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22 Days Lands of the Southern Cross Tour Package
Setting down in Cairns, Queensland, provides the perfect opportunity to begin our 24-day adventure through Australia and New Zealand on a high note; the opportunity to cruise and snorkel around the world-famous natural spectacle that is the Great Barrier Reef, before making headway toward Darwin, the northernmost capital city in Australia. We travel by road to Kakadu National Park, the largest terrestrial national park in the country, where we get an eyeful of UNESCO Heritage Sites, ancient Aboriginal rock galleries and sandstone sceneries, and we head into the famous 'Red Desert' area for a visit to Ayers Rock. We enjoy the 'Lost City' and 'Garden of Eden' in the King's Canyon area, then finish the Australia leg of the tour exploring Aboriginal history, traditions and lifestyle in Alice Springs. Crossing into New Zealand, we spend time exploring the largest city in the country, Auckland. The biggest Polynesian city in the world and perhaps the most vibrant, bustling and multicultural city in New Zealand, Auckland offers no shortage of attraction, but be sure to leave some room on your camera because we head away from the urban centres and into Waitomo caves, wherein we find stalactities in limestone caverns that have been formed over thousands of years by the dripping of water. Our next stop is to take in the sights and sounds of the capital city, Wellington, including a short drive up Mt Victoria for a superlative view of the city, before we board a ferry which takes us to the South Island via the Cook Strait. We make our way from Nelson, stopping in the Marlborough region to find out why the region enjoys world acclaim for its wineries and explore the natural beauty of 'Westland', with marvellous vistas of ocean, mountains, glaciers and rainforests. We spend time in the picturesque Queensland, the 'Garden City' of Christchurch and visit UNESCO Heritage parks, take a gondola ride in the amid mountains and see Australasia's highest peak, Mount Cook. Tour Itinerary Day 1 Arrival in Cairns Today we arrive in Cairns, Queensland. Queensland started out as part of New South Wales, used as a penal colony starting in 1824. An influx of free settlers, many who entered illegally, changed its face from prison to agricultural centre. In 1842 it was officially opened to free settlement and, by 1859, the population was large enough to justify its status as a separate colony. The settlers made their way with sheep, cattle, wheat, an abundance of natural resources and cash crops--including bananas, which gave rise to the rather derisive name the rest of Australia sometimes uses for Queensland natives: "Banana benders". ATTENTION LAND ONLY PASSENGERS: This tour is based on a an air pass which must be booked by us in conjunction with your international air tickets. If you intended to secure your own international air, then a SURCHARGE (approx 500 USD) will apply. Overnight in Cairns. Dinner if required. Day 2 Cairns: Great Barrier Reef Cruise Today we have a full day cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands that stretch for 2600 kilometres (1,616 mi) and cover an area of approximately 344 400 sq km. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is sometimes referred to as the single largest organism in the world. In reality, it is made up of many millions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. The Great Barrier Reef supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Generally, the vessels offering reefs trips are large and comfortable with plenty of deck space and interior seating. A buffet lunch is served (included) and a wide range of beverages are available for purchase. Snorkeling equipment is available and included. Overnight in Cairns. Breakfast and lunch (dinner on your own). Day 3 Cairn: Leisure time - Darwin You may enjoy Cairns at your leisure. Some of the area beaches include Trinity, Palm Cove and Yorkey's. You may choose to visit Wild World with its crocodiles and tropical birds or perhaps a visit to picturesque Port Douglas or the Daintree Rainforest. We recommend a Kuranda train / rainforest gondola half-day combination excursion. Late this afternoon we transfer to the airport for our flight to Darwin (there may be a stop en route). At the "top end" of Australia is a city unlike any other. Darwin is Australia's most northern capital city and its isolation from the other states has encouraged the evolution of a unique lifestyle. It is both old style Australia and distinctly Asian in feel and the genuine multicultural mix is reflected in the food, open-air markets and a people of immense character and hospitality. Here