Deep South & Ross Sea · 50°42′S · 166°05′E
Subantarctic Wilderness • Sea Lions & Yellow-Eyed Penguins
8 upcoming Antarctic expeditions with Auckland Islands on the route, from $15,850.
The Auckland Islands are the largest of New Zealand's subantarctic groups, wrapped in rata forest and megaherb fields that erupt into flower each summer.
Enderby Island is the stronghold of the rare New Zealand sea lion and hosts nesting southern royal albatrosses and yellow-eyed penguins — a naturalist's island through and through.
| Available departures | 8 |
|---|---|
| Price range (per person, USD) | $15,850 – $41,306 |
| Typical duration | 15–34 days |
| Active fleet coverage | 2 operators · 2 ships |
| Geographic sector | Deep South & Ross Sea |
| Coordinates | 50°42′S · 166°05′E |
| Prices last verified | 48-hour verification methodology |
Ross Ice Shelf
Dec 14, 2026 – Jan 8, 2027 · 26 days
Hobart
Macquarie Island
Dec 28, 2026 – Jan 11, 2027 · 15 days
Dunedin (New Zealand)
Ross Ice Shelf
Jan 7, 2027 – Feb 8, 2027 · 34 days
Dunedin
Macquarie Island
Jan 11, 2027 – Jan 25, 2027 · 15 days
Dunedin (New Zealand)
Ross Ice Shelf
Jan 25, 2027 – Feb 15, 2027 · 22 days
Dunedin (New Zealand)
Macquarie Island
Dec 28, 2028 – Jan 11, 2029 · 15 days
Dunedin (New Zealand)
Macquarie Island
Jan 11, 2029 – Jan 25, 2029 · 15 days
Dunedin (New Zealand)
Ross Ice Shelf
Feb 15, 2029 – Mar 8, 2029 · 22 days
Dunedin (New Zealand)
Penguins
The king penguin is the second-largest penguin species, closely resembling but smaller than the emperor penguin. Look for its dense, noisy colonies on South Georgia's beaches, one of the more reliable large penguins to watch up close on these voyages.
Seals & Sea Lions
One of the world's rarest sea lions, found almost nowhere else on Earth. The Auckland and Campbell Islands hold most of its breeding population.
Albatrosses & Seabirds
A small, sooty-grey albatross of the genus Phoebetria, first described from a specimen collected south of the Cape of Good Hope in 1785. Watch for its slow, buoyant glide along cliff faces and in the wake of ships crossing the Southern Ocean.
Seals & Sea Lions
Known as kekeno in Māori, the New Zealand fur seal was hunted to near-extinction after European arrival, making today's colonies a hard-won sight. Expect to find them hauled out on rocky shorelines across the subantarctic islands.
Albatrosses & Seabirds
One of the two largest albatrosses alive, with a wingspan topping three metres. Watch for it gliding low over the swell around New Zealand's subantarctic islands.
