Expeditions
Choose your wilderness
Svalbard
Ten days aboard the 12-berth R/V Kinfish, sailing where the ice lets us. Polar bears and walrus, glacier fronts, and a day up on the sea ice itself.
View the expedition →Uganda
Two chimpanzee treks, one gorilla trek, and the conservationists themselves.
Congo
Lowland gorillas, Sapeurs and the Congo Basin.
Patagonia
Seven days tracking wild pumas beneath the Towers of Paine, five guests only.
Nepal
Tigers on foot. Everest at sunrise.
Explore. Engage. Conserve.
The thread that runs through every trip
We travel to fragile places, so we tell the whole story of what is being done to protect them, the wins and the setbacks both.
Climate change, at eye level
We get you onto the sea ice itself and show what a warming Arctic means for where the polar bears can still hunt. You photograph the change, then you carry the story home.
The western lowland gorilla, back from the edge
This great ape is critically endangered. In the Republic of Congo you visit the rehabilitation sites giving orphaned gorillas and chimpanzees a second chance in the forest.
Poachers turned protectors
Bwindi and Kibale are among Africa's clearest conservation wins. You meet the shoebill projects and the former bushmeat hunters now paid to steward the forest they once emptied.
Learning to live with the puma
Around Torres del Paine, coexistence work turned puma hunters into trackers. Guard dogs and non-lethal deterrents keep sheep and cats apart, and the cats are thriving.
A tiger recovery you can walk into
In Bardia National Park, tiger numbers have climbed back and a whole ecosystem with them. This is what protection looks like when it works, and why Nepal is new for us.
Our story
Built by guides, and still run by them
“The animals are half of it. The other half is the people who live alongside them.”
Arctic Tern is deliberately small. Small enough to follow the conditions, stay with the animal, and let the best moments take the time they take.
Guest voices
Twelve berths. Every one of them has a story.
I realize now how important it is to travel to Svalbard with a small group. We were allowed the space and time to truly enjoy the peace and beauty of the ArcticStella C. · Svalbard
I’ve been travelling for 30 years, and this, from start to finish, has been one of the best. Bears, walruses, and a fantastic group of people. Thank you, Arctic Tern!Lydia S. · Svalbard
This has been one of the best trips of my life. From the crew to the expedition leaders to all of the polar bears - this was far beyond what I could have ever expected.Lindsey B. · Svalbard
The Field Guide
Get the Field Guide
The plain-English guide to how we travel, what a day on the ice looks like, and what it actually costs to do this well.
Instant PDF and the occasional dispatch. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Ready? Dive in.
Terns feed by plunge-diving, total commitment, perfect timing. It's how we travel, too.
See the 2027 Expeditions