Settle into your hotel on the banks of the Yarra River and meet your Travel Director for dinner at a popular location. It’s a great opportunity to get to know everyone in a unique setting.

Get out and see the sights today on a guided walk with your Travel Director discovering the little lanes, arcades, and cafe society of stylish Melbourne. Gaze up at the beautiful Victorian façades lining grand boulevards. Stroll past famous, edgy street art that shows a stylish contrast to federation buildings and churches as Melbourne’s coffee aroma wafts overhead. Discover more of Melbourne over a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience tour and walk at Koorie Heritage Trust Gallery. Make a positive impact while you learn about Koorie peoples, cultures and communities. You’ll
love discovering the importance of Koorie peoples as part of a broader 21st century community over a tour and talk. With a vison to ensure the rich cultural heritage, history and knowledge systems of First Peoples are valued, celebrated and an active part of society, the Koorie Heritage Trust is an organization you’ll be happy to support. There’s time afterwards to explore the city on your own, enjoy an optional experience to Phillip Island to see the nightly ritual of the Penguin Parade (own expense). Or simply relax and watch the world go by.

Things start to heat up in Cairns, the heart of Tropical North Queensland. Jump aboard a cruise at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures to discover some of the wildlife that calls this part of the state home, koalas, wallabies and crocs among them. Now that you’ve appreciated the beauty of the area, you can put your passion into practice helping with a Rainforest Restoration project, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, to protect the natural wonder of the nearby Notophyll Vine Forest, an area older than the Amazon. By jumping in and helping the team plant trees, you’re supporting the protection of this rare type of dry rainforest from development and restoring it to an important wildlife corridor of native birds. Talk about a feel-good day. *If you are departing on an early flight from Melbourne, a boxed breakfast will be provided.

Go from city to sea today on a full day bucket list exploration of the world’s largest coral reef system in the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set sail on a high-speed catamaran for these tropical waters then explore this underwater wonderland up close donning your mask and fins for a snorkel (equipment provided). You’ll feel like a fish in an aquarium weaving through the rainbow of reefs and fish. Or, choose to stay dry in your semi-submersible, air- conditioned craft with an underwater observatory to have a different view of these tropical species. However you choose to explore, you’ll love learning the insights on the reef the colourful fish and plants that call it home from your local guide. On board you’ll be treated to a buffet lunch and afternoon tea and coffee to soak up the Aussie sun before you cruise back into Cairns.

Today is a free to do as you choose. A great option is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to Kuranda, travelling over and through World Heritage rainforest, explore quaint Kuranda village and later board the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway for the return journey (own expense). If you’d prefer to spend the day relaxing by your hotel pool or sitting back at a local cafe you can do that too! After a big day out or in town, meet up with the group for dinner at Ochre Restaurant and enjoy Australian cuisine featuring the best local produce.

Optional Experiences:

1. Kuranda, Skyrail & Scenic Railway – ADD AUD 209 per person
   Join your Down Under Tours coach transfer to Smithfield Station. Here you join Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and marvel
   at the World’s Most Beautiful Rainforest experience, including time at Red Peak and Barron Falls stations, both with
   spectacular lookouts. On arrival in Kuranda, the Village is yours to explore. Your return to Cairns is aboard the famous
   Kuranda Scenic Railway. Winding around curves, across bridges and through hand-hewn tunnels, this amazing
   engineering feat is a tribute to our pioneers. Upon arrival at historic Freshwater Station, you will board your coach
   back to your accommodation.
2. Hot Air Cairns Classic Ballooning– ADD AUD 495 per person
   Experience the fun & unique sensation of being in a Hot Air Balloon, flying gently high above the Atherton Tablelands,
   Australia. The balloon takes off from Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands. Enjoy the picturesque landscape at dawn,
   floating in your Hot Air Balloon, time to really breathe in the wide-open spaces! We have Australia’s largest fleet of
   Hot Air Balloons and a fun and highly trained crew to maximise the enjoyment of your balloon flight.

