Discover Australia & New Zealand 22 Days
22 Days: Melbourne, Ayers Rock Resort, Cairns, Sydney, Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Lake Tekapo, Queenstown
Tour overview:
Combining the best of Australia and New Zealand, this tour has all the makings of one of your most memorable trips. From the busting metropolises of Sydney and Melbourne to Ayers Rock and The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, to the world renowned towns of Rotorua and Queenstown in NZ, as well as a ride on the legendary TranzAlpine train, this trip is bound to create memories that last for a lifetime!
Day 1 - Arrive Melbourne
On arrival at Melbourne Airport you will be transferred to your hotel. Meet your Travel Director this evening at a Welcome Reception and dinner. (D)
Overnight Crowne Plaza Hotel, Melbourne, 3 nights
Day 2 - Melbourne – City Sights
Explore Melbourne on a city sights tour this morning, then discover its gracious arcades, eclectic laneways and vibrant street art on a private walking tour. Afternoon at leisure (B)
Day 3 - Melbourne – At Leisure
Enjoy a day at leisure in cosmopolitan Melbourne. You may like to join an optional tour to the wineries in the Yarra Valley or tour along the famous Great Ocean Road to see the stone monoliths of the Twelve Apostles. (B)
Day 4 - Melbourne / Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Fly to Ayers Rock this morning (required flight, quoted separately). Enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine while watching sunset at Uluru (Ayers Rock). (B)
Overnight Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort, 2 nights.
Day 5 - Uluru (Ayers Rock)& Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)
Witness the magical Uluru sunrise, then tour the caves at the base of Uluru and see ancient rock art. Later, travel over red desert plains to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), and take a walk through some of the tallest domes of this majestic rock formation. (B)
Day 6 - Uluru (Ayers Rock) / Cairns
Early morning join an Indigenous artist for a fun introduction to Western Desert Art. Later you will be transferred to Ayers Rock Airport for your flight to Cairns (required flight, quoted separately). Arrive and transfer to your hotel. (B)
Overnight Hilton Hotel Cairns, 3 nights
Day 7 - Cairns – At Leisure
Enjoy a full day at leisure in Cairns. You may like to join an optional tour to Kuranda. Board the train for a historic journey through the scenic countryside behind Cairns. Return by the Skyrail Cableway that takes you above the canopy of the tropical rainforest. Dine tonight at a restaurant on the waterfront. (B, D)
Day 8 - Cairns – Great Barrier Reef
Get ready for the experience of a lifetime when you board a high-speed catamaran and cruise to the Great Barrier Reef. You’ll have the opportunity to go snorkelling (equipment provided), or view the coral and tropical fish from the underwater observatory and semi submersible craft. Enjoy a tropical buffet lunch on board before you return to Cairns. (B, L)
Day 9 - Cairns / Sydney
Transfer to Cairns Airport for your flight to Sydney (required flight, quoted separately). Arrive and transfer to your hotel. (B)
Overnight Intercontinental Hotel Sydney, 4 nights
Day 10 - Sydney – Opera House, Bondi Beach & Harbour Cruise
Enjoy a tour of the Sydney Opera House with a local guide followed by lunch on one of Sydney Harbour’s most prestigious cruise vessels. Afternoon explore the legendary Bondi Beach (B, L)
Day 11 - Sydney – At Leisure
Today is yours for further exploration of Sydney. (B)
Day 12 - Sydney – At Leisure.
