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The price includes all 4 star or superior tourist class hotels, R/T air to New Zealand/Australia, inter-Australia and New Zealand flights, all taxes, fees and surcharges at the time of printing, 16 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners, all admissions and guided tours as indicated, tips for driver and guides.

“The flight is long but the trip was worth it,” is a refrain often heard from visitors to Australia/New Zealand. A question TE has heard quite often is, “When are you guys going to run a trip to Australia?” Well, TE has put together the trip of a lifetime, a 18-days/15 nights trip to not only Australia but beautiful New Zealand as well. Australia means south of Asia or “The Land Down Under” as it is better known. It’s not only a country (the 6th largest) but also the world’s largest island and Earth's smallest continent. Ayer’s Rock is the symbol of Australia and like a sacred cathedral to the aborigines, Australia’s native population. Alice Spring is the geographic center of the country/continent and its fastest growing area. Australia is also known for its Outback area, Great Barrier Reef, and Sydney its oldest and largest city, with its spectacular natural harbor, the harbor bridge (“the old coat hanger”) and its world- wide recognizable Opera House, which took 14 years to complete.

New Zealand, on the other hand, is a country composed of two islands, North and South and located 1400 miles east of Australia and north of Antarctica in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. As a result it has among its wonders, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. The country, noted for sheep raising has a ratio of 20 sheep for every person. Polynesians called it “The Land of the Long White Cloud”. The Maori are New Zealand’s native peoples. Auckland, one of the cities we will be visiting, was built on over 50 volcanoes and is called “The City of Sails” because it has the highest percentage of pleasure boats per capita in the world and is on the North Island. Queenstown is a product of the gold rush and Milton Sound is one of the most famous images of New Zealand. Christchurch, half way down the east coast of South Island was an attempt by the Church of England to form a model city on a plain of dust. Abel Tazman, a Dutch explorer in the 1640’s founded some of these areas but it was Capt. Cook, a hundred years later who claimed them for England.

Wed May 5th - Fly Qantas Airlines to New Zealand and across the International Date Line losing one day. (Don't worry, you will gain it back on the return trip home.) Arrive in Auckland on Friday May 7th. Qantas provides one of the most advanced in-flight entertainment systems so you can catch up on your movies, while enjoying dinner and included drinks.

Friday May 7th - Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand in time for our included breakfast at a local restaurant. After breakfast there will be an orientation tour which will include a view of the Auckland Harbour Bridge & visits to Mission Bay and Mount Eden. Auckland is punctuated by some 50 volcanoes, which provide parkland and amazing views. Mount Eden, the highest volcanoic cone in the area provides superb views of the entire Auckland area. You will be able to see the surrounding bays, both sides of the isthmus and look down into its crater. The crater is sacred to the Maori, the indigenous people of NZ, and they call it Te Ipu a Mataaho or "the bowl of Mataaho" the god of volcanoes. The coach will drive by the multi-million dollar mansions overlooking Waitmata Harbour. Also included is the entrance to Sky Tower, NZ's tallest building. In addition to spectacular views of the city and surrounding areas, the tower contains a 24 hour casino, revolving restaurant, cafes and bars. The elevator/lift takes you to the top in 40 seconds and for additional excitement the building is known to sway a bit in heavy winds. The afternoon and evening will be free to get some rest or explore. Overnight in Auckland. (B)

Saturday May 8th - Today’s adventure begins after our hot buffet breakfast at the hotel. Entrance to the Waitomo Glow Worm Cave with a brief boat trip through the Glowworm Grotto (weather permitting) will follow. The cave has the usual assortment of stalactites and stalagmites but as you swing onto the river and your eyes grow accustomed to the dark you'll see a Milky Way of little lights surrounding you -- these are the glowworms. Some caves elsewhere may have glowworms but not in the number as here due to the near perfect conditions for their growth. Our bus then transfers us to Rotorua which is New Zealand's highest city at 1,000 feet above sea level. It is located inside the rim of a volcanic crater. Once there, we will be treated to an included entrance to Rainbow Springs Trout and Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can participate in the trout feeding frenzy and see a variety of native and introduced animal species, including the Kiwi, which is the national symbol. There are about 48 million sheep in NZ, so our next included activity will be a visit to the Agrodome Sheep show to see performances and learn about this agri-business. This evening there will be an included Maori culture show and dinner featuring a Maori Hangi Feast. See, learn and taste food that has been cooked the ancient way. All meats and vegetables are cooked in traditional fashion by steaming them in an oven (hangi) made by digging a hole and steaming the food in baskets over embers or hot rocks. Dining is buffet style with the menu consisting of lamb, chicken, smoked fish, raw mussels, Kumara (Sweet Potato) and many others local dishes with included dessert. Enjoy yourself, as the night unfolds in a relaxed, informal, friendly, fun-filled atmosphere of feasting and entertainment. Overnight in Rotorua. ( B,D)

