Australia & New Zealand

19 days
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Experience our Australia and New Zealand vacation packages on this comprehensive, once-in-a-lifetime journey “down under”! Enjoy an unforgettable cruise on Milford Sound, explore the Great Barrier Reef aboard a high-speed catamaran, and visit the celebrated Sydney Opera House, among many other activities and sightseeing opportunities. Call smarTours today to ...

Overview

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

Highlights

    • Picturesque Queenstown
    • Milford Sound
    • Farm Stay (Fairlie, NZ)
    • Great Barrier Reef (Cairns)
    • Sydney Opera House
    • Harbor Bridge (Sydney)
    • Australian Wildlife Park (Sydney)

What's this trip about?

    Experience our Australia and New Zealand vacation packages on this comprehensive, once-in-a-lifetime journey “down under”! Enjoy an unforgettable cruise on Milford Sound, explore the Great Barrier Reef aboard a high-speed catamaran, and visit the celebrated Sydney Opera House, among many other activities and sightseeing opportunities. Call smarTours today to book this incredible adventure!

Compare to similar trips

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportRound trip airfare and all internal transport included
Start CityAuckland
End CitySydney

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife

Destinations

  • Australia
  • New Zealand

Attractions

  • Auckland
  • Cairns
  • Dunedin
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Melbourne
  • Queenstown
  • Sydney

Activities

  • Culture
  • Historic sightseeing
  • Nature
  • River cruise
  • Sailing
  • Wildlife viewing
  • Wine Tasting

Trip includes

    • Round-trip international airfare from Los Angeles via Qantas Airways
    • Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
    • All intra-South Pacific flights, ground transportation and transfers
    • Accommodations at deluxe and superior first class hotels
    • One night accommodation on a New Zealand Farm with dinner (D)
    • Full buffet American breakfast daily (B)
    • A welcome dinner in Auckland (D)
    • Sightseeing tours including admission fees as indicated in itinerary
    • English speaking Tour Director and local guides

View Similar Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Depart USA.

Your fascinating “Down Under” discovery begins today as you board your award-winning Qantas Airways flight.

Day 2: En route.

Cross the International Dateline and “lose” one day en route. You’ll “regain” this day when flying from Australia back to the USA at the conclusion of your journey!

Day 3: Arrive Auckland (New Zealand).

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Hotel

Afternoon arrival in the lively harbor city of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island. You’ll be greeted at the airport and escorted to your upscale city-center hotel. Join your tour director for a welcome drink and a brief orientation walk.

Day 4: Auckland.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

On an included guided tour of “The City of Sails” drive via Parnell Village to Mission Bay, a delightful seaside suburb and journey along the picturesque waterfront. Travel to Bastion Point for spectacular city and harbor views. You’...

Day 5: Auckland/Queenstown.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Millennium Hotel Queenstown

Today fly to Queenstown, a splendid lakeside resort town on New Zealand’s stunning South Island, surrounded by the Southern Alps. This afternoon join your tour director for an orientation walk of this charming town. Your centrally located hotel is ideally situated near the shore of picturesque Lake Wakatipu.

Day 6: Milford Sound Excursion.

Meals: Breakfast

Today’s excursion is reputed to be one of the most scenic in the world. Drive along Lake Wakatipu through dense forests and shimmering Lake Te Anau to Fiordland National Park and the Homer Tunnel en route to Milford Sound. Here you’ll board an unforgettable cruise through towering fjords and majestic waterfalls. Return to Queenstown early this evening.

Day 7:

Meals: Breakfast

At your own pace, enjoy the many exciting activities charming Queenstown offers. You may also visit famous Walter Peak Sheep Station across Lake Wakatipu.

Day 8: Queenstown/Arrowtown/Dunedin.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Southern Cross or similar

After breakfast depart Queenstown to nearby Arrowtown, a quaint former gold-mining postbuilt on a rich history. Take some time to admire the well-preserved buildings and walk through ...

Day 9: Dunedin.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning embark on an orientation tour of Dunedin. You’ll also enjoy a guided visit to Olveston House, an impressive mansion built in the early 20th century, filled with art and period furniture and surrounded by a marvelous garden. In its ...

Day 10: Dunedin/Mt. Cook Region/Fairlie.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Farm Stay

After breakfast depart Dunedin and drive to the spectacular Mount Cook region, gateway to the imposing Southern Alps. Proceed to Fairlie, a thriving farming region in the heart of the sheep grazing pas...

Day 11: Depart New Zealand/Melbourne (Australia).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Clarion Suites Gateway Melbourne

Following a hearty breakfast with your host family on the farm, proceed to the airport and board a flight across the Tasman Sea to Australia. Arrive in Melbourne, the stately capital of the...

Day 12:

Meals: Breakfast

On an included morning tour visit lovely Fitzroy Gardens and see City Square, the Victorian Art Center and the old Parliament House. Balance of the day is at leisure for independent exploration. We recommend an optional excursion to Phillip Isl...

Day 13: Melbourne/Cairns.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Pacific Hotel Cairns

Today fly northward to tropical Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Your centrally located hotel is close to the Esplanade and the ocean. Relax and enjoy your hotel’s swimming pool!

Day 14: Great Barrier Reef Excursion.

Meals: Breakfast

Your journey begins as you board a high speed catamaran for Green Island, a beautiful 6000 year old coral cay located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – a premier world heritage site. With its unique reef and rainforest environment, this b...

Day 15:

Meals: Breakfast

A day at leisure. You may join an optional tour aboard a scenic skyrail to the aboriginal village of Kuranda.

