Galapagos of the Southern Ocean 2026
Workshop Information Packet
Contents:
I. General Information
II. To Do Checklist
III. Daily Itinerary
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean 2026
General Information
Welcome!
Thanks again for joining our Galapagos of the Southern Ocean: New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands photography adventure! We’re thrilled to have you aboard for this remarkable journey to one of the last truly wild places on Earth. We are as excited as you are to begin the trip. But first, some planning is needed to ensure everything goes smoothly. This document includes essential information. Please take some time to read it carefully and let us know if you have any questions.
Additional Information from Heritage Expeditions
In addition to this packet, you will also receive a comprehensive expedition guide from Heritage Expeditions approximately four months prior to departure.
Workshop Dates: November 22- December 3, 2026
Workshop Overview
Our adventure begins on November 22, 2026, in Queenstown, New Zealand, (Airport code: ZQN) with an overnight hotel stay (included). The next day, we travel to the Port of Bluff, where we board the Heritage Adventurer, our expedition vessel. From there, we set out to explore the protected islands of the Southern Ocean: The Snares, Auckland Islands, Macquarie Island, and Campbell Island—each a sanctuary of rare wildlife and dramatic landscapes.
Throughout our voyage, we’ll photograph vibrant colonies of penguins, elephant seals, albatrosses, and endemic birdlife found nowhere else. The ship serves as both home base and floating classroom, with daily image reviews, lectures, and group discussions designed to help you grow as a photographer.
Our trip concludes on December 3, after we disembark at the Port of Bluff and transfer back to Queenstown or Invercargill.
Take a look at the Daily Itinerary in this packet for more details about the locations we will visit and photograph throughout our journey.
Workshop Fees
Your workshop fees are due as follows:
Deposit – a 25% non-refundable trip deposit is due immediately after registration to secure your spot and cabin selection.
Final Payment: Due July 24th, 2026. Remainder of all fees - the exact amount of your final payment depends on options selected such as cabin type and any extra hotel nights in Queenstown (if needed).
You will receive an invoice by email after registration that contains all charges, payments and due dates related to this workshop. Click the link in the invoice to access your Customer Portal where you can make payments, view or download statements, receipts and more at your convenience.
Health/Medical
Immunizations – there are no specific immunization requirements to enter New Zealand, but you should consult with your doctor or travel clinic about any recommended vaccinations. The U.S. CDC website also contains general information that may be useful.
Prescription Medications – Pack an adequate supply of any prescription medications (and supplements) you take, as they may not be available on-board ship.
Allergies – please let us know about any allergies you have AND the severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate medications (e.g. EpiPen) in case of accidental exposure.
Travel Logistics & Documents
International Flights
Arrival: Plan to arrive in Queenstown (ZQN) by November 22.
Departure: Schedule your departure for after 3:00 PM on December 3 from Queenstown (ZQN) or after noon from Invercargill (IVC).
Extra hotel nights - 1 night pre-cruise accommodation in Queenstown (Nov 22) and transfers to/from the Port of Bluff are included with your workshop fees.
If you are arriving in Queenstown before November 22, let us know your itinerary specifics and we can book the additional hotel nights for you as needed (~$250/night including breakfast).
Passport – now is the time to double-check the expiration date of your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months past the date you will depart New Zealand.
Visas/ETA’s
U.S. passport holders must obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before departure. Click the link to apply online. Cost is $17-$23 NZD (~$10-$15 USD). Processing time is approximately 72hrs. Your eTA is valid for 2 years.
Other Nationalities – check online or with the New Zealand embassy or consulate in your country to determine if you need to obtain a visa/eTA in advance of travel.
Travel Insurance – a policy which includes coverage for medical evacuation is mandatory for workshop participants. Please forward us a copy of your travel insurance policy (summary page is fine).
The primary purpose of this requirement is in case of medical emergency, cost should not be a consideration in getting you quality medical care.
Mobile Phone – look into your phone carrier’s international roaming policies and rates BEFORE leaving home or you may return to an extremely expensive bill. You may want to pre-purchase a data plan from your carrier.
