Explore a host of wonders across Australia and New Zealand—from the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru to Milford Sound; and gain insights into the ancient cultures of Australia's Aboriginal people and the Māori of New Zealand.
Splendors of Australia and New Zealand
22 days from $10,595 | includes airfare, taxes and all fees
Explore a host of wonders across Australia and New Zealand—from the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru to Milford Sound; and gain insights into the ancient cultures of Australia's Aboriginal people and the Māori of New Zealand.
Tour Details
WHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY
- Previous Journeys TravelerSmithsonian Journeys tours always have unique interesting itineraries and always have a very interesting like-minded set of other traveling companions. The lecture information always help better understand the countries and geology better.
- Previous Journeys TravelerThis was the very best trip I have ever taken. I will travel with Smithsonian Journeys again and again! Thank you so much.
- Richard S.This was the only tour we found that went to every place we wanted to visit in Australia and New Zealand (including the Outback!).
JOURNEYS DISPATCHES
SPECIAL OFFER
This tour is specially designed for a small group of 16 to 24 Smithsonian travelers and offers outstanding travel value. Prices include airfare, airline taxes, fuel surcharges, and departure fees.
Overview

Experience a broad array of fascinating sites—both natural and cultural—on a journey to the highlights of Australia and New Zealand. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and soar through the canopy of Queensland’s ancient rain forests. Then head into the storied Outback to see the sacred monolith of Uluru and learn about the timeless Aboriginal cultures. Spend two days immersed in cosmopolitan Sydney, and fly to Churchill to soak up the city’s resilient creative spirit. Explore stunning Aoraki Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps and cruise the extraordinary Milford Sound. Get acquainted with the Māori in Rotorua, and end your adventure with two days in Auckland, the “City of Sails.”
Highlights Include
- Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef: Ride the historic Kuranda Railway through spectacular landscapes, and soar through the canopy of Queensland’s World Heritage-listed rain forests on the world's longest gondola cableway. Gain insights about the Great Barrier Reef from a marine biologist, and see the reef up close as you swim, snorkel, or view it from a glass-bottomed boat.
- Uluru and the Australian Outback: Watch the sun set over the sacred site of Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Savor a traditional "bush" dinner around a campfire under the southern constellations, and learn about the Walpiri Aboriginal people during a Dreamtime tour.
- Sydney: Spend two full days exploring fascinating Sydney. Tour the iconic Sydney Opera House; enjoy a luncheon cruise on Sydney Harbour; and see koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and more at Featherdale Wildlife Park.
- New Zealand's South Island: Stay within Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park in the stunning Southern Alps, visit sites associated with Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to summit Mt. Cook’s south face. Take an afternoon cruise through the fjords to breathtaking Milford Sound and savor local wines at a renowned winery near Queenstown.
- The North Island: In Rotorua, meet with members of the Māori community, and enjoy a traditional hangi dinner and a cultural performance. Witness geysers and other geothermal features at a nearby park, and venture into a glowworm cave. In Auckland, tour the War Memorial Museum, Auckland Harbour, and the America's Cup Village.
- Previous Journeys TravelerSmithsonian Journeys tours always have unique interesting itineraries and always have a very interesting like-minded set of other traveling companions. The lecture information always help better understand the countries and geology better.
- Previous Journeys TravelerThis was the very best trip I have ever taken. I will travel with Smithsonian Journeys again and again! Thank you so much.
- Richard S.This was the only tour we found that went to every place we wanted to visit in Australia and New Zealand (including the Outback!).
To see itinerary, please click on an option below.
Itinerary: Spring 2024
Days 1-2 — Depart the U.S. for Cairns, Australia
Fly to Australia, losing a day as you cross the International Date Line.
