Natural Wonders of New Zealand and Australia Cruise and Tour
£6,895.00
Cruising past the tumbling waterfalls and evergreen peaks of Fiordland National Park. Watching Sydney Harbour light up at dusk during a sunset dinner cruise. Spending a whole day exploring the Great Barrier Reef – a natural wonder of the world.
New Zealand is a treasure trove of natural wonders, and this New Zealand tour will lead you into the heart of it all. Begin in the spectacular Bay of Islands before boarding a Holland America Line New Zealand cruise, sailing to all the highlights of the North and South Islands, including Fiordland National Park. We’ll also make stops in Tasmania and Melbourne before the cruise ends in sparkling Sydney Harbour, where you’ll have three days to explore this world icon. Then swap Sydney Harbour for the Great Barrier Reef as we travel north to Cairns for an unforgettable end to the holiday.
- 7 excursions & visits
- 56 meals
- Active traveller pace
Your itinerary
Days 1-2 – In flight
Our door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your flights to Auckland.
In flight
Day 3 – Auckland
We arrive in Auckland early afternoon and transfer to our hotel.
Grand Millennium (4.5 star)
Day 4 – Bay of Islands
We leave Auckland behind to travel towards the Bay of Islands. We’ll stop en route at the Waipoua Kauri Forest, where you’ll lay eyes on the mighty Tane Mahuta; a 2,000-year-old Kauri tree. Nearly 18 metres to the first branch and a huge 4.4 metres in diameter, Tane Mahuta has earned the nickname ‘The Lord of the Forest’. We’ll continue to the golden sand beaches, secluded coves and turquoise waters of Bay of Islands. The area is also a place of historical significance, as the site of the first permanent British settlement in New Zealand.
Copthorne Bay of Islands (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Waipoua Kauri Forest and Kauri Museum (afternoon)
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 5 – Cape Brett Peninsula – Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Most of the activity around the Bay of Islands is centred around the invitingly blue waters, whether that’s surfing, fishing, diving or cruising in the company of dolphins. On our cruise of Cape Brett this morning, we’ll uncover different views of the Bay of Islands – and you’ll get an up-close look of the famous ‘Hole in the Rock’. The Bay of Islands is known to Maori people as Pewhairangi and this afternoon, we’ll learn more about the history of the area at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. On this site in 1840, New Zealand’s founding document was signed. Through two museums, a guided tour and a powerful Maori cultural performance, you’ll come to appreciate how special this area is.
Copthorne Bay of Islands (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Cape Brett Peninsula cruise (morning)Waitangi Treaty Grounds (afternoon)
Breakfast
Day 6 – Whangarei – Auckland
The morning is free before we make our way back to Auckland via subtropical Whangarei, surrounded by striking natural beauty. Mount Parihaka is the highest point in the city and offers the best views, while the town itself is a charming mix of colonial architecture, stylish cafés, art galleries and speciality shops. We continue along the Hibiscus Coast to Auckland.
Grand Millennium (4.5 star)
Today includes…
Breakfast
Day 7 – Auckland
Auckland is a city skyline surrounded by natural delights. Beautiful waters, rainforests, thermal springs and volcanic cones are just the start. We’ll enjoy a tour this morning, visiting the famous Bastion Point overlooking Rangitoto Island and the newly created Britomart and Commercial Bay architecture. This modern city is easy to navigate, so you can enjoy some free time this afternoon to explore under your own steam. Perhaps visit Parnell Village, home to boutiques and Victorian-styled shops. Or choose to ascend Auckland’s Sky Tower, for incredible views over the city, volcanic cones and farmland beyond.
Grand Millennium (4.5 star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: City tour of Auckland (morning)
Breakfast
Free time
Day 8 – Auckland
This morning is free to explore more of this attractive city before we head for the port where we’ll embark our ship.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9 – Tauranga (Rotorua)
We arrive in Tauranga, the fastest growing provincial area in New Zealand, boasting an abundance of pristine beaches, blooming orchards and prominent hills. The region is rich in Maori history. The bubbling hot springs of Rotorua are one of the best-loved activities in the area.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10 – Napier
Napier is famed for its curving art deco buildings which were built following a great earthquake and fire in 1931. It is perched on the coastline of Hawkes Bay – one of New Zealand’s leading wine-producing regions, with more than 50 leading wineries. The town also offers a rare opportunity to glimpse a kiwi at the National Aquarium.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11 – Wellington
New Zealand&s capital on the southern tip of the North Island is blessed with a beautiful waterfront, fresh seafood and unpredictable weather. Learn about Maori history at Te Papa, the national museum or go behind the scenes of the Lord of the Rings movies made in Wellywood.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12 – Picton
The petite and picturesque port town of Picton is an excellent base for exploring the region of Marlborough and its luscious wine country. The tiny harbour town itself has quaint cafés and shops and boasts unique aquatic themed museums, like the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13 – Lyttelton (Christchurch)
You’ll have a whole day to revel in the characterful and completely charming city of Christchurch today. The capital of the South Island is known as the most ‘English’ of New Zealand’s cities. It’s a city of regeneration and innovation and it’s constantly changing. In the city centre, cutting-edge architecture jostles with some of the oldest buildings in New Zealand. Hagley Park makes for a wonderful stroll through botanical gardens, fringed by the River Avon. Christchurch is also the basecamp for South Island exploration.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14 – Port Chalmers (Dunedin)