you will find a living Aboriginal history and art heritage, the elusive 'Dundees' and their crocodiliac partners lurking in the farms and wildlife parks. The perennially warm, tropical climate has bred an energetic outdoor lifestyle and a friendly, easy-going attitude to match. Overnight in Darwin. Breakfast and dinner. Day 4 Darwin - Kakadu National Park Today we travel by road to Kakadu National Park along the Stuart and Arnhem Highways. We pass the Marrakai Plains, Mary and Wildman River areas into Kakadu National Park. We cross the South Alligator River and explore the World Heritage area of Ubirr Rock where we climb up though the ancient Aboriginal Rock Art Galleries to the lookout for the famous view over surrounding wetlands. (Subject to water levels and weather conditions). We also visit the Bowali Visitor Centre which contains a wealth of information about Kakadu. The name 'Kakadu' comes from an Aboriginal floodplain language called Gagudju, one of the languages spoken in the north of the park at the beginning of the twentieth century. Although languages such as Gagudju and Limilngan are no longer regularly spoken, descendants of these language groups are still living in Kakadu. Located at the northern fringe of the Northern Territory, Kakadu is the largest terrestrial national park in Australia. It comprises almost 8,000 square miles of spectacular wildlife habitat, which ranges from the high stone plateau to forest woodland, monsoon rainforest to open savanna-like flood plains dotted with billabongs, mangrove-fringed estuaries to coastal beaches of the Arafura Sea. At the heart of Kakadu is the South Alligator River, so named by a 19th century explorer who mistook the native crocodiles for alligators. Overnight in Kakadu. Breakfast and dinner. Day 5 Kakadu National Park Kakadu is also a cultural landscape. It was shaped by the spiritual ancestors of Aboriginal people during the Creation Time. These ancestors or 'first people' journeyed across the country creating landforms, plants, animals and Bininj/Mungguy (Aboriginal people). They brought with them laws to live by, as well as ceremony, language, and ecological knowledge. They taught the Bininj/ Mungguy how to live with the land and look after the land. After breakfast we visit Barramundi Gorge (Maguk) in the dry season, and perhaps Baroalba Springs (Gubara) when Maguk is inaccessible (if Baroalba is also inaccessible, we may switch to a boat-based excursion during the wet season). Both locations offer an opportunity to walk and explore swimming holes and spectacular sandstone country. Our programme today is deliberately free form in order to take advantage of prevailing conditions. Essentially our intention today is to experience the magical landscapes and learn about the unique natural and human history of this beautiful place. NOTE: On some departures of this tour, when tomorrow's flight to Darwin occurs in the morning, we may have to depart Kakadu later today and spend the night in Darwin. Overnight in Kakadu. Breakfast and dinner. Day 6 Kakadu - Darwin: City Tour Today we transfer back to Darwin. On arrival we enjoy a guided city tour, featuring the Chinese Temple, Botanical Gardens, Historic City Sights, East Point Military Precinct, Stokes Hill Wharf area and Mooring Basin, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Overnight in Darwin. Breakfast and dinner. Day 7 Darwin - Uluru (Ayers Rock) Early this morning we fly across the vast desert known as the "Red Centre" to Uluru, commonly called Ayers Rock, located in the centre of the continent. Uluru is an incredibly impressive monolith 5km (3 miles) in length and over 300m (1,000 ft) high! Towering 343m (1,143 ft) above the plain and measuring 9km (5.5 miles) in circumference, the rock is twice the size of central London! The rock is honeycombed with caves, some of which are used for tribal ceremonies and burial chambers. We enjoy the sunset, which creates a series of changing colours on the rock. Uluru is a remnant of ancient mountains which long ago weathered away, leaving the sandstone monolith standing alone in the desert. In 1989 scientists found evidence that Uluru, the Macdonnell Ranges, and a cluster of huge rock domes named Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) were part of a single plateau. The plateau was formed about 300 million years ago and has steadily been eroded ever since. At one stage during this erosion process, according to the scientists, there would probably have been vast gorges here of Grand Canyon dimensions. Later today we will travel to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) where we will have time for a short hike. We will then journey to Uluru for a short walk