Down Under Answers
New Zealand
Escorted Tours
Classic South Pacific
25 days, fully escorted from $6,875.00 per person based on double occupancy
Includes New Zealand’s Auckland, Milford Sound and Rotorua, as well as Australia’s Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Darwin and Hobart.
INCLUSIONS
- Inclusive of air and land tour pricing (in US$) within New Zealand and Australia and between New Zealand and Australia, but does not include international air to/from the US. For departures after March 2007. Contact us for details.
- 22 nights accommodation
- All hotel porterage and tipping included
- Auckland city sights tour
- Tour Rotorua, famous geothermal region
- Tour Te Puia Thermal Reserve
- Cruise spectacular Milford Sound
- Visit the ‘Garden City’ of Christchurch
- Cruise the stunning Great Barrier Reef
- Visit Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasmania
- See Australian wildlife
- Explore Kata Tjuta (Olgas) on a guided walk
- Cruise Sydney Harbour, viewing the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Join a town tour of Alice Springs, including the base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service
- City sights tour of Melbourne and Hobart
- Tour World Heritage Kakadu National Park
- Join the Jumping Crocodile Cruise
- Includes 39 meals: 24 hot breakfasts (B); 5 lunches (L); 10 dinners, Freedom of Choice Dining multi-choice menus or buffets (D), restaurant tipping included
- Be welcomed as a guest at a traditional Maori Hangi and cultural performance
- Outback Camp Oven Dinner, Alice Springs
- Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, Melbourne
- Luncheon cruise, Sydney Harbour
- Welcome Dinner, Auckland
ITINERARY
DAY 1 Tue. Los Angeles
Board your flight bound for Auckland, New Zealand. Dx1
DAY 2 Wed. In Flight
Cross the international dateline and ‘lose’ a day.
DAY 3 Thur. Auckland
Meet your Tour Director on arrival in the North Island city of Auckland. Enjoy an afternoon of sightseeing before your Welcome Dinner.
Auckland, Crowne Plaza. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 4 Fri. Rotorua, Traditional Feast
Tour the glow-worm grotto at Waitomo Caves. At Rotorua enjoy a Hangi (feast) and cultural performance.
Two night stay: Rotorua, Millennium Hotel Rotorua. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 5 Sat. Country Homestay
Tour Te Puia Thermal Reserve. Visit the Agrodome and see a sheep show and shearing display. Enjoy the hospitality of a country family for the night. Or, choose to stay and dine at the hotel. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 6 Sun. Queenstown
Fly to Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island.
Three night stay: Queenstown, Novotel Gardens Hotel Queenstown. Bx1
DAY 7 Mon. Milford Sound Cruise
Today travel to Fiordland National Park. Cruise the length of Milford Sound, sailing below Mitre Peak and spectacular waterfalls. Bx1 Lx1
DAY 8 Tue. Queenstown at Leisure
Today is free for you to enjoy Queenstown at your leisure. Bx1
DAY 9 Wed. Queenstown, Christchurch
Today journey from Queenstown over the braided Rakaia River and through the Canterbury Plains to the beautiful Garden City of Christchurch.
Christchurch, Crowne Plaza. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 10 Thur. Fly to Sydney, Australia
Fly across the Tasman Sea to Sydney.
Three night stay: Sydney, Shangri-La Hotel. Bx1 Lx1
DAY 11 Fri. Sydney Harbour Cruise
Take a sightseeing tour visiting Featherdale Wildlife Park, Bondi Beach, Hyde Park and Kings Cross. Then join a luncheon cruise on Sydney Harbour. Take a guided Sydney Opera House tour. Bx1 Lx1
DAY 12 Sat. At Leisure in Sydney
Explore Sydney. Stroll to the historic Rocks area. Perhaps take a Hunter Valley or Blue Mountains tour (own expense). Bx1
DAY 13 Sun. Cairns
Fly to Cairns. Tour Cairns and watch sunset over the Coral Sea
Three night stay: Cairns, Tradewinds Esplanade Hotel, Ocean Front Rooms. Bx1
DAY 14 Mon. Great Barrier Reef Cruise
Spend the day on the Great Barrier Reef. At Agincourt Reef, swim or snorkel or ride aboard the glass-bottom boat. Bx1 Lx1
DAY 15 Tue. Cairns at Leisure
Perhaps ride the Skyrail Cableway above the rain forest, visit the village in the rain forest of Kuranda or join the Kuranda Railway. Bx1
DAY 16 Wed. Cairns, Darwin
Enjoy the morning to explore Cairns. Perhaps visit the Pier Market Place or Marlin Marina. Join your flight to Darwin.
Darwin, Holiday Inn Esplanade. Bx1
DAY 17 Thur. Darwin, Kakadu National Park
Today tour Darwin then travel into World Heritage Kakadu National Park. See fearsome saltwater crocodiles leaping from the water on the Jumping Crocodile Cruise. See Aboriginal art at Nourlangie Rock. Kakadu National Park, Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 18 Fri. Darwin, Alice Springs
Wander through Bowali Visitor Center, Kakadu, for a greater appreciation of this remarkable area. Fly to Alice Springs.
Two night stay: Alice Springs, Crowne Plaza Hotel. Bx1
DAY 19 Sat. Alice Springs
Tour Alice Springs, visiting the School of the Air, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Anzac Hill. Enjoy a Camp Oven Outback Dinner. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 20 Sun. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Kata Tjuta (Olgas)
Travel to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Explore the domes of Kata Tjuta. Dine at the resort or under the stars at the Sounds of Silence dinner (additional US$60, Cdn$80).
Ayers Rock Resort’s premier hotel, Sails in the Desert. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 21 Mon. Uluru (Ayers Rock)
This morning, choose to climb Uluru or take a leisurely walk around its base. View ancient rock art, caves, permanent waterholes and learn about Aboriginal culture and traditions. This afternoon, fly to Melbourne.
Two night stay: Melbourne, Langham Hotel, on the vibrant riverfront. Bx1
DAY 22 Tue. Melbourne Sightseeing, Colonial Tramcar Restaurant.
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Melbourne. Join the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant for dinner. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 23 Wed. Tasmania, Port Arthur.
Fly to Hobart. Journey along the rugged Tasman Peninsula. At Port Arthur Historic Site, join a tour of this former convict site. Two night stay: Hobart, Wrest Point Hotel Casino. Bx1
DAY 24 Thur. Hobart, Richmond.
Tour Hobart including Salamanca Place, the Botanical Gardens and Mt Nelson. Visit Richmond, a quaint Georgian village. Bx1 Dx1
DAY 25 Fri. Los Angeles.
Join your flight bound for Los Angeles. Bx1 Lx1