We had the most amazing time. It was our trip of a lifetime. The other people on our tour were wonderful and we will miss them all. Hope we meet again on another Road Scholar trip.

"An Odyssey Down Under: Australia & New Zealand" was outstanding. The trip was well organized with excellent leaders. It presented an outstanding overview of the two countries including their culture, geology, history, native peoples and beauty. We would highly recommend this trip. It exceeded our highest expectations and made us strong believers in Road Scholar travel. We also met a lot of very nice people.

This is the best overview of New Zealand and Australia that anyone could want.

Odyssey Down Under - Australia and New Zealand was a wonderful, educational, and fulfilling experience. The various lectures, excursions and field trips helped to give a real understanding of the nature and culture of the two countries. The leaders and presenters were generally of exceptional quality. For individuals who enjoy learning about and visiting new areas, this trip is highly recommended.

This was an excellent experience! The program is beautifully designed and executed. The lecturers and site-coordinators were truly superior and our leader, John Erickson, was a gem. The trip moves from the rolling hills and farmland of the north island of NZ to the alpine and lake region of its south island. Sydney and Melbourne are very exciting cities, but we were even more thrilled with our experiences in Alice Springs, Uluru and Cairns. In October, the weather at most of the locations can be cold, and sometime wet. Cairns, Alice Springs and Uluru are hot (always, I think). We had just the right mix of activity and free time. (And the food was excellent!) I recommend this program wholeheartedly!

My wife and I have always wanted to visit New Zealand and Australia. When we saw Road Scholar offered a trip that lasted almost a month we were thrilled and decided to go. Our experience on this trip can only be described as fabulous. We learned more than we ever thought possible and experienced both countries educationally and as tourists. We look forward to taking our next trip with Road Scholar! Chris and Dorothy Hardy

Do not miss this adventure!!!!! I learned so much in this one month----thank goodness I journal because I NEED the reminders. I now have a totally new and different perspective about "Down Under". We experienced so much in just four weeks! I am still in awe! From "Middle Earth" to "The Outback" to The Great Barrier Reef and beyond....got to be one of Road Scholar's BEST by FAR!!

This program made me fall in love with the people and countries of New Zealand and Australia. It is a fabulous trip and a great learning experience of these countries Down Under!!!

This was my first Road Scholar program. The trip to NZ and AUS was much more than I could have imagined due to the lectures and educational material prior to each area tour or presentation. The group leader was fantastic and the site coordinators did an excellent job and were so knowledgeable about their areas of their country. We had a small group in each country which was excellent. The use of the listening devices was fantastic and allowed each of us to hear what the lecturers were saying on all of the walks and tours - truly a great addition to any tour group. I came home with a greater understanding of the culture, people, government, etc. from "down under". The friendships that I made with some of the participants will be with me forever. I ventured out of my comfort zone by trying some interesting foods; met a Maori in Rotorua who said "Roll Tide" for the University of Alabama - that was a shock! I have so many memories of the wonderful scenery, the differences in ranching practices between NZ, AUS and the USA; the people; the cleanliness of the countries; the geological makeup. I cannot say enough good things about this program. I would encourage anyone who can participate on the Active Level to not just consider but SIGN UP for this program.

Altogether an amazing adventure! NZ is lovely and green. The Australian Bush goes on and on and is dry and beautiful, with wild camels, wallabies, and million-acre cattle farms! We snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef; attended a performance at the Sydney Opera House (!); sailed in NZ harbor; and witnessed thousands of little penguins marching out of the ocean, up the hills and into their bunkers for the night, only to do it all over again the next day! And we saw rare birds and bugs and plants and flowers, and saw the sunset at Ayers Rock. And we met wonderful professors and a retired crocodile hunter! We visited Maori museums and Aborigine villages, and saw thousands of glow-worms hanging from the ceiling of a huge cave. And we met koalas and kangaroos and friendly people in both countries. Accommodations and food were amazing. This is a program to be savored and remembered!

You will totally enjoy Rodna, the group leader and all the wonderful things that await you on this adventure.

This was an absolutely wonderful experience. Everything was extremely well organized and mostly went off without any hitches. This was even the case when we had to make some changes due to the earthquakes in Christchurch and a couple of flights being delayed. The tour leader was excellent and handled a couple of minor crises professionally and patiently. All of the guides were extremely knowledgeable about their areas and answered all questions that were posed to them. Accomodations were excellent everywhere we went.

The places we visited were very interesting. Each area had its own uniqueness and charm. There was plenty to do every day. We had many types of transportation from busses to airplanes to boats to skyrides. The lectures were interesting and we certainly learned about the history and cultures of the indigineous people in both New Zealand and Australia. We still had plenty of time to explore on our own.

This is certainly at the top of places that I have visited. I highly recommend this tour to everyone.