South Pacific Discovery Tour: Auckland, Sydney, Kadavu Island & More

In Auckland, green hills stand above charming neighborhoods. After landing at New Zealand’s largest airport, you will be transferred to your luxurious accommodation on the water. You will be able to settle in to your contemporary accommodation before meeting your guide for a coffee. There are many things that you can do and places that you can visit in the city, but it all depends on how you are feeling after your flight. Whether indulging in a Maori experience at the national museum, a low-key dining experience on the water, or peering into one of the city’s volcanos, you will find a city that can mold to fit your mood.

In Fiji, you will be provided with the quintessential South Pacific experience of white sand beaches and palm trees. Today’s tour will lead you into the wilderness, over mountain passes, and to completely untouched coastlines. These coastlines are not places for sunbathing, but places to absorb the rugged allure of a volcanic island. You can customize the day with different hikes and even enjoy a kayaking trip between bays. This coastline may be close to Auckland, but it can feel like you are thousands of miles from anywhere.

An hour outside the city, you can get lost in rolling hills with nothing but sheep for company. Today, you will venture to the Hobbiton movie set. Nothing has changed since Peter Jackson was here. After arriving in Rotorua, you will have time to rest before exploring a geothermal park. A geyser may explode, shooting water in the air in 50-foot flumes. Mud bubbles may also spit before your eyes. A Maori chief will eventually greet you in traditional dress, shouting and hissing in what appears to be a show of power. It will actually be a demonstration of peace, and after accepting a feather, you will be invited to spend an evening with the community. A hangi dinner will follow, and you will dine on food that will be roasted underground on hot volcanic stones.

Some of New Zealand’s active volcanoes can be visited on foot, but when you are short on time, it is better to venture by helicopter, especially to White Island, which is the country’s most active volcano. Today, you will enjoy incredible views as you fly over a few craters. You can even land on one of the craters for an immersive hiking experience. From here, you will fly to White Island, where you can walk on the crater rim and peer into the Earth. After flying back to Rotorua, you can spend the evening in one of the town’s natural hot springs, and the therapeutic waters will help ensure that you are fully refreshed for the Australian leg of your journey.

After flying over the Tasman Sea, this afternoon will be dedicated to the icons of Sydney. You will have the afternoon to stroll around and to discover how the famous sites are so close to each other. Sydney Opera House will shimmer brightly, the bridge will exude a steely allure, and Victorian arcades will demonstrate ornate and old-world beauty. As the afternoon fades, you will cruise down the Parramatta on a luxurious boat, admiring all the iconic sites from a different angle. Dinner will be served on the boat, and you will have a perfect view as the city lights are illuminated.

Idyllic vineyards fill the Hunter Valley, and row after row of grapevines glint in the morning light. This morning, you will fly here by helicopter and be led on a private vineyard tour with either an estate owner or winemaker. This will naturally lead to a private wine tasting session, which will be followed by a leisurely lunch that overlooks the vines. The afternoon will be flexible, and your guide can tailor two winery stops to your tastes. You can choose to explore a specific grape, visit boutique properties, or indulge in a tasting at the Hunter Valley’s most celebrated properties. Afterward, you will fly by helicopter back to Sydney for an evening that can take you in many directions.

Sydney will begin to make more sense from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. You will venture step by step, ascending an iconic steel arch that divides the city in two. The bridge offers the best view of the city. After a morning on the bridge, the afternoon will be at your leisure. The classic place to visit here is Bondi Beach and watch the surf with a drink in hand. You may also want to visit Manly, where the beach is long and there is a more relaxed atmosphere.

Today, you will be visiting a wildlife sanctuary home to orphaned and rescued animals. Here, wallabies hop around, a kangaroo mob grazes and moves in the distance, and koalas cling to eucalyptus branches. These famous animals are complemented by other unique animals, such as platypuses and emus. Being provided with an Aboriginal immersion is also an iconic part of the Australian experience. This enormous island was once home to 250 Aboriginal nations and 1,000 languages. Not that many remain today, but you can enjoy a glimpse of indigenous culture during an afternoon with two local guides. You will learn how to use art as a storytelling medium and dispel some of the many stereotypes that exist.

From Sydney, you will fly directly to Nadi, which is Fiji’s main international airport. Once you land and collect your belongings, you will board a domestic flight to Kadavu, which is a tropical island that epitomizes the country’s slow-paced allure. Here, white sand glistens, and you can hear it squeak beneath your feet. Forests hang over the beaches, and the ocean water laps against the shore with seemingly every shade of turquoise fusing together. Nothing will be planned for today, so you can settle into the slow pace of life here and completely relax. Everything in Fiji runs on Fijian time, and that is perfect after eight days of active exploration in Australia and New Zealand.

These two days on Kadavu will be mostly about doing nothing it all. You can wake up late, relax in the spa, wander along the beach, and feel the sun on your face. It is a small island, but not one of the smallest private islands. This means that there are things that you can do, including guided kayaking and ventures into the forest. The world’s third-longest reef extends just a few miles from the shore. This allows you the opportunity to discover what lies beneath the waves after exploring the best of the South Pacific above the ground. Snorkeling and scuba diving can be arranged through the lodge, and with two full days, you can enjoy this other aspect of South Pacific travel.

After flying back to Nadi, you will transfer to your international flight home.