Antarctica and the Ross Sea 

28 Days - February 2025

From NZD $48,250 per person

Please contact us for a full brochure, cabin options and pricing.

Join Richard Young on an unforgettable photography tour to the Ross Sea region of Antarctica! This is an exclusive opportunity to capture stunning images of one of Earth's most remote and pristine wilderness areas. On this tour, you will have the chance to photograph towering icebergs, snow-covered landscapes, and an abundance of wildlife, including penguins, seals, and whales. Richard will guide you during zodiac trips and landings and provide expert tips to help capture the perfect shots, with a maximum group size of just 6 participants in the photography group. With dedicated time for tuition and review sessions onboard the boat along with help to photography on deck and on land to ensure to come away with the greatest image from the trip. 

ITINERARY

Day 1: Queenstown

This evening there will be an informal get-together at the hotel (included) for dinner; an excellent opportunity to meet fellow adventurers on your voyage and some of our expedition team.

Day 2: Port of Bluff

Today we will embark on our journey by transferring to the Port of Bluff to board the ship. You are invited to join the expedition team in the Observation Lounge and up on the Observation Deck as we set our course to The Snares and our adventure begins

Day 3: The Snares – North East Island

The closest Subantarctic Islands to New Zealand, comprises of  two main islands and a smattering of rocky islets, they are uninhabited and highly protected. North East Island is the largest of The Snares and it is claimed that this one island is home to more nesting seabirds than all of the British Isles together. In the sheltered bays, we should see the endemic Snares Crested Penguins, Snares Island Tomtit and Fernbirds. Cape Pigeons and Antarctic Terns. There are hundreds of thousands of Sooty Shearwaters nesting on The Snares; the actual number is much debated. Around Christmas time each year the Buller’s Albatross return here to nest.

Day 4: Auckland Islands – Enderby Island

Today our  plan is to land at Sandy Bay, one of three breeding areas in the Auckland Islands for the Hooker’s or New Zealand Sea Lion, a rare member of the seal family. Beachmaster bulls gather on the beach defending their harems and mating with the cows shortly after they have given birth of a single pup. On shore there will be several options, some longer walks, some shorter walks and time to spend just sitting and enjoying the wildlife. Birds that we are likely to encounter include the following species: Southern Royal Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel, Auckland Island Shag, Auckland Island Flightless Teal, Auckland Island Banded Dotterel, Auckland Island Tomtit, Bellbird, Pipit, Red- crowned Parakeet, Yellow-eyed Penguin and Light-mantled Sooty Albatross. There is also a very good chance of seeing the Subantarctic Snipe.

Day 5: At Sea

We will also use this time to hold photography tuition sessions.  We will be at sea all day, so itis another opportunity to spot pelagic species including (but not limited to) the Wandering Albatross, Royal Albatross, Shy and White-capped Albatross, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, Grey-headed Albatross and Black-browed Albatross, White- chinned Petrel, Mottled Petrel, White-headed Petrel, Cape Petrel, diving-petrel, Grey-backed and Black-bellied Storm-petrels. This is potentially some of the best pelagic ‘birding’ on the expedition.

Days 6 to 7: Macquarie Island

Australia’s prized Subantarctic possession, it supports one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the Southern Ocean. Millions of penguins of four different species – King, Rockhopper, Gentoo and the endemic Royal – breed here. We plan to spend our time divided between the two approved landing sites, Sandy Bay and Buckles Bay as well as a Zodiac cruise at Lusitania Bay if weather conditions permit.

At Sandy Bay a Royal Penguin rookery teems with feisty little birds trotting back and forth, golden head plumes bobbing as they march to and from the shore. All three million of the world’s Royal Penguins breed on Macquarie Island. At Buckles Bay we plan to have a guided tour of the Australian Antarctic Division Base which was established in the late 1940s.  Large groups of Southern Elephant Seals slumber on the beaches and in the tussock at both of our landing sites. 

