Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Australia and New Zealand: Sydney, Uluru, the Reef, Rotorua and Queenstown
18 days from Sydney to Queenstown: the harbour and the Blue Mountains, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the outer Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree, Rotorua and Hobbiton, Milford Sound and Lake Wakatipu, with four flights in between.
18 days · Sydney to Queenstown · up to 12 guests
Uluru at twilight, with the moon over the Red Centre Photo: Grant McIver grantmciver, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moon_Stars_Twilight_Uluru_(Unsplash).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 18 days, 17 nights
- Start and end
- Sydney to Queenstown
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Most days have 3 to 6 km on foot on paths, boardwalks and steps, with an optional longer walk in the Blue Mountains, at Kata Tjuta and in Queenstown; one full day snorkelling from a boat; four flights and two early starts for sunrise. Every demanding part has an easier choice.
- Meals included
- 17 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 2,310 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- A guided tour inside the Sydney Opera House and the ferry across the harbour to Manly
- The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains before the coaches arrive
- Sunrise over the domes of Kata Tjuta and a walk at the base of Uluru with an Anangu guide
- A full day snorkelling two sites on the outer Great Barrier Reef, with a reef presenter on board
- The Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk at Mossman Gorge and a Daintree River cruise
- Hobbiton, the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal valley and a Māori evening with a hāngī dinner in Rotorua
- Milford Sound by morning cruise, from two nights in Te Anau, before the Queenstown coaches arrive
- The 1912 steamship across Lake Wakatipu, Arrowtown and a free last day in Queenstown
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 2,310 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Sydney
Sydney Airport to your hotel, then an evening walk to Circular Quay
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Sydney
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Sydney Airport (SYD), where a driver meets you and takes you the 15 km or so into the city.
Morning
Most flights from North America land in the early morning, so the day is yours to rest; if your room is not ready, leave your bags and walk.
Afternoon
Late in the afternoon your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the eighteen days ahead: four flights, two countries and how each day is paced. Then we walk together through the business district, past Harry Seidler's round Australia Square tower, down to Circular Quay as the ferries come and go and the lights come on across the water at the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
Evening
Dinner is a welcome meal at a restaurant near the harbour, a chance to meet the people you will travel with across the Tasman.
Included
- Pick-up at Sydney Airport (SYD)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Evening walk to Circular Quay
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the late-afternoon briefing
Sydney Harbour by foot and ferry
The Rocks, the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Garden, then the ferry to Manly
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Sydney
- By ferry
We start in The Rocks, the oldest part of the colonial city, while the lanes are quiet, and your guide explains whose country this was first: the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. A short walk brings us to the Sydney Opera House, listed by UNESCO in 2007, for a guided tour inside the sails, on the earliest tour we can book, ahead of the larger groups. From there the path runs through the Royal Botanic Garden to Mrs Macquarie's Chair, the classic view of the Opera House with the Harbour Bridge behind it.
Afternoon
At Circular Quay we board the public ferry to Manly, about thirty minutes across the harbour past the heads, and sit down to lunch near the ocean beach. The afternoon is free: swim, walk the shore path to Shelly Beach, or take the ferry back early.
Included
- Guided walk through The Rocks
- Guided tour inside the Sydney Opera House
- The Royal Botanic Garden and Mrs Macquarie's Chair
- Public ferry from Circular Quay to Manly and back
- Sit-down lunch in Manly
Optional experiences
- BridgeClimb on the Sydney Harbour Bridge (booked and paid on the day)
Easier option: Take the ferry straight back after lunch and rest at the hotel.
More active option: The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, about 6 km of cliffs and beaches, with your guide in the afternoon.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 5 km on foot, on paths and steps.
The Blue Mountains
Sydney to Katoomba and Leura, then back to Sydney
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Sydney
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
We leave after an early breakfast and drive about two hours west to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area listed by UNESCO in 2000. The blue haze over the valleys comes from oil released by the eucalyptus forest. We reach Echo Point for the Three Sisters before the coaches from Sydney arrive, then walk a stretch of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk along the escarpment, with views down into the Jamison Valley.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Leura, a village of old cottages and gardens a few minutes away. In the afternoon we stop at Wentworth Falls, where the creek drops over the cliff edge, before the drive back to Sydney, arriving in the late afternoon.
