This is a side of New Zealand that most travelers never see

The similarities are striking. Far-flung islands and coastlines teeming with rare and endemic animals. Creatures you won’t find anywhere else on earth. Other-worldly vegetation and dramatic volcanic geology. Places are best experienced in a relatively small group, where visitors know it’s an honor and privilege to see them every year. 

Sound familiar? But no: we’re not talking about the Galapagos Islands, but rather a distant part of New Zealand unseen (and largely unknown) even to Kiwis. This series of five island groups—also known as the sub-Antarctic islands—is set amidst the infamously tumultuous Southern Ocean in the Roaring Forties (40°-50°S) and Furious Fifties (50-60°S), zones of intense, uninterrupted westerly winds and gale-force storms. The green, rocky, and windswept archipelagos sit between New Zealand’s South Island and the far reaches of Antarctica. 

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Why you should visit New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands 

People are just blown away when they visit for the first time, says Dirk de Vries, a biodiversity ranger with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. Yes, the wildlife wows, and their behavior, as well. “These animals, they’re not used to a threat from humans,” adds de Vries.  

Imagine large birds soaring off the stern of the ship, petrels swirling over the bow, walking past massive seals jousting along the shoreline, or different species of penguins (not seen anywhere else in the world) casually approaching visitors—the unique fauna is all here. 

Preserved as a huge national reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these sub-Antarctic islands are known collectively as the "Subs.” A total of 126 species of birds—including 40 types of seabirds—breed here, making it the most diverse population in the Southern Ocean. The Bounty Island shag, the world’s rarest cormorant, plus the endemic snipe, parakeets, and the teal, the country’s rarest waterfowl, are the types of birds that visitors will find on these islands.  

Elephant seals inhabit the beaches, and endangered New Zealand (or Hooker’s) sea lions frolic in the wake of zodiac boats. Antarctic terns swoop overhead. Plus, there are giant mega-herbs. Botanists theorize that these ultra-colorful, super-sized plants, including the Campbell Island Daisy and the Ross Lily, evolved to take advantage of the short growing season and survive the island’s harsh sub-zero conditions.

Like the Galapagos, visitor numbers are strictly capped. You can only reach these islands aboard small expedition ships—the same ones used when visiting Antarctica. Aurora Expeditions’ brand-new M/V Douglas Mawson, a comfortable vessel purpose-built to handle the harsh polar conditions, is one of the vessels that allow passengers the rare experience of exploring the wonders of the Subs. 

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See a rare penguin species on the verge of extinction

Honestly, who doesn’t love penguins? Of the total of 18 species around the world, travelers visiting these islands will have a chance to see 10 of them. By comparison, the Galapagos only has one, the Galapagos penguin.

On a stormy circumnavigation, standing in the wind on the open deck of the Douglas Mawson, the jagged cliffs of the Snares Islands are shrouded in mist and cloud, like something from a fantasy novel. The northernmost of the Subs, the Snares are among the best-preserved areas in New Zealand. Guests on board strain their eyes to spot the endemic Snares crested penguin—and are rewarded when a few small groups come out to meet the ship, playfully leaping out of the water and over the waves.

The yellow-eyed penguin—or the hoiho in the Māori language—is rarer. Extremely endangered, they’re immediately recognizable by the yellow slash that runs from their eyes to the back of their heads. The 5,000 or fewer that remain in the wild are facing the real prospect of total extinction in the not-so-distant future. 

That fact makes an encounter with the yellow-eyed penguins on Enderby Island an exciting excursion. Blessed with sunny skies and super-calm, blue seas that made Enderby feel more like Tahiti, a guide buzzed a small group of guests around the rocky shoreline on a zodiac boat, exploring sea caves and getting up close with massive bull kelp. And penguins too, including a small group of perhaps a half dozen yellow-eyed penguins, standing on a small rock peninsula, giving those in the little boat a full-throated welcome. 

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Where to observe the massive southern royal albatross 

“For me, these islands provide just the best wildlife experience, from a diversity point of view,” says Patrick Horgan, a naturalist with Aurora Expeditions. “It’s not just penguins—it’s albatross colonies, it’s seal colonies on the beach.” 

The pure joy of seeing albatross soar simply cannot be underestimated. In the Subs, it feels like they’re ubiquitous. Every time passengers go out on the stern deck—or even just look out the window of the dining room or on the balcony cabin—they’re out there, coasting on the salty winds. Horgan counts almost a dozen species. One of the world’s two largest birds by wingspan, the southern royal albatross has a wingspan of 12 feet across. 

Campbell Island, the southernmost island of the Subs, is home to one of the world’s largest populations of Southern Royals, reachable by a zodiac boat. Approaching a colony on a zodiac, wildlife watchers can see pairs loop high above, tracing each other’s movements in a mating ritual. Some skim through the cold spray of tumbling waterfalls, and often, their nests are close enough for onlookers to see the cute, fluffy white chicks. 

Adventurous travelers can hike up Col Lyall Boardwalk to witness the albatross’s massive size in addition to the sweeping views from a scenic saddle on Campbell. Royal southern albatross nest right next to the path. As hikers pass by, the gigantic birds simply turn their heads, calmly registering the presence of humans, then usually proceed on with life, unbothered.

“Even the landscapes amaze,” says di Vries, near the top of the Col Lyall Boardwalk. “My son says it’s like something out of Avatar.” Climbing up from Perseverance Harbour takes hikers through a variety of ecosystems. 

Honoring the past, preserving the future

“These islands were quite significant to the Māori, who traveled here to seasonal settlements, in their quest for further exploration,” says Isaac Cross, the Ngāi Tahu tribal representative aboard the Mawson. “It would’ve taken months. I can’t even imagine how my ancestors achieved it.”

New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands have flourished and returned to their original form because of dedicated conservation efforts to eliminate pests and introduced species. Cross notes that the Māori guardianship philosophy of kaitiakitanga—and his personal hope—is that every person who visits these islands will work together to take care of them. 

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