Highlights

• All inclusive
• Luxury coach travel
• 4 – 5 star boutique accommodations
• Small group – 20 guests
• Hotel porterage (we’ll handle your luggage for you!)
• Welcome Reception

Inclusions

• Accommodation – Cairns – Alamanda Palm Cove (3 Nights), Alice Springs – Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters (1), Kings Canyon – Kings Canyon Resort (Deluxe Spa Rooms) (1), Uluru (Ayers Rock) – Sails in the Desert Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort (2), Sydney – The Langham Hotel Sydney (1), Blue Mountains – Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains (1), Hunter Valley – Kirkton Park Hunter Valley (1), Sydney – The Langham Hotel Sydney (2), Auckland – Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour Hotel (2), Rotorua – Pullman Rotorua (2), Wellington – Sofitel Wellington (2), Queenstown – Heritage Queenstown (3)
• Meals – 21 Full buffet breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 2 Local Dining Experiences, 8 Dinners with Wine, 2 Highlight Dinners, 2 Celebration Dinners
• US Domestic Flights – (Not included, but can be added to your quote)
• International Flights – Los Angeles to Cairns, Sydney to Auckland, Queenstown to Los Angeles (Not included, but can be added to your quote)
• Internal Flights – Cairns to Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Sydney, Rotorua to Wellington, Wellington to Queenstown (Not included, but can be added to your quote)
• Day Tours – Cairns: Daintree Rainforest & Indigenous Culture tour, Great Barrier Reef cruise; Alice Springs: City Tour, School of the Air, Royal Flying Doctor Service; Alice Springs to Kings Canyon Scenic tour; Kings Canyon: Kings Canyon Walk, Rim Walk; Uluru (Ayers Rock): Uluru Sunset Viewing with Wine, Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, Kata Tjuta Guided Walk, Uluru Guided Walk, Uluru Sunrise Viewing; Blue Mountains National Park tour; Hunter Valley Wine Tastings; Sydney: Luxury Harbour Cruise, Coastal Walk, Opera House VIP tour; Auckland: City Sightseeing Tour, Waiheke Island Wine Tastings; Rotorua: Tamaki Maori Village & Maori Hangi Feast, Choice of Polynesian Spa, Hobbiton Movie Set tour or Zipline Canopy Tour, Rainbow Springs National Park, Whakawerawera Living Village & Geothermal Sights; Wellington: Local Gourmet Food Tour, Te Papa Museum of New Zealand, Zealandia; Arrowtown Historic Town; Queenstown: Orientation Tour, Doubtful Sound, Choice of Guided Forest Walk or Skippers Canyon Minibus tour
• Transfers – Airport to Hotel and Hotel to Airport
• All Taxes and Fuel Levies (Except where noted)

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Cairns

A warm welcome to the gateway city of Tropical North Queensland – the launch pad for your epic adventure from north to south, through the untamed wilderness of the outback. Upon arrival, you’ll have time to relax before meeting your Journey Director this afternoon for a Welcome Reception with drinks and canapés and later dine overlooking the gleaming waters of the Coral Sea.

Hotel Alamanda Palm Cove (3 nights)

Dinner with Wine included

Day 2: Daintree and Indigenous Culture

Explore the symbiotic relationship between the local Kuku Yalanji people and ancient landscapes of the Daintree as you join your Aboriginal guide on an exclusive journey into the rainforest. Spend the morning learning about their fascinating traditions, bush diet and traditional medicines shared amidst the soundtrack of the untamed forest. Learn how to hunt for elusive mud crabs before enjoying lunch under the leafy canopies of mahogany and oak.

Breakfast and Lunch included

Day 3: Great Barrier Reef

Go beyond the ‘great’ and into an underwater wonderland – your cruise to discover the magic of the Great Barrier Reef will venture to Agincourt Reef on the Quicksilver wave-piercing catamaran, where you have a unique opportunity to soak up the pristine natural setting before you. Snorkel past iridescent coral formations and colorful marine-life – an undersea treasure-trove as far as the eye can see. Relax up on deck surrounded by the vivid blue of the Coral Sea, bask in the golden Australian sunshine and enjoy a tropical lunch on board before returning to Palm Cove.

