An Odyssey Down Under: Australia and New Zealand

What a wonderful odyssey! Culture, history, flora, fauna, geology, marine life--Every day we learned something new and saw something new and unique. Our expert local guides and instructors provided the background information and understandings that greatly enhanced our experiences in New Zealand and Australia. It was a perfect travel experience!

Wonderful mix of activities, learning experiences, amazing sites! Lots of flights and hotel changes, with possible wide range of weather conditions, so pack light and wear layers and comfortable walking shoes. It’s a long trip but well worth it for all we saw and did.

The 31 day Road Scholar trip to New Zealand and Australia was executed flawlessly. The group leader Ron Turner was supurb. You won't be able to plan a trip like this on your own. If you want to see, explore, and learn a lot this trip is for you. But note--this is not a vacation, but a busy eduational experience. We took 13 planes and stayed at 12 hotels! Up by 5AM on a bus by 7:30 or 8AM and bed by 9PM. But we learned so much and enjoyed the lectures and folks on the trip! Tom

This was my nineth Road Scholar Trip, and was the fulfillment of a bucket list item - one month in New Zealand and Australia. The highlight of my trip was on Phillip Island while I sat and watched the Penguin Parade and stared up at the Southern Cross. Doesn't get much better than that!

A wonderful learning experience of two interesting countries with many highlights such as Performance on Sydney Harbor and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. Must be physically fit to keep up the pace.

There is much to see and do on this trip. Activity and learning were packed into every day.

This trip is a definite time committment but it is a unique trip of a lifetime. I felt it hit a the major highlights of Australia and New Zealand. Definitely enjoyed learning the cultural, political and scientific views of the people, their land and history. Eye opening and spectacular. Enjoyed every moment and have great lifelong memories. Do it!!!

The trip of a lifetime! I have learned, seen, encountered, and felt so much from the diverse opportunities the trip offered. I believe my perspectives regarding treatment of indigenous people and racial minorities has been broadened, as has my understanding of various approaches to structuring a democratic society. The trip has made me a more informed citizen and enriched my life greatly.

Wonderful trip New Zealand was absolutely amazing and I enjoyed all of the activities and the locations. Australia (particularly the Sidney Opera House was a bucket list item for me.

This tour of New Zealand and Australia was amazing in is breadth and depth. We had so many wonderful experiences, many not available to independent travelers. Our tour director and every tour guide and presenter were outstanding, and all fellow travelers were compatible and supportive. However, be fit. Be prepared to walk >5 miles in a day, although the average is walking about 3 miles/day. Be specific about bed size as well as number of beds. -- Jenny

I have participated in five different Road Scholar Programs on three continents. This was the best. If Australia and New Zealand are in your travel plans, this is the program for you.

An Odyssey Down Under: New Zealand and Australia was the trip of a lifetime. We covered a lot of ground. The days were full of fun and stimulating activities The group leaders and instructors were knowledgeable and passionate about their area of the world. I would choose this program again in a heartbeat.

Four weeks of total immersion in these two fascinating countries. I got to fully experience the history and personality of Down Under while touring most of the high points.

This program is packed with interesting things to see and do. It is so efficiently organized that you could never do/see so much on your own in the same time frame.

Wonderful trip to Australia and NZ. The trip covers a lot of ground so definitely keep the pace is in order. Due to all the flights, don't overpack as one needs to move luggage, check luggage and haul luggage in many situtations. Overall, casual easy-dry clothing worked best. This trip was fun, educational and fabulous!

Gil, our group leader, was great deserving of five stars. She was professional in every way. She was fun, energetic, organized, and caring. We saw and did wonderful things. This trip fulfilled a long time wish of mine. However, nothing is perfect. The hotel in Wellington did not have air conditioning in the rooms and it was three very uncomfortable nights. And on day 27 we had to fly back to Melbourne, spend the night before flying to Cairns. We spent the afternoon getting to Melbourne, arriving in our hotel rooms at 2230. Then had to be back in the hotel lobby at 0400 the next morning for the flight to Cairns. There is a better way to see Australia.

Great Program!

What a great trip! We saw and learned so much that's it's hard to know where to begin. The hotels were clean and comfortable. The food - oh my goodness! Always plenty of choices and excellent presentation. The coach and drivers were safety minded and excellent drivers. The local guides were knowledgeable and interesting. Our group leader, Gill, was an absolute treasure to travel with. She really made the trip very enjoyable. Our 18 other travelers were an amazing group to travel with. They were lots of fun and made the trip even more special. I highly recommend this trip and Road Scholar. From start to finish, it was a first rate trip of a lifetime!

