Highlights of Australia and New Zealand

22 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
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USTOA

Cancellation Policy
Small Group Tour
Three World Heritage Sites on one tour? It’s a reality on this two-country adventure. Whether you’re drifting across the Great Barrier Reef, sailing Sydney Harbour, gazing at Uluru, Kata Tjuta or cruising through Milford Sound, this Melbourne to Christchurch tour has ‘pinch me’ moments abound. These moments come with experiences of Indigenous heritage, from M...
26%
$17,909
From$13,266
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

What's this trip about?

    Three World Heritage Sites on one tour? It’s a reality on this two-country adventure. Whether you’re drifting across the Great Barrier Reef, sailing Sydney Harbour, gazing at Uluru, Kata Tjuta or cruising through Milford Sound, this Melbourne to Christchurch tour has ‘pinch me’ moments abound. These moments come with experiences of Indigenous heritage, from Maori a hangi in Rotorua to Aboriginal guides in the Red Centre.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeGroup - max of 40 people
Age range6 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityMelbourne (VIC)
End CityChristchurch (Nz)

Travel Themes

  • Cultural

Destinations

  • Australia
  • New Zealand

Activities

  • Culture

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 40

Trip includes

    • Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House, Fiordland National Park Centrally located premium hotels Arrival and departure private airport transfers

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Welcome to Melbourne

Settle into your hotel on the banks of the Yarra River and meet your Travel Director for a Welcome Reception and dinner at the South Wharf riverside pub, The General Assembly restaurant. It's a great opportunity to get to know everyone in a unique setting.

Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne

Dinner with Wine

Day 2: Melbourne

Join your Travel Director for a city sights tour that includes a private walk through Melbourne's famous hidden laneways. You'll discover the city's eclectic little lanes, arcades, café society and fascinating street art. There's time afterwards to explore on your own...

Day 3: Melbourne Free Time

If you're still getting your bearings in Melbourne, take your time to wander, exploring its boutiques, galleries, and eclectic suburbs. Or, perhaps exploring the city on foot with a History and Donuts Walking Tour is more your thing. However, if you're ready to explor...

Day 4: Melbourne - Alice Springs

Some parts of Australia are so remote that the only way kids can get an education is remotely via the School of the Air. Your next stop is the birthplace of the Alice Springs township, the historic Telegraph Station. Being this far flung also means there’s no light po...

Day 5: Alice Springs - Uluru

Travel from Alice Springs to Uluru, experiencing the rugged desert landscapes while learning about the geological history of Australia. Stopping at the Mt. Conner lookout before arriving at Ayers Rock Resort. In the heart of Australia, Uluru has been home to the Anang...

Day 6: Uluru & Kata Tjuta

The only reason to get out of bed before dawn? For a magical Uluru sunrise. It’s a spiritual place, with stories of the Anangu, caretakers of this remote arid landscape revealed while you tour the base a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. This is the countryside that Fir...

Day 7: Uluru - Cairns

So the other reason to get up early is to view artist Bruce Munro’s installation Field of Light at dawn – 50,000 glowing spindles of light blanketing the desert. Later, an Anangu artist will explain just what makes it so spiritual over an introduction to Western Deser...

Day 8: Cairns Free Time

Cruising with crocs, a scenic railway ride into World Heritage listed rainforest, a wander along the Cairns Esplanade? Take to the skies for a bird’s eye view with a balloon flight over the Atherton Tablelands, the hot air ballooning capital of the southern hemisphere...

Day 9: Great Barrier Reef

The world’s largest living organism, the Great Barrier Reef, never fails to dazzle. Set out on a catamaran to explore this natural wonder of over 1,500 species of fish, 215 different birds, 3,000 molluscs, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, and 30 species...

Day 10: Cairns - Sydney

Touch down in Australia’s largest city and spend a day at leisure in the buzzing metropolis of Sydney. Take a stroll along the iconic harbour, visit one of the city’s many bars, pubs, or restaurants, or simply while away the day at the beach. You decide how best to enjoy this bustling city of delights.

InterContinental Hotel Sydney

Full Breakfast

Day 11: Sydney

Bring your stamina: today is one of innumerable highlights. Go on a tour of the Sydney Opera House, discovering its architectural and performance secrets. If these sails could talk. Then see the city from the water on a Sydney Harbour Highlight Lunch Cruise enjoying a...

Day 12: Sydney Free Time

Now you’ve found your bearings in Sydney, consider joining an Optional Experience to discover even more further afield. Take a day trip to the spectacular Blue Mountains, whose eucalypt haze you’ll see looming in the distance, for fresh mountain air and stunning natur...

