Highlights of Australia and New Zealand
Overview
Highlights
- Follow an indigenous guide through the daintree rainforest
- Spend the day boating around the scenic whitsundays
- Hike and stay overnight in the blue mountains
- Cruise around the fjords of doubtful sound in fiordland national park
- Soak in the scenery of aoraki/mt cook national park
- Discover maori culture
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and GroupYour Discover Moment: Franz JosefYour Discover Moment: Queenstown
- Indigenous Peoples Interpretive Walk at Mossman Gorge
- Whitsunday Islands Boating Excursion
- Barrier Reef Visit
- Blue Mountains Excursion
- Byron Bay surf lesson
- Jamison Valley Walk
- Blue Mountains Scenic Railway
- Winery Visit
- Hanmer Springs
- Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise
- Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Visit
- Internal flights
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Itinerary
Arrive at any time.
There are no activities planned until the evening welcome meeting.
Head north to Cape Tribulation. Stop en route to explore Mossman Gorge and take an interpretive walk through the Daintree Rainforest.
With a free day, opt for a trip to the Great Barrier Reef or to explore Daintree National Park.
Return to Cairns in the afternoon with free time to explore this laid-back city. En route, stop by Port Douglas and opt to have lunch at a local market.
Depart early for a full day of travel to reach Airlie Beach, enjoying scenic views along the way.
Set sail for a day in the Whitsunday Islands, visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Opt to swim or snorkel, and hike to an island lookout over Whitehaven Beach, known for its stunning white sand. Return to Airlie Beach for the night.
Fly to Brisbane and transfer to Byron Bay for two nights in this "hippie" paradise.
Spend the morning down at the beach with a morning yoga session and before hitting the waves for a surf lesson.
Pre-book the "Byron Bay Ocean Kayaking" activity on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional experience on your tour.
Spend the morning wandering the town checking out the local shops or having one last coffee on the beach before heading to the coastal township of Port Macquarie, featuring all the beauty of the beach set alongside gorgeous national parks. Enjoy an evening in Port Macquarie.
Travel from Port Macquarie to the Blue Mountains today. These mountains in Australia are best known for their soaring sandstone ridges. As you drive, pass by charming mountain towns, ancient Aboriginal rock art, lush green valleys, and loads of craggy cliffs. It doesn’t matter if the journey is shrouded in clouds or glowing in the sinking sun, you’ll still spot beauty around every turn.
Travel deeper into the majestic Blue Mountains and experience the natural beauty of this World Heritage Area. Take a walk in Jamison Valley, and ride on the Scenic Railway, the steepest railway in the world. Explore the area around Leura and Katoomba and view the Three Sisters.
Continue to Sydney and head out for an orientation walk. With some free time stroll the botanical gardens or visit the iconic Opera House.
Get a feel for the city. Relax seaside at Bondi Beach. Enjoy an optional night out with the group.
Say goodbye to Australia and hop on a flight to Auckland, New Zealand. After transferring from the airport, enjoy some free time to explore this vibrant city.
Please note that your flight from Australia to New Zealand and first night in Auckland will be unescorted.
Enjoy a free day to explore Auckland. Visit the Maritime Museum, walk the waterfront, or even take the ferry to Waiheke Island.
If you are interested in visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set while in New Zealand we suggest you pre-book before arriving in New Zealand. G Adventures currently does not offer this as a tour add-on. Hobbiton is accessible as a day trip from Auckland or Rotorua.
Drive to the lakeside town of Rotorua, situated over an active geothermal zone and known for its volcanic features and rich Maori heritage. Stop en route at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Take a boat ride through this spectacular underground realm to see thousands of flickering glowworms light up in the dark.
Visit Rotorua and opt to check out the geothermal area or go whitewater rafting. In the evening visit a Maori village for traditional ceremonies, a Hangi meal and entertainment.
Rotorua sits over an active volcanic zone with bubbling mud pits and multi-coloured ...
