New Zealand & Australia Travel Program Itinerary

Day 1. Travel & program briefing
Depart Los Angeles with your fellow travelers and fly to Auckland, New Zealand. Program orientation, and then freshen up with a swim in the Pacific Ocean, before continuing to Waitomo, where we stay in a traditional Maori
village.

Day 2-3. Rappelling & caving
Begin by rappelling into a dramatic limestone gorge, followed by blackwater rafting, an underground journey amidst waterfalls, caverns and glow-worms. Lights, helmets, wetsuits, action! Popular options in Waitomo are horse riding and spelunking the Haggis Honking Holes.

Day 4-5. Rafting & cultural performance
Heading east we plunge into pure whitewater rafting fun on the Kaituna River and enjoy a traditional Maori concert and hangi (earth cooked meal). Soak in natural hot springs enroute to Taupo. On the shore of a beautiful lake, Taupo and the surrounding geothermal area are a great place for some free time – chill in a café, hike to a waterfall, relax in a hot spring.

Day 6. Tongariro Crossing hike
Take an amazing day hike through diverse volcanic topography, scenic valleys, lava fields, craters and into the lush forests of the western slopes, all in the shadow of ‘Mt Doom’ from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movie.

Day 7-9. Riverside camping & kayaking
Heading south, we camp riverside beneath the starry southern skies. Wake early for an intro to white water kayaking on the Rangitikei River, before arriving in New Zealand’s capital city. Set amongst forested hills, Wellington’s harbor backdrop is spectacular. Explore the very contemporary and interactive Te Papa
National Museum, vibrant nightlife and excellent cafes.

Day 10-12. Mountain biking
Our ferry crossing, through the twisting arms of the Marlborough sounds, is a stunning introduction to the South Island and the funloving summertime city of Nelson. Check out the view of ocean and distant mountains from
high on the hills, as we begin a swooping 3000ft mountain bike descent on fantastic trails. Complete an exciting day with 30 seconds of freefall, tandem skydiving - a popular option.

Day 13-14. Sea kayaking & backpacking
Sea kayaking is a great way to experience Abel Tasman National Park. We spend our time kayaking, hiking, camping and swimming in this stunning temperate beach wilderness.

Day 15-16. Swim with wild dolphins
Onward to Kaikoura, a small coastal community world famous for its abundant marine life. Kick start the day on a sunrise swim with wild dolphins in their habitat and hike to a native seal colony.

Day 17-19. Ropes course & kayaking
Travel down the coast past fur seals basking in the sun to camp at Peel Forest, in the foothills of the Southern Alps. First a challenging high ropes course then a fun day whitewater kayaking on a glacial-fed river.

Day 20-22. Backpacking & mountains
Mt. Cook National Park is home to many of the highest mountains in Australasia. Listen for the sounds of imperceptible glacier movement and watch ice towers calve into Tasman Lake, as we negotiate iceberg labyrinths by inflatable boat. Options here are an overnight trek to camp high in the mountains, or simply
enjoy the many day hikes around Mt. Cook village.

Day 23-26. NZ’s adventure capital
Queenstown, the birthplace of commercial bungy jumping, is set amidst a stunning alpine lakeside environment. We luge trails high above the city. Most try one of the bungy options on offer.

Day 27-29. Backpacking
For many, the program highlight is our 3-day trek across the Southern Alps, following the famous Routeburn Track, through a pristine wilderness of lakes, rivers, waterfalls, ancient forest and alpine vistas. Conclude with a nature cruise on Milford Sound in the Fiordland National Park, one of the world’s great natural wonders. See seals and cascading waterfalls.

Day 30-32. Rock climbing & free time
Time out to soothe aching legs in Wanaka, a welcoming lakeside town. We go ‘cragging’ at favored rock climbing haunts. The local cinema is a colorful and unique experience not to be missed.

Day 33-35. Christchurch
Travel back through the mountains to the South Island’s largest city. We rock climb on the dramatic Port Hills, tour the informative Antarctic Center (base of the US and NZ Antarctic programs) and soak up the summertime
ambience on our doorstep in downtown historic area.

Day 36-38. Sydney, Australia
Fly across the Tasman Sea to land in Sydney - dynamic, exuberant, inviting! Australia starts with a roar, exploring the sights on Harley Davidsons, enroute to our beach front apartments. Bask in a few days of city culture, surfing, and swimming.

Day 39-41. Blue Mountains
Rappelling, jumping, scrambling and swimming through the jurrassic canyons on this ancient sandstone plateau awakens our appreciation of Australia’s untamed beauty.

Day 42-44. Rainforest & rafting
Migrate across the northern slopes of New South Wales into the rugged ranges of the Nymboida Plateau to mingle with kangaroos. A hands-on day in the rainforest and a day of whitewater rafting will give you an exciting look at ‘Wild Australia’.

Day 45-47. Surfing
Byron Bay is a town with distinctive cultural flair. We base ourselves by a beautiful beach, and learn to surf at one of Australia’s top surfing spots.

Day 48-50. Fraser Island National Park
From New South Wales to Queensland, visiting Australia Zoo enroute, home of the animated Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. Then on to incredible Fraser Island where we explore by 4WD and camp...turtles, dingoes, diverse forests, and stunning freshwater lakes lapping white sand beaches.

Day 51-54. Scuba diving & snorkeling
Northwards to our favorite place in Australia, Great Keppel Island, poised on the southern reaches of the coral reef. Palm trees, azure seas and deserted beaches abound. Gear up for scuba diving, snorkeling and hiking. Nights are spent in our spacious beachside bungalow.

Day 55-57. Brisbane
Finally, back down the coast to Brisbane where some fly home and others continue their journeys with independent travel or extensions. Lasting friendships and memories will travel with us.

Note: Total itinerary is 57 days incountry plus 2 days international flights: 59 days