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Experience Overview
Traveling solo to Australia and New Zealand is an adventure in itself, and this 25-day Solo-ish trip ensures you’ll never feel alone. From the moment you arrive, your expert CEO and built-in travel mates will make you feel at home. Journey through New Zealand from north to south, immersing yourself in Māori culture, cooking Kiwi dishes with locals, and exploring the stunning landscapes of Kaikoura and Franz Josef—whether with your group or on your own. In Australia, embark on a 4x4 adventure to French Island to spot wild koalas, explore the awe-inspiring Uluru while learning about its rich Indigenous history, and cap off the trip near the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Highlights
- Mt Eden Summit Walk
- Cruise Lake Rotoiti to hot springs
- Full day immersion with Kohutapu Lodge
- Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
- Visit to Kaikoura Seal Colony
- Hokitika Gorge
- Franz Glacier Trek
- Full Day Cruise at Doubtful Sound
- Tour Queen Victoria Market
- Laneways Street Art Tour with your CEO
- Full day 4x4 excursion to French Island to spot Koalas
- Explore Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park
- Day trip to Manly Beach
- Kuranda Skyrail
Trip Details
Product Code: 28622
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Budget
Transport: Flight, private vehicle, boat, ferry, walking.
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles: Adventure, Budget
Tour Operator: G Adventures
Supplier Code: ONAU
Starts: Auckland, New Zealand
Finishes: Cairns, Australia
Duration: 25 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating: Average
Includes
Activities
- Your G for Good Moment: Kohutapu Lodge Experience, Murupara Dinner Party: Dinner Party, Auckland Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group We Day: Mt Eden Summit Walk, Auckland We Day: Kohutapu Tribal Tour, Rotorua Your Discover Moment: Franz Josef Me Day: Queenstown Me Day, Queenstown Dinner Party: Melbourne Cooking Class, Melbourne G Day: Queen Victoria Market & Melbourne Street Tour, Melbourne We Day: French Island Day Trip, French Island Me Day: Sydney Me Day, Sydney
- Complimentary arrival transfer
- Mt Eden Summit Walk
- Cruise Lake Rotoiti to hot springs
- Free time in Rotorua
- Full day immersion with Kohutapu Lodge
- Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
- Visit to Kaikoura Seal Colony
- Free time in Kaikoura
- Hike Hokitika Gorge
- Franz Glacier Trek
- Free time in Franz Josef
- Full Day Cruise at Doubtful Sound
- Free time in Queenstown
- Tour Queen Victoria Market
- Laneways Street Art Tour with your CEO
- Full day 4x4 excursion to French Island to spot Koalas
- Guided walks at Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park
- Full Service Desert Tented Camp stay in the Red Centre
- Sunset at Uluru
- Guided Hiking at Kings Canyon
- Visit to Telegraph Station
- Day trip to Manly Beach
- Free time in Sydney
- Kuranda Skyrail
- Free time in Cairns
- Internal airfare
- Transport to/from all included activities
Accommodation
- Hotels (22 nts), Outback Tented Camp (2 nts, shared facilities).
- 13 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners
Transport
- Flight, private vehicle, boat, ferry, walking.
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Office) and local guides throughout.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $11899 ($476 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Dinner Party: Auckland
Kia Ora and welcome to New Zealand! After taking your included arrival transfer to the hotel, join your fellow solo-ish travellers for a welcome meeting. Then get hands on with a cooking class! Alongside your new mates, cook up a fresh and delicious Kiwi meal while getting to know the people you're travelling with.
Meals included: Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Food is a universal language, and there's no better way to get to know a new friend, or a new community, than by breaking bread together and digging in to a delicious meal. New Zealand is famous for having extremely fresh and local ingredients in their dishes. Use these beautiful ingredients to make an amazing meal of Ika Mata, coconut milk ceviche, and Horopito roasted Lamb Rump, then sit down with your fellow solo-ish travellers and enjoy the feast!Activity - Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards.Accommodation - Oaks Auckland Hotel
Day 2: G Day: Rotorua
After grabbing your first Kiwi breakfast, join your CEO for a guided walk up to the Mt Eden Summit. The views of Auckland at the top are incredible-so don't forget to take some photos. Later, make your way south to Rotorua where you can choose to enjoy a lunch stop at Eat Street, a local block of popular food stalls and restaurants. In the afternoon, join your fellow Solo-ish travel mates and board a boat to cross Lake Rotoiti, with a surprise en route. Together we'll relax lakeside in hot springs, nestled within the bush. A pretty awesome day to enjoy Rotorua and to get to know your group.
