Thursday, March 1:  Arrive Los Angeles; Group Dinner before departing (D)
Make your own air arrangements to arrive Los Angeles International Airport no later than 6:00pm. Take provided hotel transportation to the Embassy Suites, North at LAX airport.  We will meet as a group here, enjoy a light dinner together and hang out at the hotel until it is time to go back to the airport for our flight to Auckland departing at 11:30PM.   (Air LAX to AKL not included in base price. See cost for group air - which includes this flight - on left-hand sidebar).
 
Friday, March 2: in Route
Cross the international date line and temporarily lose a day.
 
Saturday, March 3: Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand; Afternoon city tour
Welcome to Auckland, the ‘City of Sails’. Upon arrival into Auckland airport at 9:50AM, we will clear customs, collect our bags and be met and transferred to our hotel for immediate check in.
This afternoon, enjoy an informative Auckland city tour and enjoy local sights including Mount Eden and the Harbour Bridge, Auckland's most striking man-made landmark. Enjoy a high flying bird's eye view down the length of the Hauraki Gulf - location of the America's Cup race, and across to Rangitoto - the volcano that erupted 750 years ago. We return to the hotel where you have time to explore this vibrant city for the remainder of the day and evening. Overnight: Scenic Hotel Auckland (1 night)

 
Sunday, March 4:  Travel by road to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves; Free Afternoon (B, L)
This morning, we will leave the “City of Sails” and travel south to the fascinating Waitomo Caves where you will enjoy a 45 minute guided tour, including a moving boat trip, of the lime-stone caverns and glow-worm grotto.  It is magical and surreal! After lunch at Crosshills Farm (beverages not included), we continue the journey via Lake Karapiro to Rotorua, the thermal and volcanic resort capital of New Zealand. On arrival, check in to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day free at leisure. Overnight: Novotel Lakeside (2 nights)
 
Monday, March 5:  Tour of Geyser and Thermal Region; Evening "Hangi" Feast (B,D)
Spend the morning at Rainbow Springs Nature Park. Breathe deeply and take in the native bush, ferns, trees and plants that grow and flower all around you. Marvel at the silent grace of the magnificent specimens of Rainbow, Brown and Tiger trout, cruising the fern-fringed pools. Afterwards, enjoy a tour at Agrodome and watch the good-humoured Sheep Show. At the watch you are introduced to 19 different breeds of sheep. Continue your morning tour to TeWhakarewarewa thermal Reserve and Te Puia Arts and Crafts Institutes. This afternoon is free for independent exploration.

Tonight you will immerge yourself in Maori culture with a Hangi (feast) and cultural performance of song and dance at the Maori village of Te Tawa Ngahere Marae Pa. Experience the pre-European lifestyle and customs of the ancient Maori ancestors as the village comes alive with tribal songs, dances and activities. Enjoy a night of truly authentic, traditional culture and entertainment. Feast on a selection of foods cooked the traditional Maori way on hot stones in an authentic earthen oven.
 
Tuesday, March 6:  Fly Rotorua to the South Island and Queenstown; Free Time (B,D)
Today we fly to Queenstown, arriving at 12:30PM. On arrival, we will be met and transferred to our hotel. The rest of the day will be at leisure to explore this beautiful town. Your WTT tour leader will have plenty of suggestions of things to do.  We will gather for dinner together this evening.  Overnight:  Scenic Suites Queenstown (4 nights) (Air ROT to ZQN not included in base price. See cost for group air - which includes this flight - on left-hand sidebar).
 
Wednesday, March 7:  Queenstown Sightseeing, Gondola Ride, Lunch and Wine Tasting (B,L)
This morning we take an informative tour of Queenstown. Queenstown lies beside Lake Wakatipu at the foot of The Remarkables mountain range. It is the South Island's most popular resort and the base for excursions into the surrounding mountains and nearby fiords, including Milford Sound. In winter, Queenstown is New Zealand's main skiing center, and in summer even larger numbers of visitors come to take part in outdoor activities ranging from trout fishing to paragliding, and whitewater rafting to bungee jumping.

Enjoy a scenic Gondola cableway that travels from Queenstown to Bob’s Peak. Being one of the first sights to captivate visitors to Queenstown, Skyline Gondola is the distinctive outline of the Skyline complex etched against the sky high above the town. Afterwards, you will enjoy a buffet lunch and wine tasting at Bibbston Valley Wines.

Thursday, March 8:   Milford Sound World Heritage Fiords Tour and Cruise (B,L)
After breakfast at the hotel, we travel on an unforgettable journey from Queenstown into Milford Sound. Located within the World Heritage Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound is the most accessible and best known of the glacier-cut fiords and is lined with mountain peaks that rise sharply to heights of 7,000 feet. Your tour includes a cruise on Milford Sound Red Boat where you will see the wonders of Mitre Peak, glacier scarred rock walls that rise 1,200m vertically from the sea, and waterfalls that tumble from hanging valleys and crash into the sound far below. A buffet lunch will be included. At the end of the cruise, we return to Queenstown late in the day.
 
Friday, March 9:  Day of Exploration; Group Dinner (B,D)
This day is an opportunity to enjoy all that Queenstown and the surrounding area has to offer.  Queenstown is the extreme sports capital of the world, and home to bungee jumping, jet boat river racing, parasailing, and more. If none of this is your cup of tea, there are first class restaurants and shopping, nature walks, sightseeing excursions, and so much more.  Your WTT tour leader will help everyone have a plan for the day, and pair up women with similar interests.  This might also be a good day to just relax and soak up the incredible scenery. (If you want an exciting activity that does not require "bravery" or physical exertion then try jet boats. You are one of about 12 passengers riding with a professional driver who takes you on an exciting high speed journey up the most beautiful river you may have ever seen, all surrounded by stunning natural beauty.) We will gather together this evening to have dinner and share our stories of the day.
 
