Down Under Discovery - 2022
20 Days Starting in Auckland, New Zealand and ending in Sydney NSW, Australia
Visiting: Auckland, Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, Christchurch, Aoraki / Mount Cook, Queenstown, Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, Melbourne, Alice Springs, Uluru, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney
Tour operator:
Tour code:
495316
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Physical rating:
None
Age range:
5-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please make Cosmos aware at the time of booking what your requirements are and they will endeavour to assist with your request.
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Crikey! If you’ve always wanted a complete tour of Down Under, with no red stone left uncovered, this is it. Doubling the fun with sightseeing in Australia and New Zealand, this exciting vacation covers New Zealand’s North and South Islands as well as Australia’s vibrant cities, golden beaches, and mystical Red Center. From Rotorua’s boiling mud pools to Waitomo’s Glowworm Caves, you’ll kick off your tour with the hottest—and coolest—sights of New Zealand. Aptly named “The Remarkables,” the South Island’s mountain range sets the tone for the incredible sights you’ll see throughout the land of the kiwi—and the home of the kangaroo. As you hop from Melbourne to Uluru to Cairns to Sydney, you’ll savor the architectural masterpieces of Australia’s renowned cities, the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, and everyone’s favorite highlight of this encompassing journey—a boomerang-throwing barbecue under the starlit Outback sky.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive In Auckland, New Zealand
Location: Auckland
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Skycity Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Dinner
Welcome to Auckland! Hotel check-in available upon arrival. A pre-night is not required for early check-in. Schedule flights to arrive by 4:30 pm in time for a welcome meeting and dinner.
Day 2 : Auckland
Location: Auckland
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Distinction Hotel Rotorua (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
AUCKLAND Guided sightseeing includes Queen Street, Auckland Domain (Auckland’s oldest park), and historic Parnell Village. Free time the remainder of the day.
Day 3 : Auckland–Waitomo–Rotorua
Location: Waitomo Caves, Rotorua
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Distinction Hotel Rotorua (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Scenic drive through the pastoral region of Waikoto en route to Waitomo. WAITOMO Sightseeing with Local Guide at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves includes a boat trip through the Glowworm Grotto. Scenic drive through the Mamaku mountains en route to Rotorua. ROTORUA Traditional LF Hangi dinner (roasted meats and vegetables cooked underground with hot stones), followed by an authentic Máori (indigenous Polynesian people) cultural performance with singing, dancing, and storytelling.
Day 4 : Rotorua
Location: Rotorua
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Distinction Hotel Rotorua (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
ROTORUA Sightseeing includes a visit to Rainbow Springs to see native wildlife including time at the special LF Kiwi Encounter, a visit to the Agrodome sheep farm, and to Te Puia, home to Rotorua’s famous geysers, boiling mud pools, and silica terraces. The remainder of the day is free.
Day 5 : Rotorua–Christchurch–Mount Cook
Location: Christchurch, Aoraki / Mount Cook
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: The Hermitage (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Fly to Christchurch. CHRISTCHURCH Scenic drive to Mount Cook National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage area). MOUNT COOK Free time this afternoon and evening. ENHANCE YOUR FREE TIME in Mount Cook National Park with a helicopter flightseeing tour over the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s longest glacier. This and many more options throughout your tour are available with MyGlobus. Get local maps and tips for free time on your GlobusGO mobile app.
Day 6 : Mount Cook–Queenstown
Location: Aoraki / Mount Cook, Queenstown
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Ramada Queenstown Central (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
MOUNT COOK Visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center. Free time this morning before driving to Queenstown. QUEENSTOWN Free time this evening.
Day 7 : Queenstown. Excursion To Milford Sound
Location: Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, Queenstown
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Ramada Queenstown Central (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
MILFORD SOUND Full-day sightseeing in Fiordland National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) includes a scenic cruise in Milford Sound with the chance to see marine wildlife, waterfalls, glaciers, and rainforests. Late evening return to Queenstown. Please note that the excursion to Milford Sound may happen on Day 8 depending on weather and road conditions today.
Day 8 : Queenstown
Location: Queenstown
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Ramada Queenstown Central (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
QUEENSTOWN Free day before a scenic gondola ride to the top of Bob’s Peak includes dinner with amazing views of Coronet Peak, The Remarkable Mountains, Lake Wakatipu, and Queenstown.
Day 9 : Queenstown–Melbourne, Australia
Location: Melbourne
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Fly to Melbourne. MELBOURNE Free time the remainder of the day.
Day 10 : Melbourne
Location: Melbourne
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
MELBOURNE Morning sightseeing includes Federation Square, Parliament House, the Shrine of Remembrance, Queen Victoria Market, and beautiful Fitzroy Gardens. A ride on the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel includes a sparkling drink, appetizers, and views of Melbourne and the bay. Free time the remainder of the day.
