Friday, April 13 (Day 1)
Honolulu to Auckland to Sydney
Our tour commences this evening when we assemble at the Air New Zealand lobby at the airport for baggage check-in procedures for our late evening flight to Sydney, Australia via a stopover in Auckland, New Zealand. A meal will be served on board the flight.
Saturday, April 14 (Day 2)
Inflight
We lose a day due to the crossing of the International Dateline.
Sunday, April 15 (Day 3)
Arrive Auckland / Sydney, Australia (D)
We’ll arrive Auckland International Airport in the early morning, then transfer for our flight to Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales. After completing entry and customs formalities, we will be met by a representative who will accompany us to the hotel to assist us with check-in procedures. We will spend two exciting nights in Sydney. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax or explore the surrounding area of Australia’s largest city - located on one of the world’s most beautiful harbors. A welcome dinner will be provided for us this evening.
Accommodations at Travelodge Wynyard or similar
Monday, April 16 (Day 4)
Sydney (B)(L)
After breakfast, we’ll board our motorcoach and commence on a full day sightseeing tour of this extraordinary city with a commentary driver. Our first stop will be at the Sydney Opera House to enjoy a guided tour of this magnificent complex. Appreciate the history and building of this fascinating architectural wonder. We’ll continue on our city tour, visiting historical The Rocks, famous Bondi Beach, Gap, and China Town. At Circular Quay, we’ll board a Majestic Cruise vessel to enjoy a lunch cruise on Sydney Harbor with comprehensive commentary from the friendly captain and crew. Unwind, relax, and enjoy the splendor of the passing vista. Dine with the elite as you cruise past the exclusive Eastern suburbs, home to Sydney’s rich and famous. We’ll disembark from our cruise at Darling Harbor and commence with our city tour. We’ll travel to Featherdale Wildlife Park - Australia’s unique wildlife where you can cuddle a koala, feed the kangaroos, view the Fairy Penguins, and see colorful Parrots and cockatoos. Walk through the reptile area to see many species of lizards, snakes, and pythons and you can view the Tasmanian Devil, dingoes, wombats, as well as fresh and salt water crocodiles in their natural habitat.
Accommodations at Travelodge Wynyard Hotel or similar
Tuesday, April 17 (Day 5)
Sydney * Canberra (B)(L)
After breakfast, we’ll depart by motorcoach to Melbourne overland via Canberra. On arrival, we’ll visit Gold Creek Station, one of the most notable working pastoral properties located in the Canberra region. It currently runs 1,000 merino sheep and 200 beef cattle. When we visit the farm, we’ll be “amongst the action” as we watch Australian kelpie dogs work merino sheep and see a sheep shearing demonstration. Listen to an informative talk about wool classing and the effects of overseas markets on the Australian wool industry. After enjoying these experiences, we’ll feast on a delicious traditional Australian barbeque lunch. Situated around Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra is a must for any visitor to Australia. The Nation’s capital, this thriving city is home to many fascinating galleries and monuments, including Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and the National Gallery of Australia, which houses the best collection of art in the country. We’ll spend the night in Canberra.
Accommodations at Mercure Olims Hotel or similar
Wednesday, April 18 (Day 6)
Canberra * Melbourne (B)
We’ll begin our journey to spend two nights in Melbourne. On arrival in the late afternoon, the rest of the day is at your leisure.
Accommodations at Rendezvous Hotel or similar
Thursday, April 19 (Day 7)
Melbourne * Phillip Island & Penguin Parade (B)(D)
After breakfast, we will commence on a half day city tour of Melbourne - the heart of Australia’s classic south. Melbourne has compelling appeal in its gardens, history, character, and charm. Inhabited by cultures from across the globe, Melbourne has a fascinating mix of cosmopolitan peoples who give generously and share passionately in the richness of this most dynamic and vibrant city. In the afternoon, we will depart for Phillip Island to enjoy the Fairy Penguin Parade, one of the most popular tours in Melbourne. Every evening at dusk, little penguins come from the sea at Phillip Island. From the waves-across the beach-to the sand dunes, the fairy penguins can almost be touched as they waddle to their burrows. Sunset at Summerland Beach has drawn millions of visitors to Phillip Island. It is the nightly ritual of these little flightless birds which will enthral you as we observe from the beach and the elevated boardwalk. Enjoy a delicious lobster dinner before returning to our hotel in the late evening.
