Galapagos of the Southern Ocean
Queenstown - Invercargill
- Nov 26 - Dec 07 2025
- 12 Days
- Heritage Adventurer
Price from£9,250/person
Macquarie Island Tours & Cruises
Search and book 35 tours and expedition cruises to Macquarie Island with Polar Escapes.
Questions?
Talk to a polar pro
Free advice from people that have been there
Questions?
Talk to a polar pro
Free advice from people that have been there
We partner with the world’s top expedition operators
Best Macquarie Island Tours & Cruises for 2025 & 2026
Choose from our curated selection of the best tours to Macquarie Island and the New Zealand Subantarctic from our range of trusted operators.
Why Travel To Macquarie Island With Polar Escapes?
We make travel easy.
Compare all tours in one place.
We make travel easy.
Compare all tours in one place.
Best price guaranteed.
We don't charge you more.
Best price guaranteed.
We don't charge you more.
35 years of Experience
Free advice from people who have been there.
35 years of Experience
Free advice from people who have been there.
Travel with confidence.
100% financial protection & travel support.
Travel with confidence.
100% financial protection & travel support.
Macquarie Island and The New Zealand Subantarctic Islands
Explore some of the most remote islands on Earth with a vast array of wildlife and endemic species.
Macquarie Island
Situated halfway between Australia and Antarctica, this remote sub-antarctic island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the Australian Marine Park. Known as the Galapagos of the Southern Ocean due to its abundant wildlife, Macquarie Island is home to 4 million penguins. Five hundred thousand pairs of Royal Penguins endemic to the island form a colony at Hurd Point, making it one of nature's greatest spectacles.
Auckland Islands
Located 450 miles south of New Zealand, the Auckland Islands archipelago is a captivating port of call for Macquarie Island cruises. These remote volcanic islands are a haven for wildlife, including the world's rarest penguin, the yellow-eyed penguin, with an estimated wild population of just 4,000. Sea lions and seven albatrosses, including Royal albatrosses and mollymawks, use the islands as breeding grounds.
Enderby Island
Classified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, Enderby Island is a breeding site for endemic Auckland shags, Auckland snipe and Auckland teal. Yellow-eyed penguins, brown skuas and New Zealand pipits all nest on the island. Sea Lions can be seen resting on the sandy bay.Â
Antipodes Islands
Castaway in the Southern Ocean 540 miles southeast of New Zealand, the Antipodes Islands are a group of uninhabited volcanic islands. Home to the Erect-crested penguin, which is endemic to New Zealand, these islands are as far away from civilisation as you can imagine.
Campbell Island
The most southerly of New Zealand's Subantarctic islands, Campbell Island has an abundance of birdlife, including Southern Rockhopper penguins and southern Royal Albatrosses. The island consists of tussock grass, making it the perfect nesting area for seabirds in the Southern Ocean.
Ross Sea & Antarctica
Many Macquarie island tours and cruises also visit the Ross Sea and East Antarctica as part of a longer voyage. East Antarctica is the least visited part of the Antarctic continent. It's famous for the historic huts of Shackleton and Ross, where they departed from on their expeditions to the North Pole.
When To Go
December - March
2°c - 8°c
(average summer temperature)
17 Hours Of Sunlight
(at height of summer)
Need advice?
It's good to talk to people who have been there.
No hard sell. Just excellent advice.
And Penguins.
What Will I See?
Wildlife
Macquarie Island and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands are a treasure trove of wildlife and part of the Southern Ocean's ecosystem. On Macquarie Island alone, 3.5 million seabirds, 4 million penguins and up to 100,000 seals breed on the island each year. Common species include Royal penguins, Hooker's Sea lions, Albatrosses and fur seals, which are some of the many highlights of a journey to the island.
Remote Island Landscapes
Rugged and remote landscapes without human habitation greet the adventurous visitor. One of the huge draws for visitors to the islands is stepping ashore on seldom-visited beaches and taking in the sweeping scenery. From sheer volcanic cliffs to hills covered in Tussock Grass, the islands are some of the most scenic places on Earth.
Endemic Flora
From the Macquarie Island Cabbage, which early settlers used to avoid scurvy, to the critically endangered cushion plant and endemic helmet orchids, these plants can be seen nowhere else on Earth.
Wildlife of Macquarie Island and the New Zealand Sub Antarctic
In the heart of the southern ocean, hundreds of miles from the nearest land, the islands are some of the most wildlife-rich places on Earth.
