Australia and New Zealand Panorama

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.

Get out and see the sights today on a guided walk with your Travel Director discovering the little lanes, arcades, and café 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. 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.

Did you know that the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef is home to 1,500 species of fish, 215 different birds, 3,000 molluscs, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, and 30 species of dolphins and whales are residents? 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 day 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 café 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.

Fly from Cairns to Sydney. The rest of the day is yours to do as you wish. You could walk to the Art Gallery of NSW or to Mrs. Macquarie's Chair for a panoramic views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Ask your Travel Director for evening dining suggestions.

There are legendary Sydney sights, and then there’s the Sydney Opera House – this dramatic building is the reason the word ‘icon’ was made. Go on a guided tour of the pearly shell-shaped structure, learning about its architecture as well as some of the famous artists who have graced the stages. Then see it from the outside on a sightseeing harbour cruise, also sailing past Circular Quay, Shark Island, jaw-dropping mansions, beaches and parks. Oh, and you’ll get to glide under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Talk about ‘pinch me’ moments. You’ll want to toast your good fortune. Thankfully, we have planned a Be My Guest afternoon of wine tasting at Sydney’s Urban Winery. One of the few places in the city itself that makes wine, this establishment is a great place to get a feel for the stellar drops that are made in Australia. Cheers to that!

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 experience to be had in this city and further afield. Perhaps a bird’s-eye perspective of the city on a Sydney BridgeClimb? Or take a tour to the Blue Mountains to view the famous Three Sisters (both own expense). This evening you can share your stories of your experiences that day with your fellow travellers at dinner.

New Zealand's adventure capital, Queenstown, awaits. Explore the alpine village and stunning Lake Wakatipu, then enjoy walkable bars and restaurants. Ask your Travel Director for tips.

Get a taste of country life combined with good old fashioned southern hospitality as you meet a ‘Southern Girl’ local farmer at Real Country. Have demonstrations of Horse communication and Working sheep dog mustering. Try your hand at a Stock whip cracking lesson, and feed and interact with the friendly farm animals. For every guest, we donate funds to The Fairlight Foundation, Advancing Women in Agriculture. Then you'll think you've stepped back in time when you arrive in the former gold-mining village of Arrowtown, where history and beauty merge to create an unforgettable experience. Nestled in the scenic Southern Alps, you can explore quaint shops and restaurants, all while taking in the stunning views. Come dusk, cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw; the only thing more inspiring than the surrounding peaks of the Remarkables is the festive atmosphere welcoming you to Walter Peak High Country Farm, where a gourmet barbecue Highlight Dinner at the Colonel’s Homestead awaits.

You could spend a long time in and around Queenstown. But on your free day, we highly recommend either venturing into the end-of-the-Earth wilderness that is Milford Sound, to cruise past sheer cliffs, white-capped peaks and waterfalls. Or blissing out on an obligatory wine tour of the Otago region (both own expense). It’s a difficult decision.

After touching down in Auckland, you'll board your coach for the drive to Rotorua, the cultural capital, where you will immerse yourself in Maori history and culture.

Your visit to the National Kiwi Hatchery is guided by passionate conservationists and will give you fascinating insights into New Zealand's national bird on this rewarding MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Rotorua's landscapes are reminiscent of a sci-fi movie set where mud pops from bubbling geysers and steam rushes skywards. See it firsthand on your visit to Whakarewarewa, the world's only living Māori village where people live on a daily basis, using natural geothermal resources to cook, bathe and heat their homes as they have for centuries. This evening, embark on the Te Po experience at Te Puia. Learn about Learn about Maori history and culture on this guided experience, which includes hangi-inspired cuisine and a cultural performance in a finely carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. Witness a pōwhiri (traditional welcome), waiata (song), mōteatea (traditional chant) poi and haka. 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.

Set your GPS for the Waitomo Caves. While cruising cavernous limestone waterways, your route is cast in a magical light by thousands of tiny blue and green glowworms. The next thing that glows on your horizon is Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, dazzling with not one, but two harbours. This evening, share the stories of your New Zealand Panorama tour at a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and companions at The Grill, celebrating Aotearoa's culinary treasures.

Two countries, multiple adventures, an abundance of new friends… Just how do you say goodbye to a journey like this?