8 Places to Go When You’ve Been Everywhere
For many adventurous travelers, a lifelong passion for expedition travel begins with the icons: the Galápagos, Antarctica and Alaska. But curiosity rarely stands still. Once you've experienced these legendary destinations, where do you explore next?
Beyond the world’s well-known wild places lies another realm of extraordinary discovery—remote coastlines, rarely visited islands and cultural landscapes ideally suited to expedition cruising. These voyages venture far from familiar routes, reaching places where nature sets the pace, traditions remain deeply rooted and each day holds the possibility of genuine discovery.
Whether you're sailing the wild shores of Baffin Island, tracing Japan's least-visited coastline or learning about ancient Polynesian wayfinding techniques from a traditional master navigator, these voyages are designed for travelers whose curiosity extends far beyond the familiar.
Canadian Arctic
Photo: Ralph Lee Hopkins
The Canadian Arctic is one of expedition travel's last true frontiers—a landscape of towering cliffs, immense glaciers and dazzling sea ice, where wildlife and weather dictate the rhythms of exploration. Here, you'll search for polar bears, walruses and whales while visiting Inuit communities whose cultures have flourished in one of the planet's most demanding environments.
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions ventures deep into the region's wildest reaches. On a dedicated Baffin Island expedition, you'll spend nearly a week exploring one of the Canadian Arctic's most spectacular coastlines, where dramatic fjords, soaring seabird cliffs and ancient Inuit sites reveal themselves through patient exploration.
Whether following the legendary Northwest Passage or tracing coastlines between Greenland and Newfoundland, every voyage in the region remains flexible, allowing our veteran expedition teams to take advantage of the opportunities that arise along the way.
Explore the Canadian Arctic on:
Baffin Island: Exploring Canada's Wild Arctic Frontier
Fabled Lands of the North: Greenland to Newfoundland
Northwest Passage: Greenland to Alaska
Sailing the St. Lawrence Seaway and Canadian Maritimes
Patagonia
Photo: Michael S. Nolan
Most travelers know Patagonia for its mountain peaks and legendary trekking routes. Yet some of the region's greatest wonders lie where the Andes meet the Pacific, in a maze of glacier-carved fjords, remote islands and protected waterways that can only be explored by ship.
Voyages with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions unlock this hidden side of Patagonia, allowing you to travel farther, reach places beyond the end of the road and experience the region as generations of explorers once did—from the water. Cruise deep into fjords lined with hanging glaciers, kayak beneath towering cliffs, hike ashore in remote national parks and search for whales, dolphins and seabirds in one of the world's great coastal wildernesses.
For travelers eager to venture even farther, one remarkable expedition reaches beyond Patagonia into the vast Pacific, where the spirit of exploration carries you to some of the world's most isolated islands. Wander the volcanic landscapes of the Juan Fernández Archipelago—the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe—before arriving at Rapa Nui (Easter Island), where towering moai and ancient ceremonial sites offer a profound connection to one of the world's most mysterious island cultures.
Explore Patagonia on:
Patagonia: Chilean Fjords and Argentina’s Staten Island
Exploring Patagonia’s National Parks
Chile’s Wild Pacific: Patagonia, Juan Fernández and Easter Island
Atlantic Europe
Long before the Atlantic Ocean became a gateway to the New World, it connected the peoples of Europe. Celtic kingdoms, Moorish dynasties, Portuguese navigators and generations of merchants carried ideas, art, architecture and traditions along the continent's western edge, creating a cultural legacy that continues to shape the region today.
Following this coastline by expedition ship reveals that story in remarkable depth. Trace Portugal's seafaring heritage from Lisbon to Porto, wander the vineyards of Bordeaux, explore the Celtic landscapes of Britain and Brittany, and sail Scandinavia's fjords and island-dotted coastlines. Throughout your journey, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions historians and cultural specialists reveal the connections that link these remarkable places, transforming individual landmarks into a richer understanding of the wider Atlantic world.
Explore Atlantic Europe on:
Porto, Bordeaux and Bergen: Wonders of Western Europe
Portugal, France and the UK: Castles, Coastlines and Cuisine
Norway, Sweden and Denmark: Nordic Flavors and Scenic Landscapes
Japan
Japan is often experienced through its iconic cities, but the country’s coastlines tell an equally compelling story. Traveling by expedition ship reveals sleepy fishing villages, historic ports and island communities that have long connected Japan to the wider Pacific—places many larger cruise ships can't reach.
Trace the Sea of Japan along the country's least-visited shores, where historic ports and quiet coastal communities tell the story of centuries of maritime trade and cultural exchange. Along the way, explore castle towns, celebrated gardens and island communities whose traditions—from sake brewing and gold mining to festivals and fine craftsmanship—reflect generations of life shaped by the sea.
Other expeditions broaden the story even further, connecting Japan with places rarely experienced in a single voyage—from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to South Korea's ancient Silla capital—creating journeys that reframe familiar histories through an entirely new lens.
