Itinerary
- Intro
Introduction
- Day 1
Melbourne
Melbourne- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at popular restaurant on the Yarra River's South Wharf)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Crowne Plaza)
Landmarks Yarra River - Day 2
Melbourne
Melbourne- Accommodation
- Hotel (Crowne Plaza)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Melbourne's Victorian architecture, arcades, and street art laneways with Travel Director
Optional Activities
- Trip to Phillip Island to see the famous penguin parade
Landmarks Phillip Island - Day 3
Melbourne
Melbourne- Accommodation
- Hotel (Crowne Plaza)
Optional Activities
- Great Ocean Road trip with stop at the Twelve Apostles limestone formations and Apollo Bay
- History and Donuts Walking Tour
Landmarks Twelve Apostles Apollo Bay Brunswick Street - Day 4
Melbourne to Uluru
Melbourne to Uluru- Accommodation
- Hotel (Desert Gardens)
Included Activities
- Drive through red dirt to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
- Uluru sundowner experience with nibbles and sparkling wine at sunset
Optional Activities
- Uluru BBQ Dinner with star talk viewing southern night sky
Landmarks Uluru Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Ayers Rock Resort - Day 5
Uluru
Uluru- Accommodation
- Hotel (Desert Gardens)
Included Activities
- Uluru sunrise experience at National Park
- Guided tour of Uluru base with Travel Director to discover ancient rock art and Anangu stories (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience)
- Introduction to Western Desert art with Anangu artist and art creation workshop (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience)
- Walk through Walpa Gorge at Kata Tjuta to lookout
- Kata Tjuta sunset experience with sparkling wine
Landmarks Uluru Kata Tjuta Walpa Gorge - Day 6
Uluru to Cairns
Uluru to Cairns- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hilton)
Optional Activities
- Field of Light art installation sunrise experience by Bruce Munro with view from sand dune
Landmarks Field of Light Uluru - Day 7
Cairns
Cairns- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at a restaurant on Cairns' waterfront, highlighting fresh, local ingredients)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hilton)
Optional Activities
- Hot air balloon flight over Atherton Tablelands
- Bush tucker hunting and gathering experience in Daintree Rainforest with guided walk and meal
- Historic rail journey to Kuranda village with return via Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventure wetlands cruise
Landmarks Atherton Tablelands Daintree Rainforest Kuranda Skyrail Rainforest Cableway Hartley's Crocodile Adventure Melaleuca Wetlands - Day 8
Cairns
Cairns- Meals
- Lunch (Onboard tropical buffet lunch under the Australian sunshine)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hilton)
Included Activities
- Great Barrier Reef cruise on high-speed catamaran with local guide
- Choice of snorkeling or semi-submersible exploration of the reef
Landmarks Great Barrier Reef - Day 9
Cairns to Sydney
Cairns to Sydney- Accommodation
- Hotel (InterContinental)
Landmarks Circular Quay The Rocks Chinatown - Day 10
Sydney
Sydney- Meals
- Lunch (Sydney Harbour Lunch Cruise with menu focusing on local food and wine)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (InterContinental)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Sydney Opera House with Local Specialist
- Sydney Harbour Lunch Cruise with local food and wine
Landmarks Sydney Opera House Sydney Harbour Bondi Beach - Day 11
Sydney
Sydney- Accommodation
- Hotel (InterContinental)
Optional Activities
- Sydney Zoo visit to see unique native Australian animals including wombat, Tasmanian devil, and koala
- Blue Mountains trip to see Three Sisters rock formation and hear Aboriginal legends
- Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb with professional guide ascending 134 metres for panoramic views
Landmarks Sydney Zoo Blue Mountains Three Sisters Sydney Harbour Bridge - Day 12
Sydney
Sydney- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner with Travel Director and fellow travellers)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (InterContinental, Swissotel Sydney)
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Royal Botanic Garden and Art Gallery of New South Wales with Local Specialist exploring First Nations and Australian art
Landmarks Circular Quay The Rocks Royal Botanic Garden Art Gallery of New South Wales - Day 13