Breakfast and Lunch included

Day 4: Cairns – Alice Springs

Depart the holiday hotspot of Cairns, flying to Alice Springs where you’ll gain unique insights into what life is like in an isolated Australian town. Spending some time at the School of the Air and Royal Flying Doctor Service, learn how these services provide a much-needed medical lifeline to remote Australian communities. Join your Alice Springs family hosts this evening for a Local Dining Experience barbecue dinner around a campfire, as the Milky Way lights up the sky.

Hotel Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters

Breakfast & Local Dining Experience included

Day 5: Alice Springs – Kings Canyon

This morning’s journey takes you through the West MacDonnell Ranges and along the 4WD Mereenie Loop Road, past Tylers Lookout and Gosses Bluff. Take a walk through Angkerle (Standley Chasm), created over millions of years, and continue to your destination, Kings Canyon, where you can stroll along the shady creek bed at the foot of the towering sandstone cliffs of the canyon.

Hotel Kings Canyon Resort (Deluxe Spa Rooms)

Breakfast included

Day 6: Kings Canyon – Uluru & Kata Tjuta

Rise with the birds and embark on the exhilarating 3mi Rim Walk at Kings Canyon past the domes of the Lost City, to where you’ll peer over the towering sandstone cliffs into the gorge below. Next stop is Curtin Springs Station. Learn about the legacy of the Severin family and their wrangling heritage and then kick back in true Aussie style at a delicious barbecue lunch. This afternoon, venture to the spiritual midst of Uluru in time to enjoy sparkling wine at a spectacular sunset.

Hotel Sails in the Desert Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort (2)

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner with wine included

Day 7: Uluru & Kata Tjuta

Venture to the Uluru–Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre where you’ll learn about the strong connection shared over millennia between the Anangu people and this ancient land. The mystical domes of Kata Tjuta are your next stop. Join your Journey Director for a guided walk deep through the whistling Walpa Gorge, tracing the cultural significance of Kata Tjuta’s ancient rocky domes. Spend the rest of the afternoon at the base of Uluru’s red slopes, embracing the timeless stories of the Anangu whose rock art you’ll have an opportunity to see before visiting the Mutitjulu Waterhole, home to the Anangu’s wanampi, an ancestral water snake. Afterwards, meet the magical stars of the Southern Hemisphere this evening at the sensational Sounds of Silence Dinner.

Breakfast & Local Dining Experience included

Day 8: Uluru – Sydney

Witness a mesmerizing sunrise over Uluru – perfectly viewed from the dune viewing area. Afterwards, kick back and enjoy laidback Aussie vibes before your flight to Sydney. Consider a scenic helicopter flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta, learn the art of Aboriginal dot painting or simply relax with a good book. This afternoon, soulful Uluru gives way to cosmopolitan Sydney.

Hotel The Langham Hotel Sydney

Breakfast included

Day 9: Sydney – Blue Mountains

The shimmering hue of the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park beckons from afar as you embark on a day of discovery to explore its extraordinary beauty. Soak up eucalyptus scents and discover such icons as the Three Sisters at Echo Point and spectacular Bridal Veil Falls. Go off the beaten path in the company of your Journey Director to secluded lookouts and peaceful short bushwalks.

Hotel Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine included

Day 10: Blue Mountains – Hunter Valley

Explore Australia’s original wine country. A day of guilt-free indulgence awaits as you sample the delectable flavors and award-winning vintages of the Hunter Valley. Enjoy private wine tastings at boutique vineyards and a sumptuous lunch in exquisite surrounds before arriving at your hotel and spending the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Hotel Kirkton Park Hunter Valley

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner with Wine included

Day 11: Hunter Valley – Sydney

The wind in your sails, it’s time to kick-start your afternoon on famous Sydney Harbour. Prime your sea legs and join your sailing crew on board a luxury yacht. Take the helm, work the grinders or simply kick back as you sail past the billowing sails of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and small secluded coves surrounded by multi-million dollar waterfront homes. An evening at leisure follows your exhilarating day on the water.