Royal Penguins
Endemic to Macquarie Island, there is estimated to be a population of 850,000 Royal Penguins that live and breed on the island. Herd Point is a wildlife hotspot where you can see 500,000 Royal Penguins in the largest gathering on Earth. Other penguin species that breed on the island include King penguins, southern rockhoppers and Gentoos.
Southern Elephant Seals
Southern elephant seals haul out on the beaches of Macquarie Island to breed each year. Giant male beach masters, weighing up to 3000kg, battle each other for dominance. They are distinguished from other seals by their elephant-like noses, which are used to ward off other breeding seals.
Albatrosses
Seven species of albatrosses nest on Macquarie Island. Royal, Wandering, and Salvin's albatrosses can be seen nesting in the tussock grass. The eradication of rabbits from the island has assisted with the recovery of vital vegetation for nesting albatrosses.
Fur Seals
Three fur seal species can be seen on the island: Antarctic, sub-Antarctic, and New Zealand fur seals. In 1820, sealers overhunted fur seals, wiping out the population. Today, however, numbers have recovered, and there is a thriving population of fur seals on the islands.
Expert Advice From Polar Escapes
The vast concentrations of wildlife, endemic species, and captivating scenery make Macquarie Island and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands unlike anywhere else on Earth. If you need help planning your trip, we have years of experience.
Macquarie Island Tours & Cruises
15 Day expedition to New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands
Step onboard the luxury small expedition cruise ship Le Soleal to discover the beauty of New Zealand's remote sub-antarctic Islands. This expedition from Dunedin in New Zealand visits Milford Sound, The Snares, Enderby Island, Macquarie Island and the Antipodes Islands.
34-Day Epic Antarctica: Crossing The 7th Continent
Join an epic exploration of Antarctica and sail from New Zealand to Ushuaia in Argentina across the bottom of the Earth. The voyage will visit the New Zealand Subantarctic islands before sailing south to the Ross Sea in Antarctica. It will then sail to the Antarctic peninsula before arriving in Argentina.
26-Day Ross Sea Odyssey
This Ross Sea expedition explores the furthest reaches of Antarctica, stopping off at Macquarie Island en route. On its return, this voyage also visits Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands.
Macquarie Island Tours & Cruises FAQ
Where is Macquarie Island?
Macquarie Island is a remote island in the Southern Ocean, approximately halfway between Tasmania in Australia and Antarctica. It is located 687 miles southwest of New Zealand and approximately 930 miles southeast of Tasmania.
It is the last land before Antarctica, which makes it an ideal breeding spot and wildlife refuge for the millions of animals and marine mammals that flock to the island. It has a similar latitude to other subantarctic islands, such as South Georgia.
How to get to Macquarie Island?
Due to its remote location and lack of infrastructure, an expedition cruise is the only way to visit Macquarie Island. On expedition cruises to Macquarie Island, you can see other New Zealand Subantarctic islands, including Campbell Island and the Antipodes Islands. Expedition ships are equipped with Zodiac landing craft and a professional expedition team, which are necessary for shore landings on the remote coastline, which has no ports or landing facilities.
How Long Does It Take To Get To Macquarie Island?
It takes approximately 3 days in good weather to sail on an expedition ship to Macquarie Island from New Zealand or Hobart in Tasmania.
Can tourists visit Macquarie Island?
Yes, it is possible to visit Macquarie Island as a tourist as part of an organised tour on an expedition cruise. If you wanted to visit Macquarie Island on your own, the only option would be to sail there on a private yacht. Access to the Subantarctic Islands, including Macquarie Island, requires a permit due to their protected status.
At Polar Escapes, we work with the best operators who have decades of experience exploring Macquarie Island and New Zealand’s Subantarctic islands. Please contact our team to help you plan your trip.
When is the best time to visit Macquarie Island?
The best time to visit Macquarie Island is between December and March in the southern summer. This window provides the best conditions for expedition cruises to make landings. Due to harsh conditions in the Southern Ocean, visiting the island at any other time of the year is impossible.
Between December and January, temperatures fluctuate between 3c and 8c. Due to its location in the furious fifties, the weather is often windy, and rainfall is frequent.
Where do Macquarie Island tours and cruises depart from?
Macquarie island tours and cruises depart from Hobart in Tasmania or southern New Zealand ports, including Dunedin and Invercargill.
What Will I Do on A Macquarie Island Tour?
Macquarie Island tours focus on birdwatching and wildlife watching with a team of expedition guides. Visitors may also be able to visit the research station on the island to learn about the research work taking place there.
A Zodiac cruise is the ultimate way to explore the island, make shore landings, and encounter extraordinary wildlife.
Expedition cruises often spend a couple of days visiting different landing sites on the island.