Meals included: Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Take a water taxi across Lake Rotoiti to the geothermal pools. Jump between the cold lake water and the hot springs, walk through the bush that engulfs the spring pools and grab a beer or coffee from the cafe onsite.Activity - With your incredible CEO at the helm, get to know the local community and your Solo-ish travel mates on a day packed full of interesting and engaging adventures. Join your CEO for a trek up Mt Eden, or Maungawhau, which means ‘mountain of the whau tree’. This area was one of the largest and most elaborate Māori settlements in the region. At the top, enjoy spectacular 360 views over Auckland.Accommodation - Sudima Lake Rotorua
Day 3: We Day: Rotorua
Together we head to the Maori-owned Kohutapu Lodge, to explore New Zealand's Indigenous culture on this full day excursion. Learn how a hangi lunch is prepared in an underground pit, the traditional way, and enjoy the feast with your Maori hosts. Learn about traditional eel traps and be welcomed into a traditional marae. Walk through the 800-year-old podocarp trees in the Whirinaki Rainforest to learn about the history of the forest and spot endemic birds and medicinal plants. Today's adventure is one of New Zealand's most authentic and community-based Indigenous programs, and will surely stand out as a highlight of your Solo-ish Adventure.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - With your incredible CEO at the helm, get to know the local community and your Solo-ish travel mates on a day packed full of interesting and engaging adventures. Travel to Kohutapu Lodge, a social enterprise owned by a local Maori family who are making a difference in their local community through community-driven initiatives. Led by your Maori guide, start the dat at Lake Aniwhenua Domain and be welcomed onto tribal lands by your guide. Watch as the guide sets the traditional eel traps, a method still being used today. Next, witness the laying of a ground cooked hangi that you will have the opportunity to taste later in the day. Continue with your Maori guide and enjoy a number of additional activities, all based around the community and what may be happening the day of your visit. Finally indulge in a delicious hangi lunch-the very same you watched be put underground to cook. Conclude the day in Whirinaki rainforest- a Jurassic Podocarp forest- where you will be led by your Maori guide to discover more about the Maori culture and learn about the history of the forest. Spend a final few moments bathed in the forest’s sights and smells while indulging in a cup of hot kawakawa tea.Activity - Kohutapu Lodge hosts travelers with their Tribal Ancestor's beliefs at the core of their mission, and have worked to use tourism as a way to support their community. Located in the heart of Ngāti Manawa’s remote tribal lands and Māori-owned, Kohutapu Lodge offers opportunities where our people can be paid to be themselves in a community that faces high unemployment. Feel welcomed and connected to Aotearoa during today's visit.Accommodation - Sudima Lake Rotorua
Day 4: Rotorua: Free Day
A full day free gives you the opportunity to explore this unique town how you want. With seemingly endless options, choose to visit some hot springs, go white water rafting or explore from the treetops on a Rotorua Canopy Tour.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy a free day to explore this lakeside adventure town.Accommodation - Sudima Lake Rotorua
Day 5: Rotorua to Auckland: Glow Worm Caves
This morning we drive from Rotorua to Waitomo to see the magical glow worms illuminate the caves. Ride a boat through the water filled caves, and as the sunlight fades, see how the bright blue glow brightens from the silk worms hanging from the ceiling. After, drive to Auckland for the night, our last evening on the North Island.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Enjoy a peaceful boat ride through 30 million year old caverns covered with magical glowworms that are unique to New Zealand. Hundreds of thousands of these tiny creatures radiate luminescent light in underground caves carved by rivers and time. Take in more than 136 years of cultural and natural history on this unique excursion.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Oaks Auckland Hotel
Day 6: Auckland to Kaikoura: South Island
Together we fly to New Zealand's South Island this morning. After arriving, drive to North Canterbury, stopping for lunch along the way. Then continue the drive to Kaikoura. In the afternoon, visit the giant and adorable fur seals that live on the peninsula.
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Stop to experience a close encounter with the many southern fur seals lying about on rocks just off the highway.Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Accommodation - The White Morph
Day 7: Kaikoura: Free Day
Kaikoura is one if the best places in all of New Zealand to see wildlife. Spend today however you wish, but of course we recommend trying to see some of these amazing animals in the wild. Opt to go on a Giant Sperm Whale watching tour or out for a tour in hopes to swim with the Dusky Dolphins.
Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Spend today at leisure in the seaside town of Kaikoura.Accommodation - The White Morph
Day 8: Kaikoura to Hokitika
Drive to Hokitika, a town nudged between the Tasman Sea to the west and the Hokitika River to the south. Full of beautiful nature, wildlife and a history of ship wrecks, gold and green stone miners, Hokitika is not to be missed. The drive can make for one of our longer days, but we'll make some pitstops along the way to break up the journey. After arrival, enjoy free time to explore the town.