Today is yours for further exploration of Sydney. And then celebrate your last evening in Sydney with your Travel Director at a waterfront restaurant. (B, D)
Day 13 - Sydney / Auckland
You will be transferred to Sydney Airport for your flight to Auckland (required flight, quoted separately). On arrival in Auckland you will be transferred to your hotel. This evening enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your Travel Director and fellow travelling companions. (B, D)
Overnight Horizon by SkyCity Auckland, 2 nights
Day 14 - Auckland – City Sights
This morning set your sights firmly on New Zealand's national game: rugby. The interactive All Blacks Experience explores an introduction to the game as a part of New Zealand culture. Afterwards get the lay of the land on a city sightseeing tour including Mission Bay, Bastion Point and the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial to New Zealand's first Labour Prime Minister. Admire the sunken pool and landscaped gardens as you’re treated to sweeping views of Waitemata Harbour and the North Shore. (B)
Day 15 - Auckland / Hobbiton / Rotorua
Get up close with NZ's national bird, the endangered kiwi, at a working nursery and hatchery. See how breeding programs help sustain the population. Then, immerse yourself in the Te Pā Tū Māori Experience, celebrating Māori history, traditions and future aspirations celebrated over forest kai horotai (seasonal canapés) with chef choice aperitif, and a delicious three-course meal. (BD)
Overnight Millennium Hotel, Rotorua, 1 night
Day 16 - Rotorua / Auckland / Queenstown
Morning breakfast at Hobbiton, experiencing the iconic rolling hills and green pastures of the Hobbiton Movie set. Your destination this morning in Rotorua is the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, where you’ll join a Local Specialist for a tour. Learn about the work being done to save this rare native bird, get up close and see kiwi eggs being incubated, the hatching process, and even newly hatched kiwi chicks at this national leader in kiwi husbandry. We then travel to Auckland to board our flight to Queenstown (required flight, quoted separately) Arrive and transfer to our hotel. Queenstown is the self-proclaimed adventure capital of New Zealand. It makes perfect sense – there are ski fields, white-water river and bridges strapped with bungy cords wherever you turn. And then there’s the dining scene; Queenstown is home to some of the country’s most awarded restaurants. (B)
Overnight Millennium Hotel, Queenstown, 3 nights
Day 17 - Queenstown – Milford Sound
Bring your stamina and sense of adventure – things get a little wild today. Nature rules as you skirt Queenstown’s gleaming Lake Wakatipu, and traverse the Devil’s Staircase to Te Anau, the alpine gateway to World Heritage listed Fiordland National Park. Once you’ve paused to admire the drama at Mirror Lakes, Knobs Flat, Hollyford Valley lookout and Cleddau Valley, you’ll begin to understand why Rudyard Kipling called this the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’. You haven’t even seen Bowen Falls or Milford Sound/Piopiotahi yet… The best Milford Sound/Piopiotahi cruise sees you in the company of an eagle-eyed guide, who not only knows the immense geological history of the region, but can also point out sun-baking fur seals and playful dolphins. (B, L)
Day 18 - Queenstown – At Leisure
A full day to explore Queenstown at your leisure. You could take a 4WD minibus excursion through Skippers Canyon. Join your Travel Director for a dinner at Postmasters Café, a historic Arrowtown cottage replete with picket fence and gardens. (B, D)
Day 19 - Queenstown / Lake Tekapo
Travel through Central Otago to the Mackenzie region with time along the way to stop in Arrowtown then Cromwell, situated next to the pristine Lake Dunstan and taste delicious stone fruit at a local orchard. Continue over the dramatic Lindis Pass before reaching the Starlight Highway and Tekapo's world renowned UNESCO Aoraki McKenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. This afternoon enjoys the views of Mt Cook before heading to the iconic Church of the Good Shephard. This evening, see amazing constellations that can only be seen in the southern hemisphere. (B, D)
Overnight Peppers Bluewater Resort Lake Tekapo, 1 night.
Day 20 - Lake Tekapo / Christchurch
Enjoy a relaxed start before heading north though Southern Canterbury, visiting a farm for lunch, then continue to hristchurch. (B)
Overnight Distinction Christchurch Hotel, 2 nights
Day 21 - Christchurch
Morning city tour and see how Christchurch is rebuilding after the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Spend the last evening with your Travel Director at a Farewell Dinner. (B, D)
Day 22 - Depart Christchurch
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (B)