at the base before travelling to the sunset viewing area. Overnight at Ayers Rock. Packed breakfast and dinner. Day 8 Ayers Rock - King's Canyon We rise early this morning to catch the first rays of light on Uluru as the sun rises. We visit the Uluru Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre before discovering the base of the world's most famous monolith. Uluru's awesome size is as intimidating as it is inspiring. It's rock art, waterholes, many moods and unexpected shapes, create a palpable atmosphere as you explore. After lunch (own expense) we travel through vast cattle stations, with the opportunity to view Mt Connor and Lake Amadeus en route to Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. On the western edge of the George Gill Ranges is a huge formation of weathered rocks and beautiful waterholes. The area of the park has been home to the Luritja people for the last 20,000 years; their word, Watarrka, refers to the umbrella bush that proliferates here. Overnight at Kings Canyon. Breakfast and dinner. Day 9 Kings Canyon - Alice Springs Today our guide will introduce you to the natural beauty and many activity options of the Kings Canyon area. This visually stunning part of Central Australia will intoxicate your senses. The energetic will find the hike around the canyon rim a stimulating choice offering views for hundreds of kilometres. From here we transverse the Mereenie Wilderness area. We view Gosse Bluff, a comet impact crater, prior to our arrival at Hermansburg. Explore the Alber Namatjira Galley and historical buildings within the precinct. We continue on to Alice Springs arriving late afternoon. "The Alice," as locals affectionately call this town, lies at almost the exact geographical centre of Australia. Many Aboriginals work as stockmen on the vast stations in this area, and reminders of their rich heritage are everywhere. Wild camels roam throughout the region, and the dry red earth and deep blue sky create a surreal atmosphere. Neville Shute wrote a famous novel, 'A Town Like Alice', in 1950. That book and the movie based on it put Alice Springs on the international map for the first time, but it was many more years before it began attracting tourists in large numbers. But you need only drive to the edge of town to remind yourself that you are in one of the loneliest places on earth. Within a 800km (500 mile) radius of Alice Springs you could not find another 10,000 people. Overnight in Alice Springs. Breakfast and dinner. Day 10 Alice Springs: Town Tour - Melbourne This morning's tour of Alice Springs includes the panoramic ANZAC Hill, the Old Telegraph Station, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service HQ. Alice Springs began in 1872 as an overland telegraph station linking the north and south. Today it combines the vigour of the frontier-like environment with the convenience of modern facilities. Mid-afternoon we fly to Melbourne with the balance of the day at leisure. Overnight in Melbourne. Breakfast and dinner. Day 11 Melbourne, Australia - Christchurch, New Zealand Today we fly to Christchurch, New Zealand's 'Garden City.'* Christchurch is the focal point of what is called the Canterbury Region, which is that portion of the South Island that generally lies east of the Southern Alps, and from just south of Kaikoura to just north of Oamaru along the coast. The city's population is a manageable 300,000 or so, and dates from around 1850. It began as a Church of England settlement (hence the name) and was supposed to be a haven for landed gentry and "good Christian souls of lesser caste"! NOTE: Please ensure that you dispose of all fresh food before passing through Customs as NZ has very strict bio-security laws. Forbidden items include fruit, honey and dairy products. * NOTE: This flight between Australia and New Zealand is NOT included in the LAND ONLY price. Land only passengers should contact us for latest fare quote. Overnight in Christchurch. Dinner if required. Day 12 Christchurch: City Tour Today we have a comprehensive tour of this compact and relaxed city. We see the many parks and gardens for which Christchurch is internationally acclaimed. Some of the sights seen include: Avon River, Cathedral Square, Christ's College, Provincial Government buildings, Arts Centre, Botanical Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Hagley Park, and Mona Vale. As a finale to the tour, we go to the Port Hills to the exclusive suburb of Cashmere. At the Sign of the Takahe, built to commemorate the building of the Summit Road, spectacular views of the city can be seen, the Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps in the distance (weather permitting, of course). Overnight in