• Ride aboard vintage Kuranda steam train and Skyrail gon­dolas
• Great Barrier Reef excursion
• Aboriginal “dreamtime” experience
• Sunset at Ayers Rock
• Sydney touring and Harbour cruise
• Leisure time in Sydney
• Christchurch touring
• Two-night stay at Mt. Cook National Park
• Milford Sound cruise
• Geothermal Rotorua
• Maori cultural experience
• Auckland touring

Days 1 & 2: Depart U.S. for Cairns, Australia

Day 3: Arrive Cairns This afternoon we arrive in Cairns, gateway to Australia’s Far North and the Great Barrier Reef. We transfer to our hotel where tonight we enjoy a briefing and dinner. D

Day 4: Cairns/Kuranda We take an orientation tour of Cairns then board an historic railway to the mountain village of Kuranda. After time to explore here, we descend via the gondolas of Skyrail. We return to our hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure. B

Day 5: Great Barrier Reef This morning we board a boat for a day-long excursion to the Great Barrier Reef, at 1,200 miles long the world’s largest living organism and richest marine resource. We pull up at Michaelmas Cay where we can swim, snorkel, or view the reef from a semi-submersible vessel. B,L

Day 6: Cairns/Alice Springs We take an early morning flight to remote Alice Springs, where upon arrival we venture to Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm for a picnic lunch amid the sheer rock walls. Then we visit the Alice Springs School of the Air, which provides schooling to widely scattered Outback children. B,L

Day 7: Alice Springs This morning we embark on an Aboriginal “dreamtime” tour, where we meet Walpiri tribespeople and learn about their ancient culture. After this First Australians experience, we encounter the acclaimed Royal Flying Doctor Service then visit the Anzac Hill Monument to Australian and New Zealand soldiers. Tonight, we enjoy a traditional Outback Bushman’s Dinner around a campfire. B,D

Day 8: Alice Springs/Ayers Rock We reach our Ayers Rock hotel early afternoon. After lunch on our own, we visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is the traditional land of the Anangu Aboriginal peoples and home to the Olgas rock formations and Uluru (Ayers Rock). We watch the sun set over this fabled sandstone monolith that rises to a height of 1,114 feet. B,D

Day 9: Ayers Rock/Sydney This morning we visit the base of Uluru and the interesting museum here. Midday we fly to Sydney, arriving late afternoon. B,D

Day 10: Sydney Today’s tour features The Rocks historic neighborhood, Darling Harbour and Mrs. Macquarie’s Point, Rose and Watson’s bays, and popular Bondi Beach. Then we board a catamaran for a lunch cruise around Sydney Harbour. B,L

Day 11: Sydney This morning we tour Featherdale Wildlife Park, where wombats, dingos, and koalas reside. Then the afternoon is at leisure; tonight we enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant. B,D

Day 12: Sydney/Christchurch, New Zealand After a late morning tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House, this afternoon is free for independent exploration. This evening we board a flight to Christchurch, New Zealand’s “Garden City.” B

Day 13: Christchurch/Mount Cook National Park This morning’s orientation tour features the Botanic Gardens and Cathedral Square, the beating heart of Christchurch and site of Christchurch Cathedral. Then we board our motorcoach for the journey south to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, in the Southern Alps. En route, we stop in the town of Geraldine for lunch and to see sheep dogs and a sheep shearer in action at a local farm. We continue on to Mount Cook, arriving late afternoon. B,L,D

Day 14: Mount Cook This morning’s tour of alpine Mount Cook Village includes a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center, where we see a 3D planetarium movie about the region. We also visit the Hillary Gallery, comemorating Sir Edmund’s achievements, including the first ascent of Mount Cook’s difficult South Ridge in 1948 (at 12,316 feet, Mount Cook is New Zealand’s tallest mountain). After time in the village for lunch on our own, this afternoon is at leisure to relax amid the breathtaking scenery, hike, or take an optional scenic flight (weather permitting). B,D

Day 15: Mount Cook/Queenstown We depart this morning for Queenstown, stopping en route in historic Arrowtown for lunch on our own followed by a visit to Kawarau Bridge Bungy, the world’s first bungy jump operation open to the public. Mid-afternoon we reach Queenstown, New Zealand’s “adventure capital.” We dine tonight at our hotel. B,D

