New Zealand - Birding Down Under: Subantarctic & Chatham Islands 2025

06 Dec 2025 - 22 Dec 2025 (17 days)

USD15,250 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Expedition Leader

Pricing notes : *Special prices vary depending on when an enquiry is made, and the spaces available at time of booking.* **A Rockjumper leader will not accompany the expedition unless a minimum number of participants are signed up through Rockjumper. In the case that a Rockjumper leader is not on board, the professional expedition staff will take care of all participants signed up through Rockjumper.**

Tour price (Per person): USD15,250 * GBP12,055 * EUR14,537 * ZAR276,794

New Zealand - Birding Down Under: Subantarctic & Chatham Islands 2026

06 Dec 2026 - 22 Dec 2026 (17 days)

USD15,900 - Spaces Available

Book Now

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Tour Leader: Expedition Leader

Pricing notes : Prices & dates estimated and are expected to change* *Special prices vary depending on when an enquiry is made, and the spaces available at time of booking.* **A Rockjumper leader will not accompany the expedition unless a minimum number of participants are signed up through Rockjumper. In the case that a Rockjumper leader is not on board, the professional expedition staff will take care of all participants signed up through Rockjumper.**

Tour price (Per person): USD15,900 * GBP12,569 * EUR15,157 * ZAR288,591

Listen to the names: Snares, Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell, Macquarie and Chatham Islands. They are music to the ears of ‘Birders'. Apart from the Chathams, these islands are probably more isolated now than they were when they were discovered in the late 1700s and early 1800s and were regularly visited by sealers, whalers and government steamers searching for castaway sailors. It is relatively simple to get to the Chatham Islands, but opportunities to visit the others are rare.

The islands occupy the tempestuous latitudes of the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties, but they are also known as the Albatross Latitudes and with good reason. Ten of the world's albatross species breed in the region; five of them nowhere else but here! In fact, this zone where the air is never still hosts the most diverse collection of seabirds in the world. More than 40 species breed here - that is at least 11 per cent of the entire world's seabird population. Except for the Chathams, the islands are all designated UNESCO World Heritage sites and are afforded the highest conservation status and protection by the Australian and New Zealand governments, so passage to their shores is not granted lightly. There are also islands that we visit within the Chatham Islands' Archipelago with similar status and protection.

This expedition has huge appeal to pelagic enthusiasts, penguin fanatics and those interested in island endemics. Though you don't have to be a keen birder to enjoy this voyage. People interested in islands and island ecology, botany, geology and an increasing number of photographers have enjoyed this trip immensely, as have those interested in the history of Southern Ocean discovery and exploration.

This is one of our ‘signature expeditions' which has operated annually for more than 20 years, so you will benefit from the knowledge and expertise gained over that time.

**A Rockjumper leader will not accompany the expedition unless a minimum number of participants are signed up through Rockjumper. In the case that a Rockjumper leader is not on board, the professional expedition staff will take care of all participants signed up through Rockjumper.**

Prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.

 

Top Birds

Auckland & Campbell Teals; King, Gentoo, Snares, Southern Rockhopper, Royal, Yellow-eyed & Little Penguins; Wilson’s, Grey-backed & Black-bellied Storm Petrels; Snowy, Antipodean, Southern Royal, Light-mantled, Black-browed, Campbell, Shy, Salvin’s, Grey-headed, Chatham & Buller’s Albatrosses; Mottled, Cook’s, Magenta, Westland & White-chinned Petrels; Sooty & Little Shearwaters; Chatham, Pitt & Auckland Shags; South Island, Chatham & Variable Oystercatchers; Subantarctic & Snares Snipe; White-fronted Tern; Antipodes, Reischek's & Red-crowned Parakeets; New Zealand Bellbird; Tomtit; New Zealand Fernbird; New Zealand Pipit; Chatham Pigeon; Chatham Gerygone; Black Robin.

Top Mammals

New Zealand Sea Lion; New Zealand Fur, Southern Elephant & Leopard Seals; Dusky Dolphin; Southern Right, Sperm, Bryde’s, Long-finned Pilot & Killer Whales.

Expected Climate

cool to cold

Max Group Size

dependent on ship capacity

Tour Pace & Walking

relaxed

Accommodation

comfortable expedition cruise ship

Ease of Birding

mostly undemanding

Photographic Opportunities

excellent to extraordinary

What our clients say about us

Keith Valentine
EM, Antarctica 2022

I want to thank Rockjumper for doing a charter trip to Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia! To me sharing the trip with a ship full of birders was the best; 150 birders what could be better... The guides were accessible and helpful, ship was comfortable, food was good, the Quark expedition folks were excellent, the weather cooperated. All around it was a wonderful trip. Worth the wait! Thank you!

Daniel Danckwerts
JW, Antarctica 2022

This tour was extraordinary, very well organized despite vagaries of the weather at times. The ship crew were very well trained and experienced helping people get on and off the zodiacs. Very smooth operation. The guides Adam and Dan were phenomenal and very helpful in locating fast moving seabirds from a heaving deck! Niki was quietly working behind the scenes making sure everyone was enjoying the cruise.

Mark Beevers
SP, Antarctica 2022

An expedition of a lifetime well worth every penny! As a member of the Survivors of 2019 Club it was a very special tour. From the outstanding service by the expedition staff and crew on the extremely comfortable Quark Ocean Diamond to the always fabulous Rockjumper guides including Glen and Keith Valentine and Mark Beevers, it was the trip of a lifetime. The totally unexpected closeup sightings of Emperor Penguins and the tens of thousands of the six other penguin species was so much fun. Fur Seals and Elephant Seals sunbathed on the beaches as the many species of seabirds flew overhead. The trip to the Black-browed Albatross nesting sight was like something you only expect to see on tv. I felt the Quark crew and the Rockjumper guides went out of their way to make sure everyone had the perfect and safe trip.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
LE, Antarctica

Dusan was a big hit with most of the people onboard. The obsessed birders appreciated having a bird expert on board who would lead the quest to see everything. I'm certain everyone knew him by the 5th day. He even volunteered to do a presentation on the Galapagos that was very well attended and very professionally done.

Daniel Danckwerts
MR, Antarctica 2022

we're back and full of great memories and bird (creature) sightings. Dan and Adam were a great team and did a marvelous job. Ann, John and I are so grateful for all of your help preparing us for the trip, getting us straight on all things Antarctica. We were so pleased with our suite, it turned out so well and comfortable. It could not have been better. I think we got the best deal on board. So many thanks.

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