The King Penguin rookery at Lusitania Bay is noisy and spectacular. A welcoming committee will likely porpoise around our Zodiacs as a quarter of a million King Penguins stand at attention on shore. In the centre of the rookery, rusting digesters are grim reminders of a time when scores of penguins were slaughtered for their oil. Now their offspring have reclaimed this territory.

Days 8 to 10: At Sea

We will pay attention to water temperatures so that we know when we cross the Antarctic Convergence into the cold but extremely productive Antarctic waters. Drifting icebergs carry vivid colours and come in extraordinary shapes. Each is a unique, natural sculpture. 

Days 11 to 22: Antarctica’s Ross Sea Region

During our time in the Ross Sea region, we will visit the highlights of Antarctica’s most historic region. Due to the unpredictable nature of ice and weather conditions, a day-by-day itinerary is not possible. Our programme emphasises wildlife viewing, key scientific bases and historic sites, as well as the spectacular scenery of the coastal terrain, the glaciers and icebergs of the Ross Sea. Whilst specific landings cannot be guaranteed, we hope to visit the following:

Cape Adare – Cape Adare’s bold headland and the Downshire Cliffs greet us as we approach Cape Adare – ice conditions permitting – at the tip of the Ross Sea, the site of the largest Adelie Penguin rookery in Antarctica. Blanketing the large, flat spit which forms the cape is the huge rookery which now, at the height of summer, numbers over one million birds – an absolutely staggering sight. You will never forget your first experiences in a ceaselessly active and noisy ‘penguin city’, where the dapper inhabitants show no fear of their strange visitors. Our naturalists will point out various aspects of their lifestyle and, by sitting down quietly, one may observe the often comical behaviour of the penguins, courtship displays, feeding ever-hungry chicks, territorial disputes and the pilfering of nest material. Surrounded by a sea of penguins we will find Borchgrevink’s Hut, the oldest in Antarctica, an overwintering shelter for the first expedition to the continent in 1899. It is a fascinating relic of the ‘Heroic Age’ of Antarctic exploration and we are able to inspect the interior, which still contains artefacts of the early explorers. One thousand feet up in the hills behind Cape Adare is the oldest grave in Antarctica, that of 22-year-old Nicolai Hansen, a member of Borchgrevink’s expedition. 

Cape Hallett – The enormous Admiralty Range heralds our arrival at Cape Hallett, near the head of the Ross Sea. The scenery here is wild and spectacular; mountains rear up towering out of the sea to over 4,000-metres high and giant glaciers course down from the interior to the water’s edge. We land next to the site of the abandoned American/New Zealand base, home to large numbers of Adelie Penguins and Weddell Seals.

Franklin Island – This rugged island, deep in the Ross Sea, is home to a large Adelie Penguin colony and other nesting seabirds. We will attempt a Zodiac landing near the rookery as well as exploring the coastline. If a landing is achieved and weather conditions are suitable there will be an opportunity to explore this remarkable island.

Possession Islands – These small, rugged and rarely visited islands lie off the shore of Cape Hallett. An Adelie Penguin rookery, numbering tens of thousands of birds, blankets Foyn Island. Observe their busy and sometimes humorous activities, with the Admiralty Mountains forming a superb backdrop across the water.

Ross Ice Shelf – The largest ice shelf in Antarctica, the Ross Ice Shelf is also the world’s largest body of floating ice. A natural ice barrier, at times it creates hazardous weather conditions, with sheets of snow blown at gale force by the katabatic winds coming off the polar ice cap. Just 1,287 kilometres from the South Pole, this daunting spectacle prevented many early Antarctic explorers from venturing further south. From the Ross Ice Shelf we cruise eastward along the shelf front, with its spectacular 30-metre high ice cliffs, which sometimes calve tabular icebergs.