Following a leisurely start to the morning it’s time to switch the tropical vibes back to city highlights as you fly to Sydney. The view over the harbour as you come in to land certainly sparkles. Check into your centrally located hotel and spend the rest of the day and evening exploring as you wish. Ask your Travel Director for sightseeing and dinner suggestions.

Begin your day with a guided tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House, delving into its architectural wonders and the legends who have performed there. Next, head to Bondi for a behind-the-scenes visit to the Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, where you’ll uncover the rich history and vibrant culture of this famous beach. Your Surf Club guide will then host you for a Be My Guest lunch at the Bondi RSL Club, with stunning views of Bondi Beach. In the afternoon, embark on a
Sydney Harbour sightseeing cruise, taking in the breathtaking views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. This day promises exclusive access, delectable local cuisine, and unforgettable scenic vistas, making it a highlight of your stay in Sydney.

The day is yours to explore at your leisure or book one of our hand crafted selection of optional activities. There are so many sights and experiences to be had in this city and further afield. You might choose to visit the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains, for fresh mountain air and stunning scenery. Or get your adrenaline racing with a thrilling climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge (both own expense). This evening you can share your stories of your day with your fellow travellers over dinner.

Optional Experiences:

1. Blue Mountains & Australian Wildlife – ADD AUD 289 per person
   Explore the World Heritage-Listed Blue Mountains in style, starting with a visit to Sydney Zoo, Australia’s most advanced
   Zoo in the heart of Western Sydney, gateway to the Blue Mountains. See dingoes, koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils
   and echidnas in a cage free environment in the Australian Precinct. Explore the heart of the Blue Mountains
   surrounded by locals as you enjoy some free time discovering the unique mountain town of Leura with its quaint
   shops. Visit the famous Three Sisters rock formation up close from Echo Point. A highlight of the day is a stop at Scenic
   World where you can enjoy a ride on the Scenic Railway, Cableway and Skyway, a great way to see the steep
   valleys, canyons and get another perspective of the Three Sisters. Take a walk along the Rainforest boardwalk and
   immerse yourself in nature from the valley floor. Return to Sydney via coach.
2. The Rocks Pub Walk – ADD AUD 115 per person
   Tread in the footsteps of the convicts, larrikin gangs & locals of the past as you share a drink in four of Sydney’s oldest
   pubs. Between watering holes, your guide will take you through the alleys & cobbled streets of The Rocks as they
   share the gossip, shouts and stories of Australia’s first European settlement.

All you have to do today is sit back and enjoy the view as you cross the Tasman to embark on your next adventure. Dinner is at The Grill, celebrating Aotearoa’s culinary treasures. Expect the finest quality grassfed steaks, from 100% New Zealand owned and operated suppliers, and sustainable line-caught fish.

After a relaxed start, set your sights firmly on New Zealand’s national game: rugby. The interactive All Blacks Experience explores an introduction to the game as a part of New Zealand culture. Afterwards get the lay of the land on a city sightseeing tour including Bastion Point and the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial to New Zealand’s first Labour Prime Minister. Admire the sunken pool and landscaped gardens as you’re treated to sweeping views of Waitemata Harbour and the North Shore.

Experience the real Middle-earth at the Hobbiton Movie Set where you can step into the lush pastures of the Shire, as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. You will be fully guided around the 12-acre set, including into an interior Hobbit Hole experience. Continue to Rotorua, where tonight you will visit Te Puia’s geothermal Valley. Dive into culture and learn about Maori history and culture on this guided experience, which includes a dinner of hangi-inspired cuisine and a cultural performance in a finely carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. It ends on a high at the Pohutu Geyser, where, armed with a hot chocolate, you’ll view one of New Zealand’s geothermal wonderlands.

Your destination this morning in Rotorua is the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, where you’ll join a local guide for a tour. Learn about the work being done to save this rare native bird, get up close and see kiwi eggs being incubated, the hatching process, and even newly hatched kiwi chicks at this national leader in kiwi husbandry. Later fly south to adventure capital Queenstown. The feel-good vibes will follow you all the way to Queenstown, the self-proclaimed adventure capital of New Zealand. It makes perfect sense – there are ski fields, white-water river and bridges strapped with bungy cords wherever you turn. And then there’s the dining scene; Queenstown is home to some of the country’s most awarded restaurants. Whether you’re in the mood for bulging burgers or lakeside tapas, ask us for recommendations on this leg of your Queenstown New Zealand tour.