Day 11 : Melbourne
Location: Melbourne
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
MELBOURNE Free day. ENHANCE YOUR FREE TIME in Melbourne with a scenic day trip to see the spectacular Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles. This and many more options throughout your tour are available with MyGlobus. Get local maps and tips for free time on your GlobusGO mobile app.
Day 12 : Melbourne–Alice Springs
Location: Alice Springs
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Fly to Alice Springs. ALICE SPRINGS Guided sightseeing includes the School of the Air and the Old Telegraph Station. LF Outback barbecue and campfire this evening includes music, stargazing, and a boomerang demonstration.
Day 13 : Alice Springs–Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Location: Alice Springs, Uluru
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Desert Gardens Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
ALICE SPRINGS Drive to Uluru (Ayers Rock) (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). ULURU View the unique formation of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), followed by a sunset drink at Uluru.
Day 14 : Uluru–Cairns
Location: Uluru, Cairns
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Bailey, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
ULURU Guided tour of the base of Uluru. Fly to Cairns, “Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.”
Day 15 : Cairns. Excursion To The Outer Great Barrier Reef
Location: Great Barrier Reef, Cairns
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Bailey, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
OUTER GREAT BARRIER REEF Scenic catamaran cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) includes the option of snorkeling, a glass-bottom-boat tour, an underwater observatory, and watching a fish feeding. CAIRNS Free time this evening.
Day 16 : Cairns
Location: Cairns
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Bailey, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
CAIRNS Free day.
Day 17 : Cairns–Sydney
Location: Cairns, Sydney
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Swissotel Sydney (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
CAIRNS Visit to the Koala Gardens includes having your photo taken with a koala. Fly to Sydney. SYDNEY Free time remainder of the day.
Day 18 : Sydney
Location: Sydney
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Swissotel Sydney (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
SYDNEY Sightseeing includes a tour of the Sydney Opera House (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with a Local Guide. See the financial district, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, the botanic gardens, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Visit to world-famous Bondi Beach includes a guided tour of LF Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club with one of the lifesavers, and lunch at the historic LF North Bondi Returned Servicemen’s Leagues Club. Later, a scenic cruise on Sydney Harbour. Free time this evening.
Day 19 : Sydney
Location: Sydney
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Swissotel Sydney (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
SYDNEY Free day before a farewell dinner at a waterfront restaurant.
Day 20 : Sydney
Location: Sydney
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
What's Included
-
Accommodation
It may occasionally be necessary to use alternative hotels of a similar standard to those shown.
-
All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)
-
Fully Guided
-
Meals
19 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners
What's Not Included
-
Tipping and Gratuities
-
International Travel
Check out our Q&As
-
Are flights included in this tour?
Yes, Fly to Christchurch, Fly to Melbourne, Fly to Alice Springs, Fly to Cairns, Fly to Sydney
-
Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
-
Will passengers from another country be participating in the tour?
Yes
-
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
-
Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1961
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Cosmos is committed to minimizing our impact on the environment and to reducing dependence on non-renewable resources. In this endeavor, we have implemented policies to support this mission and are working carefully to enhance our products with this mission and our values combined. We are committed to complying with all relevant legislation and/or regulations.
-
What documents will I receive before I travel?
Travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries, and other information, are available approximately two to three weeks prior to departure provided full payment has been received.
-
What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
All guests are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for travel through February, 2023. Beginning March 1, 2023, while we highly recommend vaccination, we will no longer require it. We ask all guests to comply with airline and destination requirements, which still may apply. To check your destination requirements for your travel dates, view the Latest Travel & Health Restrictions for Travel.
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
-
Low Deposit
Cosmos requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of cosmos charges.
Up to 65 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 64 days before tour starts: Forfeit 20% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 7 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
Why book with tourhub?
Safe & Secure
Your money is protected in an external trust until you travel.
100% Guaranteed Refunds if your trip is cancelled.
The safest way to make overseas, multi-currency payments.
Guaranteed Best Value
Industry leading discounts, we won't be beaten on price.
No cancellation or amendment fees from tourhub.
(Operator terms may apply)
Expert Knowledge
Reliable & unbiased advice from travel experts.
Direct contact with the tour operator via our messaging service.
Inspiration & advice from a community of 6000+ real travellers, influencers & content creators.
Trusted Service
Official partners & licensed agents of 1000+ tour operators worldwide.
Don't just take our word for it...
"Tourhub: Friendliness, Professionalism & Integrity I would happily give tourhub a 6* review if I could..."