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Day 1: Board your
transpacific flight and skip a day as you cross the International Date Line.
Day 3: Arrival in Cairns, Australia.
G’day and welcome to Australia! Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef,
one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This evening, your Tour Director
hosts a special welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 4: Cairns. Great Barrier Reef Cruise.
Board a fast catamaran for a CRUISE to Green Island, one of the many tropical
islands on Australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef. Here you can choose to
snorkel, take a GLASS-BOTTOM BOAT TOUR, or walk through the island’s cool
rainforest. This afternoon, your Tour Director can assist you with a variety of
optional activities, including crocodile spotting. Tonight, dinner will be held
at TJAPUKAI ABORIGINAL CULTURAL PARK—an interactive and entertaining portrayal
of the culture, dance, and folklore of this indigenous tribe. (B,D)
Day 5: Cairns–Melbourne.
Today, fly to Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city. Cosmopolitan yet
relaxed, Melbourne is renowned for its shopping and streetside cafés. (B)
Day 6: Melbourne.
Today’s tour includes landmarks such as Parliament House and the Shrine of
Remembrance, a tribute to Australia’s war heroes. Visit beautiful FITZROY
GARDENS and then drive past the lush Royal Botanical Gardens. You’ll soon
discover the differing architectural influences of this city as you see the
Victorian Arts Centre and other buildings of significance. Also stop at one of
the country’s leading OPAL COMPANIES to discover how the beautiful gems are
mined. For a unique dining experience, join an optional outing on board a
historic tramcar restaurant as it winds its way through the streets of
Melbourne. Later this afternoon, visit a local WILDLIFE PARK to see koalas and
kangaroos. Then, continue on to Phillip Island to see the world-famous PENGUIN
PARADE from an exclusive viewing platform. (B,D)
Day 7: Melbourne–Sydney.
Fly to Sydney, one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Your sightseeing this
afternoon includes a visit to the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, to see its amazing interior and theaters. Then, a great photo stop at Mrs.
Macquarie’s Chair in the city’s BOTANICAL GARDENS, offering sweeping views of
the harbor, Opera House, and Harbour Bridge. Feel like a local while touring the
world-famous Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club and enjoy a lifesaving
demonstration! Today’s highlight is a special dinner at a waterfront restaurant
with fantastic views of Sydney. (B,D)
Day 8: Sydney.
A full day at leisure for your own discoveries. Perhaps join one of our optional
excursions to the Blue Mountains for a wilderness experience or to Hunter
Valley, one of Australia’s leading wine-growing regions. You can even climb to
the top of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge! (B)
Day 9: Sydney.
Another day at leisure for your own discoveries. The choice is yours and your
Tour Director will have suggestions to help you make the most of this exciting
city. Tonight, enjoy a sumptuous sunset DINNER CRUISE on one of Sydney’s most
prestigious cruise ships. (B,D)
Day 10: Sydney–Christchurch, New Zealand.
Haere Mai—welcome to New Zealand! The remainder of the day is at leisure
in this internationally famed “Garden City.” (B)
Day 11: Christchurch.
Enjoy sightseeing with a drive up the winding Summit Road for views of Lyttelton
Harbour, then past Christchurch’s old stone buildings, the charming Avon River,
and acres of green parks. (B)
Day 12: Christchurch–Queenstown.
Today, enjoy fantastic views as you journey through the snowcapped peaks,
waterfalls, and rugged mountain scenery of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Stop at
a SHEEP FARM in Omarama to learn more about one of the country’s major
industries—sheep! Later, arrive in Queenstown, nicknamed the “Adventure Capital
of the World.” (B)
Day 13: Queenstown. Cruise on Milford Sound.
More beautiful scenery today as you travel into FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK through
the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound. Boasting some of the most breathtaking
scenery in the world, this region of New Zealand has the elite status of
belonging to UNESCO’s World Heritage Parks. CRUISE on the fiord with sheer rock
walls rising thousands of feet from the water’s
CG great depths. (B,L)
Day 14: Queenstown.
A full day at leisure for your own discovery. Consider an optional visit to a
local vineyard and sample some of the prize vintages or maybe a thrilling
jetboat ride on the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers. Your Tour Director will have
suggestions to help you plan your day to explore, shop, and enjoy optional
activities. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner at Walter
Peak, including a CRUISE aboard a vintage steamship on stunning Lake Wakatipu. (B,D)
Day 15: Your homebound flight arrives the same day. CG (B) |
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