Day 16: Milford Sound Our day-long excursion to Milford Sound includes a nature cruise through the breathtaking fjords. We have lunch on board then later have the opportunity to return to Queenstown on an optional scenic flight (weather permitting). B,L

Day 17: Queenstown Today is at leisure to enjoy New Zealand’s adventure capital as we wish. B

Day 18: Queenstown/Rotorua We depart today for the Maori center of Rotorua, with its geysers, bubbling mud pools, and hot thermal springs. Upon arrival, we take a panoramic tour of this city on the shores of Lake Rotorua. This evening we visit Te Puia Thermal Reserve and Cultural Centre for a traditional hangi dinner and Maori performance. B,D

Day 19: Rotorua This morning we visit Paradise Valley Springs, a popular showcase of native flora, fauna, and birdlife. Then we tour the National Kiwi Trust, which rehabilitates injured kiwis, the national bird. B

Day 20: Rotorua/Auckland En route to Auckland, we stop this morning at Ruakuri Caves to see the unique glowworms that illuminate the underground grottoes and caves. We reach Auckland late this afternoon; we’re on our own for dinner tonight. B

Day 21: Auckland Our half-day tour of this city set atop 48 volcanic hills features glittering Auckland Harbour and the America’s Cup Village. We also visit the War Memorial Museum, with its prized Maori and Pacific Islander collections. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner at our hotel. B,D

Day 22: Depart for U.S. This afternoon we transfer to the Auckland airport for our flight to the U.S., where we connect with our return flights home. B

Please note: This trip involves full days of sightseeing and significant amounts of walking on stairs and uneven surfaces. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to its fullest.

B = Breakfast included L = Lunch included D = Dinner included

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 19 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe, Superior First Class, and First Class hotels
• 34 meals: 19 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 10 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

2023 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $689, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,895 Apr, May, Aug, Sep; $2,195 all other dates. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days prior to departure. All 2023 tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

⁺Itinerary: Days 6-10: Cairns/Ayers Rock/Alice Springs/Sydney; Day 6: Cairns/Sydney; Day 7: Sydney/Ayers Rock; Day 8: Ayers Rock/Alice Springs; Day 9: Alice Springs; Day 10: Alice Springs/Sydney

Airline upgrades (subject to availability) on round-trip Trans-Pacific flight: Business Class – $7,995 per person from LAX, SFO, SEA, and DEN; all other cities: $9,495 per person. Premium Economy – $2,995 per person

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

2024 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $689, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,895 Apr, May; $2,195 all other dates. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days prior to departure. All tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

⁺Itinerary: Days 6-10: Cairns/Alice Springs/Ayers Rock/Sydney; Day 6: Cairns/Sydney; Day 7: Sydney/Alice Springs; Day 8: Alice Springs; Day 9: Alice Springs/Ayers Rock; Day 10: Ayers Rock/Sydney

Airline upgrades (subject to availability) on round-trip Trans-Pacific flight: Business Class – $7,995 per person from DEN, LAX, SFO, SEA; $9,495 all other cities. Premium Economy – $2,995 per person

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

Auckland – On Your Own

3 days/2 nights for $295 total price
Single Supplement: $225

Enjoy additional time in the sparkling “City of Sails,” at your own pace.

Your Tour Price Includes

• 2 nights’ accommodations at Grand Millennium Auckland (Superior First Class)
• 2 meals: 2 breakfasts
• Transfer to airport

Please see the Accommodations tab for hotel information.

Bill Bryson
In a Sunburned Country
The intrepid, ever-resourceful Bill Bryson revels in Australia’s eccentric characters, dangerous flora and fauna and other oddities in this wildly funny, effortlessly informative travelogue.

Christina Thompson
Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All
Historian Thompson effortlessly alternates tales of mostly disastrous early encounters with the Maori and the story of the love of her life, Seven, the Maori she married, in this endearing memoir.

Roff Smith
National Geographic Australia
A thoroughly illustrated travel guide by National Geographic expert and adventurer Roff Smith, who has written extensively about his travels in Australia.

Eyewitness Guides
Eyewitness Guide New Zealand
This superb guide features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region overview of attractions.

