Highlights of Australia and New Zealand

This 28-night escorted tour by G Adventures combines the highlights of Australia and New Zealand, travelling from Cairns down to the Blue Mountains before crossing over to New Zealand's South Island. The itinerary includes a guided stroll through the Daintree Rainforest with an Indigenous guide, followed by a boating day among the Whitsunday Islands, and later a cruise on Doubtful Sound in Fiordland National Park where the dramatic fjords impress quietly.

In New Zealand, there is a cultural visit to a Maori village paired with a traditional hangi meal, offering insight beyond the usual tourist fare. The journey also features visits to Franz Josef’s glacial region and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, where the alpine scenery shifts the pace. Group sizes remain small, often around a dozen, travelling mostly by private vehicle and plane, with a Chief Experience Officer steering the trip.

Amid varied accommodation from hotels to rainforest cabins, the trip moves steadily, with some internal flights easing long transfers. It’s not fast-paced but packed with scenic walks and cultural experiences that demand boots rather than trainers. WiFi may be patchy in places, and the itinerary calls for packing light and readying for occasional stairs without lifts.