Ross Island – Mount Erebus/ Cape Bird/Shackleton’s Hut/ Scott’s Hut – At the base of the Ross Sea we arrive at Ross Island, dominated by the 3,794-metre high volcano, Mt Erebus. The New Zealand Antarctica programme maintains a field station at Cape Bird, where scientists study many aspects of the region’s natural history, including the large Adelie Penguin colony. At Cape Royds we visit Sir Ernest Shackleton’s hut, built during the Nimrod polar expedition of 1907-1909. Lectures explain many facets of Shackleton’s amazing expeditions. He was possibly one of the greatest, and certainly one of the most heroic of the Antarctic explorers. Though the legendary explorers are long gone, the area around the hut is far from deserted, having been reclaimed by the original inhabitants of the area – thousands of Adelie Penguins in the world’s southernmost penguin rookery. Also found on Ross Island is Cape Evans, the historic site of Captain Scott’s second hut, erected in 1911 and beautifully preserved by the Antarctic Heritage Trust. It stands as testimony to the rigours faced by pioneering explorers. Inside the hut we will witness the living conditions almost exactly as they were when Scott, Wilson and Ponting occupied these quarters. Behind the hut, Mt Erebus looms above with its plume of white smoke spiralling up from the still- active inferno in its bowels.

Terra Nova Bay – Statzione Mario Zucchelli, an Italian summer research station, is an interesting shipping container construction. The friendly scientists and support staff here are always most hospitable and enjoy showing us around their lonely but beautiful home. The Italians conduct many streams of scientific research and also claim to have the best ‘espresso’ in Antarctica! Nearby is the German base, Gondwana Station, which is used occasionally and the South Korean station, Jang Bogo and on Inexpressible Island, China is building its fifth Antarctic base.

Days 23 to 25: At Sea – Enroute to Campbell Island, pelagic species abound here as they did en route to Macquarie Island earlier in our voyage. Above all, take the time to rest and enjoy shipboard life after the excitement of the Antarctic.

Day 26: Campbell Island – Perseverance Harbour – New Zealand’s southernmost Subantarctic territory, the Campbell Island group lies approximately 660-kilometres south of Bluff. Exploring the island on foot from Perseverance Harbour, Campbell Island is a truly magnificent place of rugged scenery, unique flora and abundant wildlife. Perseverance Harbour where we drop anchor is an occasional refuge for Southern Right Whales who come here to calve. The highlight of our visit is a walk to the hilltop breeding sites of Southern Royal Albatross, over six thousand pairs of which breed on Campbell Island. These magnificent birds, close relations to, and the same size as, the Wandering Albatross, have the largest wingspan in the world and are very approachable, making superb photographic subjects.

Day 27: At Sea – At sea en route to the Port of Bluff, take the opportunity to relax and reflect on an amazing experience. We will recap the highlights of our expedition and enjoy a farewell dinner tonight as we sail to our final port.

Day 28: Invercargill/Queenstown – Early this morning we will arrive in the Port of Bluff, with conception back to Queenstown.

Please get in touch with us for full brocher, cabin options and pricing. 

CABIN INFORMATION 

All prices are in NZD dollars and are stated per person.

Please note

• All prices are in NZD dollars and are stated per person.

• Cabin berths must be selected separately as there are a variety of room options available at different prices. 

• The Price includes the additional local payment of NZ$1,500

• The price listed includes the additional fees for photography tuition & guiding.

• Shared Rooms: If purchasing an individual berth we will be placing another tour participant in the room. Subject to availability, you may be paired with someone of the same gender outside of the photography group.

• VIP past workshop discount is not valid on this workshop.

PRICE INCLUDES

• • 28-days of photography tuition with Richard Young 

  • 26-nights accommodation on board ship

  • 1-night hotel accommodation in a twin share room (incl. dinner/breakfast)

  • All on board meals

  • House beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner 

  • All expedition shore excursions.

  • Programme of lectures by noted naturalists

  • Pre/post-cruise transfers

  • Includes the additional local payment of NZ$1,500 (All prices are per person in NZ$)

PRICE EXCLUDES

• All items of a personal nature, laundry, drinks, gratuities. 

• International/domestic flights, visas and travel insurance.

  
  

Please contact us for a full brochure, cabin options and pricing.