Luxury Australia & New Zealand Tours
Australia and New Zealand sit four hours apart by air, share a corner of the same ocean, and couldn’t be more different in character. Together, they form one of the great trips on Earth — ancient red desert beside living coral reef, then emerald fjords and volcanic geothermals and snow-capped alpine peaks. Journey Earth’s combined Australia and New Zealand tours weave both countries into a single seamless itinerary, with private charters, exclusive accommodations, and expert guides on both sides of the Tasman who know their regions at a depth no group tour can match. One trip. Two extraordinary countries. All built around you.
Australia & New Zealand for Every Traveler
Families
From glass-bottom boat tours at the Great Barrier Reef to whitewater rafting in Rotorua to Uluru’s Field of Light installation, both countries deliver experiences that genuinely work across all ages. We build every family itinerary around your group — balancing adventure, culture, and pace so nothing feels forced.
Seniors
Private helicopter rides over the Reef, accessible Great Ocean Road viewpoints, wine country retreats in the Barossa and Marlborough, and a climate-controlled Milford Sound cruise — both countries reward considered pacing. We design around your interests and energy levels, with accessible alternatives wherever the terrain demands it.
Couples
Two countries across a single itinerary means the contrast never stops — Great Barrier Reef snorkelling, private Barossa wine tastings, Queenstown alpine dinners, and a Milford Sound sunrise from an overnight anchor. We build every couple’s trip around your specific version of the journey: active, indulgent, or both.
Two Countries, Countless Landscapes
Australia and New Zealand offer entirely different experiences — yet together they form one of the great multi-country journeys on Earth. At Journey Earth, we sequence both countries into a single seamless itinerary, matching destinations to your travel style and interests.
Uluru & the Red Centre
The most iconic landscape in Australia occupies a silence that takes time to absorb. Our partnerships with Anangu Traditional Owners open access to Dreaming stories, rock art, and cultural knowledge that go well beyond the standard lookout circuit. Staying at Longitude 131° — canvas suites positioned directly facing the rock — and witnessing the colour shift at dusk with nobody else around is among the rarest experiences in Australian travel.
Uluru & the Red Centre
The Great Barrier Reef
The world’s largest coral system is best experienced away from the day-boat crowds. Private charters with marine biologists give access to reef formations most visitors never reach, alongside ecological context that transforms what you’re seeing. Scenic floatplane transfers across the outer reef add a perspective no boat can match — endless turquoise from above, broken only by coral formations the size of city blocks.
The Great Barrier Reef
Milford Sound & Fiordland
Milford Sound is most commonly experienced from a crowded ferry — and most commonly underwhelming as a result. Private boat charters take you through the fiord at your own pace, with naturalists on board. Overnight anchoring inside the sound — after day visitors have departed — delivers a sunrise against 1,200-metre sheer rock walls and absolute silence that no day tour can replicate.
Milford Sound & Fiordland
Queenstown & the Southern Alps
New Zealand’s adventure capital sits on Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables range forming its backdrop. Beyond the well-known activities, Queenstown is a gateway to some of New Zealand’s finest small lodges — including Blanket Bay, accessible by private launch across the lake — and to helicopter access over the Southern Alps that reveals the alpine interior in a way no road can provide.
Queenstown & the Southern Alps
Rotorua & the Geothermals
The North Island’s geothermal heartland combines steaming craters, erupting geysers, and the richest concentration of living Maori culture in New Zealand. Our connections give private access to marae spaces and rongoa Maori practitioners that general visitors never reach. Rotorua is also one of the most naturally engaging destinations for families — geothermal landscapes and Maori cultural performances work brilliantly across all ages.
Rotorua & the Geothermals
Sydney Harbour
Australia’s most recognisable city is the natural entry or exit point for most Australian itineraries, and rewards a few unhurried days. Private harbour cruises at sunset, breakfast with Opera House views from a reserved terrace, and curated introductions to Sydney’s restaurant scene — from waterfront fine dining to inner-city laneway kitchens — establish the tone for everything that follows.
Sydney Harbour
Your Journey to Australia & New Zealand, Seamlessly Crafted
1. Tell Us About Your Dream Trip
Your journey begins with a personal consultation. Our travel designers bring genuine on-the-ground knowledge of both countries — from Anangu cultural access at Uluru to private Māori marae connections in Rotorua — and use their exclusive local relationships to shape your vision into a seamless, tailor-made itinerary.
2. We Design Your Ideal Two-Country Itinerary
We build a completely one-of-a-kind trip around your pace, interests, and travel style — managing inter-country logistics, accommodation sequencing, and private transfers so the journey moves smoothly from one country to the next without a single loose end.
3. Arrive and Simply Experience It
With every domestic flight, private charter, lodge, and local guide meticulously arranged and loaded into your personal digital itinerary app, you are free to step off the plane and into the journey — nothing left to organise, nothing left to chance.