WhatsApp – is a free messaging app used widely outside of the US that we will use for group communication. Please download & install WhatsApp and create an account before arriving in New Zealand. You may also want your loved ones at home to install this app.
What to Pack
Clothing & Personal Items – a list of recommended clothing and other personal items to bring will be included in the Heritage Expeditions pre-voyage guide you will receive four months prior to departure.
Photo Gear – it’s tempting to bring everything you own, but that usually works against you. If you decide to bring the kitchen sink, we strongly recommend bringing a smaller camera bag/backpack that you are comfortable carrying all day as well. We’re happy to give more specific brand/model recommendations for specific items. Just ask.
Camera Body – 1 or 2 camera bodies. Mirrorless cameras, especially models that have animal eye-tracking are truly game changers for wildlife photography – highly recommended. Bring a paper or electronic copy of your camera’s operating manual. Your smartphone is also a great camera – don’t forget it.
Lenses:
Long telephoto - A zoom like a 100- 400mm range will be useful for wildlife photography and isolating distant subjects
A medium telephoto like a 70-200mm zoom will also be useful for isolating landscape details and creating compression.
Wide-angle(s) (24mm or less, 15mm ideal) will be used extensively for wildlife and landscapes.
Filters – a polarizer and ND filter(s) are optional but can be nice to have with varying lighting situations.
Extra Batteries and Memory cards – you will be shooting a lot, maybe more than you ever have. Bring PLENTY of memory cards and batteries. You should NOT erase/overwrite any memory cards until you get home, even if you have downloaded the images to your laptop or hard drive.
Tripod – sturdy, but light with a ballhead is ideal. Your tripod should be tall enough WITHOUT the center column extended that you don’t have to bend over uncomfortably. Hand holding extreme telephoto lenses is not ideal for best results
Small Camera bag/daypack – you don’t always need all your gear. A small bag for personal items and a few photo essentials is very handy and a back-saver.
Headlamp – MUCH better than a flashlight because it leaves both hands free. Make sure yours has a red-light option for night photography
Remote release (optional)
Cleaning Kit – nothing fancy, a lens cloth, cleaning fluid and a small brush/toothbrush are all you need
Accessories – make sure to pack critical accessories like your camera battery charger, memory card reader, data cables and tripod quick-release plates!
Other Gear
Laptop or tablet –highly recommended. Your photography will improve if you review your images daily. Doing preliminary selects and ratings also makes the mountain of images more manageable when you get home. We will also have several sessions on post processing and image management in Adobe Lightroom.
Portable hard drive - ideal for image storage/backup. If you are purchasing one, look for a solid-state (SSD) type that is “bus powered” – a drive that gets its power from the computer and does not require a separate power cord (most SSD’s are bus powered). 1TB capacity minimum, 2TB is better.
Power adapters –The Heritage Adventurer runs on 230-volt electricity with Type C or F outlets.
A ‘universal’ adapter like one of these will also work
A small power strip is also handy for charging multiple devices simultaneously but make sure it is specifically designed for travel or rated for 230+ volts. Here are some options
Most modern electronics (phones, laptops, chargers) have built-in voltage converters and require only a plug adapter.
Check higher power devices like hair dryers and shavers to make sure they are compatible with 230-volt power. Here is a link to a good article on travel adapters if you need more info.
Chargers and cables for your mobile phone and other electronics
Power bank – extremely handy when traveling.
Phone Leash - Highly recommended as we will using zodiacs extensively
Miscellaneous
A Word About Gratuities – Like many service businesses, our guides and drivers rely on gratuities for a substantial portion of their income. I think you will find our local guides & drivers in Queenstown and the staff aboard the Heritage Adventurer to be outstanding at what they do. If you feel you have received good service, a gratuity is greatly appreciated. Since we are often asked for guidance, below are some general guidelines:
$200–300 USD per guest.
Tips are usually pooled and shared among the entire crew (housekeeping, dining, galley, and expedition staff).
You can add gratuities to your onboard account at the end of the trip (billed to your credit card).
Tipping at hotels and restaurants is not expected, but small gratuities are appreciated.
Credit/debit cards are accepted almost everywhere but you may want to convert some cash to New Zealand dollar for small purchases and tips.
