Highlights of Australia and New Zealand

Melbourne’s elegant façades and broad boulevards are your launchpad to an immersive encounter with the highlights of Australia and New Zealand (flights to arrive prior to 12pm). You'll be transferred and welcomed to your hotel on the banks of the city’s own Yarra River before getting to know your Travel Director and fellow travellers over dinner at popular restaurant on the Yarra River’s South Wharf, a relaxing welcome to this cosmopolitan city.

Jump into city life joining your Travel Director on a walking tour admiring Melbourne’s Victorian architecture, arcades, and eclectic little laneways revealing some of the world’s most incredible street art. Encounter the aroma of Melbourne’s coffee culture around every corner. The rest of your day is free to take in Melbourne's well-known food and culture. Or join an Optional Experience such as a trip to Phillip Island to see the famous penguin parade. Wildlife fans won’t want to miss seeing the tiny penguins make their daily trip from the sea to their onshore burrows. It’s a fascinating experience to watch and only happens right here on Phillip Island.

Enjoy a day exploring stylish Melbourne just the way you like, indulging in world class fare at one of the city's famous eateries and stopping in unique shops. Browse Brunswick Street’s quirky boutiques and pop into one of laneways’ cafes to people watch and refuel on a strong flat white coffee. Or, tick something else off your bucket list and join an Optional Experience to travel the Great Ocean Road - the ultimate road trip along a stunning coastline. You’ll learn how the jagged rocks were formed and stop at the world famous Twelve Apostles. Admire these towering limestone formations rising out of the sea against windswept cliffs. Take advantage of photo ops around every bend and stretch your legs in the seaside town of Apollo Bay. If you prefer to soak up the city life, perhaps explore the city on foot with a History and Donuts Walking Tour is more your thing. Wherever you chose to explore today, Melbourne and its surroundings are yours for the taking.

The rusty red landscapes of Uluru beckon as we leave Melbourne for Ayers Rock Resort, near the sacred ancient site of Uluru and your home for the next two days in Aussie’s cultural heartland. You’ll drive through red dirt on long roads before your first of many mesmerizing encounters with Uluru, in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. As the desert sun begins to set, you’re treated to a classic Uluru sundowner: nibbles and sparkling wine amidst the red dirt and blowing spinifex grasses as the Outback sky ignites in shades of red, yellow, and purple. Gazing at massive Uluru - which at 348 metres high is taller than the Eiffel Tower - you'll experience a kind of magical connection to the land. Relaxed and happy, you’ll make your way to the Desert Gardens Hotel for a Stays With Stories experience. Surrounded by desert trees and distant Uluru, this indigenous-owned hotel showcases the natural beauty of the landscape. Stay in this evening or, after sunset, join an Optional Experience Uluru BBQ Dinner as you watch the changing desert colours and are treated to an informative star talk in one of the best places to view the southern night sky.