Day 13: Sydney - Auckland

All you have to do today is sit back and enjoy the view as you cross the Tasman to embark on your next adventure. Join your travelling companions for at The Grill, celebrating Aotearoa's culinary treasures. Expect the finest quality grassfed steaks, from 100% New Zeal...

Day 14: Auckland

If you didn’t get your city bearings yesterday, you will on an Auckland tour today. Have your camera poised as you reach Mission Bay, a dreamy waterside suburb where the blues patchwork to the horizon. Click! Then get snap happy once again at Bastion Point and the Mic...

Day 15: Auckland - Rotorua

Get up close with NZ's national bird, the endangered kiwi, at a working nursery and hatchery. See how breeding programs help sustain the population. Then, immerse yourself in the Te Pā Tū Māori Experience, celebrating Māori history, traditions and future aspirations c...

Day 16: Rotorua - Auckland - Queenstown

Leave Auckland behind and journey into the countryside for an exclusive family-style Be My Guest experience in the Red Barn on a working dairy farm. Over your farm to table morning tea prepared by the onsite chef, get a feel for country life as you're invited to roll ...

Day 17: Milford Sound Cruise

Bring your stamina and sense of adventure – things get a little wild today. Nature rules as you skirt Queenstown’s gleaming Lake Wakatipu, and traverse the Devil’s Staircase to Te Anau, the alpine gateway to World Heritage listed Fiordland National Park. Once you’ve p...

Day 18: Queenstown Free Time

Take today’s Queenstown New Zealand tour at your own pace. Like things fast and furious? Feel the wind in your hair on a high-octane jet boat ride, perhaps. Prefer to be able to talk (and drink wine) while you cruise? Glide across Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS...

Day 19: Queenstown - Lake Tekapo

Arrowtown, known for its charm, and Cromwell, for its stone fruit. Take a bite. Call in at the quaint, lakeside Church of the Good Shepherd welcomed by its friendly bronze sheepdog statue. As evening falls, you’re treated to a guided stargazing experience in the world...

Day 20: Lake Tekapo - Christchurch

Arrive into the beautiful English city of Christchurch for a guided visit. The city is not only rebuilding itself after the devastating 2010/11 earthquakes, but is changing the way architects think about design. Case in point the mind-bending Transitional Cathedral, made largely of cardboard, and Turanga, the gold-clad central library.

Distinction Christchurch Hotel

Full Breakfast

Day 21: Christchurch

Travel north through rolling countryside to Hurunui Hills, for a Be My Guest experience with the Bamford Family. Enjoy warm kiwi hospitality from Scotty and the team, who have been farming at Hurunui since 1884 with six generations focused on producing premium Merino ...

Day 22: Farewell from Christchurch

How did three weeks disappear like that? Re-live all the memorable moments on your way home.

Full Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $13,266
Price per day$603
Last Updated: 11/4/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Double Room (Shared)
Single Room
Availability
12 Jan 2025
02 Feb 2025
$15,139
$18,951
26 Jan 2025
16 Feb 2025
$13,981
$17,429
09 Feb 2025
02 Mar 2025
$14,560
$18,190
02 Mar 2025
23 Mar 2025
$15,139
$18,951
16 Mar 2025
06 Apr 2025
$13,402
$16,669
23 Mar 2025
13 Apr 2025
$14,560
$18,190
06 Apr 2025
27 Apr 2025
$13,266
$16,262
25 May 2025
15 Jun 2025
$15,028
$18,553
22 Jun 2025
13 Jul 2025
$13,266
$16,262
24 Aug 2025
14 Sep 2025
$13,266
$16,262

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

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.

AAT Kings Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
1,294
Great
346
Average
69
Disappointing
23
Terrible
15
T

Trusted Customer

May 2024

Written on

Highlights of Australia and New Zealand

Wonderful tour start to finish.

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Other AAT Kings Reviews

M

Melissa Bowden

Nov 2024

Written on

Tastes of Southern Australia

The tour itself was amazing but I feel I was ripped off big time. I missed my initial flight, it was Fri eve so travel agents closed. I purchased another ticket to K...

M

Melissa Bowden

Nov 2024

Written on

Visiting a local farm.

Anna the guide was absolutely brilliant and so was Rhys the driver. Can't recommend them enough.