Evening
The evening is free for dinner wherever you like.
Included
- Echo Point and the Three Sisters
- Part of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in Leura
- Wentworth Falls lookout
Easier option: Stay on the lookouts at Echo Point and Wentworth Falls rather than the cliff walk.
More active option: Walk down the steps beside Wentworth Falls on the Wentworth Falls Track, about 3 km with steep stairs.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Up to about 6 km on cliff-top paths with some steps.
Fly to Uluru
Sydney to Ayers Rock Airport by air, then the Cultural Centre and sunset at Uluru
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara)
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
A mid-morning flight takes us from Sydney to Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ), about three and a half hours across the continent, and the land below turns from green to red. Remember to set your watch back: the Northern Territory does not use daylight saving, so in our season it runs half an hour to an hour and a half behind Sydney. We check in at Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara, the only place to stay near the rock, then drive into Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which UNESCO lists for both its landscape and its living culture.
Evening
At the Cultural Centre, Anangu, the traditional owners, explain Tjukurpa, the law and stories that hold the land together, before we go out to the sunset viewing area to watch Uluru change from orange to deep red as the sun goes down. Dinner is at the resort.
Included
- Flight from Sydney to Ayers Rock (AYQ)
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park pass
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre
- Sunset at Uluru
- Dinner at the resort
Free time: Short rest at the hotel before the park
Activity: Light walking only.
Kata Tjuta at sunrise, Uluru with an Anangu guide
Ayers Rock Resort to Kata Tjuta, back for a rest, then the base of Uluru
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara)
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
We leave in the dark to reach the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area for sunrise, when the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta, the tallest higher than Uluru itself, light up one by one. Then we walk while it is still cool: the Walpa Gorge between two of the domes, or the longer Valley of the Winds.
Afternoon
Back at the resort, lunch and the middle of the day are for shade and the pool; in summer the heat at midday is serious, and when 36°C or more is forecast the Valley of the Winds closes beyond the first lookout from 11 am, while Walpa Gorge stays open. In the late afternoon an Anangu guide walks with us at the base of Uluru, along the Kuniya walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole, explaining the rock art and the stories tied to the marks in the rock.
Evening
We stay for sunset in the park before returning to Yulara. Climbing Uluru has been banned since 2019 at the request of Anangu.
Included
- Sunrise at the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area
- Walpa Gorge walk with your guide
- Lunch at the resort
- Walk at the base of Uluru with an Anangu guide, to the Mutitjulu Waterhole
- Second sunset in the park
Optional experiences
- Field of Light, the art installation of solar-lit stems near the resort (evening, booked and paid locally)
Easier option: Walk only the first part of Walpa Gorge, or stay on the dune viewing platform.
More active option: The Valley of the Winds loop at Kata Tjuta, about 7.4 km over rough ground, when the temperature allows.
Free time: Middle of the day free at the resort
Activity: The Valley of the Winds is closed beyond the first lookout from 11 am when 36°C or more is forecast; we start early to stay inside that rule.
Uluru at dawn, then fly to Cairns
Talinguru Nyakuntjaku sunrise area, Ayers Rock Airport to Cairns by air
- Breakfast
- Stay in Cairns
- Drive about 1 h
One more early start for those who want it: from the Talinguru Nyakuntjaku viewing area you see the sun come up behind Uluru with Kata Tjuta on the horizon.
Morning
After breakfast we drive the short way to Ayers Rock Airport for the flight east to Cairns, about two and a half hours, from desert to tropics. Clocks move forward again by half an hour. Direct flights on this route run only on some days of the week, so we set departure dates around them; on other days the flight connects through another airport and arrives later.
Afternoon
We land in Cairns in the afternoon and settle into a central hotel near the Esplanade, where we stay three nights. Late in the day your guide walks you through the compact grid of the town centre to the waterfront boardwalk, swim in the free Esplanade Lagoon and watch the pelicans and wading birds on the mudflats at low tide.
Evening
Dinner tonight is your choice.
