-Day 1 Start tour
Day 2 International Date Line
Lose a day as you cross the International Date Line
Day 3 Kia Ora Auckland
Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Details: Travel to Rotorua
Before you see Rotorua, you'll definitely smell it: Sulfur. Consider it an introduction to a place that is completely unique. Rotorua offers a fascinating view into the earth's volcanic center. Clouds of steam seem to magically appear throughout the city from the city's four major thermal centers. One geyser erupts about 20 times a day and can spout up to 100 feet.
Day 4 Rotorua landmarks
Details: Rotorua guided sightseeing tour
See the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve, the closest thermal area to the city. Unlike the other thermal centers, "Whaka" as it is called, is still a living village with ancient roots, founded before Europeans arrived. Here you might see residents using steam boxes to cook sweet corn. At the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, learn the Maori traditional carving and weaving methods. The day ends with a skyline gondola ride on Mt. Ngongotaha.
Details: Te Puia Thermal Reserve visit
A guided tour of Te Puia combines a premier Maori culture experience with an introduction to the magnificent geothermal activity in the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley. Whilst in the valley see the boiling mud pools, steaming silica terraces, hot springs and geysers including the famous Pohutu Geyser which can erupt up to 30 metres high, depending on its mood. Visit the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute where young Maori are learning the traditional carving and weaving skills of their ancestors.
Details: Agrodome visit
Rotorua's Agrodome, located in the heart of scenic farmland, offers a fun and educational world-famous show. Learn all about the various breeds of sheep of New Zealand. After the show, a visit to the Farmyard Nursery is not to be missed!
Details: Maori Hangi feast
Taste native Maori culture, literally, at a traditional Hangi feast. The Maori use the geo-thermal region as a natural steam cooker. They wrap vegetables and meat in fresh green leaves and cook it over the steam escaping through the rocks. It's health food, the old-fashioned way.
Day 5 Rotorua--Auckland
Waitomo Caves and Glowworm Grotto visit
Details: Travel to Auckland via Waitomo
Stop to see the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, first explored in 1887 by a local Maori Chief, Tane Tinorau, and an English surveyor, Fred Mace. Enter as they did, and as your eyes adjust to the darkness, imagine how they must have felt upon discovering the Glowworm Grotto--thousands of lights on the ceiling that are actually insects. See the caves' dry valleys, streams that disappear down funnel-shaped sinkholes and craggy limestone outcrops and formations.
Details: Waitomo Caves guided visit
Believed to be over two million years old, the Waitomo Caves are noted for their spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations. Recognized as one of New Zealand’s most inspiring natural wonders, visitors come from far and wide to experience an up close look at the many unique underground limestone attractions, including Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave and the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
Details: Glowworm Grotto visit
As you gently glide underground along the Waitomo River, you won’t believe your eyes as you gaze up at the starry wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto. Thousands of Waitomo glowworms will literally light your path, in what is easily one of Mother Nature's most enchanting light displays. Along the way, you’ll be treated to majestic and ornate cave decorations, the deep limestone shaft known as the Tomo and the equally magnificent Cathedral Cavern, known around the world for its impressive acoustics.
Day 6 Auckland--Sydney
Fly to Sydney
Details: Auckland guided sightseeing tour
Take a tour of New Zealand's most progressive city, Auckland, full of cosmopolitan bustle and beautiful harbor views. First, soak in a little history at the War Memorial Museum. Then plunge into Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World. Here you can observe live penguins and learn about the unique features of their home, the frozen continent of Antarctica. Travel deep beneath the ocean on the moving walkway of the underwater tunnel. You get a scuba diver's view of hundreds of colorful fish, lurking sharks and giant stingrays 'up close' and in their own environment.
Day 7 Sydney
Sydney tour director-led sightseeing Opera House visit
Details: Sydney Harbour Bridge walk
Walk across the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and take in the spectacular views of the stunning Sydney Harbour, Sydney Opera House and the city.
Details: The Rocks
As you stroll along the narrow, cobblestone streets of The Rocks, you can’t help but get caught up in the area’s intriguing past, present and future. Here you’ll find chic restaurants, stylish bars and hearty pubs, all amidst some of the oldest surviving buildings in Sydney. One moment you’ll be touring historic Cadman’s Cottage, and the next you’ll find yourself amongst the eclectic shopping, artisan markets and glitzy galleries that make The Rocks the engaging destination that is it today.
