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This is the Grand Tour of them all! Discover both Australia and New Zealand with Tauk Tours in their 20 day jaunt around the East Coast of Australia and through both North and South Islands of New Zealand!
Itinerary
Day 1 – Melbourne and the start of your Australia tour
Tauck’s Australia tour begins at 6:00 PM at the InterContinental Melbourne, The Rialto.
A transfer is included from Melbourne Airport to the InterContinental Melbourne, The Rialto. Welcome to Tauck’s grand Australia tour, where friendly g’days greet you from arrival to departure! Join us for a welcome dinner tonight.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: InterContinental Melbourne, The Rialto, Melbourne, Australia
Day 2 – Melbourne’s Victorian charms
You’ll see a lot of Melbourne on a sightseeing tour of the city, including the High Victorian architecture of Parliament House, the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens and the ANZAC War Memorial – the Shrine of Remembrance. The city is also home to the oldest tram network in the world; experience it up-close tonight when you dine aboard the Colonial Tram Car Restaurant as it travels around the city.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: InterContinental Melbourne, The Rialto, Melbourne, Australia
Day 3 – All about Ayers Rock, a highlight of any Australia tour
Fly to Alice Springs en route to Uluru (Ayers Rock) for an two-night stay. Settle into your Outback resort and join us for a “silver service" champagne party at Uluru; while the celebration by itself is very special, wait until you experience it under the setting sun when the light bathes the mystical rock with a palette of ever-changing color.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Sails in the Desert, Ayers Rock, Australia
Day 4 – Aboriginal adventures in the Outback
Aboriginal traditions define life in the Outback, especially at Uluru. Learn about the “dreamtime" legends associated with this massive monolith on a guided tour. Nearby, the many-headed Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) awaits your discovery; hear stories about the 36 gigantic rock domes that are found here and explore mazes and crevasses steeped in local lore.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Sails in the Desert, Ayers Rock, Australia
Day 5 – Off to Queensland
Spend a free morning at Uluru where you’ll have an opportunity to do some more exploring. Your Australia tour continues with a flight north from the red desert to the tropical rainforests of Queensland. Arrive in Cairns and continue on to your resort in Port Douglas.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Peppers Beach Club, Port Douglas, Australia
Day 6 – Life at The Great Barrier Reef
Spend a full day exploring one of earth’s most incredible “living" sites, the Great Barrier Reef, on an eco-cruise accompanied by a marine biologist. Marvel at the colors and beauty of the coral and fish while swimming, snorkeling, or riding on a glass bottom boat or a semi-submersible watercraft that features enormous viewing windows.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Peppers Beach Club, Port Douglas, Australia
Day 7 – Tauck’s Australia tour takes you to the rainforest
Your resort is close to many natural wonders, including a mist-shrouded tropical rainforest. Ride a gondola through the lush jungle landscapes to the mountain village of Kuranda, before returning to the resort for some free time.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Peppers Beach Club, Port Douglas, Australia
Day 8 – Optional balloon ride and on to Sydney
Soar over the Atherton Tablelands on an optional early morning balloon ride* (additional cost of $165 per person applies) or spend the morning at the resort at your leisure. Everyone takes off for Sydney late this morning for a four-night stay in the heart of the city. Your hotel is within walking distance of the Botanic Gardens, shopping and restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: InterContinental, Sydney
Day 9 – Sightseeing in Sydney
One of Australia’s most famous iconic sights takes center stage today when you visit the Opera House on a personally guided tour. A luncheon cruise on Sydney Harbour is a fabulous way to unwind and relax, while getting a good look at some of this extraordinary city’s landmark sites from the water. City sightseeing continues as you view The Rocks, Kings Cross and surfing heaven at Bondi Beach.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: InterContinental, Sydney
Day 10 – Breakfast with Koalas
Have breakfast with the koalas this morning at the Featherdale Wildlife Park, before heading off into the Blue Mountains National Park. A scenic wonderland surrounds you here, chronicling life that began centuries ago in ancient ferns and fossils, like the Dinosaur Tree, thundering waterfalls and forested canyons. Champagne with the kangaroos celebrates today’s outdoor adventures in style!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: InterContinental, Sydney
Day 11 – Sydney your way, all day
There is so much to see in Sydney, and so many ways to do it, that the entire day is free to explore and dine as you please – Sydney’s got it all. From museums to shopping, from Aboriginal art to an array of Australian and international dining options, you’ll find many ways to spend the day and make it memorable!