Four months was a long time to travel. Many of the people on our trip got sick and no one was asked to wear masks on the bus. A couple people did wear masks if they were not feeling well. Maybe encouraging mask use would help keep more group participants healthy in the future.

Outstanding trip! Well worth the time and cost. We definitely received our monies worth. Since we will likely never return down under, we felt that we left nothing undone nor were we left wanting more. Highly recommended.

We had never spent an entire month away from home on vacation before, but we were kept so busy and saw SO MUCH OF THE BEST OF NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA that we would highly recommend this tour, AN ODYSSEY DOWN UNDER: NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

This was a wonderful trip and the only downside were the days that ended up being 14 or 15 hours long. I thought Melbourne was a waste of time with very little to do and would much have preferred more downtime in Cairns at the end of the trip. The other issue I had was a long monologue at the end of a very long day that was about selling the women's self published book about her family. Great tour guides as always. Linda Burt

Loved it and group leader Robyn excellant and very caring

This was truly a trip of a lifetime with just about no stone left unturned. I appreciated all of the educational content, with each day connecting to what we had already experienced and what we were yet to experience. All of the leaders and guides are incredible - so knowledgeable, friendly, organized and kind. They all had many years of experience showing off their corner of the group to travelers. I have friends who have gone to New Zealand and Australia with other travel companies and none of them had the depth and breadth of experiences that this Road Scholar trip provides.

This trip was incredible……it was special in every aspect including food, accommodations (mostly) …..our tours……didn’t nickel and dime you for any extra visit/tours…….the local guides were excellent BUT mostly our director for 31 days…..superior. The people…..only 21 were friendly. I’d go again…….liked NZ……AU…….except Sydney ……not so much. They balance between history, nature, culture and shopping was perfect and with some free time you could focus on what you like best.

Fabulous Trip to NZ and Australia!

Excellent trip! It often exceeded expectations. A great balance of education, culture, and activity. What really made it exceptional were the people - from the tour leaders (Jen and Harry) to the local guides, lecturers, and especially the participants. Keep birding!

A wonderful experience and worth the long distance and time of travel. Both New Zealand and Australia were beautiful and interesting and welcoming to tourists. RS is so well organized, the accomodations were very conveniently located and the food was great, if over bountiful. One of the best trips I have been on of the 20 so far.

An excellent trip -- highly recommended which is what I have said about most of our 20 RS adventures. The attractions are world class: volcanos, rain forests, waterfalls, fine museums, delicious food. Regarding logistics . . . pack light in a sturdy small suitcase you can maneuver. Several hotels have self-laundry. There are 12 flights so consider noise-cancelling headphones.

In deciding to book this tour, we wondered if the value of the program would justify the cost. After participating, we can say that our expectations were met or exceeded in every aspect. Our tour leader, Robbie Selwyn, was professional, engaging, organized and able to expertly handle any obstacles that came up. We met fabulous people, saw amazing sites, broadened our horizons, and have wonderful memories to continue to enjoy.

The depth and texture of the experience were great and far beyond any other tour I could have selected.

Superb way to explore Down Under. The tour had a wide variety of activities -- including gondola rides, sailing a boat, exploring along trails, and snorkeling -- and incorporated excellent lectures and expert-led field trips that greatly enhanced our knowledge of the history, politics, and cultures in each country. The Tour Leader and small group size significantly enhanced our enjoyment of the trip.

A very disappointing trip. This trip was advertised as "keep the pace" but it was not. There were a few individuals who used a cane or walking sticks all the time. The tour pace was slowed down to a crawl. A planed 2-mile 2-hour nature walk took 3 hours. We did not visit sites because a few people complained about having to walk up stairs. On FOUR occasions the pace was so painfully slow, I told our guide I was checking out from the group to go on independent exploration. He said, okay, he understood. I thought, why am I paying RS for a tour then having to create my own tour? RS DID NOT delivery what they advertised. I have taken 18 trips with them and will NOT be booking any more. Before covid I would have recommend RS, after covid RS laid off 3/4 of their staff and the trips have been horrible.

Our trip to Australia and New Zealand was the trip of a lifetime! And I can’t imagine how it could have been better.