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Free_time - Enjoy a free afternoon in Hokitika.Accommodation - Beachfront Hotel Hokitika
Day 9: Hokitika to Franz Josef: Franz Josef Glacier
Walk through remarkable Hokitika Gorge, crossing the suspension bridge and admiring the incredibly blue water. Head back to town for a group lunch. Then drive to Franz Josef, and hike through the rain forest of Franz Josef with views of the beautiful glacier.
Meals included: Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Hike the short and easy trek through the Franz Josef rainforest with views of the glacier and snow covered mountains.Activity - Visit the crystal blue water of Hokitika Gorge. Hike through the bush and look for the rare blue mushroom, walk across the suspension bridge over the beautiful water and admire the incredible beauty of the South Island.Accommodation - Rainforest Retreat
Day 10: Franz Josef: Free Day
A free day today in Franz Josef calls for adventure. Opt to take a scenic helicopter flight up to the impressive glacier, or kayak on Lake Mapourika. Or choose to join the Guided Heli Hike, taking a helicopter to the glacier and hiking through the snow capped mountains and over the bright blue glacier.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Spend today however you'd like in Franz Josef.Accommodation - Rainforest Retreat
Day 11: Franz Josef to Queenstown
Drive with your fellow solo-ish travellers to the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown. After arrival, settle in and enjoy an evening stroll in this picturesque lakeside town.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Heartland Hotel Queenstown
Day 12: Me Day: Queenstown
Today is your Me Day, which means today is all about me... well you! With so much to do in Queenstown, opt to spend today exploring the adventure capital however you so wish. Or choose to join your CEO and other solo-ish travellers to ride the famous Queenstown gondola. Ride to the top of the mountain and take in the beautiful view of the lake and mountain peaks. Then tonight, choose to join your CEO for a final group dinner in New Zealand. This may be an early dinner because we have an early morning tomorrow, but come together for a bite and a drink before our final day in New Zealand together.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Traveling solo alongside your new Solo-ish travel mates means there's always something fun to do and new friends to explore with. But the joy of travel can also be about taking time to yourself to recharge, refresh and reflect on the journey. Today, choose to join your CEO for an incredible activity, or take the time to yourself to enjoy your own company in one of the most incredible places on our planet.Accommodation - Heartland Hotel Queenstown
Day 13: Fiordland National Park
Wake early for a visit to one of New Zealand's most spectacular destinations on a day trip to Fiordland National Park. Drive from Queenstown, board a boat and cruise between the breathtaking mountain slopes, cascades and sea. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and rainbows made by the waterfalls. After the boat ride, drive back to Queenstown and enjoy one last free evening in Queenstown.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Cruise through stunning Fiordland National Park, one of the most untouched, remote places in the world. Depending on the departure, the cruise will be in either Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound – two of the most stunning regions within the park. Marvel at the steep cliff walls and cascading waterfalls, and keep an eye out for area wildlife: dolphins, penguins, seals, and a variety of birds.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Heartland Hotel Queenstown
Day 14: Queenstown to Melbourne
Say goodbye to New Zealand today as you fly to Australia and continue your Solo-ish adventures. You'll meet some new Solo-ish mates who will be joining the trip in Australia at a welcome meeting in Melbourne.
You'll say goodbye to your Kiwi CEO in Queenstown and meet your new Australian CEO at your welcome meeting in Melbourne this evening.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Activity - Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.Accommodation - Causeway 353 Hotel
Day 15: G Day & Cooking Class: Melbourne
Today, get to know your fellow Solo-ish travellers, CEO and the city of Melbourne with a full day immersion into this vibrant city. Start at the Queen Victoria Markets. Continue your day with a cooking class in the heart of Melbourne CBD's Little Italy. Dive head first into Australian-Italian cuisine and cook up some pizzas alongside your new travel mates. After the delicious feast, join your CEO for a tour of Melbourne's laneway street art.
Meals included: Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Food is a universal language, and there's no better way to get to know a new friend, or a new community, than by breaking bread together and digging in to a delicious meal. Melbourne’s vibrant food scene reflects its rich multicultural heritage, blending flavors from around the world. From Italian pasta in Carlton to Vietnamese pho in Richmond, the city offers an array of global cuisines, making it a culinary haven that celebrates diversity. Join your Solo-ish travel mates for a pizza making class in the heart of Melbourne's Little Italy as you get to know your travel mates. Then sit down together and enjoy your lunchtime-Dinner Party.Activity - With your Solo-ish travel mates and CEO, explore some of the worlds coolest activities alongside new friends. It's not just an epic day of fun, its chock full of incredible experiences to take your day to 11. Visit the largest market in the state of Victoria. With hundreds of vendors, from food, to handicrafts and thrifted treasures, its easy to spend hours here. Then admire Melbourne CBD through its unique Street Art. Wander through alleyways on a tour to discover some of the most interesting outdoor galleries.Accommodation - Causeway 353 Hotel
Day 16: We Day: French Island
When we say one epic day- we do mean one.epic.day. On a full day trip to French Island, join your CEO on an off roading tour through the national park. French Island National park is home to Victoria's healthiest and most abundant wild koala population. With beautiful beaches, rocky coastline, and protected mangroves as the backdrop, join your local guides for an incredible adventure trying to spot koalas, long-nosed potaroos and potentially the incredibly rare bandicoots. End the day with an incredible G Adventures-style surprise.