Days 3-5 — Australia's Far North—Cairns, Kuranda, and The Great Barrier Reef
Arrive in Cairns, transfer to your hotel, and gather for a welcome dinner. The next day, ride the historic Kuranda Railway from the coast up through World Heritage-listed Barron Gorge National Park, traversing tunnels and canyons on your way into the lush mountains. Stroll through picturesque Kuranda, and board the world’s longest gondola cableway for a bird’s-eye view of the rainforest canopy. Then spend a day exploring the Great Barrier Reef, where more than 2,800 coral reefs make up one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems. On a full-day excursion to Michaelmas Cay, go swimming and snorkeling or climb into a semi-submersible vessel for a closer look at the reefs. (B,L,D)
Day 6 — Cairns/Sydney
Enjoy a morning to explore Cairns. Depart this afternoon for Sydney and settle into your hotel before dinner. (B,D)
Day 7 — Sydney/Alice Springs
Fly to Alice Springs, the capital of the Outback. The first stop is Alice Springs Reptile Centre. At Anzac Hill, take in expansive views and see the monument to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought in the World Wars. Visit the Royal Flying Doctors Service, the first comprehensive aerial medical organization in the world, then tour the School of the Air, which provides education to children in remote communities scattered across the Outback. Relax around a campfire, enjoy musical entertainment, and look for the Southern Cross and other constellations at a traditional “bush” dinner. (B,D)
Day 8 — Alice Springs
Venture into more rugged terrain the next day on an Aboriginal cultural walk and nature tour at the Alice Springs Desert Park, where we learn about this ancient culture in a natural bush setting. Visit Simpsons Gap, an Aboriginal spiritual site, and explore Standley Chasm. (B,L)
Day 9 — Uluru
This morning, depart by coach for Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock). Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a World Heritage site and home to the Anangu Aboriginal peoples. Explore the base of Uluru and delve into local culture at a nearby museum. (B,D)
Day 10 - Uluru and Sydney
Take a walking tour of the otherworldly Olgas rock formations and watch the sun set over Uluru, the fabled sandstone monolith that rises 1,114 feet above the plain. Then fly to Sydney, arriving late in the afternoon. (B)
Day 11 - Sydney
Admire the views of the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge during a lunch cruise on Sydney Harbour. Spend time at Featherdale Wildlife Park, where koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and dingoes roam freely amid ten acres of rain forest, eucalyptus, and gardens. Visit the Rocks District and enjoy dinner on the waterfront. (B,L,D)
Day 12 — Sydney and Christchurch, New Zealand
After a late morning tour of the Sydney Opera House, enjoy a free afternoon to discover the city on your own. In the evening, board a flight to Christchurch, New Zealand’s “Garden City.” (B)
Day 13 — Christchurch and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
This morning’s orientation tour features the acclaimed Botanic Gardens and “Re:START Mall,” the vibrant civic area built from the rubble of the 2011 earthquake. Journey south by motorcoach to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, stopping en route at a working farm in Geraldine. Here, learn about wool handling and classing while witnessing a sheep-shearing demonstration, and watch trained sheepdogs skillfully muster Suffolk sheep. Learn about red and white deer farming and tour the working deer sheds and yards. Arrive at Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps, a stunning landscape of turquoise lakes and snowcapped mountains, and settle into your hotel before dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 14 — Aoraki Mount Cook
Set out for Mount Cook Village and visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center. Meander through the Hillary Gallery, commemorating Sir Edmund’s achievements, including the first ascent of Mount Cook’s difficult south face. After time in the village for lunch on your own, this afternoon is at leisure to discover Aoraki Mount Cook as you wish. (B,D)
Day 15 — Queenstown
Travel through New Zealand’s lush fruit-growing region to Queenstown, stopping in the former gold mining town of Arrowtown. Enjoy a wine tasting and savory lunch at a renowned winery before continuing to the famed Kawarau Bridge where in 1988 AJ Hackett invented bungee jumping. Reach the “adventure capital” of Queenstown in mid-afternoon. (B,L,D)
Day 16 — Milford Sound
Set out on a rewarding, full-day excursion to the World Heritage-listed Milford Sound. Glide through the breathtaking fjords on a nature cruise, watching for wildlife, waterfalls, and spectacular scenery. Enjoy lunch on board. This afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to return to Queenstown on a scenic flight, taking in magnificent aerial views the Fiordland. (B,L)
Day 17 — Queenstown
Today is yours to pursue your own interests in Queenstown. You may consider a hike, a stroll along Lake Wakatipu, a day of wine-tasting, or any of the many adventure activities offered in the city. Your Travel Director will have recommendations. (B)
Day 18 — Rotorua
Fly from Queenstown to Rotorua on the North Island. This geothermal landscape of geysers, bubbling mud pools, steaming thermal springs is a center of Māori culture. Take a panoramic tour of this city on the shores of Lake Rotorua. This evening visit Te Puia Thermal Reserve and Māori Cultural Centre for a traditional hangi dinner and Māori performance. (B,D)
Day 19 — Rotorua
Venture along the leafy paths of Paradise Valley Springs for a closer look at native flora, fauna, and birdlife. Tour the National Kiwi Trust, and learn firsthand how injured kiwis—New Zealand’s flightless national bird—are rescued and rehabilitated here. (B)
Days 20-21 — Rotorua and Auckland
Venture into Ruakuri Caves to see the thousands of glowworms illuminate underground grottoes. Late this afternoon arrive in Auckland, the “City of Sails,” set atop more than 50 volcanic hills. Take a half-day city tour featuring the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Harbour, and the America’s Cup Village. Tonight celebrate your adventure at a farewell dinner. (B,D)
Day 22 — Depart for the U.S.
Early this morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Los Angeles (via Sydney), and connect with your flight home. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)
Itinerary: Fall 2024
Days 1-2 — Depart the U.S. for Cairns, Australia
Fly to Australia, losing a day as you cross the International Date Line.