Luxury Australia & New Zealand Travel, Made Your Way
Australia and New Zealand sit at opposite ends of the wine world — and private cellar door access in both is unlike anywhere else. The Barossa Valley’s old-vine Shiraz and Margaret River’s maritime Cabernet set the Australian benchmark; Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago’s Pinot Noir define New Zealand’s. In Sydney and Auckland, private introductions to chefs and restaurants elevate the experience well beyond any standard tasting menu.
In Australia, private sessions with Anangu elders at Uluru open access to Dreaming stories and ancient rock art spanning 60,000 years. Cross the Tasman and Maori culture offers something equally profound — powhiri welcome ceremonies, hangi feasts, and access to marae spaces normally reserved for community use. Two living cultures, both rooted in deep relationships with their landscapes — accessible at a depth standard tours can’t provide.
Australia’s coastline ranks among the world’s most varied. Private Great Barrier Reef charters with marine biologists reach formations most day-trippers never see. Floatplane transfers across the outer reef add an aerial dimension no boat can match. In New Zealand, private Milford Sound charters deliver a fiord sunrise against 1,200-metre rock walls — and the Bay of Islands’ 144 subtropical islands are best explored by private sail.
The combined itinerary builds some of the world’s great adventure moments into a single journey. Helicopter landings on Franz Josef Glacier. Scenic floatplanes over the Great Barrier Reef’s outer formations. Queenstown’s access to the Southern Alps by private charter. And the Great Ocean Road’s coastal drama — best experienced by private vehicle at your own pace, with no coach window between you and the view.
Few multi-country trips on Earth match Australia and New Zealand for wildlife. Kangaroo Island’s sea lion colonies and echidnas in their natural habitat. The Great Barrier Reef’s manta rays and reef sharks, viewed up close on private marine biology charters. New Zealand’s dolphins and fur seals in Milford Sound. Whale watching off Kaikoura. And kiwi encounters in Rotorua — one of New Zealand’s most elusive animals, rarely seen in the wild.
Where You Stay Makes the Journey
Australia and New Zealand together represent some of the world’s finest small luxury lodges — properties that sit in genuinely exceptional places and deliver a level of personal service large hotels can’t replicate. In Australia: Qualia on Hamilton Island, where pavilions face the Coral Sea from elevated hilltop positions; Longitude 131° at Uluru, with canvas suites positioned directly facing the rock across the red desert plain; Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, perched on clifftops above the Southern Ocean.
In New Zealand: Blanket Bay near Queenstown, a stone lodge on the shores of Lake Wakatipu accessible only by private launch; Huka Lodge in Taupō, set above the rushing Waikato River with just thirty suites on the property. Journey Earth personally vets every property, matches each to your travel style, and handles all arrival logistics so every stay fits the itinerary around it.
Browse our full range of luxury accommodation in Australia and New Zealand.
Why Choose Journey Earth?
Private travel across two countries, built around you — not a brochure.
Two Countries, One Journey
We manage every logistic between Australia and New Zealand — inter-country flights, private arrivals, accommodation sequencing — so the journey moves smoothly across both countries. Explore each in depth through our dedicated luxury Australia tours and private New Zealand tours pages.
Local Knowledge on Both Sides
Our consultants have genuine on-the-ground connections across both countries — from Anangu Traditional Owner experiences at Uluru to private Maori cultural access in New Zealand. That insider depth is what separates a Journey Earth trip from anything on a booking platform.
With You the Whole Way
A dedicated consultant handles every detail, from domestic transfers to remote lodge logistics. A personal itinerary app keeps everything in one place. And 24/7 support means help is always reachable — whether you’re in the Kimberley or deep in Fiordland.
FAQ
How long does a combined Australia and New Zealand tour typically take?
Most clients plan 16 to 24 days. Both countries deserve time, and the combined itinerary works best when neither feels rushed. A 16-day trip allows solid coverage of 3–4 major regions across both countries. Three weeks or more unlocks a genuinely deep experience — remote areas, extended stays, and the slower pace that defines great travel.
What’s the best time of year for a combined Australia and New Zealand trip?
The shoulder seasons — March through May and September through November — tend to work best for both countries simultaneously. These periods avoid peak summer crowds in Australia, align with New Zealand’s more moderate conditions, and still deliver excellent wildlife, weather, and cultural access. Our travel agents advise on timing based on your specific priorities.
Do I need a visa for both Australia and New Zealand?
This depends on your passport. Most Western passport holders can access New Zealand visa-free for tourism stays up to 90 days. Australia operates an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) system covering most visitors from eligible countries. We advise on documentation requirements as part of your planning process.
What’s the best way to split time between Australia and New Zealand?
It depends on your interests. Travelers drawn to wildlife, Indigenous culture, and outback landscapes often want more time in Australia. Those drawn to alpine scenery, adventure activities, and Maori culture tend to lean toward more time in New Zealand. Most clients find roughly equal time works well — though we adjust this based on what each traveler is most excited about.
Can I customize the itinerary after we start planning?
Completely. Our process is collaborative from the first conversation to final confirmation. Itineraries evolve through multiple rounds of discussion and adjustment. We don’t present a fixed package and ask you to accept it — we build the trip through genuine dialogue about what matters most to you, then refine it until it’s exactly right.