Christchurch. Breakfast and dinner. Day 13 Christchurch - Mt Cook National Park - Lake Tekapo Today we travel through the fertile Canterbury Plains to the vicinity of Mt Cook National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage area. Mount Cook Village is at the base of Mount Cook, probably the most spectacular national park in the country and one that rivals most scenery you'll see in the European Alps. The park, 680 sq km (270 square miles), contains more than 20 peaks over 3000 m (10, 000 feet), including Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in Australasia. The Maoris called it Aoraki, 'the Cloud Piercer.' It also features the world's longest temperate-zone glacier, the Tasman. After a few hours for lunch and exploration--possibly a leisurely walk to a glacier--we continue to Tekapo and our hotel. Overnight in Tekapo. Breakfast and dinner. Day 14 Lake Tekapo - "Grand Traverse" Flight-seeing - Queenstown This morning we enjoy (weather permitting) a scenic flight-of-a-lifetime--the "Grand Traverse"--a spectacular scenic flight-seeing experience allowing you to explore the Mount Cook and Westland National Parks. This flight seeing experience encompasses two World Heritage National Parks and 200 sq km of New Zealand?s most memorable and spectacular scenery: Beautiful turquoise glacial lakes, golden tussock lands and braided river systems of the Mackenzie basin; remote High Country sheep stations, glacial valleys and landforms; the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park--a magical world of permanent ice and snow. The fixed wing aircraft ensures that every passenger has a window seat and all aircraft have wings-above to ensure optimum viewing below. Pilots provide a full and informative commentary. After our flight we hit the road for a scenic drive to Queenstown. We travel through the Gibbston Valley, New Zealand's southernmost wine making region. En route we will make a stop at one of the local wineries for a brief visit and tasting. Queenstown is situated on Lake Wakatipu and location is stunning; the lake is beautiful and the surrounding mountain scenery adds to the overall splendour. Overnight in Queenstown. Breakfast and dinner. Day 15 Queenstown - Doubtful Sound Cruise We depart Queenstown by road this morning to beautiful Lake Manapouri. We cruise across the lake and then travel by road over Wilmot Pass, stopping along the way to experience some of Fiordland?s densest rainforest and to view the colourful alpine moss gardens. We board the Fiordland Navigator at Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound. There is plenty of time to enjoy the stunning views and to discover the hidden arms of Doubtful Sound. Fur seals and bottlenose dolphins are often seen and at times, rare penguins can be observed. There is also time for you to kayak around the shoreline or go exploring in the tender craft with our nature guide. As the shadows lengthen we'll drop anchor at a favourite mooring for the night. After the day's activities, we enjoy a delicious evening buffet meal in the spacious dining saloon. The Fiordland Navigator is purpose-built for cruising in the fiords. The vessel offers spacious viewing decks, a comfortable dining saloon/fully licensed bar and observation lounge. Our trip features private cabins with twin side-by-side beds and en suite bathrooms. Overnight on Fiordland Navigator. All meals. Day 16 Doubtful Sound - Queenstown The physical grandeur of towering peaks descending into moody waters, outstanding waterfalls from high-up ice-age valleys and fiords clad with ancient vegetation, create a powerful atmosphere of solitude and serenity. Doubtful Sound is three times longer and ten times greater than Milford Sound. Doubtful Sound is also much less commercialised and is frequently referred to as the "Sound of Silence". We return to Queenstown with time at leisure in the charming town. Overnight in Queenstown. Breakfast and dinner (or breakfast and lunch depending on our timing today and group preference. Many people are happy to have an evening meal on their own at this point). Day 17 Queenstown - Wellington Today we fly from Queentown to Wellington (probably via Christchurch). Later today we arrive in Wellington, New Zealand's capital--surrounded by rugged green hills dotted with charming homes. Wellington is quite often compared to San Francisco in site and design. The harbour was formed by the flooding of a long extinct and very large volcanic crater. Overnight in Wellington. Breakfast and dinner. Day 18 Wellington: City Tour This morning we will have a guided tour of Wellington that will include the Botanical Garden and a view of New Zealand's Parliament Building--the "Beehive." The highlight