02 Jul 2024
Tags: Heritage Expeditions, Subantarctic, Subantarctic Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Nigel Marven, expedition cruising, Cruises, cruising, Macquarie Island, Special Guest, Penguins, Albatross, UNESCO World Heritage site, elephant seals, Conservation, Wildlife
Pioneering small-ship expedition cruise company Heritage Expeditions is delighted to announce iconic wildlife television presenter, producer, author, zoologist and naturalist Nigel Marven as their special guest on three Subantarctic Island voyages this season.
Marven, whose indelible career in wildlife filmmaking spans more than 30 years, said he was incredibly excited to be travelling with the intrepid guests of Heritage Expeditions to explore the rarely visited and wildlife-filled Subantarctic Islands of Australia and New Zealand on three consecutive voyages - Birding Down Under (3-19 December 2024), Galapagos of the Southern Ocean (18-29 December 2024) and Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific (28 December 2024 – 4 January 2025).
“I've done a fair bit of time travel through the magic of television on my shows 'Walking with Dinosaurs' and 'Prehistoric Park' – but the opportunity to visit and explore these Jurassic-looking wild and remote islands south of New Zealand is as close to literal time travel as it gets,” he said.
The former Sir David Attenborough collaborator and National Geographic and Animal Planet regular said the untamed wilderness and diversity of wildlife and otherworldly flora of the Subantarctic Islands, along with Heritage Expeditions reputation as pioneers in responsible exploration of the islands, were key in his decision to join.
“These little known and windswept wildlife havens are among some of the planet's last true wildernesses and there's a very good reason they have been bestowed Nature Reserves and UNESCO World Heritage status,” said Marven.
“Despite their rugged, inhospitable appearance, these islands are the home and breeding grounds of thousands of sea birds, penguins, seals, sea lions, ancient rata forests and fields of flowering megaherbs – many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
“To visit them is a privilege and therefore important to travel with a company such as Heritage Expeditions which, as the most experienced and longest operating expedition cruise company in the Southern Ocean, has been actively supporting and advocating for their conservation for more than 35 years,” he said.
The New Zealand family-owned and operated cruise company's Commercial Director and Expedition Leader Aaron Russ said it was a pleasure to host the like-minded naturalist and adventurer on its life-changing voyages and an opportunity not to be missed.
“Nigel is among a league of extraordinary wildlife filmmakers and we look forward to sharing his contagious enthusiasm for the natural world with our guests,” said Aaron.
“To explore and experience the Subantarctic Islands of Australia and New Zealand with Nigel is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
3 – 19 December 2024
Don't be fooled by the name, while this voyage is undoubtedly a birder's paradise, it's also the ultimate Subantarctic adventure visiting all of New Zealand and Australia's Subantarctic Islands, the Chatham Islands and its remote outlying islands! Discover the 'Albatross Latitudes' and explore the world's most remote Subantarctic islands including Snares, Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell, Macquarie & Chatham Islands on this comprehensive 17-day expedition perfect for those interested in birds, history, wildlife.
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean
18 – 29 December 2024
Explore wildlife rich Macquarie Island as well as Campbell, Auckland Islands and the Snares on one of the most inspirational and informative expeditions into the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Long recognised for their rich biodiversity, the Subantarctic Islands lying to the south of New Zealand are UNESCO World Heritage sites and are home to a vast array of albatross, penguins, petrels, elephant seals and more. This places them in a select group of only 180 natural sites that have been designated as 'the most important and significant natural habitats' on the planet.
Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific
28 December 2024 – 4 January 2025
Discover the wildlife rich and remote UNESCO World Heritage Sites of New Zealand's wild and remote Subantarctic Snares, Campbell and Auckland Islands and benefit from Heritage Expeditions more than 35 years' experience of exploring our unique backyard. Timed to coincide with the flowering of the island's rightly famous megaherbs which paint the landscape vivid colours and when the wildlife returns to these rugged landscapes to breed, this voyage into the deep south is beyond compare.
Prices from:
£13,500 per person on Birding Down Under (17 days)
£9,995 per person on Galapagos of the Southern Ocean (12 days)
£5,375 per person on Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific (8 days)
Prices quoted are based on two guests sharing a Deck 4 superior twin cabin, including all meals, house beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, all shore excursions and activities, one night hotel accommodation (incl. dinner/breakfast), pre- and post-cruise transfers, programme of lectures by noted specialists.
Please download high-res images here
For more information, imagery or to arrange an interview please contact Debra Taylor at toucanmoon on +44 7956 852197/ debra@toucanmoon.com
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Every year Heritage Expeditions voyages with small groups of between 18 and 140 intrepid travellers to some of the most unique and remote islands, coasts and shorelines on earth aboard their expedition ships Heritage Adventurer and Heritage Explorer on voyages ranging from 5 – 28 days.
Founded in 1984 by the Russ family in Christchurch, New Zealand, Heritage Expeditions is still proudly family-owned and operated. Contributing to conservation through experiential learning and providing funds for research and management, they are pioneers in environmentally-responsible expedition travel offering intimate group excursions to Antarctica and the Subantarctic Islands, through the Pacific, Asia, Australia's Kimberley coast and around New Zealand on their purpose-built expedition ships.
Each expedition is meticulously planned and led by a team of botanists, ornithologists, naturalists and experts in their field, ensuring passengers maximise every opportunity to learn, discover and experience as much as possible, while minimising the impact of their visit and returning as ambassadors for these very special places.