Included
- Flight from Ayers Rock (AYQ) to Cairns (CNS)
- Airport transfers at both ends
Optional experiences
- Sunrise at Talinguru Nyakuntjaku with your guide (free, an optional early start)
Easier option: Sleep in and skip the sunrise; the transfer to the airport is after breakfast.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Cairns
The outer Great Barrier Reef
Cairns Marlin Marina to the outer reef by boat and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Cairns
- By boat
A full day on the water. From the marina, a short walk or drive from the hotel, a reef boat takes us about ninety minutes out to the outer Great Barrier Reef, listed by UNESCO in 1981, where the water is clearer than on the inshore reefs. We visit two reef sites, so there is time to snorkel properly at each, with gear, a short lesson and lifeguards on watch. A reef presenter on board, a marine biologist on many boats, explains what you are seeing: hard and soft corals, giant clams, parrotfish and, with luck, green turtles.
Afternoon
Lunch is served on board between the two sites. Non-swimmers can see the coral from a glass-bottom boat or semi-submersible where the operator runs one.
Evening
We are back at the marina in the late afternoon, salty and tired, with the evening free.
Included
- Full-day outer Great Barrier Reef trip from Cairns
- Snorkelling gear, a stinger suit and a snorkel briefing
- Reef talk by the boat's presenter
- Lunch on board
- Reef tax (Environmental Management Charge)
Optional experiences
- Introductory scuba dive with an instructor, no certificate needed (booked and paid on board)
Easier option: Stay on the boat and see the reef from the glass-bottom boat or semi-submersible, where the operator runs one.
More active option: A certified dive or an introductory dive at the second site.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Seasickness tablets are worth taking before we leave; the open water can be choppy. Stinger suits are worn from about November to May.
Mossman Gorge, the Daintree River and Port Douglas
Cairns to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree River, back via Port Douglas
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Cairns
- Drive about 3.5 h
We drive north along the Captain Cook Highway, the road squeezed between rainforest and the Coral Sea, to Mossman Gorge in the southern Daintree, about an hour and a quarter from Cairns. Here a Kuku Yalanji guide leads the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk, starting with a smoking ceremony and going on through the forest to explain which plants feed, heal and shelter. The Daintree is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, listed by UNESCO in 1988. Further north we board a small boat on the Daintree River for an hour looking for saltwater crocodiles on the banks, along with kingfishers and tree snakes.
Afternoon
On the way back we stop in Port Douglas for a late sit-down lunch on Macrossan Street and a walk on Four Mile Beach, then follow the coast road back to Cairns in the late afternoon.
Included
- Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk at Mossman Gorge with a Kuku Yalanji guide
- Daintree River cruise
- Sit-down lunch in Port Douglas
- Four Mile Beach
Easier option: Skip the walk into the gorge and wait at the Mossman Gorge Centre café.
More active option: Swim at Mossman Gorge in the clear river pools, where the rangers say it is safe that day.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Easy forest paths. Do not swim in rivers or at the beach away from marked areas: crocodiles live here.
Across the Tasman to Auckland
Cairns to Auckland by air
- Breakfast
- Stay in Auckland
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
A morning flight takes us from Cairns towards Auckland. On most dates of our season the route connects in Brisbane or Sydney, about two and a half hours to Brisbane, a change of plane and about three hours across the Tasman; Air New Zealand's direct flight, about four and a half hours, runs only from about late March or early April, so only the last departures of the season can use it. You will know the routing before you pay.
Evening
New Zealand runs three hours ahead of Queensland until early April and two hours after that, so with a connection we land in Auckland in the evening, later if the connection is long. Clear New Zealand customs (declare any food: biosecurity rules are strict) and meet your driver for the drive into the city. Tonight is the only single night of the trip, in a hotel near the motorway south chosen for an easy start; we leave mid-morning, so there is time to sleep.
Included
- Flight from Cairns (CNS) to Auckland (AKL)
- Airport transfers at both ends
Activity: The longest travel day, usually with one connection. Keep snacks and anything you need for the flight in your hand luggage. If the connection is missed, your guide rebooks with the group and we start the next day later.
