Kermadecs - Land of Dreams

  • Get inspired by the possibilities.
  • Build your ideal trip.
  • Visit beautiful remote islands, such as Curtis and Cheeseman Island
  • Encounter tropical seabirds & species found nowhere else in New Zealand
  • Dive, snorkel, and hike on magnificent Raoul Island
  • Explore the extensive Marine Reserve that protects the unique marine ecosystem
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Scuba Diving
  • Small Ship Cruises
  • Whale Watching
  • New Zealand
  • South Pacific
  • Curtis Island
  • Kermadec Islands
  • L'Esperance Rock
  • Macauley Island
  • Raoul Island

Full Itinerary

Day 1: tauranga, day 2: at sea.

  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 3: L'Esperance Rock and Curtis | Cheeseman Islands

Day 4-7: raoul island.

  • 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners

Day 8: Macauley Island

Day 9-10: at sea, day 11: tauranga.

  • 1 Breakfast

Spirit of Enderby

Dates & prices, my preferred start date.

Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.

Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge

See our general terms and conditions:

  • Adventure Life Terms & Conditions

We are an agent for one or more providers on this trip with specific cancellation policies and terms:

  • Heritage Expeditions: Terms & Conditions - Heritage Expeditions

For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.

  • 10 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches, 10 Dinners
  • 10 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Pre- & Post- Cruise Transfers
  • Complimentary boot rental is available. However, due to the limited supply of boots available aboard the ship, it is recommended that you bring your own rubber boots for best fit and availability. Youth size boots are not available.
  • House beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
  • One night hotel accommodation in a twin share room (incl. dinner/breakfast)
  • All expedition shore excursions
  • Programme of lectures by noted naturalists
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Required Visas if applicable
  • Laundry 
  • Mandatory medical evacuation insurance

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Our expedition to the remote Kermadec Islands

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In May 2011, marine scientists Mark McGrouther, Stephen Keable and Mandy Reid joined colleagues from New Zealand on an historic expedition.

The remote, volcanic Kermadec Islands are one of the most volcanically active regions on earth. They are about 3000 kilometres north-east of Sydney and are one of the few places where the marine environment is largely unaffected by human activity.

Mark McGrouther (fishes), Mandy Reid (molluscs) and Stephen Keable (marine invertebrates) joined forces with scientists from the Auckland Museum , National Museum of New Zealand TepapaTongarewa , and the New Zealand Department of Conservation on an expedition that spent 3 weeks collecting specimens to record the biodiversity of this largely undocumented region.

In a world increasingly affected by climate change, sea level rise and ocean acidification, it is important that we get to know as much about marine areas as possible. Our expedition increased the known fish fauna of the islands by over 10%. We are still studying the invertebrate specimens but expect to find a significant number of new species.

These images form part of a small time capsule we gathered to help us understand how to manage and conserve the biodiversity of this magnificent region.

  • View the official trip blog on the Auckland Museum website.
  • Learn more about the Kermadec Islands.

Photo of two painted shields

The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.

Image credit: gadigal yilimung (shield) made by Uncle Charles  Chicka  Madden

Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

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Unesco social media, kermadec islands and marine reserve.

Northland - Pacific Island archepelago

The Tentative Lists of States Parties are published by the World Heritage Centre at its website and/or in working documents in order to ensure transparency, access to information and to facilitate harmonization of Tentative Lists at regional and thematic levels.

The sole responsibility for the content of each Tentative List lies with the State Party concerned. The publication of the Tentative Lists does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the World Heritage Committee or of the World Heritage Centre or of the Secretariat of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its boundaries.

Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party

Description

The Kermadec archipelago contains the northernmost land and territorial seas in New Zealand. Raoul Island (Rangitahua) is by far the largest (2900 ha) of the 15 islands, which are spread as four clusters in a line over 250 km of the Pacific Ocean (Latitude 29º - 32º S and Longitude 177º - 179º W), about 1100 km north-east of the Northland coast. The site for immediate consideration consists of:

  • the Kermadec Islands: Raoul, Macauley, Curtis, Cheeseman, the Meyer Islands, and the other smaller islands of the group, and
  • the large (748,000 hectares) Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve surrounding the islands.