Sunday May 9th - Included today is the entrance to the Te Puia, New Zealand’s Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, where we will be given a guided tour introducing native culture and crafts. Later, our bus will take us to the Whakarewarewa thermal valley. The valley's most spectacular geyser is "Pohutu" or "Big Splash or Explosion". Like our "Old Faithful", "Pohutu" erupts at least once an hour. After the visit we will transfer to Wellington and be taken on an orientation tour. Wellington is the nation's capital city and, although smaller than Auckland, it is located on a beautiful harbor at the southern tip of the North Island. It prides itself on being located at a major crossroads for travel between the North and South Islands as well as a cultural and arts center with a large number of restaurants and cafes offering a rich nightlife. The wooden Victorian homes situated on the slopes of its hills makes Wellington a very picturesque city. This evening will be free. Overnight in Wellington. (B)

Monday May 10th - Transfer to the port and board the ferry for a trip from Wellington to Picton. On this gorgeous trip through the sound we will experience the area's spectacular scenery. One may sit outside or take a window seat on this journey that links New Zealand's North and South Islands. Picton is a pretty little port at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound on the South Island of NZ. Our coach will take us from Picton south to Blenheim., which lies on a flat plain in contrast to the landscape of the sounds. The city's claim to fame is that it is at the center of NZ's most famous wine-growing district which explains our included wine-tasting stop at the Brancott Winery. In February, Blenheim also hosts the, now famous, Marborough Food and Wine Festival at the Brancott Estate. There will be time for lunch in Blenheim. We then transfer to Christchruch which is often described as the most English of NZ's cities. Punts glide down the picturesque Avon River, a grand Anglican cathedral dominates the city square and trams rattle past streets with very British names. The suburbs of Christchurch contain exquisite gardens, famous for their geraniums, chrysanthemums and manicured lawns. This evening is free. Overnight in Christchurch. (B)

Tuesday May 11th - Today we visit Lake Tekapo with a stop at the Church of the Good Shepherd. In the center of NZ's South Island is Lake Tekapo. Finely ground "rock flour" in the glacial melted waters give Lake Tekapo its beautifully unique turquoise color. The lake is in the heart of the Mackenzie District, named after Jock McKenzie, the Scotsman arrested in the area that bears his name for stealing 1000 sheep in the mid 1850's. The legend has it that he acted alone, aided only by his remarkable dog, Friday. He was imprisoned and escaped at least three times, finally burying his "treasure" in the bush country nearby. The surrounding snow-capped mountains and turquoise lake make a spectacular backdrop for the Church of the Good Shepherd. The church was built of stone and oak in 1935. Further along is a statue of a collie dog which helped develop the Mackenzie Country. It is not a tribute to Jock MacKenzie's dog, Friday. Included buffet lunch at local restaurant. Our coach will take us to Queenstown. This city of 7,500 on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, is nestled in what is surely one of the most scenic spots in the world. It's a resort town whose population dramatically increases with tourists since every tour bus stops there. Queenstown regards itself as the "adventure capital of the world" and it makes a good case when one observes the plethora of adventure sports available including bungy jumping. Still it's the city's location amid spectacular scenic beauty including the surrounding Eyre and the aptly named Remarkables Mountains. Bill Clinton described Queenstown as breathtaking. This evening is free. Overnight in Queenstown. (B,L,D)

Wednesday May 12th - Full day excursion to Milford Sound. Included cruise with an international buffet. Located in the Southland region of NZ's South Island, this is the Fiordland of the nation and the destination is a “must see” for its dramatic scenery and beauty. Milford Sound is a world-renowned natural wonder. Nowhere else in Fiordland do mountains stand so tall, straight out to the sea. Luxuriant rainforests cling to sheer rock walls and waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres to the sea below. The landscape is amazing and all kinds of wildlife should be seen. Fiordland National Park is part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. The immensity of the area can only be felt from the air or by boat, thus our full day excursion, to witness as much of its beauty as possible. We will also view Mirror Lakes and pay a visit to The Chasm. The Southland region of NZ has a predominantly Scottish heritage and many of its inhabitants speak with the rolling Scottish "r". There is also a considerable native Maori population re-establishing its culture. Overnight in Queenstown. (B,L)

