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 Antarctica to Alaska's Inside Passage.
The National Geographic-Lindblad fleet
Our fleet of eight expedition ships includes our flagship, the National Geographic Explorer; the National Geographic Orion; the National Geographic Endeavour II; the National Geographic Islander; the National Geographic Sea Bird; the National Geographic Sea Lion; and the newly built National Geographic Quest. The National Geographic Quest’s twin sister ship, the National Geographic Venture, will debut in the summer of 2018.
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 regions we visit using fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients wherever possible. On board each ship, you'll find a variety of equipment to get you out exploring, such as expedition landing craft, sea kayaks, snorkeling gear and wetsuits, and stand-up paddleboards. The ships also feature specially designed tools like remotely operated vehicles (National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion) that allow for more extensive exploration. In addition to our fleet, we also charter five ships, including riverboats for our expeditions to the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and Scotland; and the only privately owned tall ship, which brings us to the Caribbean, Greece, 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.
A focus on photography
Specially trained Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructors are aboard every departure on all of our ships. They are on hand to help you capture your best photos, whether you're a beginner who would like to better understand your camera or an intermediate photographer seeking advice on composition and lighting. From DSLR cameras to mobile phones, they’ll assist you with whatever device you use for photography. A National Geographic photographer also accompanies all voyages aboard the National Geographic Explorer and the 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, we invite Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund grantees Bob Pitman and John Durban on board to conduct killer whale research and share it in real time with our guests. Writers, photographers, and film crews have traveled with our guests to Alaska, South Georgia, Svalbard, Costa Rica, and the Galápagos on assignment for National Geographic.
In association with the National Geographic Society, the National Geographic-Lindblad fleet hosts the Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program to encourage dedicated teachers to advance geographic learning in their classrooms. Grosvenor Teacher Fellows are Pre-K-12 educators from the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico who apply and are selected for this professional development experience aboard expeditions to Arctic Svalbard, the Galápagos, Antarctica, and beyond. By the end of 2017, more than 180 educators will have had the chance to travel with us and bring the experience back in meaningful ways for tens of thousands of students and colleagues throughout the USA and Canada. And in 2017, we are introducing a state-of-the-art family travel program in the Galápagos, developed with National Geographic Education, to encourage kids on board to build the attitudes, skills, and knowledge of an explorer.
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund
Together we established the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund to support research, education, conservation, and community development initiatives in the areas we explore. With the help of our guests, we have funded studies on humpback whale behavior and clean water initiatives in Alaska; supported invasive species eradication and other wildlife conservation projects in the Galápagos, and supported artisan development in the Peruvian Amazon. Also, aboard the National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion we invite guests to join our largest initiative for environmental preservation—National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project, aimed at protecting 20 of the ocean’s wildest places by 2020. Through these and other initiatives, your participation on a National Geographic-Lindblad voyage has a direct and positive impact on the places we visit.
