Lindblad Expeditions

Founded by Sven-Olof Lindblad in 1979, Lindblad Expeditions (LEX) was originally established as a division of Lindblad Travel, which was launched in 1958. Over the years, LEX has earned a reputation for creating expeditions that are as eye-opening and inspiring as they are comfortable and fun. We take intimate groups to out-of-the-way places on small expedition ships that nose into ports and call on islands where cruise ships simply cannot go. Our distinguished roster of Expedition Leaders (EL) and Naturalists are experts in their field with a passion for uncovering - and interpreting - the mysteries of nature and history. At Lindblad, we have faith that adventurous travelers long for an original experience that reveals a destination to them in a way that is unique unto itself. These are not scheduled tours, these are expeditions. Every one is different - every day is different.                                     

Any discussion of our history must begin with Lars-Eric Lindblad, Sven's father, who pioneered expedition travel - or what many call "eco-tourism." In his autobiography, Passport to Anywhere, published ten years before his death in 1994, Lars-Eric writes, "I believe in freedom, creativity, and conversation. And…I believe that tourism is the handmaiden of them all…" Lars' company, Lindblad Travel, was a geographic trailblazer, introducing tourism in some of the most exotic parts of the globe including Antarctica, Bhutan, China, Easter Island and the Galápagos Islands.  Many of these places had no facilities for visitors in the late 1950s and early 60s, when Lindblad Travel was in its infancy. 

"Countless times my father was told that something was impossible," recalls Sven, "only to prove that with ingenuity and determination it could be done after all." Indeed, the success of Lindblad Travel was based on Lars' ability to think and act ahead of his time, a trait that lives on in his son Sven, who grew up with a love for travel. Sven spent his twenties in East Africa, where he worked for wildlife film makers, studied elephants, and saw nature in its purest form, an experience that inspired him to carry on the unique style of travel his father had begun.

"We, too, can be pioneers," says Lindblad. "Not by opening up vast new geographic frontiers but rather, by finding more thoughtful ways to approach those already discovered." In revealing a selection of the world's wild places to inquisitive people, Lindblad hopes that those places will be better preserved for future generations.