National Geographic x Lindblad Expeditions

The Lindblad name has been attached to expedition travel since the family first took paying travellers to Antarctica and the Galapagos in the 1960s. The alliance with National Geographic adds photographers, scientists and film-makers to a team of naturalists who already know these waters well.

Ships are small and practical rather than grand. Days are shaped by weather and wildlife: a landing by Zodiac at first light, a kayak among ice or mangroves, a talk in the lounge before dinner on what was seen that morning. Undersea specialists often dive with cameras and bring the footage back on board. The mood is that of a field station with good food and a well-stocked bar, and conversation tends to run to birds, whales and lenses.