tours to the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia since 1998.
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotel in Invercargill is of normal Birdquest standard. For details of the ship, see the introductory section. The transfers to the ship in mainland New Zealand and the only road excursion on the Chathams are by coach.
Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy, but there are a few optional harder walks.
Climate: Quite mild at this season. Temperatures range from cool to warm in the north of the subantarctic islands region and from cool to fairly cold in the south (although even in the south it can feel relatively warm on a sunny day if there is no wind). It feels decidedly cold on windy days at sea in the far south, however! Sunny spells are interspersed with (often longer) overcast periods and some rain is to be expected. In mainland New Zealand the weather is generally similar in character, but temperatures are typically quite warm at this time of year.
Bird/Sea Mammal Photography: Opportunities are outstanding.
Important: Landings on some of the subantarctic islands are by permit only as administered by the Governments of New Zealand and Australia, and on rare occasions permits are refused. It is also important to bear in mind that circumstances may be encountered during the voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the planned itinerary. These circumstances include poor weather conditions and unexpected opportunities for making additional zodiac excursions. The ship’s expedition leader will provide more information at the start of the voyage and keep us fully informed throughout. While as many landings as possible will be made, almost none of these are crucial in terms of actually seeing the local birdlife, which can almost invariably be seen from the ship or during an inshore zodiac excursion. Sometimes the cruise departure/arrival points in New Zealand may alter, but normally plenty of notice is provided.
Linking Birdquests: This tour can be linked with New Zealand in 2011. Please contact us for further information.
Pricing
Pricing is available in £ | $
Tour Price: $9250 Invercargill/Dunedin in a Main Deck triple-berth cabin with shared bathroom facilities. Supplement for a Main Deck twin-berth cabin with shared bathroom facilities: $1045. Supplement for a Superior Cabin with private bathroom: $2400. Supplement for a Superior Plus Cabin with private bathroom: $3245. Supplement for a Mini Suite with private bathroom: $3745. Supplement for an Heritage Suite with private bathroom: $4350. In addition there will be a charge to cover the landing fees levied by the governments of New Zealand and Australia of $600 per person. Price includes all transportation, all accommodations, all meals, some soft drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, leader services. Gratuities for the expedition staff and crew, and the taxi transfer to the hotel on arrival in Invercargill, are not included in the tour price. Gratuities are entirely at your discretion. The staff work very long hours to make such cruises a success, including a great deal of night sailing, and we have been told that most passengers give gratuities of around $270-360 for such an 18 days cruise.
Single Cabin/Room Supplement: Single occupancy of most cabins can be obtained in return for an 80% supplement on top of the Invercargill/Dunedin cruise-only price (but suites require a 100% supplement); this supplement also entitles you to single room accommodation at the hotel in Invercargill. Please note that if you are willing to share but no cabin-mate is available you will not have to pay the single occupancy supplement.
Deposit: 25% of the tour price. If booking more than 12 months ahead, the initial deposit is only 10% of the tour price.
Cancellation Charges: For cancellations made 121 days or more before departure, the cancellation charge is 80% of the deposit paid. For cancellations made 91-120 days before departure, the cancellation charge is 100% of the deposit paid. For cancellations made 1-90 days before departure, or on the day of departure or later, the cancellation charge is 100% of the tour price.
Important: Owing to the possibility, however small, of a severe airline delay, we would recommend that all participants not already in New Zealand travel out a day early and spend an extra night in Invercargill (or elsewhere in New Zealand) prior to the cruise. Our leader will be taking this precaution. Kindly note that in the event you do not arrive in time, the ship will not wait and neither the cruise operator nor ourselves can make a refund in such circumstances. Arriving a day early also has the advantage that your luggage could still catch up with you, should it go astray. We can make hotel bookings for you on request.
Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.
Pricing is available in £ | $
The rare Shore Plover is one of the key birds during our visit to the Chatham Islands, where a good population still exists on some of the predator-free islands such as Southeast Island (Pete Morris)
30 photos
View Gallery Photos From THE SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA
Albatrosses are extremely representative and this is just a few of the species we'll see. This is the rare Chatham Albatross (Pete Morris)
... the graceful Light-mantled Albatross (Pete Morris)
... the huge Southern Royal Albatross (Pete Morris)
... and the as yet undescribed Pacific Albatross (possibly just a subspecies of Buller's Albatross) (Pete Morris)
Other ocean wanderers such as this White-headed Petrel are plentiful (Pete Morris)
Snares Island Penguin (Pete Morris)
... and Erect-crested Penguin are both endemic to the area (Pete Morris)
Doey-eyed Southern Elephant Seals are a common sight on Macquarie Island (Pete Morris)
Whilst on Enderby Island in the Auckland group, we can expect Auckland Island Teal (Pete Morris)
... Auckland Island Shag (one of several endemic shags we'll see) (Pete Morris)
... and the highly-sought Subantarctic Snipe (Pete Morris)
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