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Tour Operator

AAT Kings

premier
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A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travelers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customized, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid travelers on a wild and wonderful ride. We’ve come a long way and clocked a few kilometers in the process. But some things will never change. Like our spirit for adventure. Our oh-so-knowledgeable Travel Directors. The local characters we meet (and will never forget) along the way. The epic, goosebump-inducing stories we’re told by First Nations guides. The life-changing experiences on offer – the kind that only 100 years of exploring affords. We’ve never been more passionate about our next discovery. Join us and fall in love with Australia and New Zealand all over again. #aatkings


Why we love this operator
AAT Kings is renowned for its quality service, knowledgeable guides, and extensive network of destinations.
What they’re known for
AAT Kings is known for being one of Australia and New Zealand's leading tour operators, specializing in guided tours.

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Logistics

Accommodation

  • Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne
  • Mercure Alice Springs Resort
  • Desert Gardens
  • Hilton Hotel Cairns
  • InterContinental Hotel Sydney
  • Horizon by SkyCity Auckland
  • Millennium Hotel Rotorua
  • Millennium Hotel, Queenstown
  • Peppers Bluewater Resort Lake Tekapo
  • Distinction Christchurch Hotel
Cancellation policy

Cancellation by the Traveller
Travel arrangements for any member of the party may be cancelled at any time by written notice by the person who made the booking.

If notice of cancellation is received by the Provider before final payment is due (see The Table), the deposit will be retained. If cancellation is made after final payment is due cancellation fees will apply (see The Table). These cancellation fees represent the costs incurred less any expected recoveries. Please also refer to Air cancellation Section where applicable.Notice of cancellation must be made in writing directly to the Provider or through your Travel Agent. Please also refer to the Provider's Gold Seal Additional Protection.

If a person in a party cancels and there is a room change caused by this cancellation (such as a twin share to Single, or Triple to twin share), charges for the new room type will be the responsibility of the remaining party. The charges detailed in the Summary Terms table (which includes GST), representing costs incurred by the Provider in cancelling your travel arrangements, will apply when notice of cancellation for your trip is given after the booking is confirmed. Please also refer to the Provider's Gold Seal Additional Protection.

If a guest fails to join the trip on the day of departure, cancellation fees will be 100% (unless the guest notifies us of the delay and joins the trip later at their own expense).

Cancellation fees as per The Table apply to additional accommodation and/or chargeable transfers prior to and after the trip, itinerary extensions or cruise reserved through the Provider.

Cancellation fees and charges will include any amounts that we have paid or have contractually committed to pay to third parties to deliver your travel arrangements which we cannot reasonably recover (for example payments made or due to airlines and hotels). Any payments we have made to third parties will only be refunded to you once we have deducted the above cancellation fees and charges and once we have actually recovered the amounts from the third parties.

All cancellation fees as per The Table are additional to any cancellation fees or other charges that may be levied by your Travel Agent.

Gold Seal Protection premiums are non-refundable.

If the reason for your cancellation is covered under your insurance, you may be able to reclaim these charges from your insurer. You are responsible for making the claim to your insurer. We will provide you with documentation to support your claim.

Cancellation by the Provider
The Provider reserves the right, to modify or cancel any trip, accommodation, in-destination activity or arrangement, definite or not, at any time.

Cancellation due to Failure to Pay

If full payment is not received by the due date (see The Table), The Provider has the right to cancel your reservation and no refund will be made. The Provider will not be responsible for lost reservations.

Cancellation due to Force Majeure Events

If The Provider cancels a trip as a result of a Force Majeure Event, a future travel credit (FTC) to the value of funds paid to date, less any unrecoverable third-party costs incurred, will be provided. All FTCs will be valid for 24 months from date of issue.

Where a trip is terminated mid-trip due to a Force Majeure event, if we provide you with any alternative services or assistance (such as hotels or travel) then you agree to pay for these costs.

Cancellation due to Events other than Force Majeure Events

If the cancellation by the Provider is not as a result of a Force Majeure Event, the Provider will provide an alternative comparable trip (if available). If an alternative is not available, then a refund will be made. The Provider is not liable for any cancellation or change cost or penalties incurred on other travel arrangements, including air travel, that may be affected thereby.

The Provider is not responsible for other travel arrangements that you or your party have made outside the Provider and which are affected by our cancellations.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of TruTravels at the following web address: https://www.aatkings.com/about-us/booking-conditions-published-5-august-2024/

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
  • 4 Dinner with Wine (DW)
  • 21 Full Breakfast (B)
  • 1 Be My Guest Dinner (BGD)
  • 3 Lunch (L)
  • 1 Highlight Lunch (HL)
  • 3 Highlight Dinner (HD)
  • 2 Be My Guest Morning Tea (BGM)
  • 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
Age Requirements
6 years and up
Additional Information
Trip ID
aatkin-IMZB24

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