We’ll arrive early in Port Chalmers for Dunedin, the distinctly Scottish city of spires, chimneys and glorious Victorian and Edwardian buildings that lie at the head of a long fiord. Outside the city, the Otago Peninsula is lined with scenic beaches and home to rare birdlife like the royal albatross and yellow-eyed penguin.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15 – Cruising Fiordland National Park
When visiting New Zealand, ‘incredible landscapes’ is usually high on everyone’s wishlist. Visitors find just that and then some in Fiordland National Park. This stunning 12,000-square-kilometre park of mountains, lakes, fjords and rainforests, is mostly untouched by settlers over the years – the steep peaks and wet landscapes acting as a deterrent. We’ll spend a day in complete awe as we sail through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, where waterfalls tumble down impossibly green peaks and the mirror-like water is perfectly still and peaceful.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Days 16-17 – At sea
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches and 2 Dinners
Day 18 – Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Hobart is compact enough to easily explore on foot. Start at the sandstone area of Salamanca Place with its artist studios, and then roam the quaint streets of Battery Point, one of Hobart’s oldest neighbourhoods. Head out of town to meet the endemic Tasmanian devil or learn more about Tasmania’s dark – but fascinating – past in the convict centre of Port Arthur.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 19 – At sea
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 20 – Melbourne
Welcome to this city of cutting-edge art and architecture, historic galleries and museums, beautiful Victorian railway stations, music, sport and fantastic parks full of treasures. If this isn’t enough, then hop on an excursion to one of Victoria&s world-class wineries, travel along the spectacular coastline, or visit the famous penguins at nearby Phillip Island.
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 21 – At sea
Westerdam (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 22 – Sydney
We dock in Sydney this morning and disembark after breakfast. Sydney is the oldest, largest and arguably most beautiful city in Australia. The iconic harbour is at the heart of the city but during our stay here, we’ll look further than the famous landmarks to really experience the laid-back outdoor ambience the city is known for. First, we’ll get our bearings with a morning city tour, taking in the dazzling harbour the Sydney Opera House, the graceful Harbour Bridge and the golden sands of Bondi, before checking into our hotel this afternoon. This evening we’ll enjoy a sunset dinner cruise. Watch the city light up at night as the sun sets, with the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge as the backdrop.
Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: City tour of Sydney (morning)Sydney sunset cruise and dinner (evening)
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 23 – Sydney
Today is free to explore the city at leisure. In the old Rocks area, you’ll find a cluster of some of the city’s oldest buildings – quaint streets decorated with small houses and plenty of cafés. There’s also plenty of parkland that cuts its way through the city’s skyscrapers and it’s a great perspective to see the city from. You might spot flying foxes overhead, possums rustling in the bushes and cockatoos screeching from the treetops.
Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast
Free time
Day 24 – Sydney
A day at leisure to explore under your own steam in Sydney.
Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast
Free time
Day 25 – Sydney – Cairns
We wave goodbye to Sydney as we fly to Cairns, the heart of Tropical North Queensland. It’s an ideal base from which to explore the wider region from, with easy access to the Great Barrier Reef, rainforest, and Outback. The immediate areas surrounding the city are lapped by beautiful blue waters, so it’s little wonder the vibe here is more boardshorts than briefcases – and life revolves around the water. A focal point in the city is the Cairns Esplanade. Almost two kilometres of landscaped parkland fringes a busy thoroughfare and restaurant strip on one side and a natural harbour on the other. On arrival this afternoon, we check into our hotel.
Bailey Hotel, Cairns (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast
Day 26 – Cairns
A day at leisure to spend in the city. Perhaps head down to the pier for a taste of the local life – here, an array of award-winning waterfront restaurants, cafés and bars congregate, or you could opt for a spot of shopping. Alternatively, you might like to spend some time exploring the city’s great museums and galleries – specifically the aquarium, which houses a vast range of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef in miniature and some unique experiences. Or, take a trip into the surrounding tropical parks and forests to spot some of the many species of plants, birds, mammals and reptiles inhabiting the area.
Bailey Hotel, Cairns (4-star)
Today includes…
Breakfast
Free time
Days 27-28 – Great Barrier Reef – Cairns
Stretching along 200km of coastline, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system – it’s even visible from space. But it’s not just the size that is impressive, it’s the wonderfully rich ecosystem that thrives in these waters. It is completely breathtaking and easily one of Australia’s most remarkable natural wonders. Today you get to see the reef your way. We’ll head to Port Douglas, for an exhilarating catamaran journey across the blue Coral Sea to the reef, where you can choose to spend your time exploring as you wish. Perhaps snorkel in the sheltered coral lagoon, view the reef on a semi-submersible tour, take a trip in a glass-bottom boat or view its beauty from the underwater observatory. The following day is free to explore Cairns.
Bailey Hotel, Cairns (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Great Barrier Reef cruise (all day)
2 Breakfasts and Lunch
Free time
Day 29 – Cairns – In flight
Enjoy a final leisurely morning in Cairns before we transfer for our return flights home.
Cairns – In flight
Today includes…
Breakfast
Day 30 – Departure
Upon arrival, our vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.