If there’s anything we’ve missed or you have questions, reach out anytime.
Leighton is excited to meet you in Queenstown and start capturing the beauty of the Southern Ocean together!
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean 2026
To Do Checklist
___ Book Inbound/Outbound flights and forward a copy of your flight itinerary to us.
___ Let us know if you need any extra hotel nights
___ Purchase Travel Insurance and forward copy of your policy
___ Check mobile phone carrier’s international roaming policies and plans
___ Make personal packing checklist (click here for a downloadable Photo Trip Packing List template you can customize to your own needs)
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean 2026
Daily Itinerary
| Day | Date | Itinerary | Overnight | Meals Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 22 | Arrival Queenstown - Guests should make their way to the designated hotel where we will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening there will be an informal get-together at the hotel for dinner; an excellent opportunity to meet fellow adventurers on your voyage and some of our expedition team. | Queenstown Hotel | D |
| 2 | Nov 23 | Port of Bluff - You have the morning free to explore Queenstown before returning to the hotel for lunch and departing for the Port of Bluff to embark your ship. Settle into your cabin and familiarize yourself with the ship; we will also take the opportunity to conduct a number of safety briefings. You are invited to join the expedition team in the Observation Lounge and up on the Observation Deck as we set our course to The Snares and our adventure begins. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 3 | Nov 24 | The Snares - North East Island - The closest Subantarctic Islands to New Zealand, they were appropriately called The Snares as they were once considered a hazard for sailing ships. Comprising of two main islands and a group of five islands called the Western Chain; they are uninhabited and enjoy the highest protection as Nature Reserves... Buller’s Albatross breed here from early January onwards. There will be opportunities to view the forests of large tree daisy Olearia lyallii which forms a canopy over much of the island group. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 4 | Nov 25 | Auckland Islands - Enderby Island - The Auckland Islands group was formed by two volcanoes which erupted some 10-25 million years ago. Erosion and glaciation subsequently created the archipelago we know today. Enderby Island, one of the most beautiful islands in this group is named after the same distinguished shipping family as one of our own vessels. This northern most island in the archipelago is an outstanding wildlife and birding location and is relatively easy to land on and walk around. The island was cleared of all introduced animals (pests) in 1994 and both birds and the vegetation, especially the herbaceous plants, are recovering both in numbers and diversity. Our plan is to land at Sandy Bay, one of three breeding areas in the Auckland Islands for the Hooker’s or New Zealand Sea Lion, a rare member of the seal family. Beachmaster bulls gather on the beach, defending their harems from younger (ambitious) males to mate with the cows shortly after they have given birth to a single pup. Hooker’s or New Zealand Sea Lion numbers are in a slow decline, for reasons which are not obvious but most probably connected with a nearby squid fishery. During our day ashore there will be several options, some longer walks, some shorter walks and time to spend enjoying the wildlife. The walking is relatively easy. A boardwalk traverses the island to the dramatic western cliffs, from there we follow the coast and circumnavigate the island. Birds that we are likely to encounter include: Southern Royal Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel, Auckland Island Shag, Auckland Island Flightless Teal, Auckland Island Banded Dotterel, Auckland Island Tomtit, Bellbird, Pipit, Red-crowned Parakeet, Yellow-eyed Penguin and Light-mantled Sooty Albatross. There is also a very good chance of seeing the Subantarctic Snipe. Other more common species we will see include the Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird, European Starling, Red-billed Gull and Redpoll. On Derry Castle Reef we will look for migratory waders which could include Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone and possibly vagrants. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 5 | Nov 26 | Auckland Islands – Carnley Harbour - In the south of the archipelago there is a very large, sheltered harbour rich in human history including shipwrecks, treasure hunters, Coastwatchers and, of course, scientific parties. We plan to arrive mid-morning entering the harbour through the eastern entrance which is guarded on both sides by dramatic cliffs and rugged, tussock-covered hills. Our activities here today are weather dependent. We have several options. If the weather is fine, there will be an opportunity for the more energetic expeditioners to climb to the South West Cape and visit the Shy Mollymawk colony. This climb provides magnificent views in all directions, especially over the western entrance to Carnley Harbour, Adams Island and Western Harbour. For those not making the climb there will be an opportunity to Zodiac cruise along the coast of Adams Island, Western Harbour and Victoria Passage. Other options include the Tagua Bay Coastwatcher’s hut and lookout which was occupied during the Second World War. We could visit Epigwatt and the remains of the ‘Grafton’ which was wrecked here in 1864. All five men aboard survived and lived here for 18 months before sailing their modified dinghy to New Zealand to get help. Two of the survivors wrote books about their ordeal, their first-hand accounts tell us a lot about their time here. Later this afternoon we depart for Macquarie Island. