Set sail for close-up encounters with the wonders of nature.
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic creates extraordinary experiences for curious, discerning individuals. Whether you're in the midst of calving glaciers or sighting bear in The Great Land, or landing by Zodiac amid teeming penguin colonies in Antarctica, expedition travel will place you in the heart and soul of nature, sharing experiences with passionately dedicated experts, inspiring photographers and like-minded fellow guests.
Expedition travel affords opportunities to:
Lindblad Expeditions naturally foster active engagement. Its ships are equipped with tools for exploration, starting with its trailblazing open bridge policy. Guests can join the navigation officers on the bridge while the ships are underway, whether sliding through "bergy bits" in Antarctica or at idle in Baja California, observing humpbacks.
Zodiac landing craft serve as ferries to shore and well as a platform to explore. Lindblad's kayaks are at the ready from the Upper Amazon to Alaska and the Galapagos ? and even thousands of miles from anywhere, where Lindblad's captains have been known to stop the ship so guests can paddle across the Equator.
For exploration below the waterline, many Lindblad itineraries are outfitted with complimentary snorkeling gear. A wide variety of sizes are available, including shorty wetsuits, to ensure a comfortable fit. Snorkeling gear is carried aboard ships in Baja California, Costa Rica, Galapagos, South Pacific, Borneo, Indonesia, and some National Geographic Explorer itineraries.
Expeditions to Alaska, Baja California, Galapagos, Antarctica and the Arctic feature an undersea specialist who captures stunning video of life below the surface, and then shares his or her footage with you in presentations on board. National Geographic Orion and National Geographic Explorer are also equipped with a Remotely Operated Vehicle ? an ROV - that can explore hundreds of feet deeper than a diver, providing a stunning look at life in the true ocean depths.
Glass-bottom boats provide a real-time glimpse into sea life and marine formations, while hydrophones are available on many expeditions to capture and broadcast the eerily beautiful sounds made by whales and sea lions beneath the surface. Video microscopes analyze the myriad life in a drop of sea water. Much larger scenes play out on flat-screen monitors fed by the ships' bow-mounted video cameras.
Finally, most ships provide an electronic chart display that allows you to follow, in real-time, the ship's location, speed, and course.
This is not "group travel" as many may envisage (or lament). Guests are not herded about or rigorously scheduled ? you can choose among an array of daily activities and outings, and if you wish, pair your interests with that of a specific member of the expedition team.
You'll share a Zodiac, a trek or a dining table with genuinely interesting people. Those who share your passion for exploration and adventure, who revel in new experiences, and are equally thoughtful and respectful in the contemplation of nature.
Feel free to be as sociable as you wish. Hole up with a good book in the library or share a drink and a conversation with a naturalist or guest speaker. Many lasting friendships are forged aboard Lindblad ships. And families traveling together experience the wonder of the new, reaffirming old bonds and creating new ones.
Whether you plan to travel independently or with a significant other, family or friends, a Lindblad expedition can inspire, reveal and renew. It might even change your life.