With Journey to the South Pacific you'll explore the prime attractions of Australia and New Zealand! From the Great Barrier Reef in Sydney to Mt. Cook on South Island in New Zealand, view the wildlife and celebrate the culture of both countries.
Air 1: Depart from Home
Today will be spent in flight* as you head towards the first destination mapped out in your Australian and New Zealand vacation package. You'll be crossing the International dateline and will lose a day.
Day 2: Cairns (Northern Beaches), Australia - Tour Begins
You'll begin your tour in Cairns, Australia, near the entrance to the Great Barrier Reef. Tropical rain forests, warm temperatures, lovely beaches, and the overall friendliness of the natives here are key factors in its popularity as a vacation spot. You'll enjoy a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers.
Day 3: Great Barrier Reef
Today, you'll be exploring the Great Barrier Reef from on board a catamaran. You'll be able to view the reef in several ways with Green Island acting as your base. Your options for the rest of the day are a glass bottom boat ride, walking along rain forest trails, relaxing on one of the beaches, or watching as the fish and sea turtles float by while you stand on the pier. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and a tour of the outer reef are also optional activities. Enjoy your day exploring as much as you like.
Day 4: Cairns - Sydney
Visit the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center to learn about the unique lifestyle and history of the Aboriginal natives. Believed to have appeared on the continent over 30,00 years ago, their culture has survived the test of time by being passed on from generation to generation in the form of art, music, dance, and stories. You'll be able to browse the art gallery, view an Aboriginal dance performance, learn to throw a boomerang, and play a didgeridoo. After you depart from the museum, you'll board a flight* to Sydney, full of life and plenty of sights to explore during your free evening.
Day 5: Sydney
The morning will be full of places to go from the Harbour Bridge, Kings Cross, the Rocks, and Circular Quay, to the suburb of Paddington, the Sydney Opera House, and the Botanic Gardens. You'll see all these sights and more when take the sightseeing tour of Sydney. This evening, you'll enjoy a Sydney Harbour dinner cruise. You'll then go back to the Opera House for a performance demonstrating its brilliant architectural acoustic design.
Day 6: Sydney
Today you will visit one of Australia's wildlife parks. View koalas in their natural habitat, pet a wombat, feed the kangaroos, and possibly have your photo taken with one of these cuddly animals specific to the down under. Later on, view a presentation about the mining and refinement of opals. In the evening, tour the city on your own or take an optional tour.
Day 7: Sydney - Blue Mountains - Canberra
This morning, journey to just outside of Sydney to view the Blue Mountains. You'll also be visiting the World Heritage Site to see Govett's Leap as well as the Three Sister rock formation. You'll visit the capital city of Australia, Canberra and enjoy a tour as well as a trip to the Canberra's War memorial. You can spend the evening at your leisure shopping of sampling the wares of local eateries.
Day 8: Canberra - Melbourne
Spend the morning at the National Museum of Australia and view interactive exhibits detailing the history and customs of the land, the nation, and its people. You'll then leave Canberra to travel past the mountains and across the countryside through southern Victoria on your way to Melbourne.
Day 9: Melbourne
You'll be touring Melbourne today seeing the Shrine of Remembrance, the Parliament House, and the Fitzroy Gardens. Later on, visit a nature reserve known as Phillip Island where you can view the largest colony of Little Penguins in the world. You'll learn all about these protected creatures and enjoy being able to view them in their natural habitat before you have dinner on the island.
Day 10: Melbourne - Christchurch, NZ - Queenstown
Today, depart from Australia to go to New Zealand. You'll arrive in Queenstown, a lovely resort village. You'll have dinner overlooking the "Remarkable Mountains" at the Skyline Restaurant.
Day 11: Queenstown - Milford Sound - Queenstown
Travel through the forests of the beach front, Homer Tunnel, and Milford Sound before you arrive in Hollyford Valley. You'll take a cruise on the Milford Sound fjord surrounded by beautiful vistas. You'll then return to Queenstown. You can choose to travel back to the town by air, offering a great view of the Southern Alps.
Day 12: Queenstown
Spend today shopping in town or relaxing with friends. You can also choose to take the "Safari of the Rings" tour for a view for a look at the environments used in the Lord of the Rings films.
Day 13: Queenstown - Mt. Cook
On day thirteen, visit the most well-known national park in New Zealand, Mt. Cook and explore the countryside. On your way there, you will stop at a fruit stand and be educated on the produce grown in New Zealand. You have the option of taking a flight-seeing tour to view the gigantic glacier and the snow-capped peak of Mt. Cook from the sky.
Day 14: Mt. Cook - Christchurch
You'll take a drive through the Canterbury hills on your way to a city on the Avon River, Christchurch.
Day 15: Christchurch
Your tour of Christchurch will highlight Cathedrals sporting Neo-Gothic architectural designs, lush gardens, and the downtown park district. You may spend the rest of your afternoon doing as you wish. You'll be invited to the home of a New Zealand family to share a meal, make acquaintances, and learn about "Kiwi's" customs this evening.
Day 16: Christchurch - Picton - Wellington
Today has a trip to Picton. Board the Interislander Ferry for a trip across the Marlborough Sound and Cook Straight en route to Wellington, a quaint town on the North Island.
Day 17: Wellington
A panoramic tour of Wellington will take place today, during which you can view New Zealand's Parliament, the government building, the Beehive, and St. Paul's Church. After the tour, you'll visit Te Papa Tongawera, the national museum of New Zealand.
Day 18: Wellington - Napier
Journey into Hawke Bay as you travel towards the city of Napier. View some of the best art deco architecture in the world here. You will visit a winery as well as discover the delicious flavors of this territory with a fantastic dinner.
Day 19: Napier - Rotorua
A tour of Napier will teach more about the architecture of this city. Afterwards, you'll be traveling to Rotorua, the cultural capital of New Zealand. You can spend the evening exploring Rotorua on your own.
Day 20: Rotorua
A visit to New Zealand's Maori geothermal and cultural experience, Te Puia is how you'll start your day. You'll see many geothermal wonders such as erupting geysers and bubbling mud pools. The customs of the Maori are kept alive by passing the skills and crafts of the tribe such as carving and weaving on to the youth. You'll join a demonstration of the importance of traditional Maori dress and and the artistry of weaving. You'll then view the Kiwi bird and learn what actions the people of New Zealand are taking to get it off the list of endangered species. A visit to the Agrodome to educate about how one of New Zealand's leading products, wool, is produced. Next you'll visit a jade factory to discover how the raw product is transformed into the gems you see in jewelry. A traditional Maori welcome and Hangi meal complete with traditional cultural dancing and songs.
Day 21: Rotorua - Auckland - Tour Ends
You'll drive from Rotorua to Auckland and end your journey there. On the flight back home, remember all you've learned and experienced in Australia and New Zealand!
*Airfare not included in total price
