SUB ANTARCTIC ISLANDS TRIP INFORMATION

An Air New Zealand flight from London to Christchurch, one way via Hong Kong and one way via Los Angeles, lets me to fly around the entire world, throughout the hemispheres, in less than 20 days. Once in Christchurch, a short trip of New Zealand's South island starts, crossing Mt. Cook, Queenstown, Milford Sound and ending in Dunedin, where I board the Spirit of Enderby russian expedition ship, for a cruise to the sub antarctic islands of Australia and New Zealand. The itinerary includes the islands of The Snares, Enderby, Auckland, Macquarie and Campbell. These islands, lost in the stormy southern ocean, are a wildlife paradise, populated by millions of penguins, including the endangered yellow-eyed penguin, and hundred thousands of other endemic birds, like albatross, petrels, prions, cormorants and much more. The islands are also the home for several species of sea lions, elephant seals and other marine mammals. Just on Macquarie, a tiny island 34 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide, live more than 800000 pairs of Royal penguins, the only world's population, in addition to king and rockhopper penguins. The cruise is organized by Heritage Expeditions.

PICTURES

CHRISTCHURCH
18-19 November 2007

Christchurch can be considered the main access gate for a trip to New Zealand South Island. It is a beautiful city with many green parks and museums. The city hosts also the International Antarctic Centre, the main gateway to Antarctica for scientists and researchers. GO.

FROM CHRISTCHURCH TO QUEENSTOWN
20 November 2007

A trip by bus from Christchurch to Queenstown offers beautiful views on the Southern Alps, mount Cook, lake Tekapo and lake Pukaki. GO.

MILFORD FROM QUEENSTOWN
21 November 2007

Milford sound is situated on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island and is a beautiful fjord with mountain sides falling straight into the ocean. Getting here by bus from Queenstown is a nice option, for the beauty of the scenery crossed during the 13 hours roundtrip. GO.

DUNEDIN AND THE SPIRIT OF ENDERBY
22-23 November 2007

From Queenstown I reach Dunedin by bus in about five hours. After a short city tour of Dunedin, I board the Spirit of Enderby, a russian cruise ship carrying 48 passengers, that is about to sail south to the sub-antarctic islands of New Zealand and Australia for the next 13 days. GO.

The Spirit of Enderby reaches The Snares (also called Snares Islands) early in the morning. Because of the unique ecosystem found on the island, with many endemic species not present in any other part of the world, it is not permitted to land on the island, but only to do a zodiac cruise along part of the coast. GO.

The Auckland archipelago is a group of New Zealand subantarctic islands, featured by an unique vegetation and fauna, including several endemic species that cannot be found elsewhere. During the cruise, we will visit Enderby and Auckland islands. GO.

Macquarie island, belonging to Australia and isolated from the rest of the world by thousands of kilometers of water in any direction, is the home for millions of penguins, including the endemic Royal penguin, as well elephant seals. The first landing is made at Sandy Bay. GO.

The exploration of Macquarie island continues, today with a landing in the australian ANARE scientific base and then with a zodiac cruise along Lusitania bay, where there is one of the largest King penguin colony of the world. GO.

Campbell island is the New Zealand's southernmost subantarctic territory and has a unique ecosystem, hosting more species than any other subantarctic island, except Crozet. There are six species of Albatross, the rare Hookerii sea lion, yellow eyed penguins and an unique flora. GO.