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 paused to admire the drama at Mirror Lakes, Knobs Flat,
Hollyford Valley lookout and Cleddau Valley, you’ll begin to understand why Rudyard Kipling called this the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’. Onboard your nature cruise, enjoy commentary from your eagle-eyed Naturalist guide, who
not only narrates on the immense geological history of the Fiord, but will point out fur seals and Kea birds should they choose to come out to play. The cruise includes a delicious picnic lunch.

Take today’s Queenstown New Zealand tour at your own pace. Like things fast and furious? Feel the wind in your hair on an optional high-octane jet boat ride, perhaps. Or consider an optional glide across Lake Wakatipu aboard the
historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a guided farm tour, including morning or afternoon tea, in a dreamy alpine setting. Wherever you wander, be sure to save space for tonight’s dinner at the Postmasters Cafe, a historic Arrowtown cottage replete with picket fence and Instagrammable gardens.

Optional Experiences:

1. Pure Glenorchy – Lord Of The Rings Scenic Tour – ADD NZD199 per person
   Lord of The Rings Scenic Tour: Visit the stunning locations from The Lord of The Rings. Encounter lsengard, Lothlorien
   Forest, The Misty Mountains, Ithilien and many more. Experience the absolute beauty of the Dart River Valley and
   our closest world heritage area. Learn about the remarkable history and unique culture of Glenorchy. Our tour
   feature’s some of the world’s most spectacular scenery visiting Mt. Aspiring World Heritage Area, Glenorchy, The
   Dart River Valley and Paradise. Encounter ancient beech forest, braided rivers and glacier carved valleys.
2. TSS Earnslaw Cruise & Farm Tour – ADD NZD 155 per person
   Situated on picturesque Lake Whakatipu, Walter Peak High Country Farm is an idyllic place to spend a relaxing
   few hours. After disembarking the TSS Earnslaw, your guide will take you to the amphitheatre, where you will
   watch the remarkable skill with which the farm dogs round up sheep from the paddocks.

Today your New Zealand tour takes you to lovely Lake Tekapo. Visit the Jones Family fruit stall to taste of some of the town’s juicy stone fruit including apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums. Is it Michael Schumacher’s Benetton F1 car or the $4.2-million Aston Martin Vulcan that draws crowds to the Highlands Motorsport Museum? During your visit to this extraordinary space you’ll have the chance to become familiar with some of the rarest cars in NZ motorsports history. And you don’t have to be a rev head to appreciate the machines on display – they’re genuinely impressive from every angle. Small wonder many have starred in movies and TV shows over the years. Arriving at Lake Tekapo take a moment at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Late this evening after dark, you’re treated to a guided stargazing experience in the world-renowned UNESCO Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Your expert astronomy guide will highlight stars seen only in the Southern Hemisphere such as The Southern Cross and Centaurus.

Get an early start to watch the sun rise over the lake or sleep in before heading to Christchurch, where community spirit is strong; not only has the city rebuilt since the devastating 2010/11 earthquakes, but is changing the way architects think about design. Case in point the mind-bending Cathedral, made largely of cardboard, and Turanga, the gold-clad central library.

Travel north through rolling countryside to Hurunui Hills, a hill country farm in North Canterbury. Enjoy warm Kiwi hospitality with the Bamford Family, who have been farming at Hurunui since 1884 with six generations focused on
producing premium Merino sheep, wool and Angus cattle. Soak up stunning scenery, meet the farm animals & discover what it is like to live off the land on this unique By My Guest experience. Continue to a local vineyard, Waipara
Springs Winery, where it’s time to relax over a platter-style lunch among the vines. A big day leads to a big evening joining your Travel Director and travel mates for a celebratory dinner featuring produce from the Canterbury region.

How do you pick a favourite adventure from the last 18 days? You don’t have to – let them all shine in equal measure in your memory.