Accommodations at Rendezvous Hotel or similar
Friday, April 20 (Day 8)
Melbourne * Christchurch, New Zealand * Ashburton B)
This morning, we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Christchurch located on the south island of New Zealand. “Haere Mai” - welcome to the “garden city” of Christchurch - the international gateway to the South Island. Christchurch is New Zealand’s only predominately flat major city and is the South Island’s largest city, having grown from a planned Church of England settlement in the 1850’s. We’ll meet a representative and our chartered motorcoach, then travel south into the surrounding Canterbury Plains to arrive at the lovely country town of Ashburton to spend the night.
Accommodations at Hotel Ashburton or similar
Saturday, April 21 (Day 9)
Ashburton * Dunedin (B)
We’ll continue our travel south along the east coast of the South Island to Dunedin. Renowned for its Scottish heritage, Dunedin is also famous for its natural history and is home to both albatross and penguin colonies. An old Gaelic name for Edinburgh, Dunedin was a planned Scottish settlement. We’ll travel to the Otago Peninsula to enjoy a guided tour of Larnach Castle, an imposing mansion affording spectacular views of the Otago Peninsula.
Accommodations at Scenic Hotel Dunedin City or similar
Sunday, April 22 (Day 10)
Dunedin * Te Anau (B)
Our morning tour of Dunedin includes a visit to the fascinating Olveston House. This stately home is a treasure house of antique furniture, paintings, rare porcelain and ornaments accumulated from different parts of the world. We’ll continue our travel through the fertile Southland farming region to arrive at Lake Te Anau - gateway to the Fiordland National Park. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a cruise across Lake Te Anau to visit the Te Anau Glowworm Caves. Highlights include fascinating limestone caverns, whirlpools, waterfalls and a magical glowworm grotto.
Accommodations at Distinction Luxmore Hotel or similar
Monday, April 23 (Day 11)
Te Anau * Milford Sound * Queenstown (B)(L)
As we depart Lake Te Anau, the scenery changes dramatically from tussock-covered grasslands to glacier-hewn valleys as we enter the Eglinton Valley. We’ll travel through the breathtaking man made Homer Tunnel to the world-renowned Milford Sound. Described by Rudyard Kipling as one of the great wonders of the world, we’ll enjoy a Milford Sound Cruise on the majestic Milford Sound, including a picnic lunch served on board. Milford Sound’s best known feature is Mitre Peak, the world’s highest sea cliff. It was given the name of Mitre Peak by early explorers because it resembled the Mitre on a Bishop’s hat. The fiords in this area contain unusual life because they have a 2-4 metre layer of fresh water which sits above the salt water and only weak light filters through to below. This means that there is a great deal of sea life which would usually only be found in very deep water but relatively near the surface here. You may see an abundance of wildlife in Milford Sound including fur seals, crested penguins, bottle nosed and dusky dolphins. In Maori legend, the fiords were created not by rivers of ice, but by Tu Te Raki Whanoa, a godly figure who came wielding a magical adze and uttering incantations. Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) is without doubt his finest sculpture. View the stunning local scenery including waterfalls, rainforest and towering peaks as we cruise this incredible masterpiece of nature. On completion of the cruise, we’ll retrace our journey via Lake Te Anau, through tussock covered plains before following the southern arm of Lake Wakatipu into the “alpine resort” of Queenstown, spending two nights at a hotel overlooking the lake.
Accommodations at Rydges Queenstown or similar
Tuesday, April 24 (Day 12)
Queenstown (B)
We’ll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Queenstown with a stop at the Kawarau Bridge - the spiritual home of bungy jumping. Enjoy wine tasting at the award winning Gibbston Valley Winery, one of the early pioneers of viticulture in the Central Otago region. Despite sharing the same latitude as several French wine regions, skeptics didn’t believe wine could be grown in the harsh environment of the Central Otago region. However, the long hot summers, cold winters, and local schist rock have ensured award-winning wines with Pinot Noir in particular, growing successfully. We’ll return to Queenstown via the historic goldmining village of Arrowtown. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to relax or explore more of Queenstown.
Accommodations at Rydges Queenstown or similar
Wednesday, April 25 (Day 13)
Queenstown * Mount Cook (B)(D)
We’ll bid farewell to Queenstown and travel through the Kawarau Valley and stunning Lindas Pass to arrive in the MacKenzie Country. We’ll continue via the small hydro-electric township of Twizel before following Lake Pukaki to arrive at New Zealand’s highest mountain - Mount Cook (known in Maori as ‘Aorangi’ or cloud piecer). Time is available this afternoon for an optional flightseeing adventure over the majestic Southern Alps.
