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14 - 15 days • 19 - 21 mealsOur flagship brand represents a refined take on the art of guided travel. We seamlessly handle the details - you experience the world.
Itinerary
South Pacific Wonders
Viewing itinerary for:
October 29, 2013, $4199
including New Zealand’s North Island
20 days • 26 meals
This date
is currently
sold out.
| Before your Tour Options: | Add an additional night to your stay |
- Hotel: Hilton Los Angeles Airport
- Hotel: Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort
On Tour Options
to see a complete list of options that will be available on your tour.
Day 1 - Day 2: Depart From Home
Today you board your flight and begin the adventure of a lifetime. Crossing the International Dateline, you skip a day ahead.
Day 3: Arrive Cairns, Australia - Tour Begins
Your tour begins today in Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Don't forget to look up at the Southern Hemisphere's stars this evening after you join your mates for a welcome dinner.
View Accommodation Today dinner will be included.Day 4: Cairns
Today visit the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Center. You’ll see traditional Aboriginal dances, learn about the Aboriginal lifestyle, and even throw a boomerang or play a didgeridoo, a traditional instrument. Browse the renowned art gallery and visit the interpretation center, which houses a collection of interesting artifacts. This afternoon a great experience awaits as you search for crocodiles in their natural habitat during a visit to Hartley's Croc Farm! Boardwalks take you on a path of adventure through rainforests and woodlands to see animals such as wild birds, reptiles and wallabies. While visiting you also have the chance to meet some of the local koalas and have a private talk with a wildlife naturalist to learn more about these cuddly creatures. Then, enjoy an exciting cruise in the lagoon looking for crocodiles before enjoying a delicious Aussie barbecue.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 5: Great Barrier Reef
Board a high speed catamaran for an exciting excursion to the Great Barrier Reef. This is an immense series of 2,800 coral reefs which are home to amazingly diverse marine life. From your base on Green Island, you are able to explore the reef in many ways. Enjoy a glass bottom boat ride*, a stroll on the walking trail to take in the rainforest, relax on the beaches, snorkel or just watch the fish and sea turtles swim past from the pier. For a more adventurous encounter with the reef, optional scuba diving and an outer reef tour are also available. Whichever way you choose, you’ll see some of the world’s most fascinating marine and plant life.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and lunch will be included.Day 6: Cairns - Sydney
Your morning is at leisure for independent exploration. Later today, fly to the bustling city of Sydney.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 7: Sydney
This morning enjoy a city tour of Sydney where the English explorer James Cook first dropped anchor in 1770. Highlights of your tour include Kings Cross, the Harbour Bridge, Chinatown, the Rocks, Circular Quay, the Botanic Gardens and the fashionable suburb of Paddington. Then, discover one of the world’s most fascinating architectural wonders during a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House. Next, enjoy a unique opportunity to learn first-hand how raw opals are transformed from the dark mine shafts to beautiful works of art. This evening is free to explore Sydney at your leisure. Maybe try one of Sydney’s eclectic restaurants!
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 8: Sydney
Enjoy a leisurely day to explore Sydney your way. Your tour manager will be on hand to offer suggestions. Tonight, experience the best of Sydney. As you say your farewell to Australia, chat with new friends and take in the sights during a delightful dinner cruise of Sydney Harbour. The cruise takes in the beauty of Sydney’s skyline and passes by Australia’s two most famous icons: the renowned Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 9: Sydney - Auckland, New Zealand
Leave Australia behind and fly to one of the world’s best-kept secrets, New Zealand! Arrive in Auckland, the “City of Sails,” consistently rated one of the best places in the world to live. Auckland has the highest Polynesian population in the world, imbuing the vibrant cultures from many Pacific islands into its chic atmosphere. The evening is yours to explore New Zealand’s largest city on your own.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 10: Auckland - Rotorua
Get to know the best of Auckland during a panoramic city tour featuring America’s Cup Village, the War Memorial, vibrant Queen Street, the Auckland Harbour Bridge and spectacular views from the top of Mt. Eden, one of 53 dormant volcanoes throughout the area. Next, travel to the dramatic geothermal landscape of Rotorua. Rotorua is known as the Maori capital of New Zealand, with over one-third of its population having Maori roots dating back over 1,000 years. Tonight, experience an authentic Hangi dinner celebration where you learn about the warm-hearted Maoris and their lives before Aotearoa, New Zealand’s native name, was colonized. Enjoy an immersive experience featuring authentic Maori entertainment such as the Haka dance made famous by the All Blacks, New Zealand’s famous rugby team.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 11: Rotorua
This morning visit Te Puia, New Zealand's premier Maori cultural and geothermal experience and a landscape of erupting geysers, bubbling mud pools and other geothermal wonders. The National Carving School and National Weaving School are also located here, where age-old customs are passed on by teaching the tribal youth these traditional skills. Take part in an interactive demonstration on the art of weaving. You will also view the Kiwi bird and learn what New Zealanders are doing in an effort to remove the Kiwi from the endangered species list. Next, meet the skilled carvers who work with pounamu, a New Zealand jade, at a local jade factory. Then, visit the Agrodome where you will see a fun and interactive sheep shearing demonstration and learn about the different sheep and wool that come from New Zealand. Tonight, relax and explore this lovely city on your own.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 12: Rotorua - Wellington