Days 3 — Arrive in Sydney
We arrive in Sydney this morning and transfer to our hotel, where the day is at leisure to relax and refresh. Tonight, we meet our fellow travelers and Odysseys Tour Director at a briefing followed by a welcome dinner at our hotel. (D)
Days 4 — Sydney
Today’s tour of this cosmopolitan city 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 5 — Sydney
This morning we tour the iconic Sydney Opera House then visit Featherdale Wildlife Park, where wombats, dingoes, and koalas reside. Our afternoon is at leisure; we dine tonight at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day 6 — Sydney/Uluru
We depart by air for Australia’s Outback today, reaching our hotel in time for lunch on our own. Late afternoon we visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is the traditional land of the Anangu Aboriginal peoples and home of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Olgas rock formations. We tour the site’s Cultural Centre then watch the sun set over this fabled monolith that rises to a height of 1,114 feet. Then we dine under the stars at a special Sounds of Silence experience. (B,D)
Days 7 — Uluru
Early risers have the option to watch the sun come up over Uluru this morning. Then together we depart for the Olgas (Kata-Tjuta), the dramatic domed rock formations considered sacred to Aboriginal peoples. Here we join in a traditional dot painting experience where we learn about the Anangu culture and way of life. (B,D)
Day 8 — Uluru/Cairns
It’s a travel day as we depart Uluru for tropical Cairns, gateway to Australia’s Far North. (B)
Day 9 — Cairns/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 10 — Cairns
It’s a full day, beginning at Mossman Gorge where we embark on a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk conducted by local Indigenous people. Then we travel to the mountain village of Kuranda, surrounded by the world’s oldest living tropical rainforest, where we have time to explore on our own before we descend via the gondolas of Skyrail. (B,D)
Day 11 — Cairns/Christchurch, New Zealand
Today we travel via Sydney to Christchurch, New Zealand’s Garden City. (B)
Day 12 — Christchurch
Our morning city tour features the Botanic Gardens; Cathedral Square, the beating heart of the city and site of Christchurch Cathedral; and the memorial to victims of the 2011 earthquake. This afternoon is at leisure for independent exploration; dinner is at our hotel. (B,D)
Day 13 — Christchurch/Mount Cook National Park
We depart by coach this morning for the journey south to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand’s Southern Alps. En route we stop for lunch and a visit to a local farm before we reach our hotel late this afternoon. (B,L,D)
Day 14 — Aoraki Mount Cook
Set out for Mount Cook Village and visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center. Meander through the Hillary Gallery, commemorating Sir Edmund’s achievements, including the first ascent of Mount Cook’s difficult south face. After time in the village for lunch on your own, this afternoon is at leisure to discover Aoraki Mount Cook as you wish. (B,D)
Day 15 — Queenstown
Travel through New Zealand’s lush fruit-growing region to Queenstown, stopping in the former gold mining town of Arrowtown. Enjoy a wine tasting and savory lunch at a renowned winery before continuing to the famed Kawarau Bridge where in 1988 AJ Hackett invented bungee jumping. Reach the “adventure capital” of Queenstown in mid-afternoon. (B,L,D)
Days 16 — Milford Sound
Set out on a rewarding, full-day excursion to the World Heritage-listed Milford Sound. Glide through the breathtaking fjords on a nature cruise, watching for wildlife, waterfalls, and spectacular scenery. Enjoy lunch on board. This afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to return to Queenstown on a scenic flight, taking in magnificent aerial views the Fiordland. (B,L)
Day 17 — Queenstown
Today is yours to pursue your own interests in Queenstown. You may consider a hike, a stroll along Lake Wakatipu, a day of wine-tasting, or any of the many adventure activities offered in the city. Your Travel Director will have recommendations. (B)
Day 18 — Rotorua
Fly from Queenstown to Rotorua on the North Island. This geothermal landscape of geysers, bubbling mud pools, steaming thermal springs is a center of Māori culture. Take a panoramic tour of this city on the shores of Lake Rotorua. This evening visit Te Puia Thermal Reserve and Māori Cultural Centre for a traditional hangi dinner and Māori performance. (1B,1D)
Day 19 — Rotorua
Venture along the leafy paths of Paradise Valley Springs for a closer look at native flora, fauna, and birdlife. Tour the National Kiwi Trust, and learn firsthand how injured kiwis—New Zealand’s flightless national bird—are rescued and rehabilitated here. (B)
Days 20-21 — Rotorua and Auckland
Venture into Ruakuri Caves to see the thousands of glowworms illuminate underground grottoes. Late this afternoon arrive in Auckland, the “City of Sails,” set atop more than 50 volcanic hills. Take a half-day city tour featuring the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Harbour, and the America’s Cup Village. Tonight celebrate your adventure at a farewell dinner. (2B,D)
Day 22 — Depart for the U.S.
Early this morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Los Angeles (via Sydney), and connect with your flight home. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)