Day 16: Cairns/Sydney.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: ParkRoyal Darling Harbour Sydney

Today, fly to spectacular Sydney, Australia’s oldest and most vibrant city. Settle into your elegant hotel, ideally located in the city center near the scenic Sydney Harbor, the renowned Opera House and the enchanting Botanical Gardens. Later, join your tour director for an orientation walk.

Day 17:

Meals: Breakfast

This morning embark on an included guided tour that takes in the old and the new. See the impressive Harbor Bridge, Sydney’s famous beaches including Bondi Beach, the Botanical Gardens, the celebrated Opera House and the historic Rocks area. The balance of the day is at leisure for independent pursuits.

Day 18:

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day at leisure to explore on your own. You may join an optional tour to the Australian Wildlife Park where you can hand-feed a kangaroo and cuddle a friendly koala! You may also consider an optional tour to a behind-the-scenes tour o...

Day 19: Sydney/USA.

Meals: Breakfast

Today, bid farewell to “Down Under” and board your return flight. Cross the International Dateline and regain the day “lost” in the beginning of the trip. Your magical Australia tour packages end as you arrive Los Angeles the same day.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,699
Price per day$300
Single supplement (single occupancy)$1,399
Last Updated: 3/4/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with SmarTours.

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.

SmarTours Reviews & Ratings

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SmarTours

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smarTours was founded in 1996 with one goal in mind: to provide high quality, exciting group tour packages to some of the most fascinating countries in the world at the lowest possible price.  The team at smarTours believes deeply that high quality international travel should be affordable, and we work tirelessly to deliver affordability.

At smarTours, most of our travelers in any given year are repeat customers – they had such great experiences with us before that they decided to travel with us again.  And many of our customers are so happy with smarTours that they have made traveling with us an annual tradition, reaching 5, 10, even 15 trips with smarTours!  In other words, we must be doing at least a few things right.

Unbeatable Value: We provide exceptional value for your money, and it does not take that much time visiting our website to figure that out.  However, it can be difficult to compare the value provided by different tour operators because the tours are so intricate and multifaceted.  If you take the time to really peel back onion and evaluate the tours offered by smarTours, we are confident that you would come to the conclusion that our loyal customers have – that smarTours provides unbeatable value.

Phenomenal Tour Guides: If you ask anyone who has been on an escorted tour, they will tell you that the tour guides are an essential ingredient to making the trip a success.  The importance of tour guides is not lost on us at smarTours, which is why we are relentless in our pursuit and retention of the very best tour guides.  We are proud to say with confidence that our tour guides are phenomenal, and many of them have become celebrity-like figures within the smarTours community.

smarTours Price Protection: We have had a price protection policy since we started in 1996, and we thought it was time to share it with you.  If you reserve a spot on a tour and we later lower the price, we will make up the difference for you!  We do not penalize you for booking early, so you can reserve your spot with confidence that the price will not get any better (lower) for that particular date.  Also, to be clear, if you reserve a spot on a tour and we later increase the price, we will not raise your price to match the new price!

Focus: Unlike most of our competitors, we focus exclusively on providing affordable group tours to foreign, largely exotic destinations.  In the travel business, it is particularly easy to get distracted by new trends and themes, but we have chosen to focus on what we do best.  We are extremely deliberate in introducing new tours because we have set a standard that our loyal customers have come to rely on, and we are committed to meeting and exceeding your expectations.

What they’re known for
Low-cost international tours to bucket list destinations for travelers looking to maximize their holiday budget.

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Baggage and personal insurance
    • Passport and visa fees
    • Gratuities and optional tours
    • Expenses of personal nature
    • Any items not specifically mentioned in the itinerary
    • Beverages
    • Meals other than specified in the trip itinerary
    • Items of a personal nature
Cancellation policy

Full Payment due 75 days before departure. Failure to make final payment on time may result in automatic cancellation of reservation and loss of deposit.

Changes to the original reservation will result in a $150 change fee per person per change. No changes allowed within 75 days of departure.

Cancellation charges per person are:

Up to 75 days before departure: $300

74-45 days before departure: $600

44-30 days before departure: $1000

29-10 days before departure: $1500

9 days or less before departure: No refund.

All cancellations must be received in writing.

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

18 Breakfasts and 2 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Optional Activities
  • Queenstown by Night with Skyline Dinner ($65 per person, dinner included)
  • Walter Peak Farm Tour and Cruise ($64 per person)
  • Cruise on TSS Earnslaw and Dinner ($98 per person, dinner included)
  • Skippers Canyon Four-Wheel Drive Safari ($141 per person)
  • Otago Peninsula Afternoon Tour: Larnach Castle & Wildlife Cruise ($104 per person)
  • Phillip Island and Fairy Penguins Express ($112 per person)
  • Great Ocean Road Adventure ($143 per person)
  • Cairns Night Zoo Plus BBQ Dinner ($120 per person, dinner included)
  • Great Barrier Reef “Upgrade” ($114 per person, lunch included)
  • Full Day Kuranda Village and Scenic SkyRail Excursion ($133 per person)
  • Harbor Coffee Cruise ($43 per person)
  • Rocks Guided Walking Tour ($43 per person)
  • Australian Wildlife Park ($62 per person)
  • Sydney Bridge Climb ($210 per person; daily between 5am and 5pm subject to availability)
  • Sydney’s Sunset Dinner Cruise ($84 per person, dinner included)
Trip ID
smartours-ANF

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