Take in the ever-changing scenery of the North Island and travel to the capital, Wellington.
Enjoy the atmosphere in this relaxed but lively city. After an orientation walk, enjoy a free day to explore. Opt to visit the Te Papa Museum or take the cable car up to the botanical gardens.
Fly to the South Island, stopping en route for a wine tasting at a local winery, then travel to the seaside town of Kaikoura, known for its diverse marine life.
Opt to swim with dolphins or go whale watching during a free morning in Kaikoura before travelling to Hanmer Springs. Opt to take a soak in the hot springs.
Take in the stunning scenery while travelling across the Southern Alps to the rugged and remote West Coast, before staying in the rainforest near the world's fastest moving glacier.
Enjoy a free day to explore the area around Franz Josef. Opt to explore the glacier with a heli hike.
There are dozens of optional activities in the area to suit just about any budget and preference. Try heli hiking, scenic helicopter flights, skydiving, lake kayaking or a hot pools visit.
Continue to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. With beautiful scenery and tons of activities, there's something for everyone. Enjoy the great night life.
With free time here, opt to go bungee jumping (in its birthplace), jet boating (also born here!), skydiving or hiking. Or take it a little slower and travel by gondola to the top of a local peak.
Opt to pre-book the "Queenstown Jet Boating" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Enjoy the stunning scenery of Fiordland National Park and Doubtful Sound on a day cruise. Take in the waterfalls and wildlife, then return to Queenstown for the night.
Travel north through the centre of the South Island to Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, named after New Zealand's highest peak. Spend the afternoon hiking the region, taking in the alpine scenery. Learn more about mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary at the Visitor's Centre, before a short but scenic journey to Tekapo Village.
Continue on to Christchurch and take in an orientation walk with your CEO. Enjoy one final night together with the group.
Travel to the Garden City of Christchurch, a little piece of England in New Zealand, still recovering from a devastating earthquake.
Depart at any time.
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Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with G Adventures.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Tour Operator
G Adventures is an adventure travel pioneer offering the planet's most awe-inspiring selection of affordable small-group tours, safaris and expeditions. Our award-winning trips embrace authentic accommodation, exotic cuisine and local transport to put travellers on a first-name basis with the planet’s people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife.
Adventure travel is more than a vacation. It’s a chance to get to know your world better by putting yourself on a first-name basis with the people, places, and things that make it worth exploring. This is your planet. Come and get it.
All G Adventures tours share a common love of adventure, but life-altering experiences come in a variety of flavors. Here are some of the Travel Styles we offer:
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Logistics
Accommodation
Transportation & Flights
Transportation & flights
Important Notes
1. Please note that this tour combines with other G Adventures tours. As such, the staff and some travel companions on your tour may have previously been traveling together with G Adventures, prior to Day 1 of your tour. Likewise, some staff and travel companions may be continuing together on another G Adventures tour, after your trip concludes. 2. Please be aware that wifi and internet access is not as readily available in Australia as in other parts of the world. There are often additional charges to connect to the internet, and speeds may be slower than what you are used to. 3. Over public holidays in Australia and New Zealand (such as Christmas, New Years Day, Easter, and Anzac Day) there may be some limitations of services and disruptions to schedules. In general our tours still operate effectively over public holidays, but there may be closures of optional activities and restaurants, and slight itinerary adjustments in order to provide all tour inclusions. 4. ACCOMMODATION NOTE: Please be aware that properties we stay in with only two stories may not have elevators installed and climbing the stairs with your luggage will be necessary.
Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility. Our groups tend to eat together for most meals but there is no obligation to so. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. We love checking out what the locals are doing and what makes up their daily routines. In Italy that could be starting the day with an espresso and cornetto standing at the bar in a local café. in Australia it might include an iced coffee and sausage roll by the beach and in Vietnam it could be slurping a steaming bowl of pho sitting on a plastic stool on a busy street corner. Hey, variety is the spice of life!
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
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