Day 8 Sydney
Fish and Chips lunch
Details: Bondi Beach excursion
With a storied history, a dazzling setting and its fair share of beautiful people, Bondi Beach is rightly recognized as one of the best beaches in the world. Upon arrival at this enticing stretch of sand, you’ll first learn about what makes Bondi so unique—the surfers, the rescues and all the action you might expect at one of Australia’s most famous destinations. From there, you’re on your own. Catch some rays, feel the sand between your toes, rent a boogie-board or even take some surfing lessons.
Details: Mrs Macquarie's Point
You bring the camera and “Mrs. Macquarie” will provide the perfect backdrop. Featuring a breathtaking view of both the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Mrs. Macquarie’s Point has been attracting visitors since its origin in 1810, when an exposed sandstone rock was cut into the shape of a bench. Known today as Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, legend has it that if you make a wish while sitting on the bench, there’s a very good chance that your wish will come true.
Details: Ferry ride across the Sydney Harbour
Hop aboard the Manly Ferry, one of Sydney’s most iconic experiences. Departing regularly to and from Manly to Circular Quay, the ferry cruises past the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House before passing Kirribilli House the official residence of the Prime Minister.
Details: Explore Manly
Get to know the vibrant Manly, known for its stunning beaches, outdoor cafés, and cool restaurants. The streets are lined with surf and beach-ware shops and little boutique stores. Get active with a scenic coastal walk or go for a swim, hire a bike or walk to Fairy Bower Beach, where the little penguins reside.
Day 10 End tour
-Day 10 Start extension to Cairns
Fly to Cairns
Details: Cairns tour director-led sightseeing
After bustling Sydney, the city of Cairns may feel like a sleepy little tropical village. Everything in town seems built for relaxation. The homes are built on stilts to catch the cool ocean breezes and overhead fans whirl in every room. Walk down the lively, slightly bohemian Esplanade, the focal point of the city. This is where the city began in 1876 as a gold- and tin-mining port. Wharf Street was once the main drag, at a time when the entire area was known as the Barbary Coast because of its rough, criminal element. Now, it is a thriving port, where big-game fishing is a major industry. Minutes away, see the hustle and bustle at the Cairns Night Market filled with with knick-knacks and tropical food delights. This city is the gateway into Australia's Tropical North and two significant natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
Details: Esplanade
Take a stroll on the Cairns esplanade buzzing with innovative eateries, on-trend bars, stylish boutiques and galleries. At the end of the day get a glimpse of the idyllic sun setting over the water.
Details: Cairns night market
Each night when the sun sets, Cairns Night Market comes alive. Featuring over 70 retail outlets and home to a myriad of food options, settle in for the evening, hunt for a bargain and grab a yummy bite to eat! Perhaps try some local Tropical North Queensland delights like a sugar cane juice and a tropical dessert from the Mango Bar.
Details: Palm Cove excursion
Relax on Palm Cove’s gorgeous beaches, where Cairns’ residents and visitors come for fun in the sun.
Details: Explore Palm Cove
Make a stop at Palm Cove, a charming beachside village where the reef meets the rainforest. Take a stroll up the esplanade, lined with 500-year-old melaleuca trees and dip your feet in the tropical waters.
Day 11 Cairns
Lunch on board the Great Barrier Reef cruise
Details: Great Barrier Reef full-day excursion
No trip to Cairns is complete without a visit to the outer Great Barrier Reef - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and easily one of the world's top natural wonders. Transfer from Cairns towards Moore Reef where the underwater universe awaits. Upon arrival at the reef, take part in a guided snorkel safari and participate in the Eye on the Reef program with a marine biologist to monitor the health of the reef. See firsthand the incredible array of life and colors that exist just below the surface with a semi-submersible coral reef viewing tour.
Day 12 Cairns
Details: Cairns free day
After bustling Sydney, the city of Cairns may feel like a sleepy little tropical village. Everything in town seems built for relaxation. The homes are built on stilts to catch the cool ocean breezes. Overhead fans whirl in every room. People stroll along the lively, slightly bohemian Esplanade, the focal point of the city. This is where the city began in 1876, but the actual center of Cairns is the City Place, the town square and a quaint pedestrian mall. Spend some time relaxing in and exploring this laidback city.
Day 13 End tour
Tour Includes:
- Round-trip airfare
- 7 overnight stays (10 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
- Breakfast daily
- Dinner daily (except where lunch is noted on itinerary)
- Full-time services of a professional tour director
- Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
- Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
- Tour Diary™
- Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
- Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
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