Hobbiton, then Rotorua
Auckland to Hobbiton near Matamata, then on to Rotorua
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Rotorua
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
We leave Auckland mid-morning, once the commuter traffic has cleared, and drive about two hours south through the green dairy country of the Waikato to the Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata, built on a working sheep farm for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. A two-hour guided walk takes you past the hobbit holes of the Shire, across the bridge by the mill and into the Green Dragon Inn for a drink.
Afternoon
Lunch is on the farm. From there it is about an hour to Rotorua, on the shore of a lake inside an old volcanic crater, where steam rises from the gardens and the air smells faintly of sulphur.
Evening
We arrive in the late afternoon with time for a walk in the Government Gardens, past the Tudor-style bathhouse, before a free evening.
Included
- Guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set, with a drink at the Green Dragon Inn
- Lunch at Hobbiton
- Walk in the Government Gardens, Rotorua
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 2 hours on foot on gentle gravel paths at Hobbiton.
Geothermal valleys and Māori culture
Rotorua to Wai-O-Tapu and back, Whakarewarewa, then a Māori cultural evening
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Rotorua
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
We drive about half an hour south to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, arriving in time for the Lady Knox Geyser, which erupts each morning at about 10:15. Then walk the boardwalks past the orange-rimmed Champagne Pool, the bright green Devil's Bath and the bubbling mud pools.
Afternoon
Back in Rotorua after a lunch of your choice, we visit Whakarewarewa, a Māori village where Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao families have lived among the hot springs for generations; the people who live there guide you, show how they cook in the steam vents and bathe in the pools, and take you to the geyser terraces. The late afternoon is free: try the hot pools on the lakefront or rest.
Evening
In the evening we join a Māori cultural evening run by a local iwi, with a welcome, kapa haka performance and a hāngī dinner cooked in the earth.
Included
- Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland and the Lady Knox Geyser
- Whakarewarewa living Māori village, guided by residents
- Māori cultural evening with a hāngī dinner
Optional experiences
- Polynesian Spa hot pools on the lakefront (paid locally)
Easier option: Walk only the short first loop at Wai-O-Tapu, about 1.5 km.
More active option: Walk all three Wai-O-Tapu loops, about 3 km, and continue on foot through Whakarewarewa.
Free time: Late afternoon free
Activity: About 4 to 5 km on boardwalks and gravel. Keep to the paths: the ground around the vents is hot and unstable.
Fly to Queenstown
Rotorua to Queenstown by air, connecting in Auckland or Christchurch
- Breakfast
- Stay in Queenstown
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
A relaxed morning in Rotorua, then a short drive to Rotorua Airport for the flight south to Queenstown. There is no direct flight between the two, so Air New Zealand routes us through Auckland or Christchurch, about four to five hours door to door depending on the connection. The final approach into Queenstown is one of the most scenic in the country, down between the Remarkables and the hills above Lake Wakatipu, so ask for a window seat.
Afternoon
We land in the afternoon and drive the short way into town, to a central hotel where we stay two nights now and two more at the end of the trip.
Evening
Before dinner your guide walks the group along the lakefront and the steamer wharf so you know your way around. The evening is free, and Queenstown has plenty of good places to eat.
Included
- Flights from Rotorua (ROT) to Queenstown (ZQN), one connection
- Airport transfers at both ends
- Orientation walk along the Queenstown lakefront
Free time: Evening free
Activity: A travel day; little walking. If the connection is missed, your guide rebooks with the group and the Earnslaw day moves to the free day 17.
Lake Wakatipu by steamship
Queenstown across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Queenstown
- By boat
Morning
In the morning we board the TSS Earnslaw at the Queenstown wharf, a coal-fired steamship launched in 1912 that still crosses Lake Wakatipu, for the forty-five minute crossing to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Visit the engine room to watch the stokers at work, or stay on deck for the view of the mountains rising straight from the water.
Afternoon
At the farm, on the far side of the lake, there is a sheep-shearing and dog-handling demonstration, and lunch is served in the old homestead looking back over the lake. We steam back to Queenstown in the early afternoon. The rest of the day is free: ride the Skyline Gondola above town for the view, walk the Queenstown Gardens, or book a jet-boat ride on the Shotover River. If the Earnslaw is out of service for its annual maintenance, we cross on another lake boat.
