Top Australia & the Pacific Adventure Tours - page 2

Exploring the Great Ocean Road in one day can be overwhelming, but this group tour takes you straight from the city center to attractions like Loch Ard Gorge, the Twelve Apostles, the Razorback rock formation, and the town of Apollo Bay, where lunch is at your own expense. This National Heritage-listed road promises incredible sea views from your comfortable coach seat.

Make the most of an amazing seasonal event in French Polynesia with a whale-watching excursion between July and early November. Head out into the ocean to spot migrating humpback whales in their natural environment. Look out for other marine animals, including whales and sharks, and if you've chosen the swimming option and weather permits, get in the water to snorkel with the gentle giants. Return to Moorea Lagoon for some snorkeling, with all gear provided for your convenience.

Board a longboat and head down the Navua River taking in the rainforest, waterfalls, rapids, and canyons all around you. See what local life is like when you visit a village in the Namosi Highlands before journeying back along the river to a waterfall pool. Here, put on your life vest and jump into an inflatable inner-tube to ride the gentle rapids and waves to basecamp where lunch awaits.

Get off the beaten path and enjoy sweeping views over Queenstown that would be otherwise difficult to find on this ATV adventure. Head to Queenstown Hill for a half-day tour on a fully automatic ATV and follow your guide over off-road trails (safety gear and all-weather clothing are provided). Enjoy informative commentary and sweeping views over Queenstown. Hotel pickup and drop-off, along with refreshments, are included in this small-group tour.

Enjoy an active day outside of Sydney on a small-group day trip into the Blue Mountains. Go beyond the typical tourist spots on a hike to Wentworth Falls, on which you’ll get some exercise and admire the views without getting lost in the bush. Your guide can even show you some short cuts. Visit Featherdale Wildlife Park and walk to the must-see Three Sisters Lookout, too.

Get up close to Australia’s native wildlife on this memorable full-day tour of Phillip Island from Melbourne, including a handy hotel pick-up. See adorable koalas and wallabies at the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park on the Mornington Peninsula, spot Australia’s largest colony of fur seals at the Nobbies, and watch the sunset penguin parade along Phillip Island's coast. This small-group tour limits numbers to ensure a personalized experience.

Many Melbourne highlights, such as Puffing Billy and the penguins of Phillip Island, are far from the city and tricky to visit on your own. But this seamless full-day tour makes it easy for you to go. Relax as the bus takes you out to the Dandenong Ranges and down to the coast while your guide arranges your steam train tickets and the timing to see the adorable penguin parade.

The Great Ocean Road's main stops draw crowds by midday, so timing your visit to the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge around the buses takes local know-how. Ride it in reverse in a small group instead, reaching the headline sights ahead of the crowds with more time at each. Hotel pickup from Melbourne's CBD and Southbank sorts the start, so you spend the day looking rather than driving.

There are plenty of great Yarra Valley wine tours to choose from, but some of them feel a lot more rushed than others. With this tour, you move at a chilled-out pace, checking out three specially selected wineries with the option to indulge in a cheese platter or charcuterie at one of the stops to fuel up. Note that lunch is not included on this tour.

Explore UNESCO World Heritage–listed K’gari (Fraser Island) the adventurous way on a small-group day tour by 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Drive along the sandy beaches and enjoy the views of the largest sand island in the world. Take detours into the rainforest, admire sparkling Lake Mckenzie, and look out for a range of wildlife and birds. This tour is an easy way to experience the best of the island from Rainbow Beach.

Sail on a 2-masted schooner from Cairns to Green Island for a full day of snorkeling, swimming, and optional scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Spend time in the water around the magnificent coral reef, or laze on Green Island’s white sandy beaches. Refuel with a buffet lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and indulge in a glass of wine as you cruise back to Cairns.

Get up close to the beauty of the Horizontal Falls and pristine scenery of the Kimberley (the most northern region of Western Australia) on this small-group, half-day tour. Experience the thrill of a seaplane ride over Buccaneer Archipelago and Cape Leveque before landing in the calm waters of Talbot Bay. Next, take an exciting boat ride through the Horizontal Falls, followed by a more relaxed cruise around the surrounding bays and creeks. Enjoy a cooked breakfast or lunch onboard (depending on your chosen departure time) and then relax on a scenic flight back to Broome.

Make the most of a travel day between Christchurch and Queenstown by taking an action-packed tour through the Southern Alps. Instead of just catching an uninteresting long-distance bus, take a guided tour via Mt. Cook, the Tasman Glacier, and the scenic Mackenzie Country. Admire the views along the way and make plenty of stops, including brief stops at Wānaka and Cardrona. The tour ends in Queenstown.

