About Heritage Expeditions

Heritage Expeditions was formed in 1985, as a way of increasing awareness and conservation of the natural world through responsible expedition travel. Founded by Rodney and Shirley Russ, Rodney was a biologist working for the New Zealand Wildlife Service. Through his work with Kakapo, Chatham Island Black Robin and other endangered species he appreciated that rather than locking wilderness areas away, it was important to share them with people so that they might become 'ambassadors' advocating and supporting conservation efforts. He has long held the view that conservation and responsible travel are partners, that together can achieve what might otherwise be unachievable.

From those small beginnings Heritage Expeditions, which is still family-owned and run, now by Rodney and Shirley's sons Aaron and Nathan Russ, operates its own ships – 140-guest expedition ship Heritage Adventurer, 18-guest expedition yacht Heritage Explorer, and 50-guest Polar Research vessels Spirit of Enderby (Professor Khromov) and Akademik Shokalskiy – on expedition cruises to Antarctica, the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the Russian Far East and coastal New Zealand. Each authentic, small-ship expedition cruise is meticulously planned and led ensuring expeditioners maximise every opportunity they have to learn and experience as much as possible about the region, while at the same time minimising the impact of their visit.

Today Heritage Expeditions works from modern purpose-built offices in Christchurch, New Zealand. When booking with us you benefit from the enormous wealth of experience, knowledge and passion of our team for the destinations we visit.

Our Ships

Heritage Expeditions' yacht Heritage Explorer, expedition ship Heritage Adventurer, and research ships Spirit of Enderby (Professor Khromov) and Akademik Shokalskiy are renowned for their strength and manoeuvrability – perfect for exploring the world's most remote coasts and shorelines.

Responsible Travel Policy

Travelling with Heritage Expeditions is to travel responsibly. As biologists and ornithologists, we are intimately aware of the many issues that confront animals and their habitats, the world's oceans and isolated ethnic groups.

Expedition Staff

Heritage Expeditions' has assembled a world-renowned team naturalists, botanists, historians and experts to interpret the natural and human history discovered during each voyage, as well as hosting regular lectures, ensuring guests maximise every opportunity to learn, discover and experience as much as possible during their voyage.

Office Staff

Responsible for taking your bookings, logistics, making sure everything runs smoothly and more, our outstanding office team are based at Heritage Expeditions' HQ in Christchurch, New Zealand. Contact them to benefit from their wealth of experience, knowledge and passion for the places we go and expeditions we offer.

Where We Go

Heritage's administration is peerless, the best that we have seen in around 25 year of this type of travel. We cannot thank Lorna for enough her help and efficiency in handling all the arrangements our requests. Her liaison with Asiana to sort out some last minute problems with our return flight to was exemplary ...

Das

The highlight for me was the bottlenose dolphins bow-riding, especially the huge pod we saw, with all the calves. It was fantastic! Just beautiful to see them in the sea doing their own thing in the wild.

Stefanie

This was a wonderful trip to the Ross sea. Highlights were the magical rata forest of Enderby Island with its bellbirds, parakeets and sealions that stuck their heads out of the bushes and roared, the Ross Ice Shelf with the penguins calling and the booming of the surf in the caverns under the ice, Mt ...

Camilla Tooley

Thank you for the excellent trip to South to Antarctica. The moment I was standing on the fast ice and an adult emperor penguin jumped up on to the ice close to me while the ship was in the background was really marvellous!

Göran

We want to thank you all as a team and as a group of totally - focussed individuals for all you have done to make our trip safe, memorable, and ecologically thought provoking.

Nita & Bob

Thank you to all of the team for making this "the trip of a lifetime". Every day was a new adventure shared with staff and passengers from a wide range of backgrounds but a shared interest in exploration and conservation. We feel very privileged to have visited places that most people can only dream of ...

Merle and Tony

Did Rodney tell you about the amazing Zodiac rides to see the Walrus haul-out? It was totally incredible and he seriously enhanced the experience by using his hydrophone and letting us hear it too.

Helena

Dear Lorna I wish you to pass on my thanks to Rodney and all the staff who made my week in the Southern Ocean an experience of a lifetime. I think I might have been the oldest member of our party but it was all within my ability and I am so pleased I was ...

Jill

The staff including the Russian crew were really great, personable, accommodating, competent and very interesting, and the chefs produced all sorts of terrific food with a smile despite any adverse weather. It far exceeded my expectations and I will be looking forward to learning more Russian and going on other trips in the future.

Heather