About Heritage Expeditions

Ambassadors for conservation, pioneers of discovery, and leaders in expedition travel to the world’s best-kept secrets.

For the past 30 years, Heritage Expeditions has pioneered conservation-driven voyages to some of the most wild, least-explored and biologically rich regions on the planet.

Our knowledge and experience of the Subantarctic Islands, the Russian Far East, the Ross Sea and the South Pacific is unsurpassed.  Our long association with these remote regions, combined with an impeccable record of responsible travel, ensures you receive a warm welcome and an authentic experience wherever we travel.

The real focus and emphasis of every expedition is getting you ashore as often as possible for as long as possible with maximum safety and comfort. Our Expeditions are accompanied by some of the most experienced naturalists and guides, who have devoted a lifetime to field research in the areas that we visit.

The 72-metre Spirit of Enderby (refurbished in March 2018) carries up to 50 passengers, and with a fleet of zodiacs, it is perfectly suited for adventure travel.  We are able to make landings that other larger vessels would miss, and we also hold permits to visit areas that no other operator has - an important consideration when planning your voyage.

Responsible Travel Policy

To travel with Heritage Expeditions is to travel responsibly. As biologists and ornithologists, we are intimately aware of the many issues that confront animals and their habitats, the worlds oceans and isolated ethnic groups. We also take action. We actively contribute to the conservation of the places we visit in several ways: we buy local and employ locally; we make sure that travellers are respectful of local customs and traditions; and we dispose of waste responsibly.

Conservation

Heritage Expeditions supports conservation by providing advocacy through responsible travel and giving funds and logistical support for research and management. We make significant annual contributions to the New Zealand Department of Conservation; the Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Service; Antarctic Heritage Trust and the Russian State Reserve Agency. In addition to these contributions, Heritage Expeditions provides transport of freight and personnel to and from nature reserves. We support the New Zealand Meteorological Service and non-governmental research agencies, including the World Wildlife Fund (Russia) and the University of Canterbury.

We travel in small groups and endeavour to maintain a guide-to-client ratio of 1:12. Each voyage is led by an experienced Expedition Leader who is familiar with the region we visit. When selecting our specialist expedition equipment, vehicles and vessels we research carefully to ensure the most suitable and the most environmentally responsible. All waste generated on our expeditions is disposed of in a responsible manner; onboard it is treated as prescribed by MARPOL and on land expeditions recycling is encouraged. Non-recyclable waste is brought back for disposal at approved sites.

Heritage Expeditions owns and is covenanted to protect an area of native forest in New Zealand. We employ a part-time Conservation Officer to implement predator control and to replant native species. We partner with the Enderby Trust to provide scholarships for young people to join our expeditions who could not otherwise afford to travel. Heritage Expeditions is an active member of a number of conservation and travel organisations, including the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) which promotes responsible travel to Antarctica.