Explore Japan on:
Japan's Western Shores: Ancient Traditions and Natural Beauty
Coastal Japan: Imperial Dynasties and Modern Culture
Alaska to Japan: Ring of Fire to Ainu Culture
Greenland
As the world's largest island, Greenland unfolds as a series of distinct worlds, each offering its own landscapes, wildlife encounters and cultural experiences. That diversity rewards travelers with remarkably different Arctic experiences depending on where they explore.
The remote northeast is defined by towering mountains, drifting sea ice and the immense protected wilderness of Northeast Greenland National Park, the largest national park on Earth, where musk oxen roam the tundra and elusive polar bears patrol the pack ice.
Farther south, the Greenland ice sheet spills into a maze of narrow fjords, where immense glaciers calve icebergs into the sea. In the southwest, the landscape softens into colorful fishing villages, Norse archaeological sites and vibrant Inuit communities, revealing a side of Greenland where culture is every bit as compelling as the scenery.
Rather than following a fixed route, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions embraces Greenland's expeditionary nature. Your itinerary remains responsive to ice, weather and wildlife, allowing opportunities for Zodiac cruises among sculpted icebergs, hikes across tundra and meaningful encounters with the people who call this extraordinary island home.
Explore Greenland on:
Exploring Greenland’s Northeast National Park
Southeast Greenland: Exploring at the Edge of the Ice Cap
South Greenland Exploration: Fjords, Waterfalls and Fishing Villages
South Pacific
For many travelers, the South Pacific evokes images of turquoise lagoons, palm-fringed beaches and overwater bungalows. In reality, it’s one of the planet's most diverse regions, encompassing soaring volcanic peaks, coral atolls and emerald rainforests, as well as enduring Polynesian traditions that vary dramatically from one island group to the next. Here, the Pacific is more than a backdrop—it's the thread that has connected cultures for centuries.
Traveling aboard a small expedition ship reveals this extraordinary diversity one island at a time. Wander among the enigmatic moai of Easter Island, snorkel the vibrant passes of the Tuamotu Archipelago and hike the lush volcanic valleys of the Marquesas, where ancient Polynesian traditions remain deeply woven into everyday life. Along the way, encounters with local communities—and, on select voyages, a traditional master navigator—offer remarkable insight into the seafaring knowledge that allowed Polynesians to navigate this immense ocean using the stars, long before modern instruments existed.
Explore the South Pacific on:
French Polynesia: The Society Islands and Tuamotus
French Polynesia's Marquesas Islands and Tuamotus
Fiji and Tahiti: Vibrant Reefs and Cultural History
Easter Island to Tahiti: Tales of the Pacific
Southern Europe and North Africa
In few places do continents feel so richly intertwined as along the shores of southern Spain and Morocco. Here, Roman ruins give way to Moorish fortresses, bustling medinas open onto elegant European plazas and volcanic landscapes frame centuries of shared history. Around every corner, the influences of Arab, Berber, Jewish and European cultures reveal themselves in the architecture, cuisine, music and traditions.
Rather than simply visiting these storied places, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions explores the connections between them. Wander Tangier's labyrinthine medina, stand within Cartagena's remarkably preserved Roman Theatre and explore Málaga's Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro. Guided by expert historians and cultural specialists, you'll discover how each destination contributes another layer to one of the Mediterranean and Atlantic's most fascinating cultural landscapes.
Explore Southern Europe and North Africa on:
Continental Crossroads: Spain, Morocco and the Canary Islands
Spain, Portugal and Morocco: Atlantic Horizons
Celtic Coasts and Iberian Shores: Voyage from Edinburgh to Lisbon
Mediterranean and Caribbean Under Sail
Some journeys are defined less by where they go than by how they get there. Aboard the elegant Sea Cloud II, the voyage itself becomes part of the adventure as sails are raised by hand, the wind shapes the rhythm of the day and each passage recalls the golden age of ocean travel.
Whether gliding between hidden Caribbean anchorages or tracing the ancient shores of the Mediterranean, traveling under sail invites a slower, more immersive way to experience the sea. Watch crew members climb the towering rigging to unfurl more than 30,000 square feet of canvas, linger on expansive teak decks as secluded coves and historic harbors come into view, and step ashore to explore destinations beyond the well-worn cruise routes.
Guided by veteran expedition teams, these voyages pair the timeless romance of a classic tall ship with the curiosity and discovery that define every National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions journey.
Sail aboard Sea Cloud II on:
Antigua to the British Virgin Islands: Hidden Cays and Azure Seas Aboard Sea Cloud II
Sailing St. Lucia, Dominica and Beyond Aboard Sea Cloud II
The Ancient Shores of Sicily and Malta Aboard Sea Cloud II
Malta, Sicily and Greece Under Sail Aboard Sea Cloud II
