National Geographic Sea Lion

A U.S.-flagged vessel, she and her sister National Geographic Sea Bird discover domestic waters

Overview

Before they built the National Geographic Venture and National Geographic Quest, U.S. shipbuilder Nichols Brothers built the twin ships National Geographic Sea Lion and National Geographic Sea Bird. Nimble, reliable, and intimately scaled, they both continue to sail the waters of the west coast of North America and Central America.

 

National Geographic Sea Lion accommodates just 62 guests in 31 outside cabins. Her inviting public spaces foster a sense of shipboard life where everyone is integral to the adventure, engendering a rewarding sense of community and esprit de corps. National Geographic writer Andrew Evans called National Geographic Sea Lion the “closest thing to Cousteau’s Calypso” he’s ever had the pleasure to be on.

 

With a shallow draft and small size, she can easily reach places inaccessible to larger ships. She can venture into fast-moving channels where whales come to feed, transit a series of locks in the Pacific Northwest, nose up to waterfalls in secluded coves, and sail into protected anchorages in small bays perfect for snorkeling and kayaking.

(5) National Geographic Sea Lion Itineraries

Alaska

A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii

Duration

15 days
  1. May
  2. Sep

From

AU$9,888

Prices are per person

Highlights

Alaska

A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii

Duration

15 days
  1. May
  2. Sep

From

AU$9,888

Top Highlights

  • With very special access, spend four days in Haida Gwaii, a UNESCO World Heritage site, learning from Haida interpreters about their nearly lost ancient culture and exploring these remote islands
  • Sail deep into fjords, narrow channels and hidden coves and bays, searching for humpback whales, dolphins, bears, and eagles
  • Kayak in Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm for an up-close view of calving glaciers, towering forests, and seals afloat on iridescent icebergs
  • In wild, roadless places, see spectacular fjords with cascading waterfalls and soaring old-growth forests of spruce and cedar
  • Explore the picturesque fishing village of Petersburg, and by special permit, spend a full day exploring Glacier Bay National Park

Pacific Northwest

Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey

Duration

8 days
  1. Apr
  2. Sep
  3. Oct

From

AU$8,324

Prices are per person

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey

Duration

8 days
  1. Apr
  2. Sep
  3. Oct

From

AU$8,324

Top Highlights

  • Sail in the wake of Lewis and Clark and their legendary Corps of Discovery expedition
  • Spend a day cruising through the spectacular Columbia River Gorge, taking in the views from the bow and perfecting your landscape photography skills
  • Taste the bounty of the region through their harvests and fresh, local, and delectable cuisine
  • Experience the region up close on water-level Zodiac and kayak forays on the Palouse River or by hiking monumental Beacon Rock
  • Transit a series of eight locks that lift the ship 700 feet—10 times the elevation of the Panama Canal

Alaska

Wild Escapes

Wild Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands & Tracy Arm Fjord

Duration

6 days
  1. May
  2. Jun
  3. Jul
  4. Aug

From

AU$5,719

Prices are per person

Highlights

Alaska

Wild Escapes

Wild Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Islands & Tracy Arm Fjord

Duration

6 days
  1. May
  2. Jun
  3. Jul
  4. Aug

From

AU$5,719

Top Highlights

  • Kayak or paddleboard along rugged coastlines of Chichagof Island which harbors one of the highest concentrations of brown bears in the world
  • Hike through temperate rainforest on Baranof island, listening for bald eagles calling out from the towering spruce and hemlock trees
  • Explore Haines, the “adventure capital of Alaska,” via raft, bicycle, or hiking boot, and opt to soar over Glacier Bay National Park on a flightseeing tour.
  • Cruise by Zodiac and kayak among abundant sea lions and search for whales in the Inian Islands
  • Meet eagles at the Raptor Rehabilitation Center
  • Seamlessly combine the experience with our southern Wild Alaska Escape itinerary and double the sights, sightings, and wildness on this most active of expeditions
  • Whale-watch daily from the bow of our small ship, and witness breaching humpbacks and orcas on the hunt.

Alaska

Wild Escapes

Wild Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell & the Misty Fjords

Duration

6 days
  1. Jun
  2. Jul
  3. Aug

From

AU$5,776

Prices are per person

Highlights

Alaska

Wild Escapes

Wild Alaska Escape: LeConte Bay, Wrangell & the Misty Fjords

Duration

6 days
  1. Jun
  2. Jul
  3. Aug

From

AU$5,776

Top Highlights

  • Leave the ship every day with active options for exploring Alaska's wildness up close
  • Venture by Zodiac into a fjord choked with blue ice from Leconte or Baird Glacier and walk along the shoreline among the ice sculptures stranded on the beach
  • Sail Behm Canal into Misty Fjords National Monument in search of humpbacks, killer whales and sea lions, then hike the moss-draped cedar and Sitka spruce forest of nearby islands
  • Visit a tribal house and a beach famous for native petroglyphs on remote Wrangell Island, or take a jet boat excursion up the Stikine River
  • Whale-watch daily from the bow, keeping eyes peeled for orcas on the hunt
  • Explore Ketchikan’s local port with its vast fleet and thriving commercial fishery

Baja California

Wild Escapes

Wild Baja California Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay

Duration

6 days
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar

From

AU$3,628

Prices are per person

Highlights

Baja California

Wild Escapes

Wild Baja California Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay

Duration

6 days
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar

From

AU$3,628

Top Highlights

  • Live among gigantic gray whale mothers and their calves in the nursery waters of Bahía Magdalena. See them from the ship and local pangas, delighting in up-close encounters
  • Kayak and paddleboard stunning mangroves, or beachcomb along endless beaches
  • Explore diverse landscapes; fat-tire bike along desert island terrain
  • Scan the skies for bird species, from diving pelicans to magnificent frigatebirds

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