First Choice
Internal-vacation flights included
Internal-vacation flights included

Wonders of Australia and New Zealand

15 Day Guided Vacation | Brisbane to Rotorua

Got your travel wish-list handy? You’re about to tick off a few ‘must dos’ across the Antipodes with this 15 day Brisbane to Rotorua tour. This is a journey of extremes, from the tropical islands of the Whitsundays to the cultural beacons of Sydney. Then on to NZ, where North and South islands beckon with thermal springs (Rotorua), fancy wining and dining (Auckland) and alpine adventures (Queenstown).

Prices From CODE: BPACA

$8410

Adult Twin i A person 16 years and over (note a person 16–17 years must be accompanied by a person 18 years and over). All prices are per person, land only unless otherwise indicated.
Above lowest price is based on 2023-11-30 departure

$10770

Single i A person, who must be 18 years and over, travelling alone, must pay the single room price. All prices are per person, land only unless otherwise indicated.
Above lowest price is based on 2023-11-30 departure
Prices above are per person in USD
Single rooms are limited and subject to availability
Child prices may be available on request

*Internal-vacation flights: Please note that prices include land and internal-vacation airfares, which AAT Kings will book in order to fulfil the holiday itinerary.

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Trip Details

trip-details-whats-includedWhat's included

  • Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide
  • 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House, Fiordland National Park
  • Centrally located premium hotels

trip-details-diningDining

  • • 14 Full Breakfasts
  • • 1 Lunch
  • • 4 Dinners with Wine
  • • 1 Highlight Dinner
  • • 1 Farewell Dinner
  • • 1 Be My Guest Dinner

trip-details-flight-infoFlight Information

  • Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 2.00pm into Brisbane Airport
  • Day 3 – Brisbane to Hamilton Island (*Required internal flight)
  • Day 6 – Hamilton Island to Sydney (*Required internal flight)
  • Day 9 – Sydney to Queenstown (*Required internal flight)
  • Day 12 – Queenstown to Auckland (*Required internal flight)
  • Day 15 – flights to depart after 2.00pm from Auckland Airport
  • Airline schedules may change at short notice. Please consider possible flight disruption when booking your flights.​

trip-details-what-to-bringWhat to Bring

  • • Warm layers in cooler months
  • • Camera
  • • Comfortable walking shoes
  • • Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
  • • Water bottle

trip-details-fitness-level-requirementsFitness Requirements

Itinerary

image map

Kick off your wondrous travels through Australia and New Zealand in sunny Brisbane. You have a free afternoon and evening, so why not explore some inner-city Brisbane sights? You could walk to the hub of the city, Queen Street Mall, where rich heritage and modern retail collide. Perhaps venture into South Bank's Parklands (site of Expo 88). Or for an injection of culture and adventure, visit South Bank's Cultural Precinct. Later, kick off your trip meeting your Travel Director and travelling companions for a Welcome Reception and dinner.

  Hotel: Royal on the Park, 2 Nights

  Included Meals: Dinner with Wine

This morning, you’ll get to experience Aboriginal culture on a tour of Birrunga Gallery, Brisbane's Indigenous Gallery. You will be personally guided by one of our acclaimed First Nations artists to view the original work by resident artists, and to gain valuable behind-the-artwork insights and stories behind some of Australia’s leading contemporary Aboriginal art. The afternoon and evening are yours, to perhaps explore Queen’s Wharf or the trendy bars and restaurants of Brisbane’s South Bank. Ask your Travel Director for recommendations.

  Included Meals: Breakfast

Get ready to set your body clock for ‘island time’. Arriving on Hamilton is quite the experience: you land on a tiny airstrip, then are told the only way to get around is in a golf buggy or foot. Do either or both, and then regroup for sunset cocktails at One Tree Hill with some of the best views over the Whitsundays.

  Hotel: Reef View Hotel, 3 Nights

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Did you know that the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, is home to 1,500 species of fish, 215 different birds, 3,000 molluscs, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, and 30 species of dolphins and whales are residents? Head out on a catamaran to swim and snorkel – or enjoy a bird’s-eye view of paradise on a scenic flight over Heart Reef. 

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After yesterday’s Great Barrier Reef overload, we wouldn’t blame you for sleeping in. But… there are so many other things to see and do around Hamilton, at your leisure. Enjoy brunch at the marina, or lace up your hiking boots and head up Passage Peak for unbroken views across the archipelago. Perhaps followed by a well-deserved dip at Catseye Beach or Coral Cove. The stretch of sand that’s regularly voted the most beautiful in the world, however, is Whitehaven – so high in silica, it squeaks underfoot. It’s a short boat-ride away, but we can help you get there.

