New Zealand’s distant islands have pure wonders you received’t discover anyplace else

The similarities are placing. Far-flung islands and coastlines teeming with uncommon and endemic animals. Creatures you received’t discover anyplace else on earth. Other-worldly vegetation and dramatic volcanic geology. Places are finest skilled in a comparatively small group, the place guests realize it’s an honor and privilege to see them yearly. 

Sound acquainted? But no: we’re not speaking concerning the Galapagos Islands, however fairly a distant a part of New Zealand unseen (and largely unknown) even to Kiwis. This sequence of 5 island teams—also referred to as the sub-Antarctic islands—is about amidst the infamously tumultuous Southern Ocean within the Roaring Forties (40°-50°S) and Furious Fifties (50-60°S), zones of intense, uninterrupted westerly winds and gale-force storms. The inexperienced, rocky, and windswept archipelagos sit between New Zealand’s South Island and the far reaches of Antarctica. 

(Why each journey to Antarctica ought to encourage motion.)

Why you need to go to New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands 

People are simply blown away after they go to for the primary time, says Dirk de Vries, a biodiversity ranger with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. Yes, the wildlife wows, and their habits, as effectively. “These animals, they’re not used to a threat from humans,” provides de Vries.  

Imagine giant birds hovering off the strict of the ship, petrels swirling over the bow, strolling previous large seals jousting alongside the shoreline, or completely different species of penguins (not seen anyplace else on the earth) casually approaching guests—the distinctive fauna is all right here. 

Preserved as an enormous nationwide reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these sub-Antarctic islands are recognized collectively as the “Subs.” A total of 126 species of birds—including 40 types of seabirds—breed here, making it the most diverse population in the Southern Ocean. The Bounty Island shag, the world’s rarest cormorant, plus the endemic snipe, parakeets, and the teal, the country’s rarest waterfowl, are the types of birds that visitors will find on these islands.  

Elephant seals inhabit the beaches, and endangered New Zealand (or Hooker’s) sea lions frolic in the wake of zodiac boats. Antarctic terns swoop overhead. Plus, there are giant mega-herbs. Botanists theorize that these ultra-colorful, super-sized plants, including the Campbell Island Daisy and the Ross Lily, evolved to take advantage of the short growing season and survive the island’s harsh sub-zero conditions.

Like the Galapagos, visitor numbers are strictly capped. You can only reach these islands aboard small expedition ships—the same ones used when visiting Antarctica. Aurora Expeditions’ brand-new M/V Douglas Mawson, a comfortable vessel purpose-built to handle the harsh polar conditions, is one of the vessels that allow passengers the rare experience of exploring the wonders of the Subs. 

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See a uncommon penguin species on the verge of extinction

Honestly, who doesn’t love penguins? Of the full of 18 species around the globe, vacationers visiting these islands may have an opportunity to see 10 of them. By comparability, the Galapagos solely has one, the Galapagos penguin.

On a stormy circumnavigation, standing in the wind on the open deck of the Douglas Mawson, the jagged cliffs of the Snares Islands are shrouded in mist and cloud, like something from a fantasy novel. The northernmost of the Subs, the Snares are among the best-preserved areas in New Zealand. Guests on board strain their eyes to spot the endemic Snares crested penguin—and are rewarded when a few small groups come out to meet the ship, playfully leaping out of the water and over the waves.

The yellow-eyed penguin—or the hoiho in the Māori language—is rarer. Extremely endangered, they’re immediately recognizable by the yellow slash that runs from their eyes to the back of their heads. The 5,000 or fewer that remain in the wild are facing the real prospect of total extinction in the not-so-distant future. 

That fact makes an encounter with the yellow-eyed penguins on Enderby Island an exciting excursion. Blessed with sunny skies and super-calm, blue seas that made Enderby feel more like Tahiti, a guide buzzed a small group of guests around the rocky shoreline on a zodiac boat, exploring sea caves and getting up close with massive bull kelp. And penguins too, including a small group of perhaps a half dozen yellow-eyed penguins, standing on a small rock peninsula, giving those in the little boat a full-throated welcome. 

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Where to observe the massive southern royal albatross 

“For me, these islands provide just the best wildlife experience, from a diversity point of view,” says Patrick Horgan, a naturalist with Aurora Expeditions. “It’s not just penguins—it’s albatross colonies, it’s seal colonies on the beach.” 

The pure joy of seeing albatross soar simply cannot be underestimated. In the Subs, it feels like they’re ubiquitous. Every time passengers go out on the stern deck—or even just look out the window of the dining room or on the balcony cabin—they’re out there, coasting on the salty winds. Horgan counts almost a dozen species. One of the world’s two largest birds by wingspan, the southern royal albatross has a wingspan of 12 feet across. 

Campbell Island, the southernmost island of the Subs, is home to one of the world’s largest populations of Southern Royals, reachable by a zodiac boat. Approaching a colony on a zodiac, wildlife watchers can see pairs loop high above, tracing each other’s movements in a mating ritual. Some skim through the cold spray of tumbling waterfalls, and often, their nests are close enough for onlookers to see the cute, fluffy white chicks. 

Adventurous travelers can hike up Col Lyall Boardwalk to witness the albatross’s massive size in addition to the sweeping views from a scenic saddle on Campbell. Royal southern albatross nest right next to the path. As hikers pass by, the gigantic birds simply turn their heads, calmly registering the presence of humans, then usually proceed on with life, unbothered.

“Even the landscapes amaze,” says di Vries, near the top of the Col Lyall Boardwalk. “My son says it’s like something out of Avatar.” Climbing up from Perseverance Harbour takes hikers through a variety of ecosystems. 

Honoring the past, preserving the future

“These islands were quite significant to the Māori, who traveled here to seasonal settlements, in their quest for further exploration,” says Isaac Cross, the Ngāi Tahu tribal representative aboard the Mawson. “It would’ve taken months. I can’t even imagine how my ancestors achieved it.”

New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands have flourished and returned to their original form because of dedicated conservation efforts to eliminate pests and introduced species. Cross notes that the Māori guardianship philosophy of kaitiakitanga—and his personal hope—is that every person who visits these islands will work together to take care of them. 

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