Accommodations at Hermitage Hotel or similar
Thursday, April 26 (Day 14)
Mount Cook * Christchurch (B)
The morning, we’ll depart Mount Cook and retrace our journey along Lake Pukaki to arrive at Lake Tekapo - famous for the picturesque Church of the Good Shepard. Enjoy an optional stop at the popular “Tin Shed”, a well-known co-operative with fabulous woolen wear, before continuing over the fertile Canterbury Plains to arrive at the “Garden City” of Christchurch. In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a visit to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Willowbank is actively involved in the conservation of New Zealand’s bird life, which, until the arrival of man had no natural predators. We will be introduced to New Zealand’s national bird - the kiwi. This unique bird is flightless, nocturnal and produces the biggest egg for the body size of any bird in the world. .
Accommodations at Rydges Christchurch or similar
Friday, April 27 (Day 15)
Christchurch * Rotorua (B)(D)
We’ll transfer to the Christchurch airport and depart New Zealand’s South Island on a domestic flight to the ‘thermal city’ of Rotorua, the center of Maori culture on the North Island. Rotorua is one of the most famous destinations in New Zealand. From the moment we arrive in Rotorua, you know you are somewhere quite different. There is a scent of sulphur in the air, and at nearby geothermal hotspots, there are spouting geysers, bubbling mud pools, and warm geothermal pools and ponds that create a kaleidoscope of color. Rotorua is also the heartland of New Zealand’s Maori culture and the warm spirit of this living culture will captivate and enthral you. On arrival, we’ll transfer to our hotel to check-in for two nights. In the afternoon, we’ll transfer to Te Puia to enjoy a guided thermal reserve tour and evening Maori cultural dinner and performance. Our guided tour of the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve features a view of the boiling mudpools and cascading Pohutu geyser that makes Rotorua famous as New Zealand’s “thermal city”. On completion of the tour, enjoy a visit to the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute to view local Maori carvers in action. This evening, we’ll enjoy a Maori Hangi (feast) and concert at Te Puia, featuring a selection of favorite Maori love and action songs, including the fearsome “haka” or war dance.
Accommodations at Sudima Rotorua or similar
Saturday, April 28 (Day 16)
Rotorua (B)
The morning is at your leisure to relax or explore more of this ‘thermal city’ at your own pace. In the afternoon, we’ll be introduced to New Zealand’s thriving agricultural industry at the Agrodome. The entertaining show features sheep dog demonstrations, cow milking and an introduction to the stars of this country’s sheep industry - the various breeds that have established New Zealand as one of the foremost farming nations in the world. We’ll visit Rainbow Springs, an open-style park which is well-known throughout New Zealand for its resident trout, flora and fauna.
Accommodations at Sudima Rotorua or similar
Sunday, April 29 (Day 17)
Rotorua * Auckland (B)
We’ll bid farewell to the ‘thermal city’ and travel through the fertile Waikato region to arrive in New Zealand’s largest city - Auckland. Within an area of 360 square kilometers, 48 eruption centres from ancient times have been recognized in the Auckland region. The oldest eruption took place about 50,000 years ago and the most recent being Rangitoto Island only 600 years ago. The Maori name for the isthmus is “Tamaki Makau Rau”, which means “battle of a thousand lovers” - referring to the tribes that battled over the much desired land. Auckland is now New Zealand’s largest city with a multi-cultural population of over one million inhabitants. Our afternoon sightseeing tour of Auckland includes the volcanic crater of Mt. Eden where you can enjoy spectacular views of the city and harbor. We’ll make a stop to visit the small suburb of Parnell, Auckland’s oldest suburb. We’ll complete the day with a ride up the Skytower - the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere - to enjoy stunning views over the city and Waitemata Harbor.
Accommodations at Rydges Auckland or similar
Monday, April 30 (Day 18)
Auckland (B)
The day is at your leisure to just relax, try your luck at the Skycity Casino or explore more of the city at your own pace.
Accommodations at Rydges Auckland or similar
Tuesday, May 1 (Day 19)
Auckland to Honolulu (B)
“Haere Ra” is the Maori call of farewell. This morning we’ll transfer to the Auckland International Airport for our direct flight home to Honolulu, arriving the evening before on Monday, April 30th, due to the re-crossing of the International Date Line.