Australia and New Zealand are so far away. And they’re so big. So how do you maximise your holiday time down under?
Both countries have reopened and we created this ultimate holiday itinerary for one of our clients. It’s all about making Australia and New Zealand easy, comfortable and achievable. Beaches, cities, nature, icons, indigenous culture and outdoor adventures – this itinerary shows a time-efficient route combining the best of the best.
Remember, at EliteVoyage we personalise everything about every holiday. So this is just a starting point for making a dream trip your reality.
Start in Auckland & Explore New Zealand’s North Island
Emirates has a new flight connection to Auckland, New Zealand. It’s a small city surrounded by nature, with a friendly atmosphere and dozens of places to explore. After a long journey, Auckland delivers both urban comfort and relaxation.
After a night or two in the city, you can easily explore in different directions. Go just two hours north to New Zealand’s South Pacific islands and beaches, where the holiday is almost how you imagine Fiji or French Polynesia.
Or travel a couple of hours south, to rolling hills (like Hobbiton), the Maori culture and hot springs of Rotorua, geysers, volcanoes, vineyards and a lot more. North Island is easy to get around so you can have many different New Zealand experiences in a few days. Or just pick one destination and relax.
Fly to Queenstown & Explore South Island
South Island is very different in terms of landscape and culture. It’s mostly unpopulated, rugged and wild. Here you’ll explore nature unlike any in the rest of the world.
Glaciers tumble through forests and into the ocean. Snowy volcanic mountains glisten beneath moon-lit skies. Fjords spread out like fingers across the southwestern coast. Golden beaches hide beneath cliffs in the north. Whales cover the eastern coast.
South Island is all about exploring the vast outdoors. Hiking, jet boating, skiing, kayaking with dolphins, landing a helicopter on a glacier. The Queenstown area is a great base because of its flight connections, proximity to iconic highlights, choice of five-star city hotels and superb wilderness lodges.
Dream of an Australia or New Zealand holiday?
Now go to Sydney or Melbourne
Sydney is a city of icons. Melbourne is a city of art, culture and history. Both cities have an awesome vibe, long golden beaches, top five-star hotels, vineyards and nature to explore on a day trip. Both cities have direct flights from Queenstown.
While Australians love to argue about their differences, Sydney and Melbourne are not so different. You will love both. But maximise your time by picking just one for your Australian city experience, rather than squeezing too much into your holiday.
After some wild experiences on New Zealand’s South Island, you’ll now enjoy the Southern Hemisphere’s best restaurants, trendiest hangouts, and most happening places. That’s true of Sydney and Melbourne. And if you want to see a kangaroo or koala then nature remains very close by.
Make a Stop at Uluru in Australia’s Red Centre
From both Sydney and Melbourne there are direct flights across Australia’s red centre to Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock. Yes, it’s just a rock. But what a rock! Uluru will blow you away.
And actually it’s not just a rock. The nearby domes of Kata Tjuta are equally impressive. The desert stars are unreal as well. You can horse ride and take a camel ride in the desert. You only need 24 hours but these 24 hours give you a completely different experience, unlike anywhere else on the planet.
End on Queensland’s Beaches & Islands
From Yulara (Ayer’s Rock Airport) there are seasonal flights to Brisbane and year-round flights to Cairns. These are destinations in Queensland, Australia’s tropical East Coast region, where the Great Barrier Reef is located.
We wouldn’t recommend staying in either of these destinations. Instead, take a boat or helicopter out to one of the islands, where you’ll have wide open spaces and empty beaches. Plus all the amazing snorkelling and diving too.
How far you explore Queensland depends on how much time you have. This is a huge region with many potential destinations. Also the best region to experience real Aboriginal culture – there are over 250 Aboriginal languages and more than 500 tribes. From Brisbane you can do a two-leg flight back to Europe on Emirates or Qatar Airways. From Cairns it’s a three-leg flight.
Want to Explore Australia and New Zealand?
These two countries have just reopened to visitors, after over two years without tourism. We’re certain that a lot will have changed. That’s why our private consultant Tomas Safarik is visiting Australia next month, to help us give the latest advice and recommendations to EliteVoyage explorers.
Are you ready to explore down under?