ITMB
Australia Map
A handy, folded map at a scale of 1:3,500,000.

National Geographic Maps
New Zealand Adventure Map
A detailed map at a scale of 1:1,000,000, printed on handy tear- and water-resistant paper.

John Chambers
A Traveller’s History of New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands
A brisk portrait of New Zealand and its culture, economy and society, this concise history also covers the settlement of the Pacific Islands.

Robert Hughes
The Fatal Shore
In this celebrated social history, both scholarly and entertaining, Hughes traces the fate of those who were transported to the penal colonies of Australia between 1787 and 1868. It’s an engaging popular account, drawn from the experiences of the colonists themselves.

Iain McCalman
The Reef, A Passionate History
McCalman, a historian at the University of Sydney, brings to life the explorers and scientists, beachcombers, divers, indigenous peoples and castaways who first experienced the Great Barrier Reef.

Bruce Chatwin
The Songlines
Rory Stewart provides the introduction to this 25th anniversary edition of Bruce Chatwin’s celebrated travelogue. Chatwin transforms a journey through the Outback into an exhilarating, semi-fictional meditation on our place in the world.

Paul Theroux
The Happy Isles of Oceania
The peripatetic author flies off to Australia and New Zealand with a kayak and ends up exploring much of Melanesia and Polynesia, including Tonga, Fiji and the Marquesas, in this wickedly funny, wide-ranging tale.

Thomas Keneally
Australia
This epic history of Australian art begins with early aboriginal paintings from the 1800s and leads up to contemporary works by modern artists, exploring the inescapable link between the dramatic landscapes and the art scene.

Wally Caruana
Aboriginal Art
This well-illustrated survey focuses on the spiritual and geographic sources of art and ritual traditions in Australia. With 187 well produced black-and-white and color illustrations.

Robyn Davidson
Tracks, A Woman’s Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback
The true-life story of a woman’s trek across the Australian Outback – an adventurous tale shot through with a feel for the landscape and empathy for the Aborigines she meets along the way.

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Slipping Into Paradise, Why I Live in New Zealand
In this far-ranging travelogue, Masson (who wrote a series of books on the emotional lives of animals) combines his travels and tales with history, riffs on the kiwis, nature and society.

de Grenade, Rafael
Stilwater: Finding Wild Mercy in the Outback
A vividly descriptive account of a woman’s experiences as a cattle rancher at the Stilwater cattle station in Queensland; de Grenade contrasts the startling, pastoral beauty of the land and wildlife with the harshness of ranch life.

Robert Ross
Australia, A Traveler’s Literary Companion
Arranged geographically, this collection of works by mostly local writers, including Patrick White, Peter Carey and other luminaries introduces the cultures, geography and mindset of Australia.

Keri Hulme
The Bone People
Set on the South Island, this powerful novel brings together three troubled individuals who represent Maori and European traditions in contemporary New Zealand.

Eleanor Catton
The Luminaries
Murder and mystery in 19th-century New Zealand. This epic and intricately constructed tale – spinning out over 800 pages – is set during the wild days of the 1866 gold rush on the west coast on South Island. It’s just over Arthur’s Pass from where Catton was raised in Christchurch.

Paddy Ryan
The Snorkeller’s Guide to the Coral Reef, From the Red Sea to the Pacific Ocean
This take-along guide covers coral reefs, fish, invertebrates and plants of the Indo-Pacific and includes 200 color photographs.

Barrie Heather
The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand
The revised compact edition of the classic field guide, featuring 74 color plates by Derek Onley.

Ken Simpson, Nicholas Day
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia
A handbook and field guide to Australia’s birds with 2,000 vivid color illustrations, each accompanied by a brief description and revised range map.

I Greenberg
Fishwatcher’s Field Guide, Great Barrier Reef
A double-sided, laminated card covering the reef fish of Australia, Papua New Guinea and the tropical Pacific.

Jill Ker Conway
The Road From Coorain
Jill Ker Conway grew up on an 18,000-acre tract of land in the Australian outback, worked on her family’s farm from the age of seven, and grew up to become the first female president of Smith College and a visiting professor at MIT. This stirring memoir captures her life in Australia beautifully, and paints an evocative picture of this windswept, often unhospitable land.