In the longer term, extensions to the site SSW along the Kermadec Ridge to include a representative group of seamounts and the active marine volcano, White Island will be considered.

Statements of authenticity and/or integrity

Both reserves are among the most strictly protected in New Zealand. The marine reserve encompasses a very wide range of underwater landforms and marine ecosystems. Past human occupation has modified the indigenous flora and fauna of the islands but in the last 15 years impressive rehabilitation progress has been made in the removal of weeds and pests from all the affected islands in the group.

IMAGES

  1. Kermadec Island expedition

    visit kermadec islands

  2. Students and teachers on science voyage to Kermadec Islands

    visit kermadec islands

  3. Kermadec Islands: Places to go

    visit kermadec islands

  4. Kermadec Islands

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  5. kermadec islands Archives

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  6. Kermadec Islands

    visit kermadec islands

VIDEO

  1. ZL8X

  2. Exploring the Fascinating Depths of the Kermadec Trench

  3. The Astonishing Fauna of the Kermadec Trench: Discovering Bizarre Deep-Sea Creatures

  4. 5 Kermadec Crescent, Waipu

  5. Large Earthquake 7.1 Kermadec Islands New Zealand region. Wed 3/15/2023

COMMENTS

  1. Kermadec Islands: Places to go

    The Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve, located about 1,000 km northeast of New Zealand, is the most remote area managed by DOC and can only be visited with a special permit. View boundaries on MarineMate app. Find things to do and places to stay Kermadec Islands Bird and wildlife watching

  2. Visiting the Kermadec Islands with a permit

    The Kermadec Islands can only be visited if you obtain the relevant permits prior to leaving mainland New Zealand. Frequently asked questions about Kermadec Islands permits The Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve is the most remote area managed by DOC.

  3. Kermadec Islands

    The Kermadec Islands ( / ˈkɜːrmədɛk /; Māori: Rangitāhua) [2] are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean 800-1,000 km (500-620 mi) northeast of New Zealand 's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga. The islands are part of New Zealand.

  4. Kermadec Islands Travel Guide: Tourist Attractions & Things to Do

    Kermadec Islands offers many attractions and places to visit. Here are the most important ones: Curtis Island, Nugent Island, Cheeseman Island, Macauley Island. Below you will find a complete list of places worth visiting. Area Curtis Island Curtis Island is an island in the southwest Pacific.

  5. Kermadecs

    Overview Full Itinerary Ship/Hotel Dates & Prices Map Inquire Few people would know where these subtropical islands are. That is one of their many attractions, that visitors are rare. They lie 1000km northeast of New Zealand about half way to Tonga and well off the main shipping routes.

  6. Kermadec Islands

    Te Ara Home › Places › Offshore Islands › Kermadec Islands Story: Kermadec Islands The subtropical, volcanic Kermadec Islands are the northernmost part of New Zealand. Attempts were made to settle on Raoul Island from the 1830s, but the isolation, lack of fresh water and occasional volcanic eruptions made it a difficult place to live.

  7. Kermadec Island expedition

    Updated 12/10/22 The Kermadec Island expedition The remote, volcanic Kermadec Islands are one of the most volcanically active regions on earth. They are about 3000 kilometres north-east of Sydney and are one of the few places where the marine environment is largely unaffected by human activity.

  8. Kermadec Islands

    Kermadec Islands, volcanic island group in the South Pacific Ocean, 600 mi (1,000 km) northeast of Auckland, New Zealand; they are a dependency of New Zealand. They include Raoul (Sunday), Macauley, and Curtis islands and l'Esperance Rock and have a total land area of 13 sq mi (34 sq km).