What a wonderful Road Scholar trip!I rank it at the top of my RS adventures. We had a small group of 16 people who were easy going and enjoyed traveling with each other. The days were full of lots of laughter and interest in learning about these two very different countries along with their history, culture, people, and the awesome landscapes. Ngaire Douglas, our fearless leader, and her excellent team of local experts were the magic that created a month of wonderful discoveries in all the locations we visited. Ngaire became a good friend who with her support got me to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef - a day I will never forget. Thank you, Ngaire!!

This was truly the trip of a lifetime for me, and fulfilled my dreams, as well as offering some amazing surprises. My first visit to New Zealand and Australia was made even more special by our “fearless” leader, Ngaire, who provided not only an introduction to the culture, people, flora and fauna, and history of these wonderful continents, but also wit and wisdom. She treated us like a family and we had the best experience together! It is well worth the long flight!

This is a terrific destination and it was a joy to be a Road Scholar. It felt great to be appreciated as such at the venues which had positive past experiences. Ngaire Douglas is a fabulous tour guide and the city guides are also excellent. I found Albert Sword to be a good educator and had a special connection with his musicial background. Highly recommend this trip, just bring some stamina and take the advice given.

Kudos to Road Scholar for putting together the trip experience of a lifetime! The group leader Ngaire exhibited extraordinary knowledge and shared as much in affable caring manner. The ancillary site guides were equally knowledgeable and we loved each unique personality (especially Albert). Addition,Lloyd was entertaining and we we still quote some of his dry quips! This was our 1st trip with you and we look forward to many more! Thanks for putting together the best itinerary and guides possible!

It was a long, tiring and very interesting trip. Well organized by the Road Scholar.

This was an amazing experience. The trip was long but necessary to get the richness these diverse countries provide. It was easy to say this bucket list wish fully met all our hopes and dreams. Our trip leader, Shane, was also fantastic and helped make it more than memorable. We highly recommend it for anyone.

The 30 days trip seemed long in the beginning, but they flew by as magic and by rereading my diary I'm reliving the whole outstanding trip day by day. Edith Lonergan

"An Odyssey Down Under: Australia and New Zealand" tour was everything and more than I had hope for! It was absolutely fabulous!

The Odyssey Down Under Australia and New Zealand tour was wonderful! It was our first Road Scholar trip and we were not disappointed except for not being able to complete the Australia portion because the tour was cut short due to the Coronavirus. The accommodations, meals, tour activities, hosts and lecturers were great. There was quite a bit of walking which was fine with us. We enjoyed the variety of activities: harbor and fjord cruises, botanic gardens, zoo with native animals, Sydney Opera performance, several outdoor nature excursions, gondola and cable car rides, etc. The scenery of New Zealand is amazing and the local guides enhanced our experience with their own personal observations. We highly recommend Road Scholar and this tour.

Our recent trip to New Zealand and Australia was all that I had hoped it would be. Road Scholar personnel were friendly, helpful, and took great care of us. All activities were well organized so that our days ran very smoothly. It was the perfect mix of lectures, field trips, and free time. When we had to cancel early due to coronavirus outbreaks, Road Scholar handled all the details, reducing our anxiety. I would highly recommend a trip with Road Scholar. This was my first trip with them, but definitely will not be the last.

This amazing program is a must-do for all travelers.

An Odyssey Down Under: Australia and New Zealand! What a great trip!!! This is the best trip yet, though every RoadScholar trip I've done has been great. This one has more varied activities, more to learn, more scenic beauty... more of everything than I had thought possible. We saw active geysers, plenty of fine art, took in an opera, saw exotic wildlife (both plant and animal) galore, visited the capital building of New Zealand (and casually ran into the country's Speaker of the House!), ate kangaroo (which by the way looks and tastes like fine beef), learned about indigenous history and culture, road cable cars for fantastic views... and I'm only scratching the surface! I feel like I really learned a lot about both of these similar but different countries. Both are great in their own ways and I can now fairly say, "I've done 'em!" but I don't think you could ever run out of things to see and do in that part of the world. This is a fairly long trip, so we really had the chance to get to know one another. We had a wonderful time and I believe I've made some permanent friends on this trip. This is an active trip and although you could choose to stay in your room or to do the town on your own for most activities if you wish, be aware that there will be a lot of walking on this trip. There will be other adventurous activities as well (though again, you could opt out if you chose): skin diving comes to mind. If you've ever wanted to visit the Down Under, this is your trip!