Included
- TSS Earnslaw steamship cruise to Walter Peak High Country Farm
- Farm demonstration
- Lunch at Walter Peak
Optional experiences
- Skyline Gondola
- Shotover River jet boat
- Kawarau Bridge bungy
Easier option: The cruise and farm visit are gentle; stay in the homestead garden rather than the farm walk.
More active option: Walk up the Tiki Trail to the Skyline Gondola top station, about an hour of steady climbing, and ride down.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
South to Te Anau
Queenstown along Lake Wakatipu to Kingston, then to Te Anau
- Breakfast
- Stay in Te Anau
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
After a late breakfast we drive south along the shore of Lake Wakatipu beneath the Remarkables, then across open farmland to Te Anau, about two and a half hours with stops. We stay two nights on the lake here rather than doing Milford Sound as a day trip from Queenstown: from Queenstown that day is about eight hours of road, and from Te Anau it is about four to four and a half with stops, which lets us reach Milford Sound in the morning before the coaches. Te Anau sits on the edge of Fiordland National Park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu area listed by UNESCO in 1990.
Evening
The afternoon is free: walk the lakeshore path to the Fiordland National Park visitor centre, visit the bird sanctuary to look for the takahē, or book the evening boat across the lake to the Te Anau glowworm caves.
Included
- Drive to Te Anau with your guide
- Walk on the Te Anau lakeshore
Optional experiences
- Te Anau glowworm caves by boat (evening, paid locally)
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: Easy walking on flat lakeside paths.
Milford Sound
Te Anau along the Milford Road to Milford Sound, cruise, and back to Te Anau
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Te Anau
- Drive about 4.5 h
An early start to drive the Milford Road while it is quiet, about 120 km and two hours each way without stops. With the stops and the wait at the single-lane Homer Tunnel, up to half an hour at its lights in summer, the day has about four and a half hours on the road, the only day over our four-hour cap. We break it up with stops: Mirror Lakes, the wide grass of the Eglinton Valley, and the Homer Tunnel, cut through solid granite, before the road drops down to Milford Sound. The two-hour cruise in the middle of the day is the long break.
Afternoon
It leaves in the morning, before the coaches from Queenstown arrive around midday, and runs the length of the fiord to the Tasman Sea and back, past Mitre Peak, close to the waterfalls and the rocks where New Zealand fur seals haul out. Rain is common, and it is when the waterfalls are at their best. Lunch is on board. On the way back we walk to the Chasm, where the river has carved the rock into bowls, and reach Te Anau in the late afternoon.
Included
- Drive along the Milford Road with stops at Mirror Lakes, the Eglinton Valley and the Homer Tunnel
- Milford Sound cruise to the Tasman Sea
- Lunch on the cruise
- The Chasm walk
Optional experiences
- Kayaking on Milford Sound in place of the cruise (booked in advance)
Easier option: Stay on the cruise boat's covered deck and skip the Chasm walk.
More active option: Kayak on Milford Sound with a local guide in place of the cruise, booked when you request the trip.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: The Milford Road can close at short notice for avalanche risk, mainly in October and November, or after heavy rain. If it does, we move Milford Sound to day 16 or offer a fly-cruise from Queenstown. The Homer Tunnel is single lane with traffic lights; waits of up to 30 minutes are normal in summer.
Back to Queenstown by way of Arrowtown
Te Anau to Queenstown, then Arrowtown
- Breakfast
- Stay in Queenstown
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
A slow morning by the lake, then we drive back towards Queenstown, about two hours, stopping for coffee in Kingston at the south end of Lake Wakatipu.
Afternoon
After lunch on your own in Queenstown we head twenty minutes out to Arrowtown, a gold-rush town of the 1860s on the Arrow River, its main street lined with old miners' cottages and stone buildings now holding cafés and shops. Your guide walks you to the restored Chinese Settlement, where Chinese miners lived in stone huts at the edge of town, and down to the river, where you can still try your hand at panning. In autumn, from late March to April, the trees along the river turn yellow and red.