  Included Meals: Breakfast

One last Hamilton ocean swim? Why not. Touchdown Sydney and you have equally enticing views over Darling Harbour, where dinner is served. Is there any better way to end a day than this?  

  Hotel: Hyatt Regency Darling Harbour, 3 Nights

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

You might have seen Sydney Opera House from the outside, but have you ventured within? This incredible architectural feat holds many secrets, as your local guide will reveal. From harbour to beach – Bondi beckons. Stroll the promenade in the company of Sydney’s beautiful people – perhaps lingering for a coffee or spritz – before regrouping to help feed those in need via community organisation Our Big Kitchen

  Included Meals: Breakfast

Today is yours to get your final fix of Australia’s largest city. If you haven’t seen enough of the harbour, buckle in for a Sydney BridgeClimb, perhaps, before joining your companions for a sunset dinner cruise. What a way to end the day. 

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

It's time to say Hoo Roo Australia and Kia Ora New Zealand as you fly to Queenstown’s adventure capital. Take in its alpine, mountain town vibe, where the evening is free for you to enjoy one of its many lakefront restaurants and bars. Why not try some of the famous New Zealand lamb with a Pinot Noir from the local Otago wine region?

  Hotel: Millennium Hotel, Queenstown, 3 Nights

  Included Meals: Breakfast

Flying over New Zealand, the first thing you’ll notice is that there’s a lot of farmland. It’s fitting, then, that one of the first people you’ll meet is southern girl Laura, who will introduce you to the sheep farm she was born and raised on. Think sheep mustering and whip cracking as well as the chance to feed and pet the farm animals. Then you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time when you arrive at former gold-mining town of Arrowtown. Come dusk, cruise across Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw; the only thing more inspiring than the peaks of the Remarkables that surround is the festive atmosphere welcoming you to Walter Peak High Country Farm, where a gourmet barbecue at the Colonel’s Homestead awaits.

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Highlight Dinner

You could spend a long time in and around Queenstown. But on your free day, we highly recommend either venturing into the end-of-the-Earth wilderness that is Milford Sound, to cruise past sheer cliffs, white-capped peaks and waterfalls. Or blissing out on an obligatory wine tour of the Otago region. It’s a difficult decision.

  Included Meals: Breakfast

Touching down in Auckland, you’ll immediately understand why it’s known as the ‘City of Sails’ – New Zealand’s largest city has two lovely yacht-filled harbours, which you can explore at our leisure this afternoon. 

  Hotel: The Grand by SkyCity

  Included Meals: Breakfast

Today is set to sparkle – quite literally – as thousands of bright green and blue glowworms light up your next destination: the cavernous Ruakuri Cave at Waitomo. From overhead attractions to those below the ground… this evening your Highlight Dinner is prepared in an earthen Hangi at Te Puia. Your meal, succulent meats and vegetables, hot chocolate and steamed pudding, is served while you overlook the spectacular geothermal valley. Cap it off with a moving Māori cultural performance in the beautifully carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. It’s an insightful and fun evening that will surely leave you with a newfound understanding and love for New Zealand.

  Hotel: Millennium Hotel, Rotorua, 2 Nights

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Cute and cuddly, NZ’s national bird, the kiwi, is also endangered. Go behind the scenes on a working kiwi nursery and hatchery to learn how breeding programs are helping the population thrive. The natural drama reaches boiling point at Whakarewarewa, a geothermal reserve and the country’s only living Māori village, home to famous Pohutu Geyser and the bubbling beauty of mud pools. You’ll cap off your day joining your Travel Director and companions for a Farewell Dinner at Poco Tapas & Wine, where the menu is designed for sharing.

  Included Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Most people travel for two weeks and don’t even scratch the surface, let alone enjoy cultural immersion across two countries. What a wild and wonderful ride. 

  Included Meals: Breakfast

Please note: This itinerary may be subject to change.


Wonders of Australia and New Zealand

First Choice

15 Day Guided Vacation

Brisbane to Rotorua

Got your travel wish-list handy? You’re about to tick off a few ‘must dos’ across the Antipodes with this 15 day Brisbane to Rotorua tour. This is a journey of extremes, from the tropical islands of the Whitsundays to the cultural beacons of Sydney. Then on to NZ, where North and South islands beckon with thermal springs (Rotorua), fancy wining and dining (Auckland) and alpine adventures (Queenstown).

Highlights

Insider Knowledge

While there’s nothing quite like snapping a shot of the Sydney Opera House from outside, did you ever wonder what secrets lie within? Discover all on an insider’s tour.

