National Geographic has announced that it is going to offer a voyage expedition to Beaufort and our local sea islands starting in April 2022.
The “Wild South Carolina Escape: A Voyage to Beaufort and the Barrier Islands” expedition will bring travelers to Beaufort for two days during a 6 day excursion along the South Carolina coast.
The 6 day itinerary starts in Charleston, and day two takes travelers to Beaufort to enjoy the “diverse heritage of today, visiting Old Sheldon Church; the Port Royal Museum; and the Penn Center, the first academic school for freed slaves. See evocative antebellum mansions, and then head to Lady’s Island Oysters for a tasting of oysters raised in the nearby estuary,” National Geographic’s Beaufort Itinerary said.
Day three takes folks to St. Phillips Island and over to Edisto to enjoy the natural beauty of Botany Bay.
Spend the day “on pristine St. Phillips Island, which was never developed and is now part of a state park, hike trails that weave from sand dunes to salt marshes to marine forests. Keep an eye out for migrating warblers and roseate spoonbills in the quiet waterways, as well as alligators, loggerhead sea turtles, and more. Conditions permitting, we’ll go ashore at Edisto Island to visit Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area,” National Geographic said.
The voyage continues to the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge to explore for a full day and then on to Awendaw, SC to spend the day in the Francis Marion National Forest, before the excursion ends in Charleston, where it began.
The excursion is currently booking now. The price? Starting at a cool $3,990 per person.
Another local excursion offered by National Geographic is the “Sailing The Low Country: From Cumberland Island To Charleston,” and includes visits to Daufuskie Island, Turtle Island and Savannah along the way.
National Geographic launched National Geographic Expeditions in 1999 with a goal to offer travel experiences that embody the renowned National Geographic spirit of adventure, conservation and education, taking curious travelers across the globe. National Geographic Expeditions now operates hundreds of trips each year, spanning all seven continents and more than 80 destinations. They offer a variety of trips including journeys by train, by plane, land trips, adventure cruises, family trips and even private excursions; each accompanied by a diverse team of experts on select expeditions – from naturalists to regional specialists – who are there to share their knowledge and insights into the wildlife, landscape and local culture.
Accompanying travelers to Beaufort and the sea islands is renowned Professor of Conservation at Duke University, Stuart Pimm.
The “voyages”, as National Geographic calls them, are aboard the National Geographic ship Sea Lion. Accommodating just 62 guests in 31 outside cabins, the National Geographic Sea Lion is large enough to operate in remote environments in comfort, yet small enough to enter ports and inlets inaccessible to bigger ships. The ship carries sea kayaks and a fleet of expedition landing crafts, providing easy access to coastlines and other places of interest.
Visit here for more information and to book your Wild South Carolina Escape to Beaufort and the sea islands.
It’s sure to be a good time, and an amazing adventure. After all, it’s National Geographic and Beaufort. What else would you expect?