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 6 | Nov 27 | At Sea - As we make our way through an area known as the Furious Fifties in the tumultuous Southern Ocean, we will learn more about the flora and fauna as we prepare for our arrival at Macquarie Island. En route there are great birding opportunities which may include the Wandering Albatross, Royal Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, Salvin’s Albatross, Grey-headed Albatross, Northern and Southern Giant Petrel, Sooty Shearwater and Little Shearwater. We will endeavor to spot the Fairy Prion, Fulmar Prion and Antarctic Prion – never an easy task – but we should get some great views. Other species to be on the lookout for include the Soft-plumaged Petrel, Mottled Petrel, White-headed Petrel, Grey-faced Petrel, White-chinned Petrel, Grey-backed Storm-Petrel, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and the Black-bellied Storm-Petrel. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 7 | Nov 28 | Macquarie Island - Described by one Australian explorer as “One of the wonder spots of the world” this is the only place in the world where the beautiful Royal Penguin breeds. Three other species of penguins, the King, Gentoo and Rockhopper also breed here. You will never forget your first experience of a noisy ‘penguin city’, where the dapper inhabitants show no fear of their strange visitors and where you will be immersed in a tumult of chattering, feeding chicks; territorial disputes; petty pilfering and courtship displays. This all happens amongst the hundreds of Southern Elephant Seals lolling on the beaches and dunes. On arrival we hope to meet with scientists and Park Rangers based here who will accompany us on all our landings. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 8 | Nov 29 | Macquarie Island - This second day serves as a weather contingency and an opportunity for extended exploration. If weather conditions were challenging yesterday, we will attempt landings again today. Alternatively, if yesterday’s plans went smoothly, we’ll explore new parts of the island or focus on photography in different light and behavioral conditions. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 9 | Nov 30 | At Sea - There will be briefings and lectures on Campbell Island in preparation for our visit there and opportunities for pelagic birding and/or simply relaxing. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 10 | Dec 1 | Campbell Island – Perseverance Harbour- Spend a full day exploring New Zealand’s southernmost Subantarctic island. Once a sealing and farming site, the island was later used as a wartime coastwatch station and weather research base until 1995. Invasive species were removed through pioneering conservation efforts, making way for the return of rare wildlife such as the Campbell Island Flightless Teal and Snipe. The island’s lush vegetation—praised by botanist Sir Joseph Hooker—has rebounded spectacularly. You’ll have options to explore the island via an extended hike to Northwest Bay or a gentler walk to Col Lyall Saddle, with opportunities to see Southern Royal Albatross and the island’s famed mega herbs. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 11 | Dec 2 | At Sea - At Sea enroute to the Port of Bluff, take the opportunity to relax and reflect on an amazing experience. We will recap the highlights of our expedition and enjoy a farewell dinner tonight as we complete the last few miles of our journey. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
| 12 | Dec 3 | Invercargill – Queenstown-Early this morning we will arrive in the Port of Bluff. After a final breakfast we bid farewell to our fellow voyagers and take a complimentary coach transfer to either Invercargill or Queenstown Airports. In case of unexpected delays due to weather and/or port operations we ask you not to book any onward travel until after midday from Invercargill and after 3pm from Queenstown. Note: During our voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. Landings at the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand are by permit only as administered by the Government of New Zealand. No landings are permitted at The Snares. | Heritage Adventurer | B-L-D |
Note: This itinerary describes our general plan but is subject to change without notice due to weather, logistical considerations, or other reasons.
Something we missed?
Send us an email or schedule a phone call. We’re happy to address any questions.