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: InterContinental Sydney, Australia
Day 12 – Farewell to the Australia tour, hello to New Zealand
Your grand Australia tour comes to an end as you bid a final farewell and board a flight across the Tasman Sea for your grand New Zealand tour! First stop is Auckland, the City of Sails, where your hotel is located in the heart of the city. Dine at the hotel’s award-winning Partingtons restaurant, voted the best in the city.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Langham, Auckland, New Zealand
Day 13 – Wonders of Waiheke
Board a ferry for a ride to Waiheke Island for a day of natural delights. An island tour includes a close-up look at sugar-sand beaches, fertile farmland and some of the region’s top wineries. A special lunch at Mudbrick Vineyard entices with a taste of the vine. The remainder of the day is spent on your own back in Auckland.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: The Langham, Auckland, New Zealand
Day 14 – A day of Maori traditions
Travel to Rotorua today, rich in geologic history and Maori traditions. Have lunch at a working farm and country garden to experience an authentic glimpse of daily life and spend the afternoon at the Te Puia Maori Cultural Center. A private welcome presentation includes poi dancing and a moving rendition of the haka. Stroll through an array of cultural arts exhibits amidst bubbling mud pots and thermal geysers.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Duxton Hotel Okawa Bay, Rotorua, New Zealand
Day 15 – Mussels on Marlborough Sounds
Feel like a privileged member of the jet set today as Tauck puts a private plane at your service. Tauck’s private charter flight takes you first to Blenheim and the Marlborough Sounds on New Zealand’s South Island. Besides producing great wine, this island boasts delectable freshly caught seafood, including green-lipped mussels. Sample them on a luncheon cruise that celebrates the bounty of land and sea before flying off to Wellington on Tauck’s exclusive private charter. Stay two nights at an ideally located waterfront hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Copthorne Hotel, Wellington, New Zealand
Day 16 – Historic Wellington
Your New Zealand / Australia tour continues in a city known for its scenic beauty and its amazing five-story national museum. Touring the Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum is like actually experiencing thousands of years of New Zealand’s history in person as motion simulators and interactive exhibits include you in the journey. The remainder of the day is free to make your own history.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Copthorne Hotel, Wellington, New Zealand
Day 17 – Fly to Queenstown
Weather permitting, glimpse Mt. Cook from aboard Tauck’s private charter as you fly to Queenstown. One of the benefits of flying on our private plane is the ability to circle sights you want to see; if feasible, our pilot will soar close to the mountain for you to get a better look. Your Queenstown hotel enjoys a premier city-center address overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Crowne Plaza Queenstown, New Zealand
Day 18 – From jet-boating to sheep-shearing
Even if you’re not all that adventurous, today’s thrilling high-speed jet-boat ride down a river carved through the narrow, rocky gorges and canyons of Shotover River Canyon will be a highlight of Tauck’s New Zealand / Australia tour! Catch your breath on a leisurely cruise to Walter Peak Country Farm. Afternoon tea and a sheep-shearing demonstration round out the day’s activities.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Crowne Plaza Queenstown, New Zealand
Day 19 – Milford Sound and Christchurch as you please
Tauck’s early morning charter flies you to Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland National Park, A UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a scenic drive and luncheon cruise on Milford Sound. Soul-stirring scenery includes rainforests with cascading waterfalls, glacier-carved inlets and an occasional sunbathing seal. This afternoon’s flight takes you to the garden city of Christchurch, where gracious willow trees line the banks of the Avon River. Join us for a farewell dinner tonight as we say hooray (goodbye) to the lands down under.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Millennium Hotel Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand
Day 20 – So long to the lands down under
Tauck’s New Zealand and Australia tour ends in Christchurch. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Millennium Hotel Christchurch to Christchurch International Airport. Please allow 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in at the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
*For activities marked with an asterisk (*), participation is at your own risk; a signed liability waiver will be required.
*Price does not included Sydney – Auckland trans-Tasman flight on day 12, which must be purchased with your international air ticket.
Please note – if you like the look of this but don’t want to do both countries:
Spotlight on Australia 2010 features the first 12 days of Grand Australia & New Zealand; Spotlight on New Zealand 2010, features the last 9 days of Grand Australia & New Zealand.
For more details, please call us on 02 9299 0088 or email travel@luxuryaustraliatravel.com.