Journey south through the rolling countryside of the North Island, dotted with grazing sheep, making your way to Wellington, New Zealand's capital city. Wellington is cosmopolitan and exciting, making it a great place to explore at your own pace.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 13: Wellington
During your panoramic sightseeing tour of Wellington you’ll view the Beehive, New Zealand’s Parliament, historic St. Paul’s Church and the government building - the largest wooden building in the Southern Hemisphere. Following the tour you will visit the Te Papa Tongawera Museum, a fascinating center dedicated to art, history and the Maori culture.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 14: Wellington - Picton - Hanmer Springs
Climb aboard a ferry and sail across Cook Strait to experience what Wine Spectator called “the most beautiful ferry ride in the world.” The journey through the Marlborough Sound is not to be missed and gives meaning to the thought “it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” After your ferry ride, you’ll arrive in Picton, on New Zealand’s stunning South Island. Discover why the Marlborough region is one of the world’s best wine regions when you tour a local winery. Later, arrive in the relaxing spa town of Hanmer Springs.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 15: Hanmer Springs
Enjoy a free day in this gorgeous spa town. Perhaps you will choose to do a spa treatment at the hotel or go into town for some shopping and walking. Or, simply relax. The choice is yours.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 16: Hanmer Springs - Mt. Cook Region
This morning you’ll depart Hanmer Springs and head toward the Mt. Cook region which is littered with scenic vistas. En route, visit a Canterbury farmyard for a fantastic opportunity to learn how a New Zealand family farm operates. You may see a sheep shearing demonstration! Next, traverse the spectacular countryside to New Zealand’s most famous national park, Mt. Cook. Mt. Cook is one of the most impressive mountains in the world with jagged contours and nearly vertical slopes.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 17: Mt. Cook Region - Queenstown
This morning, if the weather permits, you may choose to view the massive glaciers and extensive snow-covered mountain top terrain on an optional glacier flightseeing tour. Or, perhaps enjoy nature during free time in Mt. Cook National Park. Then, depart for Queenstown, one of New Zealand’s loveliest cities and a top adventure destination. En route, stop at a local fruit stand to gain an inside look at the produce of New Zealand.
View Accommodation Today breakfast will be included.Day 18: Queenstown - Milford Sound - Queenstown
En route to Milford Sound, enjoy the rugged grandeur of the Hollyford Valley. You’ll travel through beech forest via the Homer Tunnel. During a cruise of the breathtakingly beautiful Milford Sound you’ll see why this fjord is one of the most visited sights on the South Island. With rock faces that rise nearly 4,000 feet on either side, the scenery will take your breath away. Following your cruise, you return to Queenstown. You may choose to return via a short optional flight (weather permitting) for spectacular views of New Zealand’s Southern Alps.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and lunch will be included.Day 19: Queenstown
A leisurely day in Queenstown offers several options to enhance your vacation. Shop or people watch in the village or perhaps take the optional "Journey through Middle Earth" tour, which takes you through the majestic Remarkable Mountains and the breathtaking Queenstown countryside showcasing many of the spots where the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed. This evening, take in the city of Queenstown from above and soak in the breathtaking views during a gondola ride to dinner at the Skyline Restaurant overlooking Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkable Mountains.
View Accommodation Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 20: Queenstown - Tour Ends
Your tour ends today.
Today breakfast will be included.| Available After Tour Extensions: | Extend your vacation |
- Hotel: Millennium Hotel Queenstown
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Extension: Fiji Extension 2 nights Land Portion
Day 1: Queenstown - Nadi, Fiji
Today you will arrive in the beautiful paradise island of Fiji. Fiji retains all the primitive cultural fascination of the South Pacific. The expansive sandy beaches and clear ocean waters are world-famous.
Day 2: Fiji
Today, your day is free to explore what the resort has to offer on this tropical paradise. There are a number of relaxing and fun, adventurous activities you can engage in. Tonight, enjoy a lovely dinner.
Today breakfast and dinner will be included.Day 3: Fiji - Tour Ends
Before you depart, you'll have free time in Fiji at your resort. Relax, enjoy a spa, or simply sit by the pool--it's your end to a great vacation. If you're interested in learning about Fijian culture, an optional island tour will be offered.
Today breakfast will be included. - Hotel: Hilton Los Angeles Airport
- The internal flights on this program are not included in the land price. All air including internal flights can be purchased through us.
- PLEASE NOTE: To complete your vacation, we include roundtrip airport-to-hotel transfers when purchasing Collette airfare with your tour. If you have arranged for your own air, we are pleased to provide you the option of purchasing these transfers. Please note that all transfers will leave at pre-scheduled times.
- Due to changes in air schedules while on tour, the order of days in the itinerary may change.
