The landscapes of the South Pacific blur distinctions of the surreal. The brilliant red desert seems to stretch for eternity, the scorched land punctuated by monolithic rocks. Snow covers huge mountain chains, tumbling down into fjords and glaciers. Then there's exotic beaches, white, untouched, and rolling with tropical promise. This unique tour combines the three natural paradigms, a journey to Australia's red center, Queenstown ski slopes, and the Cook Island beaches.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Sydney – Australia's Famous City
Nature always dominates in the South Pacific, even when you're in its oldest European settlement. A blue curve slices through Sydney, the Parramatta River connecting sun-kissed beaches with the mountains that rise languidly to the west. An aerial vista confirms how the city is enveloped by nature, suburbs spreading beneath distant peaks and besides Pacific waves. After being greeted at the airport, you have some leisurely time to relax and recuperate from the flight. Climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge provides a wonderful introduction to the city landscape. Skyscrapers reflect in shimmering waters as you ascend the iconic steel archway, their shapes contrasting with the sails of Sydney Opera House. But look beyond the urban development and you'll see the rich promise of Australia's wilderness. Your hotel is situated in The Rocks, making Sydney an easy city to explore on foot.
What's Included:
Day 2
Sydney – Cruising Along the Parramatta River
Day 3
Uluru – The Great Red Australian Desert
Day 4
Uluru – The Mystical Rocks of Kata Tjuta
Day 5
Melbourne – Uluru at Sunrise and Exploring Australia's Cultural City
Day 6
Queenstown – Surrounded by Mountains and Fjords
Day 7 - 9
Queenstown – Skiing the Slopes of New Zealand
Day 10
Queenstown – Through the Wilderness to Milford Sound
Day 11
Cook Islands – First Impressions of Exotic Sand
Day 12 - 15
Cook Islands – White Beaches, Spas, and Tropical Indulgence
Day 16
Cook Islands – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Embrace the space of the Australian desert, surrounding yourself in the glowing reds and oranges of the wilderness
- Spend three full days in the snowy mountains of Queenstown, with vast empty ski slopes that ignite the imagination
- Immerse yourself in the serenity and exotic colors of Aitutaki, a Cook Islands' destination that confirms South Pacific beach promise
- Explore Australia's famous cities, starting the vacation in Sydney and later enjoying a day in the heart of Melbourne
- Journey through the wonders of Milford Sound and Fjordland National Park, a vast expanse of rugged peaks and alpine waters
- Discover Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the sacred rocks of Australia's red center
- Indulge in the charms of a five-star Pacific resort, surrounded by tranquil turquoise waters and salubrious spa facilities
Detailed Description
The Pacific covers half the globe; a gargantuan ocean dotted with volcanic islands and odes to Nature's history. It's a landscape unbounded, an inspiring look at the extremes of our planet. The desert stretches onwards, thousands of miles of achingly beautiful rock. Mountains rise without inhibition, the rows of peaks hiding glaciers and alpine lakes. At many angles, the land appears wild and untamed, a showcase of nature's power. Yet there's also a softer side, like tiny islands that peek above the ocean blue. Eclectic and evocative, the South Pacific takes you on a journey to the most dramatic of our world's landscapes, each uniquely different from the last. From desert to snowy mountains to tropical white sand, this unique itinerary connects these realms.
You'll start in Australia, relaxing in Sydney before flying into the heart of the country's red desert. Monolithic rocks dominate the landscape, visible for miles around and imbuing a sense of sanctity. You wander through the sandstone of Kata Tjuta. Watch the sun rise behind Uluru, and take in all the kaleidoscopic color changes of the desert. When dusk falls, the night's sky reveals just how far you are from anywhere, an astronomer helping you connect the constellations of the lucid Milky Way. A night in Melbourne completes the Australian leg of your journey before you fly directly to Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island.
Now it's mountains that consume the panoramas, the slopes filled with snow from June to October. This is the Southern Hemisphere's white playground, a collection of vast ski slopes that always radiate the country's sense of space. There are no crowded runs. The skiing or snowboarding adventure is about cruising across fresh powder and exploring the enormity of the mountains. You'll spend five nights in Queenstown, with three days dedicated to skiing and one day roving through Fjordland National Park to Milford Sound, where a boat cruise and helicopter tour unravels the wilderness.
Switch your clothes for the last leg of your journey as you fly north to the Cook Islands, an assortment of exotic colors that emerge sporadically in the Pacific. Your destination is Aitutaki, a secluded island framed by a luminescent lagoon and an enveloping sense of exclusivity. Take off your watch, and spend five days at one of the world's great island getaways. Spa facilities add to the feeling of indulgence, and there's a range of activities whenever you can peel yourself away from the sand. It's a destination that couldn't be further from the desert or the snowy mountains. Yet, like the other places on this itinerary, it's only a short flight away.
Starting Price
$6,600 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
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