Road Scholar's "An Odyssey Down Under: Australia and New Zealand" was everything we had hope to experience. The logistics of seeing so much of both countries were amazing and ran like a well-oiled machine-- we would never have been able to planned a better trip. Educational programs and actual experiences in culture, politics, indigenous people history and culture, sunrise and sunset at Uluru, a Haka demonstration and so much more-- Thank you Road Scholar--

The four week New Zealand, Austria trip could not have been better. I learned so much and saw so much I'm still processing it all since I arrived home. It was simply the best!

Our visit to New Zealand and Australia was the most incredible experience we have had yet. As seasoned travelers we usually like to explore places on our own, but taking a trip of this distance we wanted to see as much as possible. Many of the lovely places we saw with Road Scholar we would never have found on our own, or might have waited on lines for hours to see. The staff is wonderful, the trip truly an experience of a lifetime!

Very enjoyable trip. On the go a lot. John our leader was very attentive and made the trip exciting. I would do it again and recommend it to others. Some accommodations were a little lacking and flys in some areas were beyond belief but that was part of the experience. I did enjoy New Zealand more than Australia.

Wonderful trip. Would highly recommend Road Scholar to anyone considering a long trip like this one. It was well planned, with a variety of experiences including cultural, historical, political, geological, biological and artistic. Great group size (20), with one tour director who remained with us the entire trip, getting to know us individually and making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the trip. Then at each different city we had a site coordinator who was responsible for handling the experiences in that location, making sure everything ran smoothly, and field trip experts who shared their expertise with us. At our arrival in each new city we received an itinerary detailing the day-to-day experiences for that location. Most days began early with a buffet breakfast followed by the day's activities. Informational lectures, walking tours, local attractions, scenic harbors and parks, government buildings all were included. There were a few evenings planned, including a night in the Sydney Opera House (we saw the Nutcracker), a night sky viewing, and a sunset penguin parade (definitely a highlight!). I was pleased with our accommodations and the food was delicious (Road Scholar took into account those with special dietary needs). The travelers on the trip were from all different areas of the United States and it was fun getting to know each other. I am a single traveler and appreciated being greeted at the Auckland airport by a friendly Road Scholar representative. The whole trip was an incredibly enjoyable experience and I want to thank Bruce, Gill, and the other site coordinators for playing a big role in making this a trip to remember! I look forward to my next trip with Road Scholar!

The trip was fantastic and a wonderful overview of both countries. All the guides were excellent: knowledgeable, good communicators, good senses of humor. I highly recommend it to anyone that wants a fairly comprehensive visit to both New Zealand and Australia. I have three recommendations to Road Scholar for future tours: 1. There should be a comprehensive introductory lecture about Australia at the beginning of that country's tour, similar to the lectures provided by Gordon McLaughlin and Dr. John Walsby at the beginning of the New Zealand segment. 2. Travel to Wellington can incur delays as ours did, and the lecture about New Zealand's Politics - a fairly academic and dry topic - gets pushed later into the evening, when attention spans are diminishing and fatigue is setting in. I suggest scheduling an earlier flight to Wellington and leaving for Arrowtown earlier, if that can be accomplished, 3. The visit to LaParouse Museum could be dropped. It was lightweight. Some other way of covering the history of Australia could be used to complement a comprehensive introductory lecture.

This is an excellent program. It covers a lot of territory in two countries and it is all interesting. The planning and leadership is top notch.

My recent Road Scholar Down Under Odessy fulfilled a dream of a lifetime. What an incredible month of almost endless experiences!

This 30-day trip is an adventure! It is jam-packed with things to do and see everyday. Highly recommended.

A wonderful experience to view a remote part of the world. Very similar to home yet so distinctive. Our group really bonded to enhance the experience.

Hardly ever looked at web site so have no comment either way on its effectiveness or not.

I stated it and saved and continued before I finished. When I came back to it everything I had entered was gone. I almost didn't re-do because it's such an extensive evaluation.

If you want to actually experience the countries rather than just tour, this is the trip for you! The itinerary is such that it’s difficult to pick a “best” for the entire month. Just when you think nothing could top a day you’ve just had, there’s another incredible experience.

The trip of my life. It was full of a wide variety of activates and adventures. The description does not do justice to the experiences.

Fantastic trip with outstanding leaders and educators. Lots to see and do on this trip.

