National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions

As pioneers in exploration, National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions share a passion for adventure, discovery, and conservation. Since 2004, our alliance has allowed us to pool our extensive resources and provide extraordinary small-ship voyages to some of the world's most remote and fascinating places, from the icy wilderness of Antarctica to the dramatic fjords of Alaska's Inside Passage.

Our fleet of six expedition ships includes the National Geographic Endeavour; National Geographic Islander; National Geographic Sea Bird; National Geographic Sea Lion; our flagship, the National Geographic Explorer; and the newest ship in our fleet, the state-of-the-art National Geographic Orion.

We've brought expedition travel into the 21st century, navigating distant, unspoiled territory without sacrificing comfort. All of our ships feature comfortable cabins, a lounge, a library, and wellness services so that you can unwind after an active day. Chefs on board create delicious meals that reflect the cuisine of the places we visit using fresh, local, and organic ingredients. On board each ship, you'll find Zodiac landing craft, sea kayaks, and snorkeling gear, as well as specially designed tools that allow for more extensive exploration.

In addition to the six National Geographic ships in our fleet, we also charter five ships, including riverboats and a tall ship, that are well suited to exploring diverse regions such as the Amazon, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Scotland, Greece, Turkey, and the Dalmatian Coast.

An unparalleled team

The hallmark of our expeditions with Lindblad is the team of experts that accompanies every trip—seasoned naturalists, undersea specialists, and researchers who share their knowledge and insights with our travelers and bring each destination to life. On select voyages, the team will be joined by a National Geographic scientist, historian, photographer, or explorer. In addition, a veteran National Geographic photographer joins every expedition aboard the National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion.

Cutting-edge exploration tools

Each ship in our fleet is equipped with the latest innovations in exploration technology, such as bow cameras, remotely operated vehicles, undersea cameras, hydrophones, and video-microscopes—our eyes and ears beneath the waves.

A unique platform

Through our alliance, we actively support National Geographic's ongoing research and exploration around the world. For instance, a National Geographic Crittercam team traveled with us to their remote research base on Livingston Island in Antarctica to continue their research on leopard seals. Also in Antarctica, National Geographic grantees Bob Pittman and John Durban used the National Geographic Explorer as a base from which to photograph and tag Antarctic killer whales. Writers, photographers, and film crews have traveled with our guests to Alaska, South Georgia, Svalbard, Costa Rica, and the Galápagos to continue the Society's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet.

In association with National Geographic's Education Foundation, we have developed the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship program to encourage dedicated teachers to advance geography education in our classrooms. Grosvenor Teacher Fellows are educators from all over the country who have been invited on board to explore the Arctic on one of our expeditions. By the end of 2013, more than 50 teachers will have had the chance to travel with us. As a result of their experiences, hundreds of other teachers and thousands of students will better understand how a place as far away as Arctic Svalbard can impact their daily lives.

Lindblad-National Geographic Fund

Our organizations have established the Lindblad-National Geographic Fund for Research, Conservation, and Exploration to support education, conservation, and sustainable development initiatives in the areas we explore together. With the help of our guests, we have funded studies on humpback whale behavior in Alaska; supported numerous wildlife-monitoring projects; and provided much needed educational materials to local teachers and students in the Galápagos. Also, our Lindblad-National Geographic Fund for the Ocean awards grants for innovative exploration and conservation projects in critical areas of the world's oceans. Through these and other initiatives, your participation on a National Geographic/Lindblad voyage has a direct and positive impact on the places we visit.

A focus on photography

Great things happen when two pioneers in exploration focus on ways to make a travel experience even more compelling. We've trained a team of Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Certified Photo Instructors, and, since 2011, there has been a photo instructor aboard every single one of our voyages helping our guests improve their photography skills. Our instructors are on hand to assist all photo enthusiasts, whether you're a beginner who would like to better understand your camera or an intermediate photographer seeking advice on composition and lighting. A National Geographic photographer also accompanies all voyages aboard the National Geographic Explorer and the National Geographic Orion.