Evening
We are back at the hotel in Queenstown for the late afternoon and a free evening.
Included
- Drive back to Queenstown with your guide
- Arrowtown and the Chinese Settlement with your guide
Optional experiences
- Gibbston Valley wine tasting on the way back from Arrowtown (paid locally)
More active option: Walk part of the Arrow River trail out of Arrowtown, about an hour on a gravel path.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 3 km on foot in Arrowtown, on flat streets and a gravel riverside path.
A free day in Queenstown
Queenstown, at your own pace
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Queenstown
The second last day is yours, because after four flights and two countries people tell us they want one day with no plan. Your guide helps you book whatever you choose. You could drive out with the guide to Glenorchy at the head of the lake, about forty-five minutes each way along one of the finest lake roads in the country, for a walk in the beech forest. You could ride the Skyline Gondola, take the jet boat up the Shotover canyons, try the bungy at the Kawarau Bridge, where commercial bungy jumping began in 1988, or rent a bike on the lakeside trails. You could also just sit on the beach by the wharf with a book.
Evening
In the evening we meet for a farewell dinner together to close the trip, with a toast to the guide and the people you travelled with.
Included
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Glenorchy and the head of the lake with your guide
- Skyline Gondola
- Shotover River jet boat
- Kawarau Bridge bungy
- Milford Sound scenic flight
Free time: The whole day free
Depart from Queenstown
Your hotel to Queenstown Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
A last breakfast with the lake outside, then a transfer to Queenstown Airport (ZQN), about 8 km and fifteen minutes from the town centre. Queenstown has direct flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and the main cities on the east coast of Australia, so most guests flying home to North America connect in Auckland or Sydney. Book a flight from late morning onwards, or later if you prefer: hotel checkout is usually mid-morning, and your guide can store bags and help you with a late checkout request. If you want more time in New Zealand, we can add nights in Queenstown or arrange a few days in Christchurch for you as an extension, and if you want to start earlier, we can add nights in Sydney before day 1. Your guide checks everyone onto their flights before saying goodbye.
Included
- Drop-off at Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 11 am.
- Sydney3 nights
- Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara)2 nights
- Cairns3 nights
- Auckland1 night
- Rotorua2 nights
- Queenstown2 nights
- Te Anau2 nights
- Queenstown2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October to April is spring and summer in both countries. Uluru is very hot from December to February, so we walk at dawn and rest at midday. Cairns turns hot and humid with heavy rain from about December to March, and box jellyfish season (about November to May) means stinger suits on the reef. New Zealand is at its warmest, and Fiordland gets rain on many days, which fills the waterfalls.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors who want the best of both countries in one holiday of under three weeks
- Travellers who would rather fly than spend days on a coach
- People who want the reef, Uluru and Milford Sound included, not sold as extras
- Solo travellers who want a small group and one guide throughout
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road or the West Coast glaciers; see our longer New Zealand and Australia trips
- Anyone who wants to avoid flying: there are four flights
- A slow, single-base holiday
- Travellers who cannot manage early starts for sunrise
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
17 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Sydney3 nights
- Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara)2 nights
- Cairns3 nights
- Auckland1 night
- Rotorua2 nights
- Queenstown2 nights
- Te Anau2 nights
- Queenstown2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 17 nights in central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard: Sydney 3, Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara) 2, Cairns 3, Auckland 1, Rotorua 2, Queenstown 2, Te Anau 2 and Queenstown 2
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Pick-up at Sydney Airport (SYD) and drop-off at Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
- Four flights in economy: Sydney to Ayers Rock, Ayers Rock to Cairns, Cairns to Auckland, and Rotorua to Queenstown with one connection
- Airport transfers on every flight day
- A private air-conditioned vehicle and licensed driver for the group in each region
- The Manly ferry, the outer reef boat, the Daintree River boat, the TSS Earnslaw and the Milford Sound cruise
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, from Sydney to Queenstown
- Local guides where they add most: an Anangu guide at Uluru, a Kuku Yalanji guide at Mossman Gorge, the reef boat's presenter, village guides at Whakarewarewa and the Hobbiton guides
