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 * GBP12,161 * EUR14,675 * ZAR285,227

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 * GBP12,680 * EUR15,300 * ZAR297,385

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

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.

Adam Riley
SS, Antarctica 2022

A very successful and amazing trip! Many thanks to Daniel and Adam for all of the hours they spent on deck identifying birds (many of them requiring a photo to be sure)! The Ocean Victory is a stable and extremely comfortable vessel - great staff and good food. I truly appreciate that Rockjumper arranged the special trip for the N. Rockhopper Penguin. It was truly a trip of a lifetime!

Keith Valentine
NL, Antarctica 2022

This long-awaited culmination of the cruise-that-first-failed satisfied everything I had hoped to experience. The Quark staff did a fantastic job (after that first sit-down meal), and the Rockjumper guides were always around and available to point out birds and things of interest. I am so happy to have this one "under-the-belt" so I now feel more free to make other plans. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know all the Rockjumper guides in a more personal and relaxed mode than we seem to have on regular tours. They all continue to amaze me with their knowledge, wide interests, and willingness to share this lore with others.

Daniel Danckwerts
RC, Antarctica 2022

Adam and Daniel made this trip extra enjoyable. The quality and diligence of their attention to all of the Rockjumper clients was simply phenomenal. I cannot use enough superlatives to describe the entire Rockjumper Team. The Ocean Victory seemed to be a perfect fit, with excellent staff and a sometimes-wearying dedication to safety.

Adam Riley
RC, Antarctica 2022

We had the most incredible trip, with perfect attention to every possible detail, and to have the added trip to the Penguin Colony on the Falklands was a cherry on the top. The guides were both attentive, and engaging at all levels with every member of the group, as well as helpful to non Rockjumper guests, which made a great impression on them too. Thank you for an overwhelmingly awesome tour.

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