Melbourne, Victoria’s capital city, is well-known for its vibrant culture and spacious parks, as well as its beautiful gardens. Enjoy a relaxing airport transfer to your hotel. It is centrally located in the capital. Time to go island-hopping–flying to South Island’s Queenstown, New Zealand’s lakeside resort destination surrounded by the Southern Alps. You can find Auckland, New Zealand’s North Island’s lively harbor city, right from your plane. You’ll be greeted at the airport and escorted to your upscale city-center hotel where you’ll join your tour director for a welcome drink and a brief orientation walk.

traditions are quite similar to those of neighbouring islands. Maori culture is rooted in centuries of tradition and has strong traditional values that are based on respect for the land, family, and ancestors. Maori families typically come together for special occasions, celebrations and ceremonies filled with sacred dance, spiritual song and traditional food. I liked the tour and was very happy with Liz Moran as our guide. Our “farm experience” was a bed and breakfast, not a working farm as expected. I loved Queenstown’s four-wheel drive on the Wakatipu River.

Our small group New Zealand tours offer personal attention at a relaxed pace. Enjoy New Zealand’s stunning countryside with no more than 18 people. Explore Middle Earth and the Milford Sound, cruise the Milford Sound, and discover bubbling geysers, dazzling lakes, and learn about the traditions of the Maori people. You can also taste some of the finest wines in the world. Join your local expert Trafalgar Travel Director and get under the surface of the ‘land of the long white cloud’. With the ideal climate for grape growing, Canterbury produces many internationally acclaimed wine varieties, including pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay and Riesling. Pegasus Bay Winery is one of the most popular in this area, and with a restaurant attached to the winery visitors can indulge in the complete culinary experience.

You will see everything, from picturesque mountains to glaciers and fjords in just 4 days. By midday, you will be back in Christchurch after the last day of your tour. The next day, you’ll be driven to Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula. So if you’re someone who loves seeing wildlife up close, this is perfect for you. Your escort guide will show you the best whale watching spots, and then take you to some friendly dolphins where you can swim beside them.

Here, approximately one third of New Zealand’s inhabitants live. This is a result of the Maori people who inhabited the land in 1350. It is fertile and rich. It is now filled with parks, nature, and volcanic fields as well as home to a rich culture and a good quality of living. Read more about Moatrek NZ tours for seniors here. And, if you’re on a guided tour, the local guide will reveal cultural quirks not found in a guidebook.

There are 450 walking, biking, and boat-based tours in 40 European countries. Explore Europe’s most popular destinations with UTracks. Sometimes I will be asked to arrange a detailed itinerary to just one region within a country – like a close up look at Sicily or Crete or the Basque Country or Newfoundland.

Our escorted tours offer different classes of service, ranging from 3-star to 5-star luxury properties. All hotels are clean, comfortable, and exemplify the warm hospitality for which the South Pacific is so well-known. Each hotel is carefully chosen for its location, amenities and service to fit perfectly inline with your tour. Overall, a great trip to get to know some of the towns and countries. However, it would be even more enjoyable to spend two additional days exploring the Outback of Australia. While the trip was great and the value was excellent, we would have liked to have had a more detailed explanation of the U.S. duties.

After this adorable penguin procession, you’ll return to the hotel in the late evening. Today, say goodbye to “Down Under” as you board your return flight. Cross the International Dateline and regain the day “lost” in the beginning of the trip. Your magical Australia tour packages end as you arrive Los Angeles the same day. New Zealand is an excellent country for road tripping, especially if you want to see all the country has to offer.

You’ll be staying at four- to five-star hotels along the way and enjoying a variety of included meals. Note that there is a domestic flight on the itinerary between Rotorua and Christchurch. The beautiful Bay of Islands is located just 150 miles north of Auckland in New Zealand’s subtropical north. The bay is home to a variety of marine life including penguins, whales and dolphins. The Bay of Islands was once a refuge for ship deserters, sailors and whalers. Now it is a peaceful vacation destination. Hop aboard a cruise on its pristine turquoise waters – the only way to truly appreciate the spectacular seascapes.

The best travel insurance policies will also cover you for pre-existing medical conditions too, so that shouldn’t be a barrier to overseas travel. Just make sure you declare if fully and understand what is and isn’t covered. Locals know things that you, as a visitor, may not be aware of. You’ll have the freedom to venture to some of the more obscure destinations off the beaten track. Pros of self drive travelYou’ll be able to travel at your own pace and make your own schedule. While sleeping on a train can be nice, it’s never as comfortable as staying in a hotel.