Icons of Australia & New Zealand : Tour Highlights

Skyline Restaurant - Queenstown

Enjoy dinner at Queenstown's most spectacular location which is accessed by scenic gondola. The Skyline Restaurant serves a mouth watering Taste of New Zealand buffet where you can feast on South Island salmon, seafoods, salads, roast meats and delicious desserts with the best views in the region. Enjoy the spectacular 220 degree panorama, with breathtaking views of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range and across Lake Wakatipu to Cecil and Walter Peaks. Tiered seating guarantees stunning views from every table.

Te Puia - Rotorua

This is New Zealand’s premier Maori culture and geothermal visitor experience. Upon arrival a local Maori guide will escort us through the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute where students from tribes across New Zealand have converged to learn traditions in danger of being lost forever. We will see the students learning to carve weapons, canoes and jewellery and to weave baskets, clothing and mats. We will visit the Marae, the meeting place which was the centre of everyday tribal life and see the fully carved meeting house. Then we will walk through the Whakarewarewa geothermal valley, a journey into a thermal wonderland some 40,000 years old. Smell the sulphur, the boiling mud and steamy rocks hissing from the ground around us and watch the most famous geyser, Pohutu, erupting up to 30 metres high.

Tamaki Maori Village - Rotorua

The Tamaki Maori Village and Cultural Experience has received many awards for its authenticity and historical re-enactments. During a truly memorable evening you’ll experience a traditional welcome ceremony before entering the pre-European village, indulge in a Hangi feast, traditionally cooked meal from earthen ovens and enjoy the concert which offers a special glimpse of many of the traditions, songs and history of the Maori people.

Glowworm Caves - Waitomo

At the Waitomo Glowworm Caves we discover an underground labyrinth of ancient limestone caverns and formations and a galaxy of tiny living lights in the famed Glowworm Grotto. Our guided tour takes us through over 250 metres of stunning underground scenery commencing with the impressive Cathedral where the acoustics are world-renowned. Acclaimed New Zealand Diva, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, has sung here and was delighted with the purity of the sound. The tour begins at the upper entrance of the cave and proceeds along a low narrow passage to the Tomo, a deep limestone shaft. Our guide will give an informative and entertaining commentary, sharing stories, cultural legends and the natural wonders of this living masterpiece. The highlight however is an unrivalled boat trip through the spectacular Glowworm Grotto. Meander underground along the Waitomo River and gaze in silence at the myriad of glowworm lights that make up the Glowworm Grotto.

Kelly Tarton's Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World - Auckland

Beneath Auckland’s Tamaki Drive is a wonderland of snow, ice and an amazing myriad of deep-sea creatures. It was Kelly Tarlton’s dream to display to the world, Southern Ocean marine life from a diver’s perspective so sharks, piranhas, turtles, crayfish, moray eels and brightly coloured fish are all inches away as you view them from a moving walkway through an acrylic tunnel. Stingrays can be viewed through a massive 350,000 litre opentopped tank and playful King and Gentoo Penguins can be seen living in their natural habitat of snow and ice from the ‘Snowcat’ which travels through their enclosure.

Orbit Restaurant - Sky Tower - Auckland

At 328 metres Sky Tower is the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere, offering breathtaking views for more than 80 kilometres in every direction. For a dining experience unlike any you've ever seen, we’re taking you for a ride up the Sky Tower to the Orbit Restaurant, Auckland's only revolving restaurant, providing stunning views and fantastic New Zealand cuisine in intimate surroundings. After dinner you can also access Sky Tower’s main observation level for 360 degree views of the city.

Harbour Highlights Cruise - Sydney

Sydney has one of the world’s most fascinating and lively harbours. Great buildings, beautiful landscapes and stunning houses line its shores. Captain Cook Cruises have over 30 years of cruising knowledge and their harbour vessels introduce Sydney Harbour in relaxed comfort. Departing from Circular Quay, you will cruise past the Opera House to Double Bay, exclusive Point Piper and Bradleys Head, then under the Harbour Bridge to Balmain and Darling Harbour whilst enjoying an informative commentary.

Quicksilver - Great Barrier Reef

The world’s largest marine park - visible from space - the Great Barrier Reef is a natural wonder of the world. A declaredWorld Heritage site, it is a magical place for snorkelling and diving and water temperatures range from 22- 28¢ªC year round. Quicksilver¡¯s superior wave piercing catamarans cruise at high speed to the floating activity platform at Agincourt Reef, which lies 72 km from Port Douglas. During an unforgettable day on the reef you will enjoy the use of snorkel equipment, coral viewing in a semi-submersible, unrestricted use of the underwater observatory, an informative talk by a Marine Biologist, a tropical smorgasbord lunch and morning and afternoon tea.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Situated at the heart of the oldest continent on earth, the dramatic red rocks and ochre plains of Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park form part of a timeless landscape and provide you with an opportunity to experience the Australian outback. Rising 348 metres above the flat desert landscape, Uluru (Ayers Rock) is one of the world’s most recognisable icons, whilst the nearby rock domes of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) are thought to be 500 million years old. Not so much seen as experienced, it is easy to understand why these ancient monuments are of great spiritual importance to the Aboriginal people.

Swan River Cruise - Perth

The sparkling waters of the Swan River sweep from the hills east of Perth, through the heart of the city and into the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean, forming a stunning setting for the city and its surrounds. Captain Cook Cruises (WA) have been operating cruises on the picturesque and calm waters of the Swan River since 1980. Departing from Fremantle, you will take in the wonderful sights that can only be viewed from the water whilst enjoying the informative commentary of your captain. Relax in air-conditioned comfort or take a stroll out on the spacious open decks and enjoy complimentary wine tasting with a selection of fine wines fromWestern Australia.