Actively explore with kayaks, SUPs, snorkeling gear and more
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions' ships are uniquely equipped with state-of-the-art tools so you can experience the excitement and wonder of genuine exploration, no matter where you travel with us. Navigate along rocky shorelines and into secluded coves in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard or dive into remote waters to discover a galaxy of brightly colored fish—we supply high-quality snorkeling gear, wetsuits, and optional dive gear. Get closer to where wildlife nests, forages, and plays in a Zodiac boat: navigate around ice floes, land on deserted beaches, or venture up winding jungle rivers. Bow cams and video microscopes provide intriguing perspectives of life under the sea, from exuberant dolphins to fascinating microscopic creatures like plankton or krill.
Watch here and read below to learn how National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions will ensure that you are fully prepared for your next adventure.
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Tools
At the heart of the expedition experience are these sturdy rubber boats that enable us to land on remote shores far from any infrastructure. Quickly and easily deployable, Zodiacs allow up-close views of leopard seals lolling on the ice, playful minke whales at water level, noisy Steller sea lions hauled-out on rocks, and so much more.
Deployed from select ships by the undersea specialist, ROVs can dive to depths of up to 1,000 feet—far out of the range of scuba divers—to shoot video in places few have seen. The video is shared during the nightly Recap in the ship’s lounge with a question-and-answer session led by our naturalist staff.
Paddle past penguins in the Antarctic, explore water-level caves in Baja, and glide among frolicking sea lions in Galápagos. Single and tandem kayaks are versatile tools for up-close encounters with wildness and can be quickly deployed in a range of destinations from tropical to polar.
Custom-made for National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, our quiver of paddleboards provide another method of active exploration. Designed to be extra stable and to accommodate a wide range of abilities, they are ideal for circumnavigating a tiny uninhabited island, exploring mangroves, or paddling along a remote beach.
Ships that sail to places suitable for snorkeling are outfitted with complete gear, including shorty wetsuits. They are fitted on day one and are yours to use for the duration of the voyage. In the shallow waters best suited for snorkeling, see the vivid colors of fish and coral.
Experienced divers may have a chance to explore some of the undersea capitals of wildness including the Galápagos or the Southern Line Islands on select expeditions. National Geographic Orion carries scuba gear for 24, plus two divemasters, in the tropics. And other expeditions offer scuba on select sailings. Call for details.
Hear the vocalizations of whales swimming beneath the bow of your ship. A naturalist may lower a microphone into the sea while whales are feeding in Alaska or swimming near the ship in Baja allowing the rare opportunity to hear them communicating in real time.
Select expeditions sail with glass-bottom boats, which allow us to see the undersea while staying dry. They also offer the benefit of seeing the fish, turtles, or corals while sitting next to a naturalist who can identify each species and share its natural history.
Ice-class vessels in the fleet are outfitted with a camera mounted on the very top of the ship’s mast that you can view from the comfort of your cabin. The expedition team may use the camera as visual reconnaissance to search for open ice leads ahead of the ship, or to zoom in on distant wildlife.
Video cameras mounted just below the waterline on some ships give you a window on the undersea at all times. Naturalists can use the camera as visual reconnaissance, and the live video feed offers those in the ship’s lounge a unique vantage point when dolphins come to ride our bow wake or schools of fish swim past.
Follow the ship’s progress and keep track of your route via an electronic chart that shows, in real time, the ship’s location, speed, and course. Aboard National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Resolution, and National Geographic Explorer, this tool is also available on a monitor in each cabin.
Enter the Bridge at any time of day to watch the calm orchestra of navigation unfold and talk to the watch officer while the ship is underway. Help yourself to a pair of binoculars to scan the horizon for wildlife, or learn about the art of navigation and the ship's tools for sailing into the ice or along treacherous coasts.
