Jewels of Australia and New Zealand

Upon arrival in Melbourne, meet your driver for a private transfer to your hotel for the remainder of the evening at your leisure. 

This morning, join a city tour of Melbourne, known for its gardens, restaurants, cafes, markets, arcades, and arts. Enjoy seeing the highlights of Melbourne with a guided laneway walk with time to explore the famous Queen Victoria Market. (B)

Spend the day exploring Melbourne at your own pace or take part in an optional tour. You may want to consider an optional excursion to Phillip Island to witness the spectacular penguin parade. Visit Australia’s largest colony of fur seals before arriving at Summerland Beach to witness Victoria’s largest colony of penguins. As dusk falls, watch hundreds of little penguins make their way across the beach. (B)

You will be transferred to the Melbourne airport for your flight to Sydney (ticket not included). Upon arrival, meet your driver for a private transfer to your hotel for the remainder of the day at your leisure. (B)

Meet your driver at your hotel for a tour of Sydney, starting with the historic Rocks precinct. Heading east, make your way to the stunning Botanical Gardens with an en route view of Macquarie Street. Your tour continues to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair by the water where you will take a walking tour of the harbor. Next, visit Woolloomooloo, Kings Cross and Rushcutters Bay. Enjoy lunch at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia before visiting Darling Point. Later, you’ll arrive in Bondi Beach to stroll down the esplanade and some free time to enjoy this seaside Mecca. (B,L)

Today is yours to explore at your leisure. You may want to consider an optional visit to the Blue Mountains. Journey north across Sydney Harbor Bridge to your first stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park, home to kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and wombats. Continue westward to Blue Mountains National Park, stopping in a hidden clearing for a homestyle tea, before continuing through the park. Your next stop is Kings Tableland for breathtaking views over the Jamison Valley. Enjoy lunch at a café in the heart of the mountains before visiting Wentworth Falls. Visit the township of Katoomba, lookout over the famed 3 Sisters rock formation, and around Narrowneck Plateau to see the best of the Blue Mountains before heading back to Sydney over the ANZAC Bridge. (B)

Enjoy a final breakfast in Australia before transferring to the airport for your flight to Queenstown, New Zealand. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for the remainder of the evening at your leisure. (B)

Travel alongside Lake Wakatipu through farmlands to TeAnau where you will stop for a short rest. Continue to Milford Sound where you will board a small catamaran for a leisurely cruise of the fjord for a chance to spot wildlife such as seals, dolphins and penguins – not to mention the breathtaking scenery! A specialist nature guide will share their knowledge of the Sound as you coast through the waters. A buffet lunch will be available on board before returning to Queenstown by coach. (B,L)

Today is a full day at your leisure to explore Queenstown. We recommend an optional scenic wine tour through New Zealand’s wine region. Venture into the heart of Central Otago to taste wines at four premium vineyards and take a guided tour through New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave. Enjoy a cheese and wine presentation and indulge in a divine wine barrel-cooked lunch paired with matching wines. Continue with a stunning drive through the Kawaru Gorge, learing about the pioneering history of the region, before returning to Queenstown through the must-see Arrowtown to pick up some artisan chocolates. (B)

Depart for the airport to take your flight to Rotorua (ticket not included). Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for the remainder of the evening at your leisure. (B)

Experience the amazing geothermal activity, gushing geysers, boiling mud pools and the many colors of displayed in the pools, lakes, craters and steaming vents of the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Next, visit the Waimangu Volcanic Valley for a walk amidst a stunning volcanic landscape with unbeatable views of hot crater lakes, steaming cliffs, hissing fumeroles, colorful silica terraces, rare thermally adapted plants and the opportunity see some of the region’s native birdlife. Tonight, you may want to consider an optional indigenous experience. Visit the TePuia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute for a guided tour of the TeWhakarewarewa Thermal Valley, which has inspired the local Maori people for centuries. This experience is a combination of storytelling, entertainment and a traditional dinner. 

Depart Rotorua and head to the famous set used in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, Hobbiton. This location is the largest green set in the world and holds 44 hobbit holes, the Mill and double arch bridge, the party tree, even the Green Dragon Inn – all as they appear in the films! Take photos at the door of Bilbo Baggin’s house and enjoy a drink inside the Green Dragon Inn. Later, sit down for a scrumptious lunch on set followed by some free time to shop. After your visit to Hobbiton, continue your journey to Auckland for check-in at your hotel. (B)

Enjoy a final breakfast in New Zealand before being transferred to the airport for your return flight home. (B)