May 2006 - South Pacific

Program Fee Includes :

9 overnight stays in hotels with private bathrooms
American-style breakfast daily; 1 dinner
Services of a full-time Tour Director in Australia and New Zealand; local Coordinator in Hawaii
In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees to select attractions

Highlights :
Arizona War Memorial; Sydney Opera House; Sydney Tower; Sydney Harbour Cruise; Rotorua, Agrodome; Whaka Geother¬mal area; Maori Cultural Center; Skyline Gondola; Waitomo Caves

Optional Attractions (An Extra Fees for these options):
Hawaiian Luau; Polynesian Cultural Center; Blue Mountains

Day 1 Honolulu
Arrival in Hawaii • Board your flight to Hawaii, an island state of white sand beaches, active vol¬canoes, sugar cane fields, and dramatic sunsets. Transfer to your hotel.

Day 2 Honolulu
Guided sightseeing of Honolulu • A profes¬sional local guide leads you through Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii. Stroll through downtown and pass by the statue of King Kamehameha, one of Oahu's early leaders. You'll also visit the Punchbowl Cemetery, burial site of thousands of American veterans set inside the crater of an extinct volcano.
Visit to the USS Arizona Memorial • Ferry to the USS Arizona Memorial and pay tribute to the men that died aboard the battleship on December 7, 1941. The Arizona suffered devas¬tating damage during the surprise attack by the Japanese and claimed the lives of 1,177 men as it sank into the harbor. The infamous event trig¬gered U.S. involvement in WWII. The ship was never raised—instead, it was left untouched as sacred ground. Today, a simple white memorial spans the remains of the ship and the men that are entombed within it.
Optional Hawaiian Luau (additional fee) Experience island tradition at our optional Hawaiian Luau. Make your jour¬ney from Waikiki to an ideal luau setting a beach estate in beautiful Paradise Cove. Follow¬ing a delicious buffet dinner, relax under the night sky and enjoy starlit Hawaiian revue entertainment.

Day 3–4 Honolulu • Flight
Optional excursion (additional fee) to the Polynesian Cultural Center and Circle Island Tour
Experience the an¬cient Polynesian culture during this full day of unique and colorful activity. From Waikiki, trav¬el to the Polynesian Cultural Center at Laie, located on the northern shore of Oahu. Arrive at the Polynesian Cultural Center and take a self guided tour of carefully reconstructed native vil¬lages, representing those found in Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Tahiti, Samoa, Marquesas, and Hawaii. Next enjoy fascinating and entertaining demonstrations on an adventure canoe tour. Don't miss the daily festive waterborne revue, "Pageant of the Long Canoes." Enjoy an includ¬ed lunch at the Cultural Center.

Flight to Australia • "Lose" a calendar day as you cross the International Date Line, bound for the South Pacific.

Day 5 Sydney
Arrival in Sydney • Touch down in Sydney, Aus¬tralia's oldest and largest city. After clearing cus¬toms you are greeted by your tour director, who will remain with you throughout the Australian and New Zealand portions of your stay. A private luxury motor coach takes you to your comfortable hotel for check-in, afterwards, unpack, relax, and meet real "Svdneysiders."
Walking Tour of the Rocks
Enjoy a guided walking tour through the historic Rocks area, where Australia's first fleet of European settlers landed in 1788. Built upon a sandstone founda¬tion from which the area gets its name, today the Rocks serves as a cultural and historical meeting place for Sydney locals and visitors alike. Stroll through the narrow, cobblestone streets to find galleries, restaurants and shops around every corner. If you're there on a Saturday or Sunday, explore the fabulous weekend street market, a tented city block filled with handcrafts, art, and local foods. Street performers treat onlookers with examples of their skill. Don't be surprised if you're asked to try out your lung power on one of the world's oldest instruments—the didgeridoo!

Day 6 Sydney
Guided sightseeing of Sydney Learn about the city's early days as a land for exiled convicts during Sydney sightseeing. Tour the famous Syd¬ney Opera House, which, contrary to what its name suggests, also presents ballets, musicals, plays, films, and jazz concerts, in addition to opera. Since its opening in 1973, the Opera House has become one of the busiest centers for performing arts in the world. You'll also enjoy a guided walking tour through the historic Rocks area.

Cruise of Sydney Harbor Board your boat for a scenic cruise through beautiful Sydney Har¬bor. You'll also visit Darling Harbor, where a complex of shops, gardens, and museums opened for the 1988 bicentennial.

Sydney Tower • Visit the observation deck of Sydney Tower. At 1,063 feet, it is the tallest building south of the equator. Look towards the south and see if you can spot Wollongong, New South Wales' third largest city and home to the biggest steelworks in Australia.

Day 7 Sydney
Optional excursion (additional fee) to the Blue Mountains and Katoomba
Join an optional excursion into the spectacular Blue Mountains. View the aston¬ishing Three Sisters rock formation (from Echo Point), ride the world's steepest railway 900 feet down into Jamison Valley, and see Katoomba Falls! You'll also visit the Featherdale Wildlife Park, home to a wide variety of indigenous Aus¬tralian animals—including wombats, wallabies, koalas, emus, and kangaroos.

Day 8 Sydney
Free day in Sydney • A free day allows for per¬sonal explorations of your own. You might wish to stroll through the Botanical Gardens, walk along the harbor shore, relax on world-famous Bondi Beach, or visit the Australian Museum (which contains one of the world's best collec¬tions of Aboriginal art).

Day 9 Sydney • Auckland
Flight to New Zealand: Fly across the Tasman Sea to the Land of the Long White Cloud, where no point is more than 70 miles from the sea. Arrival in Auckland: Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand's and Polynesia's largest city. Located on a narrow isthmus between two harbors, Auckland is also built atop seven extinct volcanoes.

Day 10 Auckland • Rotorua
Tour director-led sightseeing of Auckland Your tour director introduces you to the city's major landmarks, including the Domain (a hill-top park), the bustling downtown area, the waterfront (with beautiful views of Rangitoto Island and the Harbour Bridge), Mount Eden, and Victoria Park Market.

Transfer to Rotorua: Journey through New Zealand's countryside, known for its successful farming and horse breeding, to Rotorua, home to the Maori.

Visit to the Agrodome: Visit the world-famous Agrodome. As you watch a sheep-shearing demonstration, keep in mind that New Zealand is home to over 55 million sheep.

Hangi dinner and cultural show: Tonight you'll witness Maori song and dance at a special Hangi dinner —a traditional Maori feast prepared by thermal heat in a large underground pit.

Day 11 Rotorua
Guided visit of the Whaka area: A Maori guide leads your fascinating tour through the ge¬othermal wonders of the Whalcarewarewa area. See bubbling pools of mud, crystal springs of hot mineral water, geysers, and richly colored craters.

Visit to the Maori Cultural Centre: Visit this model native village to learn about Maori legends and tribal customs. Receive the Maori Warrior Greeting and touch noses as a traditional gesture.

Skyline Gondola Ride: Then ride the fabulous Skyline Gondola for an aerial excursion hundreds of feet up Mount Ngongotaha. Here you can enjoy a wonderful view of the lake and township of Rotorua.

Day 12 Home
Guided visit of the Waitomo Caves: Journey along the mighty Waikato, New Zealand's longest river, to the subterranean world of the Waitomo Caves. See dazzling limestone formations in the Ruakuri and Aranui Caves. Then board a wood-en boat and journey deep inside the Waitomo Caves. Enter a cavern ablaze with millions of points of light—the famous Glowworm Grotto.

Return home • Return to Auckland for your flight home.