THURSDAY May 13th - Following breakfast our group will be transferred to the Queenstown airport for our flight to Auckland to connect with our flight to Sydney, Australia. After we arrive in Sydney our group will be transferred to the hotel in that city. The rest of the day/evening is free. Overnight in Sydney. (B)

FRIDAY May 14th - Today is for a full day guided sightseeing tour of Sydney beginning with a visit to the Darling Harbour area where our hotel is located. It was once a working harbour district where Sydney's poorest lived in hovels surrounded by shipyards, cargo wharves and quarries. The area underwent a massive redevelopment project in anticipation of the 1988 Bicentenary celebration. As a result of its revitalization, the Darling Harbour area is now one of the top ten attractions in Sydney. Located in the area are the National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, Chinatown and the Chinese Garden, Paddy's Market for shopping, Cockle Bay & King St. Wharves, a social mecca with many restaurants and cafes, and the Pyrmont Bridge,the oldest electrically operated swingspan in the world. The tour will also include a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the world's largest steel arch bridge that will amaze you with its size and beauty and visits to the Rocks, the sandstone outcrops beneath which the first convicts in 1788 were housed in tents laying the foundation of Australia's first white settlers, Sydney Town Hall, the city's most ornate Victorian building with its massive 8,000 pipe Grand Organ still used for lunchtime concerts. A delicious fresh seafood buffet lunch aboard the fabulous Capt. Cook Harbour cruise on a solar-powered vessel, with commentary is included. The photo ops of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and many other harbor and skyline sights are fantastic on this cruise. Later our coach will take us for views of Rose Bay and Kings Cross areas of Greater Sydney. Also included is the entrance to the Koala Park Sanctuary where you can feed a kangaroo or cuddle a koala in addition to seeing, dingoes, wombats, emus and wallaroos. We'll also visit Bondi Beach, on the edge of the Tasman Sea is the most famous and most crowded of all Sydney beaches, with something for everyone, all set in a carnival-like atmosphere. (Sounds like Coney Island). Overnight in Sydney. (B,L,D)

SATURDAY May 15th - After breakfast at the hotel our coach will take us on a full day excursion to Katoomba, the largest town in the Blue Mountains. Katoomba was founded in the 1840's as a coal-mining settlement but now is a tourist center with shops and restaurants. On the way our tour includes the entrance to Featherdale Wildlife Park with its assorted wildlife & a visit to the Blue Mountains National Park, one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in Australia and a World Heritage site. These "mountains", standing 3,500 feet high, were once the bed of an ancient sea. The sedimentary rock was uplifted to form a plateau which was etched by wind and water over eons into the cliffs, canyons and caves that exist today. The mountains distinctive blue coloring is caused by the evaporation of oil from the dense eucalyptus forests. This disperses light in the blue colors of the spectrum, a phenomenon known as Rayleigh Scattering, resulting in the bluish haze. Many small timber and stone towns are dispersed throughout the area including several cultural communities, giving a distinctive flavor to the region. We will view the 1,082 feet high Wentworth Falls, the beautiful Jamison Valley, make a visit to Echo Point Lookout to view the Three Sisters rock formation, which is part of an Aboriginal legend and take very exciting and scenic rides on a cableway/railway system. We'll take the railway, which was built into the cliff face during the 1880's to haul coal, in one direction and the cableway, one of the world's steepest, in an enclosed gondola car to return, gliding between the forested valley floor to the rim of the cliff 1,700 feet above. Also included is a three course lunch at a local restaurant. Overnight in Sydney. (B,L)

SUNDAY May 16th - Early breakfast at hotel followed by transfer to airport for flight to Alice Springs and the great Australian Outback. The town of Alice Springs, a.k.a. "the Alice" or simply "Alice", is located in the country's Northern Territory, just below the Tropic of Capricorn, in what is referred to as the Red Centre of Australia . That name is derived from the deep color of its desert soils. It is described as "the heart and soul of Australia". For tens of thousands of years, this vast desert territory has been home to Australia's indigenous Aboriginal people. In the midst of all this is Alice Springs, Australia's only desert town. Once a frontier town- telegraph station with a collection of dusty streets and ramshackle buildings, since the 1970's has become a suburban tourist center (sounds like Vegas). Included in the Alice Springs tour is the entrance and guided tour of the Royal Flying Doctor Service building, a radio base that directs doctors to use aircraft to make house calls in settlements and homes hundreds of miles apart in this remote region, entrance to Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve, the first white settlement in the area as part of a series of repeater stations along a telegraph line to Darwin and a visit to Anzac Hill lying north of the downtown area with excellent views of Alice Springs, the surrounding area, including the MacDonnell Ranges and a great spot for watching the sun rise and set. This mountain range dominates Alice Springs, changing color according to the time of day from brick red to purple. Overnight in Alice Springs. (B)