Sydney to Auckland
Sydney to Auckland- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at The Grill, celebrating Aotearoa's culinary treasures)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Horizon by SkyCity)
Landmarks Auckland - Day 14
Auckland
Auckland- Accommodation
- Hotel (Horizon by SkyCity)
Included Activities
- All Blacks Experience interactive exhibition exploring rugby in New Zealand culture
- City highlights tour including Mission Bay waterfront, Bastion Point, and Michael Joseph Savage Memorial
Landmarks All Blacks Experience Mission Bay Bastion Point Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Auckland Museum Pukekawa - Day 15
Auckland to Rotorua
Auckland to Rotorua- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at Hobbiton Movie Set), Dinner (Dinner of hangi-inspired cuisine)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Millennium Rotorua)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of 12-acre Hobbiton Movie Set with photo opportunities in interactive hobbit holes
- Te Po cultural experience at Te Puia with guided tour of Māori history and culture (Dive Into Culture)
- Cultural performance in carved meeting house Te Aronui a Rua
- View of Pohutu Geyser, one of New Zealand's geothermal wonderlands
Landmarks Hobbiton Movie Set Te Puia Pohutu Geyser Te Aronui a Rua - Day 16
Rotorua to Queenstown
Rotorua to Queenstown- Accommodation
- Hotel (Millennium Queenstown)
Included Activities
- Tour of National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa with Local Specialist including close-up views of kiwi eggs, hatching process, and newly hatched chicks (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience)
Landmarks National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa - Day 17
Queenstown to Milford Sound
Queenstown to Milford Sound- Accommodation
- Hotel (Millennium Queenstown)
Included Activities
- Journey along Lake Wakatipu and over Devil's Staircase to Te Anau
- Scenic drive through Mirror Lakes, Cleddau Valley, and the Chasm
- Travel through hand-hewn Homer Tunnel to Mitre Peak and Bowen Falls
- Cruise on Piopiotahi (Milford Sound)
Landmarks Lake Wakatipu Devil's Staircase Te Anau Mirror Lakes Homer Tunnel Mitre Peak Bowen Falls Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) - Day 18
Queenstown
Queenstown- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at historic Postmasters Cottage (built 1907) in Arrowtown with focus on fresh, local food and wines)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Millennium Queenstown)
Optional Activities
- Skippers Jet boat ride through cliffs and gorges
- TSS Earnslaw steamship cruise on Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm with farm tour and morning or afternoon tea
Landmarks Skippers Jet TSS Earnslaw Walter Peak High Country Farm Postmasters Cottage Arrowtown - Day 19
Queenstown to Lake Tekapo
Queenstown to Lake Tekapo- Accommodation
- Hotel (Peppers Bluewater Resort)
Included Activities
- Visit to Mrs. Jones' Fruit Stall with tasting of regional stone fruit
- Highlands Museum tour viewing rare motorsport cars
- Visit to Church of the Good Shepherd lakeside grounds with bronze sheepdog statue
- Guided stargazing experience in UNESCO Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve with Local Specialist and optical telescope viewing
Landmarks Cromwell Lake Dunstan Lake Tekapo Highlands Museum Church of the Good Shepherd Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve - Day 20
Lake Tekapo to Christchurch
Lake Tekapo to Christchurch- Accommodation
- Hotel (Distinction Christchurch)
Included Activities
- Visit to Geraldine country town
- Canterbury Museum tour
- Christchurch Earthquake Memorial viewing
- Bridge of Remembrance viewing
- Cardboard Cathedral viewing in Latimer Square
Landmarks Geraldine Canterbury Museum Christchurch Earthquake Memorial Bridge of Remembrance Cardboard Cathedral Latimer Square - Day 21
Christchurch
Christchurch- Meals
- Lunch (Platter-style lunch at Waipara Springs Winery), Dinner (Dinner showcasing food from the Canterbury region)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Distinction Christchurch)
Included Activities
- Visit to Hurunui Hills working farm with Bamford Family experience including farm tour and animal encounters (By My Guest)
- Wine tasting and platter-style lunch at Waipara Springs Winery
Landmarks Hurunui Hills Waipara Springs Winery - Day 22
Christchurch
Christchurch- Meals
- Breakfast
