Heritage Expeditions - Undiscovered Dusky Sound Cruise Itinerary

Meet with your fellow expeditioners in Te Anau before travelling across Lake Manapouri and over the Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound (times and meeting point will be confirmed with your voyage documents). The Captain and Expedition Leader will be waiting to welcome you aboard Heritage Explorer and show you to your cabin. Settle into life aboard before we set sail along the scenic waterways of Doubtful Sound before finding a suitable anchorage to enjoy your first evening aboard.

Accommodation: Heritage Explorer - 4 Nights

After a quiet night aboard surrounded by the nature and wilderness of Fiordland, the exploration continues among some of the most majestic scenery in New Zealand. 

You have two days to explore, discover and experience the rich history, wilderness, wildlife and grand scale scenery of Fiordland’s iconic Dusky Sound. The voyage will see us visiting and exploring some of the most significant historical and conservation sites in New Zealand as well as marvelling at the ever-changing scenery as you sail deep into the heart of Fiordland. During the time here the plan is to walk in the footsteps of Captain Cook and astronomer William Wales at Astronomer’s Point, the site of a temporary observatory in Pickersgill Harbour, where New Zealand became the most accurately located place on the globe when the HMS Resolution was moored here in 1773. 

The explorations also expect to include predator free Anchor Island, home to half of the world’s population of Kākāpō and Little Spotted Kiwi, and location of historic Luncheon Cove and a number of New Zealand firsts. These include New Zealand’s first sealing gang, the building of New Zealand’s first European homestead and first European designed ship, the 16-metre Providence built here and launched in 1795. On nearby Pigeon Island you will learn about the history of Richard Henry and his pioneering live transfer of birds to island refuges – an international first in wildlife conservation. While his attempts were unsuccessful due to stoats swimming over to the island, it is heartening to learn the island is now pest-free and a sanctuary for native birdlife, with Henry’s vision fulfilled.

A navigation through Acheron Passage today, which separates Resolution Island from the mainland, is sure to be one of the highlights of our time in Fiordland. 

This iconic scenic waterway is an area where the resident Bottlenose Dolphins are often spotted. Our explorations here may include venturing into Wet Jacket Arm where the crew of Cook’s HMS Resolution ended up with wet jackets during their survey work. It is also the sight where moose were released, and last seen, in New Zealand. The extensive sheltered waters of scenic Breaksea Sound, initially scouted for sheep farming suitability by early settlers in the 1850s is also the location of Breaksea Island, an iconic site in New Zealand conservation history as one of the first large islands declared rat-free in 1988 and now home to many endangered species. This afternoon you might like to try your luck fishing for tonight’s dinner, or take the kayaks for a shoreline exploration.

This morning Heritage Explorer returns to Supper Cove where you enjoy a last opportunity to bask in the majesty of the fiords during breakfast before boarding your scenic helicopter transfer back to Te Anau. 

In case of unexpected delays, it's advised not to book any onward travel from Te Anau until after 1:00pm.

Please note, during the voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. Voyages are planned and scheduled pending final regulatory approval.