Saturday, March 10:  Morning at Leisure; Travel Queenstown to Cairns (B)
This morning is at leisure in Queenstown before we depart for the airport to fly to Cairns, Australia.  Take one last look at the mountains, the lakes, and breathe in the crisp air with a touch of fall coming soon. Our next stop is the tropics! It will be hard to say goodbye to Queenstown and New Zealand, but Australia awaits us. Our flight departs Queenstown at 2:45PM and we arrive in Cairns at 9:40PM.

Cairns is the gateway to two of the world's greatest natural wonders - tropical rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef. Situated on Australia’s northeast coast and along the Coral Sea, the colonial government of Queensland established Cairns as a port in 1876. The city was named in honor of William Wellington Cairns, the governor of Queensland at that time. Overnight: Mercure Harbourise Cairns (3 nights)  (Air ZQN to CNS not included in base price. See cost for group air - which includes this flight - on left-hand sidebar).
 
Sunday, March 11:   Great Barrier Reef Cruise - Michaelmas Cay (B, L, D)
Today we travel on Quicksilver's magnificent wave-piercing catamaran to Michaelmas Cay, a picturesque reef sand island surrounded by magical coral gardens teeming with an incredible diversity of marine life. The Cay is a protected seabird sanctuary playing host to over 20,000 migratory seabirds ... one of the most important nesting sights in the Southern Hemisphere. Enjoy a day of fun in the sun where you have the opportunity to snorkel among the coral reefs where thousands of small, brightly colored fish play amongst the coral.  A delicious hot & cold buffet (includes seafood) lunch is included. Upon return to Cairns we will get cleaned up and go out to dinner together.
 
Monday, March 12:   Rainforest, Aboriginal Cultural Experience; Koala & Wildlife Park (B, L)
This morning we travel to Freshwater Station to board the historic Kuranda Train, a must-do railway experience when visiting Cairns and Tropical North Queensland. You will discover the pioneering history of the tropical north from way back in the late 1800's, be astounded by a magnificent engineering feat and explore some of the great characters involved in the construction of this great railway. On arrival at charming Kuranda, famous for its markets, time to have lunch before returning to Cairns via Skyrail, a 7.5km cableway across the rainforest. Next, time for an authentic aboriginal culture experience, which includes an army duck tour of the rainforest, pamagirri aboriginal dance, dreamtime walk and Koala & Wildlife Park. We return back to our hotel at the end of the tour. The evening is yours to explore the pulsating night-life of Cairns. Dine along the waterfront or just stroll the streets.
 
Tuesday, March 13:   Fly Cairns to Sydney; Dinner together (B,D)
This morning is yours to relax and sleep in late, or perhaps visit the largest swimming pool complex in Australia just up the street from our hotel.  It's not a traditional pool, but rather an man-made lagoon sitting right on the ocean. Even if you don't get in the water, it's well worth a visit to just admire this public park and pool. Our flight departs at noon and arrives Sydney at 3:55PM. We will be transferred to the hotel, where we will check in and freshen up before going out to dinner as a group. Overnight: Travelodge Wynyard  (4 nights)  (Air CNS to SYD not included in base price. See cost for group air - which includes this flight - on left-hand sidebar).

 
Wednesday, March 14:   City Tour including entrance to the Opera House; Afternoon Free (B)
This morning we will enjoy an informative city tour which includes a 1 hour visit to the Opera House, Australia’s premier venue for the performing arts and home to the Australian Opera Company, the Australian Ballet, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Theatre Company.

During the city tour, we will visit the historic Rocks area, the Botanical Gardens, Hyde Park, the Domain and a stop at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair to view the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Pass through Double Bay and Rose Bay en route to the famous Gap located at Watson’s Bay with its views of the Pacific Ocean. You will have free time at Bondi Beach and enjoy the famous Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte Beaches before returning to the city and our hotel. The rest of the day is yours to continue exploring.
 
Thursday, March 15:   Blue Mountain Sightseeing and Kangaroos (B,L)
This morning we travel by coach to visit the spectacular Blue Mountains. See the world famous rock formation, the Three Sisters from Echo Point and enjoy views of the Jamieson Valley, Mount Solitary, Ruined Castle, Katoomba Falls, and the Burragorang Valley. A scenic Railway ride and cableway return have been included. Today there is a good chance of seeing kangaroos! After a buffet lunch at the Mountain Heritage, we travel back to Sydney and our hotel.
 
Friday, March 16:   Sydney - Day at Leisure; Farewell Dinner (B, D)
It's our last day in Sydney and it's yours to go exploring. Your WTT tour leader will have many ideas for a fun day.  She will pair up those with similar interests to go exploring.  Sydney has so much to offer that the day will fly by. At the conclusion of the day we will gather for one final dinner together.
 
Saturday, March 17: Depart Sydney for the flight to Los Angeles (B)  
We have a 10:50AM flight this morning.  Get up and have breakfast at the hotel before we transfer to the airport for the flight back to Los Angeles. We arrive in Los Angeles at 6:15AM (still on the 17th of March). (Air SYD to LAX not included in base price. See cost for group air - which includes this flight - on left-hand sidebar).

Make your own air arrangements to return home no earlier than 10:00AM.