  9. Our expedition to the remote Kermadec Islands

    The remote, volcanic Kermadec Islands are one of the most volcanically active regions on earth. They are about 3000 kilometres north-east of Sydney and are one of the few places where the marine environment is largely unaffected by human activity.

  10. Kermadecs

    DISCOVERY AND EARLY SETTLEMENT The archaeological and historic landscape of the Kermadec Islands, especially Raoul, is extensive and extremely important. As the only islands between Polynesia and New Zealand, they were periodically occupied by Polynesians on their great ocean voyages.

  11. Kermadec Islands: Places to go

    The Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve, located about 1,000 km northeast of New Zealand, is the most remote area managed by DOC and can only be visited with a special permit. View boundaries on MarineMate app. Find things to do and places to stay Kermadec Islands Bird and wildlife watching

  12. Raoul Island

    Map of the Kermadec Islands with Raoul Island. Raoul Island (Sunday Island) is the largest and northernmost of the main Kermadec Islands, 900 km (560 mi) south south-west of 'Ata Island of Tonga and 1,100 km (680 mi) north north-east of New Zealand's North Island.It has been the source of vigorous volcanic activity during the past several thousand years that was dominated by dacitic explosive ...

  13. Department of Conservation

    Department of Conservation

  14. Visiting the Kermadec Islands with a permit

    The Kermadec Islands can only be visited if you obtain the relevant permits prior to leaving mainland New Zealand. Frequently asked questions about Kermadec Islands permits The Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve is the most remote area managed by DOC.

  15. The magic of the Kermadecs

    On: 19 Apr 2021 A team of keen birders recently participated in an 11-day trip to the remote Kermadec Islands, about 800 km north-east of mainland New Zealand. Several of the species they encountered are rarely seen or photographed - in New Zealand or anywhere.

  16. Kermadec Islands and Marine reserve

    the Kermadec Islands: Raoul, Macauley, Curtis, Cheeseman, the Meyer Islands, and the other smaller islands of the group, and the large (748,000 hectares) Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve surrounding the islands.

  17. Kermadec Islands map

    The Kermadec Islands are the tiny emergent part of a chain of submarine volcanoes that define the Kermadec ridge. In political terms the Kermadecs are important for New Zealand as they define the northern extent of both the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the Extended Continental Shelf (ECS). Share this item.

  18. Kermadec Islands marine reserve

    The Kermadec Islands, located about 1000 km north-east of New Zealand, are some of the most interesting places on this planet, mainly because of their isolation and because the world has very few island groups in the subtropical south. ... Very few people will be lucky enough to visit these islands, yet many should know about them. This section ...

  19. Plants and animals

    The Kermadec Islands have no native land mammals, but are home to large colonies of seabirds which nest in the forests or on the coast. 35 bird species are known, at least three of which are unique to the Kermadecs.

  20. Frequently asked questions about Kermadec Islands permits

    You can send your completed Entry Permit application to [email protected]. Remember to: Submit evidence your vessel's hull is clean using forms 1 and 2 from of the Regional Coastal Plan: Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands (completed by an approved inspector). Provide evidence of an exemption from New Zealand Customs if you will ...

  21. Kermadec Islands Map

    New Zealand Kermadec Islands The Kermadec Islands are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean 800-1,000 km northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga. Map Directions Satellite Photo Map Wikipedia Photo: LawrieM, Public domain. Ukraine is facing shortages in its brave fight to survive.

  22. Human impact

    The first people to visit the Kermadec Islands, from the 1300s onwards, were of Polynesian origin. A number of cultural layers, including ovens and stone tools, have been found during archaeological investigations on Raoul Island. The tools were mainly made from local materials, but distinctive obsidian flakes from Tūhua (Mayor Island) in the ...

  23. Auckland to Kermadec Islands via car, and car ferry

    Rome2Rio makes travelling from Auckland to Kermadec Islands easy. Rome2Rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Find all the transport options for your trip from Auckland to Kermadec Islands right here.