Days 1-2: Overnight Flight

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Australia and New Zealand. Explore diverse natural wonders from Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef to the geothermal wonders of Rotorua and the fjords of Milford Sound. Local specialists regale you with cultural history of the Aboriginal and Maori cultures as well as natural history of these destinations. Climb aboard trains like the Ghan and theTranzCoastal and enjoy wine tastings at vineyards in both Australia and New Zealand. Day 2 is spent in flight.

Day 3: Arrive Cairns, Australia

Welcome to Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy a special reception and dinner. Today dinner will be included.

Day 4: Great Barrier Reef

Board a high-speed catamaran for an exciting excursion to the outer Great Barrier Reef, where the magic of this natural wonder surrounds you. Snorkel or stay dry while checking out the marine life from the semi-submersible. Today breakfast and lunch will be included.

Day 5: Cairns

A ride aboard the historic Kuranda Rail, constructed in 1882, awards you with views of the spectacular Atherton Tablelands. This afternoon enjoy a cruise on Hartley’s Lagoon in search of saltwater crocodiles as well as exotic birdlife. After the cruise, enjoy an authentic Aussie barbecue. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 6: Cairns - Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Fly to the heart of the Outback, Uluru (Ayers Rock). Tour the sandstone domes of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and the area around the base of ‘The Rock’. Later, behold a stunning sunset as the Rock’s colours change dramatically. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 7: Uluru (Ayers Rock) - Alice Springs

Depart for Alice Springs, the largest community in Central Australia. A sightseeing tour of this frontier town includes the Old Telegraph Station and Anzac Hill. Learn about the educational system in the Outback during a visit to the School of the Air, you may even see a class in session. Experience unique dining and entertainment during a traditional dinner in the bush. Today dinner will be included.

Day 8: Alice Springs - The Ghan

Early this morning you may choose to take an optional hot air balloon ride over the Outback. Next, explore Aboriginal culture through site visits and native cooking. Board the legendary Ghan for an overnight journey through ancient mountain ranges, over red-baked earth, and across oceans of sand hills. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 9: The Ghan - Barossa Valley

Your train journey concludes in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Adelaide before travelling to Barossa Valley. Experience the Whispering Wall, listening as voices travel along a quarter-mile path powered by natural amplification. A wine tasting at one of the local wineries introduces the flavours of this region. Dinner at your hotel, in the serene Barossa Valley, overlooks the vineyards of well-known vintners such as Jacobs Creek. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 10: Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is Australia’s richest and bestknown wine-making region. Enjoy tours and tastings at two of the area’s wineries. Your evening is at leisure. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 11: Barossa Valley - Coonawarra

Travel through the southern Australian countryside, stopping at Naracoorte Caves National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Learn about the extensive fossil deposits of southern Australia while touring the fossil centre. Continue to Coonawarra. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 12: Coonawarra

Enjoy a morning at leisure. Then learn more about Coonawarra, a rich wine making region known for producing world-class red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon during visits and tastings at two local wineries. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 13: Coonawarra - Melbourne

Traverse the spectacular Great Ocean Road, one of the world's most scenic drives. Pass through Port Campbell and discover the ‘12 Apostles’, a dramatic row of stone pillars rising from the ocean; the ‘London Bridge’, a magnificent stone arch formation; and Loch Ard Gorge. Arrive in Melbourne. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 14: Melbourne

A tour of Melbourne features the Shrine of Remembrance, Parliament House and a visit to Fitzroy Gardens. Travel to Phillip Island, home of the world’s largest colony of ‘Little Penguins’. Experience the Little Penguin Parade as hundreds of them cross the beach to their burrows in the dunes. Learn about the penguins’ significance to the area at the Interpretation Centre. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 15: Melbourne - Sydney

This morning you’re off to Sydney for a panoramic tour of Australia’s capital, followed by a tour of the world-famous Sydney Opera House. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 16: Sydney

This morning, visit Sydney Wildlife World which showcases over 6,000 native animals and Australia's flora and fauna through three floors of exhibits. Walk amongst the wallabies and birds in an interactive display. Visit the koala sanctuary viewing Australia's most famous species in its natural habitat. You can even pet one! This evening, sail Sydney Harbour during a dinner cruise offering spectacular views of Sydney’s renowned icons, the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 17: Sydney

Explore Sydney on your own. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 18: Sydney - Queenstown, New Zealand

Fly to the resort town of Queenstown. Visit one of Otago’s best-known wineries for a tour and tasting, followed by a spectacular dinner paired with the local favourites. Today breakfast and dinnerwill be included.

Day 19: Queenstown - Milford Sound - Queenstown

Travel through beech forest into the rugged grandeur of the Hollyford Valley to world-famous Milford Sound. Relax as you cruise this dramatic fjord. Return to Queenstown by coach or via a short optional flight* for spectacular views of the Southern Alps. Today breakfast and lunch will be included.

Day 20: Queenstown

Explore Queenstown on your own. Perhaps you’ll enjoy an optional jet boat ride on the Shotover River. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 21: Queenstown - Mount Cook

Travel through the picturesque countryside, stopping in the gold boomtown of Arrowtown. In Mt. Cook National Park, take a nature walk or enjoy an optional flight seeing tour. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 22: Mount Cook - Christchurch

Travel to Christchurch for a short sightseeing tour highlighting its gardens, cathedral and downtown park district. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 23: Christchurch

Today is free to relax and unwind. Perhaps enjoy an optional journey through the Southern Alps aboard the TranzAlpine Express. This evening, enjoy a special dinner at a restored mansion that was once the homestead of Christchurch’s first settlers. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 24: Christchurch

Enjoy a visit to the International Antarctica Centre, the base for all U.S. expeditions to Antarctica. This evening, dine with a New Zealand family in their home, learning about the customs of the ‘Kiwis’ over a home-cooked meal. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 25: Christchurch - Picton - Wellington

Board the TranzCoastal train for a scenic journey up the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island taking in its beauty, flanked by the Kaikoura Mountain Range to the west and the Pacific Coast to the east. Sail by ferry from Picton through Marlborough Sound and across Cook Strait to the North Island. Arrive in Wellington,New Zealand’s harbour capital. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 26: Wellington

A sightseeing tour ofWellington includes the Beehive, New Zealand’s Parliament, historic St. Paul’s Church, and the Government Building.This afternoon, tour the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum, the national museum of New Zealand, and enjoy a discussion on the Maori culture. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 27: Wellington - Rotorua

Travel through the heart of the North Island to Rotorua, the centre of Maori heritage. Tonight, discover the indigenous culture of New Zealand when you participate in an authentic Hangi and concert. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 28: Rotorua

This morning visit Te Puia for a Maori cultural and geothermal experience. Behold erupting geysers, bubbling mud pools and other geothermal wonders. The Maori keep their customs alive by teaching the tribal youth the skills of traditional carving, weaving and dancing. Take part in an interactive demonstration on the art of weaving and the importance of the Maori dress. View the Kiwi bird and learn how New Zealanders are working to remove the Kiwi from the endangered species list. Next, a visit to the Agrodome offers you insight into how wool is produced during a sheep-shearing demonstration. Visit a jade factory to see how the raw product is transformed into a gemstone. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

Day 29: Rotorua - Auckland - Depart For Home

Drive to Auckland where your tour ends. Today breakfast will be included.

Day 30: Arrive UK