Activities
- Sydney: guided walk through The Rocks, Sydney Opera House guided tour, Royal Botanic Garden
- Blue Mountains: Echo Point, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and Wentworth Falls
- Uluru: national park pass, Cultural Centre, two sunsets, Kata Tjuta sunrise and Walpa Gorge, base walk with an Anangu guide
- Cairns: full-day outer Great Barrier Reef trip with snorkel gear and reef tax
- Daintree: Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk at Mossman Gorge and a Daintree River cruise, Port Douglas
- Rotorua: Hobbiton Movie Set, Wai-O-Tapu, Whakarewarewa living Māori village, Māori cultural evening
- Fiordland: Milford Sound cruise and the Chasm
- Queenstown: TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Farm, Arrowtown and the Chinese Settlement
Meals
- 17 breakfasts
- 8 lunches: Manly, Leura, Ayers Rock Resort, on the reef boat, Port Douglas, Hobbiton, Walter Peak and on the Milford Sound cruise
- 4 dinners: welcome dinner in Sydney, Ayers Rock Resort, the hāngī in Rotorua and a farewell dinner in Queenstown
Not included
- International flights to Sydney and home from Queenstown
- Australian ETA, New Zealand NZeTA and the visitor levy
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as BridgeClimb, scuba diving, jet boating, bungy and scenic flights
- Excess baggage on the internal flights
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 2,310 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seventeen nights in central hotels, four flights, airport transfers, a private vehicle and driver in each region, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, 17 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 4 dinners, and every visit in the day plan, including the outer Great Barrier Reef day, the Uluru park pass, Hobbiton, the hāngī evening and Milford Sound.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, one guide and one vehicle. That is small enough to fit in one boat on the Daintree River and around one table at dinner, and it means we are never one of several coaches at the same viewpoint.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from Sydney to Queenstown, in both countries. Local guides join where they know more: an Anangu guide at Uluru, a Kuku Yalanji guide at Mossman Gorge, the reef boat's presenter and village guides at Whakarewarewa.
How many flights are there, and are they included?
Four, all included: Sydney to Ayers Rock, Ayers Rock to Cairns, Cairns to Auckland (usually via Brisbane or Sydney), and Rotorua to Queenstown with one connection in Auckland or Christchurch. We book them, so the times fit the plan. Your international flights into Sydney and home from Queenstown are not included.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. Most days have 3 to 6 km on foot on paths and boardwalks, plus a day of snorkelling and two early starts. Longer walks at Kata Tjuta, in the Blue Mountains and around Queenstown are optional, and every demanding day has an easier choice, such as the glass-bottom boat on the reef.
Can I travel solo, and what is the single supplement?
Yes. Solo travellers are welcome and treated like every other guest. A room of your own is from CAD 2,310 more for the whole trip, and we show it before you request to book. Ask if you would like to share a room with another solo guest of the same gender.
When is the best time to go?
October to April, spring and summer in both countries. October, November, March and April are the most comfortable at Uluru. December to March is hot and wet in Cairns, but reef trips still run. Milford Sound gets rain in any month, which is when its waterfalls are at their best.
Do I need visas for Australia and New Zealand?
Canadian and US citizens need an Australian ETA and a New Zealand NZeTA, both applied for online or by app before travel. New Zealand also charges a visitor conservation and tourism levy with the NZeTA. We send the current steps and fees when you book. Other passports may need a different visa.
Why is Milford Sound visited from Te Anau and not Queenstown?
From Queenstown the Milford Sound day is about eight hours of driving. From Te Anau it is about four and a half hours with stops and the Homer Tunnel wait, so we can cruise in the morning before the Queenstown coaches arrive around midday. We stay two nights in Te Anau so the day is not rushed.
Why is this 18 days when other trips are 22 to 38?
Longer trips add Melbourne, Alice Springs, Raglan and the West Coast. We kept Sydney, Uluru, the reef, Rotorua and the Queenstown and Fiordland area, and flew between them. If you have more time, our Australia trip and our New Zealand trips cover each country in more depth.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, from CAD 13,595 in the small group and CAD 24,470 private.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The private style is the same trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle in each region. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same flights, hotels and local experiences.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.