MONDAY May 17th - Today we take our coach to Ayers Rock. Uluru, a.k.a. Ayers Rock, is a great symbol in Aboriginal traditions and is considered sacred as are many other geological sites in the area. The rock is a magnificent stone monolith rising from the plains but is one among many sacred symbols. The rounded forms of Kata Tjuta, a.k.a. the Olgas, is another. Included is the entrance to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park , the Olgas, a view of the 36 Domes and a walk in the Olga Gorge. Tonight's dinner at the Sounds of Silence includes Australian beer, wine and soft drinks, an Outback Barbeque Dinner and Didgeridoo entertainment and we'll listen to a Star talk. Overnight in Ayers Rock. (B,D)

TUESDAY May 18th - Early breakfast, followed by our flight from Ayers Rock to Cairns ( pronounced Caans). The city of Cairns is located in the far northeastern portion of Queensland State of Australia. It has a tough environment, with intense heat and fierce wildlife but is far from intimidating. The people are warm and friendly, the sights spectacular and the beaches world class. Tourism dominates this city with tens of thousands of international visitors using it as a jump off point for many adventure activities and, of course trips to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Overnight in Cairns. (B)

WEDNESDAY May 19th - Up and at 'em for a full day excursion to Kuranda by way of a scenic railway ride from Freshwater in Heritage Class. The railway makes a 100 minute ascent past a rainforest and through 15 hand hewn tunnels and 37 bridges before arriving in tiny, tropical Kuranda, the gateway to the Atherton Tablelands. This elevated area of rich volcanic soil that produces some of Australia's finest beef, dairy and produce was home to several strategic sites during WWII. Once in Kuranda we'll visit the Heritage Market, then tour the Tropical Rainforestation on a WWII Army Duck , off road, amphibious vehicle with a short "cruise on the lake' ,described as "a highlight of any visit to the park". Our Pamagirri Aboriginal guides will lead us to the Pamagirri Cultural Center and, en route, will conduct a Dreamtime Walk that includes boomerang and spear throwing, didgeridoo demonstrations and a powerful half hour of traditional dancing in the 400 seat Rainforestation Amphitheatre. Next we visit the Koala and Wildlife Park. After lunch at the Rainforestation, we will take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway from Kuranda to Caravonica Lakes. This remarkable cable system has cable cars holding six people and carries them on a five mile journey across the top of the rain-forest canopy. All of the above described activities are included. Overnight in Cairns. (B,L)

THURSDAY May 20th - Get ready for your Great Adventures tour to the Great Barrier Reef via a fast catamaran ride to Outer Barrier Reef, have tea, listen to an eco reef talk, try semi submersible coral viewing and view the underwater observatory followed by a Great Barrier Reef Adventure Pontoon lunch. Just imagine eating lunch on a pontoon with the largest coral reef in the world beneath you. The Great Barrier Reef is actually a maze of 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands (yes, they all have names) stretching for 1,616 miles and is truly one of the world's most spectacular natural attractions. It holds about one fifth of the Earth's reef area. Referred to as Australia's "Blue Outback", the reef was established as a marine park in 1975. It is a collective haven for thousands of species of sea life, turtles and birds. In 1981 the UN designated it as a World Heritage Site. More recent legislation this century has attempted to protect the fragile eco system by curbing fishing and imposing a usage tax of about A$5 for every tourist over age four who visits the reef. The reef system began to form 6,000 to 7,000 years ago. It's made up of individual reefs and islands which lie east of the Coral Sea and extend south into the Pacific Ocean. Most of the reef is about 40 miles off the Queensland coast, but some parts extend as far as 186 miles offshore. The reef covers an area the size of Great Britain, forming the largest living feature on Earth and the only one visible from space. Overnight in Cairns. (B,L)

FRIDAY May 21st - Flight from Cairns to Sydney. Balance of day and evening free in Sydney. One last chance to see a special place or sight you may have missed earlier, to shop or just relax. Overnight in Sydney. (B)

SATURDAY May 22nd - Flight home Sydney to Los Angeles to New York. Think about all those spectacular natural wonders you've just seen and experienced on this trip. Remember how much ground, ocean, desert, coral reef and mountain ranges we covered and how many flora and fauna you got up close and personal to. How about the food, the barbie, the entertainment, the culture both aboriginal and Australian. Remember those scenic train, cable car rides and cruises. What about the fabulous architecture of those man-made structures. We visited two countries, three islands, one continent and three states. This had to be the trip of a lifetime....... (B)