New Zealand
February 2023

This past February I was lucky enough to spend three weeks in New Zealand exploring both the North and South Islands with my favorite travel companion, my mom. New Zealand has long been on our bucket lists, and post pandemic we were both itching to explore! As the country with the ninth longest coastline in the world, we decided an expedition cruise with Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic would be an exciting and unique way to experience this country.

We started our journey with three beautiful summer days in Auckland walking the city. The city was hillier than we initially expected, but still very walkable and incredibly clean. We explored the Auckland Domain and the Wintergardens, ate local delicious food, and mingled with the locals. After three days of settling in we embarked on our home for the next two weeks, the National Geographic Orion. The Orion was a very impressive ship helmed by an even more impressive crew of expedition specialists, naturalists, photography experts, and our amazing personal concierge, Arnold.

The Lindblad Expedition was true luxury and exceeded our expectations. Within 24 hours of boarding the Orion, every crew member knew our names and preferred drinks. Our two-twin cabin was spacious, very comfortable, and cleaned at least twice a day. I could also write an entire book about the delicious food offered: whole roasted suckling pigs, high tea daily at 4pm, seven-course dinners, and a full BBQ for the super bowl. You never need to fear going hungry!

We started our journey on the North Island on the Bay of Islands and Waitangi Treaty Grounds, a place of immense cultural and historical significance. We were lucky to arrive the day before Waitangi Day (The National Day of New Zealand) and see over 100 Maori launch the world’s largest ceremonial waka (canoe), which is only launched once a year. It was a powerful experience. Over the next couple days in the North Island, we explored the rainforests on Great Barrier Island, kayaked Whenuakura Island (Donut Island), and toured Waipura Station, a sprawling 2,100-acre sheep farm.

The second half of our expedition took us to the South Island, known for its rugged and isolated beauty. After sailing across the Cook Strait, our first stop was Abel Tasman National Park to stretch our legs on a hike. The next few days were full of enjoying New Zealand's wildlife. We met sperm whales in Kaikoura, got up close with albatross in Dunedin, searched for kiwi on Stewart Island, and my personal favorite, meeting the little blue eyed and yellow eyed penguins on the beaches of the Otago Peninsula.

We concluded our expedition with three days of sailing the fjords of Fiordland National Park. These three days were some of the most spectacular of my life, and I will never forget the untouched beauty of this landscape. We took zodiacs into the remote coves of Dusky Sound, sipped champagne as we sailed through Doubtful Sound, and rode zodiacs directly into waterfalls in Milford Sound. After disembarking in Milford Sound, we finished our trip off with three sunny days in Queenstown.