Explore the powdery white sand and turquoise waters of the gorgeous Whitsunday Islands on this full-day speed boat cruise around the islands. You’ll have plenty of time on the famous Whitehaven Beach for a buffet lunch picnic, swimming, and snorkeling, with a lesson if necessary, and also stop at Hill Inlet. The crew will also share stories and facts about marine life, aboriginal culture, and local history along the way.

Discover the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef from all angles on this action-packed tour—something few travelers get to enjoy. Cruise onboard a high-speed catamaran and enjoy an introductory or certified scuba dive at two different dive sites. After marveling over the colorful corals and marine life from underwater, hop aboard for a helicopter flight to see the islands and reefs from above.

The Kimberley Coast is renowned for its dramatic sea cliffs, white-sand beaches, and ancient wonders. With this tour, set sail for Roebuck Bay and Dampier Creek on a shallow landing vessel purpose-built for exploring the beaches and bays. Admire views of the towering red cliffs and scenic wetlands, head ashore to discover 120-million-year-old dinosaur footprints, and look out for dolphins, manta rays, and other wildlife along the way.

The rainforest-clad islands, white-sand beaches, and vast coral reefs of the Whitsundays are even more impressive when viewed from above. With this tour, take off on a scenic flight over the Whitsunday Islands and admire the views from the panoramic windows. Fly over Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet, and the Heart Reef, and enjoy a magnificent bird’s eye view of the Great Barrier Reef. Live commentary is available in English, Mandarin, and Spanish.

Discover the rich heritage, natural beauty, and fascinating wildlife of Mossman Gorge from above and below the water on this adventurous small-group tour from Port Douglas. A great way to delve deeper into the Daintree Rainforest, this full-day tour includes a traditional Welcome to Country and smoke ceremony with a Kuku Yalanji guide. You’ll also go snorkeling in the river, take a guided walk through the rainforest, and enjoy a delicious lunch.

Guided by a passionate hiker and photographer who has spent a lifetime in the Blue Mountains, this small-group day tour from Sydney goes where the tour buses don't. In a group of no more than 10, walk into the bush and find wild kangaroos grazing in Megalong Valley, then take real trails to lookouts most tours never reach. Want to push further on a longer, steeper stretch? You can. Want the shorter, easier path to the same view? You can do that too, and the group meets back up on the other side. Lunch is a proper Aussie pie with salad from Mountain High Pies, an award-winning Blue Mountains bakery, with around 20 varieties including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. As dusk falls at Echo Point, enjoy a twilight spread of Shiraz, Brie and Danish Blue cheese, crackers, hummus and Australian sweets while Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos dive off the escarpment to roost. Included, not an upsell. Roughly 10 hours door to door, this is a tour for those seeking some soft adventure in nature.

Set sail for a day of swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing in the Whitsundays on this full-day tour. Cruise around the islands on a high-speed catamaran and discover the colorful underwater world of the UNESCO-listed Great Barrier Reef as you stop at two snorkeling hotspots. Explore the world-famous Whitehaven Beach, admire dramatic coastal views on a hike to the Hill Inlet Lookout, then tuck into a delicious buffet lunch on-board (included).

Enjoy an off-road adventure in the wild of New Zealand while visiting filming locations from the Lord of the Rings trilogy on this half-day excursion from Queenstown. Take in beautiful scenery while you see visit key spots used as the Misty Mountains, Minas Tirith, and the Pillars of the Kings, and stop to pan for gold on the Arrow River.

Make the most of the beautiful Whitsundays—without the hassle of planning or organizing—with this full-day adventure. Head out on a high-speed, 80-passenger boat (complete with air-conditioning and a spacious outdoor area to sunbathe) and spend the day relaxing on the pristine sands of Whitehaven Beach. Enjoy a guided walk to South Whitehaven Lookout and dine on a buffet lunch served onboard the boat. Upgrade your day with the option to include snorkeling at a secluded reef location—all snorkel equipment is provided for ease. As you swim, spot tropical fish and maybe even a sea turtle or two.

Get off the road and discover parts of Moorea that many travelers miss on this small-group all-terrain vehicle tour of the island. After receiving a safety briefing and instructions on driving off-road vehicles, you'll drive to fantastic viewpoints of Mount Rotui, the Magic Mountain, and the Belvedere viewpoint. Stop at an agricultural school to sample fresh produce. A fun excursion for travelers who love active tourism.

Adventurous travelers will love this glowworm-spotting tour with a difference. As the sun gets lower in the sky, paddle in a kayak on Lake Karapiro and along the Pokaiwhenua Stream. You’ll see beautiful native plants and bird life, and rock formations that have been naturally carved over centuries. Once the light disappears, you’ll see thousands of glowworms lighting your way. This tour is a fun way to experience some of New Zealand’s best natural attractions.