NZ & Australia are scenicly beautiful, clean, welcoming and diverse countries. The native Maori & Aborigine cultures & peoples are fascinating. Every step was well organized with fun activities, wonderful excursions and interesting lectures. The month flies by with the final days in beautiful Cairnes and the Great barrier Reef. Our entire group was sorry to see the month long trip end! This far away location is well worth the effort to get there and needs a month to explore the varied landscapes and encounter the unique birds and animals. Go!

I am sitting in DFW waiting for my trip to Tampa following a 15-hour flight from Sydney. The distance/time is the worst part, but SO worth it. I can't begin to describe all the diverse and fascinating experiences we had, but the website description doesn't begin to do it justice. Seeing three different extremely endangered species in three different setting was an incredible highlight. But every part of the trip was wonderful. Albert Sword was the most incredibly warm, car I g, humorous, entertaining, and professional group leader imaginable. The extra value he provided was immeasurable. He and the site coordinators ushered us through ALL the airports efficiently and with great humor and care, making one of the parts I dreaded, the so-frequent flights, a pleasure as well. My fellow travelers and I became a cohesive group that kept dragging out our hugs and goodbyes as we prepared to leave Sydney because we just enjoyed each other, Albert, and the trip so very much. I can't imagine another trip and group leader ever giving us so much.

Totally amazing!!!

Just a wonderful program. Learned so much about each country in so many different areas (Government, geology, art, natives, foods, live stock, traditions, etc.) A very active program with lots of walking, stair climbing, and some long days. All very worth it for active people.

Road Scholar is wonderful. Very well organized. The leaders and guides are very interesting. Awesome way to travel.

A Odyssey Down Under Australia and New Zealand fulfilled many of by bucket list dreams. Don't wait--take this trip! Fred

It's right for them if they enjoy doing, seeing learning and experiencing and doing so with a well organized organization that makes it comfortable and easy.

We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this trip, especially the variety of places we visited and the variety of information we received about each place. All of the coordinators and lecturers were excellent and the organization of the logistics was meticulous. We had a wonderful time.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to New Zealand and Australia with Road Scholar. It’s hard to believe that 30 days is not enough time to see everything that these two beautiful countries have to offer. However, we got a great taste of the diverse land, culture, wildlife, food, and people. This program is consistent with the high quality we have come to expect from Road Scholar. Our group leader, Robyn Laing was an extraordinary guide. Her energy, enthusiasm, and watchful eye provided all the care and guidance our group needed. Robyn is one of a kind and having her with us for the entire trip enhanced our experience. She is a treasure. Our group of fellow travelers were awesome. We started as strangers and parted as friends. We highly recommend this program to others who are interested in exploring urban and rural aspect of New Zealand and Australia. Trip highlights are too numerous to list, but our personal top 5 favorites were: Waitomo Glowworm cave, Milford Sound cruise, Phillip Island Penguin parade, Sunset at Ayers Rock, and Snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy your adventure!

The Odyssey Down Under was an amazing adventure. I had been to New Zealand and Australia, but I learned so much more than I though possible. The pace of the trip was perfect. I am not sure I would classify this as a vacation as much as I would an entertaining adventure. I found myself looking forward to each day's events. The lecturers introduced that topics that really prepared us for what we were going to experience. The variety was very well executed. Our guide, Shane Cave, was an excellent host. He made us all feel like family and it was obvious that all details had been well planned. Our trip was really HOT, but that was no surprise. Even though we were there Jan/Feb, the heat was tolerable for the most part. Some accommodations did not have A/C (there is rarely a need, but nice to know up front). Road Scholars provide really nice 'listening devices' that were extremely helpful. Feel free to bring your own headphones and you will appreciate them. This was my first Road Scholar trip. I have traveled extensively and I highly recommend travel with RS. You are investing in a lifetime or memories and experiences. Well worth the effort, time and money. Thanks!

Our tip was the adventure of a lifetime--we saw and experienced and learned so much in a month that if I hadn't done it myself, I wouldn't have thought it possible!

Loved it! Superb Group Leader in Robbie, wonderful fellow travelers, and outstanding local guides and lecturers. This tour maximized our time in both countries and left us sad to leave both. Hotels, meals and transportation were up to Road Scholar's high standards and the educational lectures and field trips added depth as well as fun to our travels. The maps, materials and even a book (!) provided during this tour meant we came home with wonderful memories and souvenirs and the desire to learn more about these two countries 'down under.'