of our day is Te Papa, New Zealand's fantastic national museum where we will have a 90-minute guided tour of the highlights from New Zealand's natural environment, art, and history. You are free this afternoon to remain at the museum or explore this compact and picturesque capital on your own. Overnight in Wellington. Breakfast and dinner. Day 19 Wellington - Rotorua: Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve We have an early departure from Wellington. Our journey north from here takes us on the spectacular desert road along the edge of the World Heritage Site at Tongariro National Park. We travel through the large Karioi Forest and stop at the quirky little town of Bulls for a short break. Not far away is our next stop at the gorgeous Huka Falls, located on the rushing Waikato River. A short walk along the river provides views into the startling blue waters of this fast flowing river often used for white water rafting. We make a stop for a panoramic view over New Zealand's largest geothermal electric generating station at Wairaki. The steam fields below are impressive and provide us with an idea of how important this energy source is to NZ. Later today we come to Lake Taupo one of the most famous holiday spots in the country, though it was only formed in the 19th century due to nearby volcanic activity. We then continue to Rotorua, entering an area of abundant geothermal activity. Rotorua is in the middle of what is called the Taupo Volcanic Zone which runs from northeast to southwest across the North Island. The area has long been a popular spa area and the locals make use of the hot steam that rises to the surface for heating their homes, cooking, and building their own private hot pools. On arrival we visit the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and Maori Arts and Crafts Centre where we witness boiling pools of mud and geysers that spout up to 30m (100 feet). Our visit also includes a guided tour through fascinating aspects of tradition Maori life before the coming of the Europeans. This evening we will be transferred from the hotel to a Maori cultural performance and traditional Hangi dinner, cooked underground using pre-heated rocks and / or geo-thermal steam. Overnight in Rotorua. Breakfast and dinner. Day 20 Rotorua - Waitomo Caves - Auckland After 1.5 hours we arrive at the Waitomo Caves, formed over thousands of years by the constant dripping of water. Our tour includes a boat ride through the glow-worm grotto, illuminated by thousands of tiny lights emitted by the glow-worms suspended from the cave ceiling. These magnificent limestone caverns, many of which are still unexplored, are famous for their glow-worm grotto. The caves are a sort of greenish Milky Way, dotted with thousands of lights from the insects clinging to the cave roof. The worms, actually the larval stage of a fly, emit their light to attract other insects to sticky filaments they dangle to snare their food. We then travel north through the 'Bridge City' of Hamilton and the historic township of Rangiriri, once the site of a Maori fortification where fierce land battles were fought between the Maori and British troops. We pass through the rich farmland of the Waikato region before arriving in Auckland, New Zealand's largest urban area with a population of just under a million people. Auckland is the centre of commerce and industry, and is perhaps the most vibrant, bustling and multicultural city in New Zealand. Auckland is also the biggest Polynesian city in the world, a cultural influence reflected in many different aspects of city life. Overnight in Auckland. Breakfast and dinner. Day 21 Auckland: City Tour This morning we tour begin our tour of Auckland. We will make a stop at the Parnell Rose Garden before continuing to Parnell Village, the Central Business District, the Mission Bay area, Tamaki Drive, and the Harbour Bridge before our visit to the Auckland Museum. Three expansive levels tell the story of New Zealand's history, from emergence as a nation through the loss and suffering of war, to their uniquely ancient natural history and priceless Maori and Pacific treasures. We also enjoy a superb view of Auckland from Mount Eden, a dormant volcano, complete with crater, from where you can clearly see Auckland's setting between two harbours. Overnight in Auckland. Breakfast and dinner. Day 22 Departure Departure from Auckland. Breakfast. BON VOYAGE / KA KITE ANO! Save time, money and stress! For reservations: Fill out the vacation planner to be contacted by our Australia Adventure vacation specialist. Contact: Travelwizard.com Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252 10/09 |
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