Melbourne city skyline at sunset

Off the Beaten Track Tour of New Zealand and Australia

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Australia, New Zealand

Places Visited

Freycinet National Park, Melbourne, Tauranga, Napier...

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Suggested Duration

14 Days

During this 2-week adventure, authentic Aussie vibes and a unique Kiwi style will be the atmospheric feelings when you venture off the beaten path in two wondrous countries. From Tasmanian gems to flying in a helicopter to a volcano, you will explore destinations of which few others have even heard. Think city art, surreal colors, wilderness experiences, white beaches, marsupials, and so much more. In their pristine states, Australia and New Zealand are two countries waiting for an adventurous...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Luxuriate on the white sand of the Bay of Fires, which is one of Tasmania’s enchanting gems
  • Travel by helicopter to two active volcanoes and disembark in awe at the hissing steam and surreal volcanic colors
  • Explore Melbourne on an intimate street art tour, which will prove to be an alternative way to see the city and its colorful past
  • Escape to Great Barrier Island for two days of pure wilderness experience in a place where few people ever venture
  • Immerse yourself with Australian wildlife and enjoy remarkable marsupial encounters when discovering Freycinet and Bruny Island
  • Feel the Kiwi calm during two days of Napier art deco and Hawkes Bay wine tasting
  • Fly in a helicopter to Grampians National Park and explore the wild trails before a very intimate Aboriginal interaction
  • Kayak the Coromandel Peninsula, hike indigenous forests, and dig your own hot spa on the beach

Detailed Description

With two weeks in Australia and New Zealand, it is easy to be sucked into a classic route through popular destinations. However, there is so much to discover in these breathtaking countries and so much to experience when you venture off the beaten path. This two-week Australia and New Zealand tour features a mix of unknown destinations, hidden gems, and alternative tours. It is also a chance to become fully immersed in the Australian style and Kiwi vibe. From Tasmania to Great Barrier Island, you will make connections with the local people and endemic wildlife in addition to encountering epic landscapes, such as active volcanos. These are countries that you can visit for months and not get close to experiencing it all, but with two weeks, you can avoid crowds and discover authenticity behind the countries’ popular facades.

Tasmania and Melbourne will be your destinations in Australia. Then, in New Zealand, you will be exploring Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula, Tauranga, and Napier. Some of these destinations do see tourists, especially Melbourne, but you do not need to do the same standard tours as everyone else. For example, in Melbourne, you will discover the city on a backstreet art tour, fly to the Grampian Mountains to meet a remote Aboriginal community, and enjoy gastronomic experiences in Mornington rather than the Yarra Valley. Australia and New Zealand are so large that it is easy to skip the typical tourist trail and immerse yourself in the local culture. Well, it will be easy when you have excellent guides and private tours that can be adjusted to your interests and mood.

After landing in Hobart on day one, you can get over your jet lag with an afternoon at the Bay of Fires, which is a dazzling beach of glowing boulders, white sand, and evocative water. Days two and three will be all about the wild as you explore the wildlife and wilderness of rural Tasmania. Freycinet National Park will bring animal encounters on land and water, while Bruny Island’s playful wallabies will create an entertaining morning before a gourmet seafood searching and cooking workshop. After a fourth day of exploring Tasmania, you will spend three nights in Melbourne, where the experiences include backstreet art, the Grampians helicopter tour, and the sumptuous gastronomy of the Mornington Peninsula.

You will then fly to Auckland on day eight. Upon your arrival, you will immediately transfer to a light aircraft that will fly you to Great Barrier Island for two days. This is an island with a frontier feel that is far off the beaten track and a place for escaping the world and appreciating the raw New Zealand wilderness. You will then fly to Coromandel for a stunning kayaking adventure before spending day 11 wandering among two active volcanos. You will land on these two hissing volcanos, explore their impressive colors, and feel their sheer power. Napier on the North Island will be your final destination, and it is a place for relaxed wine tasting with streets of art deco. Although you will not make it to the South Island, you will discover an authentic Kiwi vibe in the northern half of New Zealand.

Starting Price

$5,700 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

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

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