#expeditioncruising

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has announced six new itineraries that cater to guests looking for shorter stints of expedition travel aboard the 102-guestNational Geographic Orion.

National Geographic Orion Copyright: Ralph Lee Hopkins

Guests can choose from a range of voyages that offer undersea exploration, islands with a wealth of history and cultures that maintain close ties to their ancestral traditions. Each expedition also sails with a National Geographic photographer and a Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor to assist guests with their photography skills – whether using an iPhone or SLR camera.

The following are the new global voyages for 2015. Rates are per person, in Australian dollars and based on a double occupancy in a category one cabin:

Bali to Palau: Exotic Indonesia

13-day itinerary

This is the chance to visit the real Indonesia up close. This itinerary is an expedition to find Komodo dragons and rare birdlife, explore a village’s water buffalo races and snorkel and dive Raja Ampat in the Coral Triangle – a region with more than 500 species of coral and 2,000 species of fish.
Departs Sep. 19, 2015___ From $15,700 per person.

Palau to Solomon Islands: Along the Pacific Equator

16-day itinerary

Guests can venture to the heart of Micronesia to discover wild, remote islands and cultures. Here they will snorkel or dive amongst manta rays, reefs and famous shipwrecks on an expedition that offers both relaxation and island exploration, as well as iconic WWII fortifications.
Departs Oct. 1, 2015___ From $19,320 per person.

Solomon Islands to Fiji: Hidden South Pacific

11-day itinerary

This is an itinerary that focuses on the culture and history of Melanesia, and the western edge of Polynesia. Guests can observe ancient petroglyphs, warrior dances and WWII wrecks as well as Fiji’s finest reefs, rare birds and the lush “Garden Island.” Departs Oct. 16, 2015___ From $12,080 per person.

Fiji to the Cook Islands: Polynesian Discovery

10-day itinerary

An exploration of four Polynesian nations – Fiji, Tonga, Niue and the Cook Islands. Guests can explore the beautiful geographies, with Niue boasting the largest uplifted coral island in the world, as well as kayak, Zodiac cruise, snorkel and dive reefs in the turquoise seas, and discover Palmerston Atoll, charted by Captain Cook on his second voyage.
Departs Oct. 26, 2015___From $12,080 per person.

Cook Islands to Tahiti: Pristine Reefs of the South Pacific

11-day itinerary

Guests will venture to three distinct island groups for the ultimate undersea experience. Here they will snorkel turquoise lakes, swim over beds of giant clams, dive the pristine Southern Line Islands, identified as one of the most unspoiled reef systems in the world by the National Geographic Pristine Seas Project, and explore the culture of French Polynesia.
Departs Nov. 4, 2015___From $12,080 per person.

Tahiti to Easter Island: Tales of the Pacific

17-day itinerary

This is a trip where guests will journey off the beaten track to explore a string of remote islands that are rarely visited by outsiders. Here they will uncover wild, pristine UNESCO sites, untouched tropical beaches, hear stories of early visitors and see the iconic Easter Island.
Departs Nov. 14, 2015___From $19,320 per person.

To order the Explorations catalogue, obtain additional information on Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic or to book, visit www.expeditions.com, call 1300 361 012 or see your travel agent.