The Subantarctic: wild islands far south of New Zealand

Far from the usual tourist crowd, these remote islands showcase stunning wilderness and amazing animals

An albatross on Campbell Island
Campbell Island: 'abundant wildlife' and a perfect spot for birders
(Image credit: Wolfgang Kaehler / LightRocket / Getty Images)

Antarctic cruises have never been so popular, with roughly 100,000 passengers a year. About 98% of them sail from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula, in the west. But just a few sail to the south of the continent, from New Zealand, said Jamie Lafferty in The Telegraph.

The distance to Antarctica itself is far greater from here, so these ships tend to head to a series of small archipelagoes known as the Subantarctic Islands. The westerly winds at these latitudes are nicknamed the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties for good reason, and, without the shelter of the Peninsula, the Southern Ocean can be especially "pitiless". As a result, cruises face a higher chance of failure, but for some (keen birders, in particular) the risk is worth it, so magnificent are the islands and their abundant wildlife.

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