Cultural Immersion

Kiwis celebrate their heritage at every chance possible, as you’ll discover at Te Puia, where your dinner comes with an eye-opening performance revealing New Zealand’s Maori heritage.

Sustainable Footprints

New Zealand’s National Kiwi Hatchery is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to sustaining the country’s national bird. Visit, and learn about their breeding program.

Wildlife & Nature

If Rotorua reminds you of Mars, you’re not alone. Mud pops and jettisons from cracks in the Earth, and steam rushes skywards. Nature is in control here.

Accommodation

Your Guided Holiday includes a range of quality accommodation for your comfort.
The accommodation you will enjoy on this tour includes:

Optional Experiences

To ensure your holiday is filled with memorable experiences, we have included a range of quality Optional Excursions for you to choose from and partake in, if you wish, during your holiday. The excursions can be booked on tour through your Travel Director.

Dart River Jet

NZ$299 Adult NZ$205 Child

A stimulating not-to-be missed journey into the Dart River Valley where mythology, heritage & fantasy meet reality. our Jet trip is an exhilarating and spectacular journey deep into the heart of the world-renowned Mt Aspiring National Park, with the only jet boat operator allowed on the Dart River.

Kiwi Birdlife Park

Adult: $52.00 NZD
Child: $26.00 NZD

The Kiwi Birdlife Park is a wildlife sanctuary found in the heart of Queenstown. They hold and display over 20 species of native NZ wildlife in our 5 acre Park, all of which are part of nationally managed programmes. Your entry fee supports their conservation work. They offer guaranteed kiwi viewing in our specially constructed nocturnal houses, audio tours (available in English and Japanese; allow 45min), Conservation Shows (11am, 3pm; allow 30min) and Kiwi Feedings (10am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 4.30pm; allow 15min). They offer an all-day pass and the park can be enjoyed in all weather. Experience conservation in action!

KJET

NZ$135 Adult NZ$69 Child

Take on the mighty Shotover River with Kawarau Jet (KJet) – Queenstown’s original Jet boat ride. Only KJet offers a 60 minute Queenstown Jet boat experience with unforgettable thrills, spins & exhilaration across three waterways in one of the world’s most stunning locations.

Real Journeys - Walter Peak BBQ Dinner and Earnslaw

NZ$189 Adult NZ$85 Child

Enjoy a 30-minute jet boat ride down the mighty Shotover River and through Shotover Canyon with the only company permitted to operate in this area. A major highlight is experiencing the famous “Shotover Jet Turn” where your boat spins through a full 360 degrees turn. Includes return transfers from Queenstown. (Duration: 1.5 hours in total)

Altitude Wine Tours - Twilight Wine & Craft Beer Experience

Adult: $209.00 NZD

It’s always 5 o’clock at Altitude Tours. Join our Twilight Wine and Craft Beer experience for a fun and entertaining late afternoon tastebud tingling adventure! Visit three unique locations around Queenstown and Gibbston with a minimum of 12 tastings of some of the finest drops in the region. Now, here’s the twist, if beer is more your thing then bounce from vines to hops and taste some local craft beers instead.

Real Journeys - Milford Sound

Coach/Cruise/Coach: NZ$255 Adult NZ$159 Child

Enjoy Milford Sound’s awe-inspiring scenery from the comfort of our modern, spacious vessels. Our Scenic Cruise vessels have purpose-built observation lounges and large decks, so you can be sure you’ll get some great viewing opportunities. You’ll see the geological drama of sheer cliffs, massive waterfalls, glaciers and rainforest. Keep a look out for wildlife like seals basking on the rocks or dolphins. During the cruise, our friendly crew provide commentaries in several languages and point out the sights such as Mitre Peak and the Pembroke Glacier.

Altitude Wine Tours - Queenstown Wine Sampler Tour

Adult: $219.00 NZD

Did someone say Queenstown wine tour? It’s time to pinot! Travel in premium Mercedes vehicles visiting four of Central Otago’s finest and boutique cellar doors, including a visit to New Zealand’s famous Gibbston Valley underground wine cave. Look, smell and taste over 18 spectacular cool-climate wines and enjoy an optional scrumptious lunch (additional cost ordered on the day) whilst your charismatic wine guide and knowledgeable cellar staff educate and amuse you with local winemaking facts and stories.The 6 hour Wine Sampler tour departs Queenstown daily at 10 am and returns around 4 pm. This tour was judged the worlds best wine tour 2020-2021 by Tripadvisor, Best of the Best awards and the 4th best activity and tour in all of New Zealand.

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