G’day mate! Welcome to Australia and New Zealand, where you’ll delight in the amazing scenery, enjoy the cosmopolitan flair of the cities, and smile as you meet the native animals, including koala and kiwi. A tour highlight is the Great Barrier Reef. Seen from space, it’s actually 2,900 self-contained reefs that lie off Australia’s northeast coast. The clarity of the water, the intensity of color, and the variety of fish are like nowhere else on earth! Clouds of tropical fish explode off the sandy ocean floor, and green sea turtles glide purposefully by. But that’s not all…even more spectacular scenery awaits you in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park. Cruise on the fjord with sheer rock walls rising thousands of feet from the water’s great depth. Grab your camera, because this area boasts some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world! In addition to breathtaking scenery, you’ll also enjoy time in Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, and Queenstown. In Melbourne, shop til you drop at its many boutiques and visit one of Australia’s leading opal companies. Did you know Australia produces 95 percent of the world’s precious opals? On this tour, you’ll learn how they are mined. In Sydney, visit the Sydney Opera House, cruise on Sydney Harbour, and explore the cobblestone streets of the Rocks, the harborside area where the first convicts settled. These are just a few of the many highlights from this marvelous trip Down Under—a vacation sure to delight!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand. Haere Mai—welcome to New Zealand! Hotel rooms are available for immediate check-in. This afternoon, enjoy sightseeing that includes a visit to the SKY TOWER, the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand. Here you will ascend to the observation deck for sweeping views of the “City of Sails,” situated on an isthmus between two magnificent harbors. Tonight, join your Tour Director for a special welcome dinner. (D)
Day #2 Auckland-Waitomo-Rotorua. Leave Auckland and travel through the green pastoral region of Waikato to the famous WAITOMO GLOWWORM CAVES. Experience a guided tour through the limestone chambers and passages of the cavern. Take a silent boat trip through Glowworm Grotto as you glide quietly beneath the lights of thousands of glowworms suspended from the cave ceiling. In the afternoon, continue over the Mamaku Ranges to Rotorua. Enjoy a traditional [LF] HANGI DINNER this evening followed by an authentic MAORI CONCERT. (B,D)
Day #3 Rotorua. This morning, start with a visit to the AGRODOME to learn more about one of the country’s major industries—sheep! Continue on to RAINBOW SPRINGS to view native bush and wildlife, including a walk through the kiwi bird enclosure. Last stop is TE PUIA, Rotorua’s most prominent thermal area with New Zealand’s largest geyser, boiling mud pools, and silica terraces. The afternoon and evening are at your leisure. You may wish to board a floatplane for flightseeing of this beautiful area, join a New Zealand family for dinner in their home, or indulge yourself in the relaxing hot springs, sumptuous spa treatments, and massage therapies at the Polynesian Spa. (B)
Day #4 Rotorua-Queenstown. A flight takes you to Queenstown, the “Adventure Capital of the World.” This evening, CRUISE across Lake Wakatipu on board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and take in the views of the rugged Southern Alps. Stop at Walter Peak High Country Farm for DINNER and a FARM DEMONSTRATION that provides a glimpse of life on the farm. (B,D)
Day #5 Queenstown. Cruise on Milford Sound. Today, travel into FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK through the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound. Boasting some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world, this region of New Zealand has been honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. CRUISE on the fjord with sheer rock walls rising thousands of feet from the water’s great depths. (B,L)
Day #6 Queenstown. A full day at leisure for your own discoveries. Consider an optional visit to a local vineyard and sample some of the prize vintages, or maybe a thrilling jetboat ride on the Kawarau and Dart Rivers. Your Tour Director will have suggestions to help you plan your day to explore, shop, and enjoy optional activities. (B)
Day #7 Queenstown-Melbourne, Australia. This morning, board your flight across the Tasman Sea to Melbourne. (B)
Day #8 Melbourne. Today’s sightseeing tour includes landmarks such as Parliament House and the Shrine of Remembrance, a tribute to Australia’s war heroes. Visit beautiful FITZROY GARDENS, then drive past the lush Royal Botanic Gardens. You’ll soon discover the different architectural influences of this city as you see the Victorian Arts Centre and other buildings of significance. We also stop at one of the country’s leading OPAL COMPANIES to discover how the beautiful gems are mined. Then, enjoy a unique lunch experience on board the historic [LF] COLONIAL TRAMCAR RESTAURANT as it winds its way through the streets of Melbourne. Tonight’s optional excursion to see the world-famous Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is highly recommended. (B,L)
Day #9 Melbourne-Cairns. Fly to Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. (B)
Day #10 Cairns. Great Barrier Reef Excursion. Board a fast catamaran for a CRUISE to Green Island, one of the many tropical islands on Australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef. Here you can choose to SNORKEL, take a GLASS-BOTTOM BOAT TOUR, or walk through the island’s cool rainforest. This afternoon, your Tour Director can assist you with a variety of optional activities, including crocodile spotting. Tonight, join a unique dinner event at TJAPUKAI ABORIGINAL CULTURAL PARK for an interactive, entertaining portrayal of the culture, dance, and folklore of this indigenous tribe. (B,D)
Day #11 Cairns-Sydney. This morning, enjoy a special visit to CAIRNS TROPICAL ZOO for your chance to meet Australia’s native animals. You’ll also enjoy breakfast in the park, a talk by a wildlife keeper, and will have the opportunity to have your picture taken with a koala! Later, fly to Sydney, Australia’s largest city. (B)
Day #12 Sydney. Explore one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Visit the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a guided tour of its interior and theaters. Travel to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair in the city’s BOTANIC GARDENS for a great photo opportunity and sweeping views of the harbor, Opera House, and Harbour Bridge. Visit world-famous Bondi Beach for an insider’s tour of [LF] BONDI SURF BATHERS’ LIFE SAVING CLUB with one of the lifesavers. Along the way, learn about the history of the club and enjoy a lifesaving demonstration! See some of the city’s suburbs and the historic Rocks area, home to Sydney’s original convicts. For a truly memorable experience, enjoy lunch as you CRUISE on Sydney Harbour. (B,L)
Day #13 Sydney. Enjoy a full day at leisure for your own discoveries. Perhaps join our optional excursion to the Blue Mountains for a wilderness experience or to Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s leading wine-growing regions. You can even climb to the top of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge! Your Tour Director will have suggestions to help you make the most of this exciting city. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner at THE WATERFRONT RESTAURANT overlooking Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and Harbour Bridge. (B,D)
Day #14 Sydney. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Hotels:
AUCKLAND SKYCITY Hotel (SF)
ROTORUA Novotel Rotorua Lakeside (SF)
QUEENSTOWN Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (F)
MELBOURNE The Swanston Hotel, Grand Mercure (MF)
CAIRNS Rydes Esplanade Resort (F)
SYDNEY The Menzies Sydney (SF)