Hotel The Langham Hotel Sydney (2)

Breakfast included

Day 12: Sydney

The Eastern Suburbs of Sydney welcome you this morning as you stroll along the coastal walk. No trip to Sydney would be complete without a visit to the iconic Sydney Opera House for a VIP guided tour to learn about this architectural marvel. Afterwards, toast your Inspiring Journey at a Celebration Dinner at chef Peter Gilmore’s iconic Bennelong Restaurant under the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

Breakfast & Celebration Dinner included

Day 13: Sydney – Auckland

Bid farewell to the Harbour City as your epic discovery of Australia’s natural splendor and spiritual soul comes to an end and welcome to New Zealand, when you fly to Auckland, your gateway to the North Island. Spend time at leisure before meeting your New Zealand Journey Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception and dinner.

Hotel Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour Hotel (2)

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine included

Day 14: Auckland

Soak up Auckland’s intoxicating charm this morning as you embark on a city sightseeing tour. Then travel by ferry to Waiheke Island for a culinary extravaganza of bold reds. Continue your love affair with Waiheke at Casita Miro, savoring delicious Mediterranean flavors. Today’s final stop is at Mudbrick Vineyard where you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf.

Breakfast & Lunch included

Day 15: Auckland – Rotorua

Your leisurely discovery of New Zealand’s North Island continues as you follow the Waikato River to the home of Lance and Bridgette O’Sullivan, for a traditional country-style lunch. Visit the Tamaki Māori Village for insights into the local rituals and traditions and then indulge in the mouthwatering flavors of a Hangi Local Dining Experience.

Hotel Pullman Rotorua (2)

Breakfast & Local Dining Experience included

Day 16: Rotorua

Embark on one sightseeing experience of choice today to explore the sacred lands and Māori traditions of Rotorua. Indulge in the Polynesian Spa’s healing waters, tread in the footsteps of Bilbo Baggins in the fantasy-land of Hobbiton or take the native forest zipline adventure tour with Canopy Tours.

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine included

Day 17: Rotorua – Wellington

Come face-to-face with New Zealand’s indigenous creatures within the lush surrounds of Rainbow Springs Nature Park. Encounter the local Māori community at Whakawerawera Living Village and see New Zealand’s largest geyser before you board your flight to Wellington.

Hotel Sofitel Wellington (2)

Breakfast included

Day 18: Wellington

A foodie extravaganza awaits this morning as you join a local guide to sample the delicious gourmet delights shared over fascinating stories of Wellington. Embrace your inner hipster, as you discover the charming Victorian architecture and savor the city’s coffee culture. Explore New Zealand’s fascinating culture, nature, heritage and art at Te Papa Museum of New Zealand, joining a guide who will reveal the stories behind the exhibitions.

Breakfast & Dinner with Wine included

Day 19: Wellington – Queenstown

Discover the urban eco-sanctuary of Zealandia, admiring the extraordinary efforts of conservationists. Then it’s time to fly to Queenstown, New Zealand’s adrenaline capital. On arrival, journey to the gold-rush village of Arrowtown. Enjoy an orientation tour of Queenstown.

Hotel Heritage Queenstown (3)

Breakfast included

Day 20: Doubtful Sound

Journey deep into the heart of Fiordland National Park. From the silence of the ‘Sounds’ to the ancient rainforests, the beauty and vastness will leave you speechless. Your day begins in Manapouri, where you’ll embark on a cruise across Lake Manapouri. In Doubtful Sound, take to the waters of this glistening fiord.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner with Wine included

Day 21: Queenstown

Today indulge your adventurous side on one Queenstown sightseeing experience of choice. Enjoy a guided walk through a native beech forest or embark on a minibus tour through the scenic gorge of Skippers Canyon. For a more sedate encounter with the adrenaline capital, visit one of the nearby wineries to sample award-winning vintages. As your final day ends, spend the evening enjoying a Celebration Dinner with wine with your Journey Director and new found friends.

Breakfast & Celebration Dinner included

Day 22: Farewell Queenstown

For now, all that’s left to say is a fond farewell as your journey comes to an end after breakfast. Enoho rā New Zealand – we hope for a speedy return.

Breakfast included