Pioneering small-ship expedition cruise company Heritage Expeditions is honoured to welcome special guest and national taonga Tā Tipene O'Regan ONZ on its Unseen Fiordland/Te Rua-o-te-moko, Stewart Island/Rakiura & The Snares/Tini Heke voyage in March.

Tā Tipene, who describes his experiences hiking the Murchison Ranges in Fiordland to see Takahē after their rediscovery in 1948, watching the afternoon sun paint the cliffs of Stewart Island and Snares Crested Penguins/Pokotiwha navigate the Subantarctic Snares Islands' steep slopes and gauntlet of sharks and Giant Petrels as among his most memorable experiences, is looking forward to reliving and sharing his adventures with whānau, Heritage Expeditions and its guests.

“You see things like this once in your life and remember them forever – they stick in your mind,” he said.

“I'm looking forward to sharing what I can around my own experiences and how it also connects to our recorded histories of these very special places”.

Tā Tipene will be travelling with his whānau and joined by colleague Professor Atholl Anderson CNZM, one of New Zealand's most distinguished scholars whose significant contributions to archaeology, history and New Zealand literature have been recognised with numerous national and international accolades, awards and distinctions.

Joining the voyage sees Tā Tipene celebrating his twin passions: Fiordland, where he spent his university holidays as a deckhand on tourist boats and would continue to explore recreationally and through his work, and ships, travelling with New Zealand's family-owned and operated expedition cruise pioneers Heritage Expeditions aboard their purpose-built, luxurious 140-guest flagship Heritage Adventurer.

“I very much appreciate the opportunity from the Russ Family to have this opportunity to relive and share these past experiences aboard the Heritage Adventurer, which is a superb vessel to undertake such a trip on,” he said.

Heritage Expeditions Directors and Owners Aaron and Nathan Russ said it was a great honour for Heritage Expeditions to welcome Tā Tipene and his kindred, pioneering spirit on board to share his connection with, and adventures in, some of Aotearoa New Zealand's most special places.

“Tā Tipene is a true trailblazer and a man of incredible reverence and mana,” said Nathan.

Aaron agreed, adding “The opportunity to be able to travel with him and share in his experiences, wealth of knowledge and the importance of these iconic New Zealand destinations is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all New Zealanders.”

Unseen Fiordland, Stewart Island & The Snares
1 - 8 March 2024
Discover the time-forgot rawness of wildlife-rich Stewart Island/Rakiura, Zodiac cruise the rocky, inhospitable coast of The Snares - one of the world's most important nature reserves, and experience the primordial majesty of Fiordland firsthand on this unforgettable adventure. Heritage Expeditions pioneered expedition cruising in Fiordland 40 years ago and it was from these first, wild Kiwi wilderness adventures the Christchurch-based Russ family's dream of genuine responsible tourism, which now spans some of the world's most remote and rarely visited regions and wildlife hotspots was realised.

Image, from left: Heritage Expeditions Nathan Russ, Murihiku Regeneration Strategic Advisor for Murihiku ki Te Tonga Stuart Prior, Tā Tipene O'Regan ONZ and Heritage Expeditions Aaron Russ.

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For more information, additional imagery or to arrange an interview please contact Isaac Wilson on:
Phone: +64 (0)3 365 3500
Email: marketing@heritage-expeditions.com