Meals included: Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - With your incredible CEO at the helm, get to know the local community and your Solo-ish travel mates on a day packed full of interesting and engaging adventures.. Take the ferry to the beautiful French Island National Park, an island just south of Melbourne. Enjoy a 4WD adventure through this remote island to spot koalas and check out incredible views.Accommodation - Causeway 353 Hotel
Day 17: Melbourne to Uluru and Kata Tjuta
Board a flight bound for Yulara, the gateway to Uluru and the Red Centre. Together with your Solo-ish mates and CEO, spend your day exploring the Australian outback, starting first with Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park and the Walpa Gorge walk. Watch the sunset around Uluru before making your way back to your permanent tented camp. Enjoy an outdoor meal and some bonding time under the stars with your fellow Solo-ish friends.
Meals included: Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Activity - Explore Walpa Gorge where the sheer faces of the dome extend hundreds of meters above you. The gorge itself is a natural creek that carves its way between the two tallest domes of Kata Tjuta. Come together as the sun sets at Uluru, marvel at the changing colours over the desert and keep reminding yourself that yes, you really are there.Accommodation - Uluru Camp
Day 18: Uluru to Kings Canyon: Explore Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Rise early this morning and catch the breathtaking sunrise over Uluru, Australia's most iconic Indigenous landmark. This morning, explore Uluru on foot on a guided walk through some of the most culturally significant areas of the site. These sacred spaces are some of the oldest on the planet, and understanding the interpretation behind them makes them even more impactful. In the afternoon, drive to Kings Canyon overland, to your next permanent tented camp in the bush.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Take a guided walk along the northwest side of Uluru to learn about the history of the area, hear the stories of the Anangu people and gaze upon these awe-inspiring uplifted sandstone rock formations.Activity - Get up early, grab a coffee and watch the reddish hues of massive Uluru come to life as the sun rises.Accommodation - Kings Canyon Camp
Day 19: Kings Canyon to Alice Springs
In the desert morning, head out for an early hike throughout Kings Canyon. Choose between the harder 3 hour Rim hike and a more approachable 1 hour option. The Rim walk is a 6km walk along the upper rim of Kings Canyon. The most difficult part of the hike is the very beginning with a 500 step ascent, but the landscapes and views you are rewarded with are more than worth the effort. You won't even remember the effort it took to get up there. (Sort of!) If you prefer to take it easy, enjoy a 2km hike through canyon valley. In the afternoon, rest your legs on the drive to Alice Springs.
Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - HIke through beautiful Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park on this walk that visits the natural amphitheatre, the North and South walls, and the Garden of Eden.Accommodation - Desert Palms Alice Springs Hotel
Day 20: Alice Springs to Sydney
Enjoy a morning tour of Alice Spring learning about Telegraph Station, Anzac Hill and more. Then fly from Alice Springs to Sydney. Arrive to the city in the afternoon and enjoy free time to settle in or explore. Opt to head out with your CEO and fellow solo-ish mates for a relaxed evening exploring Sydney's vibrant food scene. Whether it's the lively laneways of Surry Hills, the bustling markets of Darling Harbour or the hidden gems around Chinatown, there's plenty of delicious spots to discover.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Enjoy a guided tour of Alice Springs to explore the town. You'll drive to the top of Anzac Hill, learn about the significance of Telegraph Station, and see the ephemeral Todd River — which may or may not exist!Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Accommodation - Rydges Sydney Central
Day 21: Sydney: Manly Beach
Join your CEO as you climb aboard the local ferry and travel from Sydney to Manly Beach. Manly is one of Australia's most famous beaches, which is quite the praise for a giant island nation. With world class surfing, beautiful water and lined with pine trees, you'll quickly learn why its so popular amongst locals and travelers alike. Relax on the beach, grab some fish n chips and ice cream or take the easy coastal walk to Shelly Beach. Return to Sydney CBD this evening for a dinner together out on the town.
Meals included: Dinner
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Board the ferry and travel from Sydney to the famed Manly beach, just a little over an hour north of the city.Free_time - Spend the afternoon enjoying Manly Beach however you'd like.Accommodation - Rydges Sydney Central
Day 22: Me Day: Sydney
Spend today in Sydney however you'd like. It is your Me Day after all! Join your CEO and other fellow Solo-ish travellers for a CEO guided tour of Sydney's famous landmarks or choose to enjoy some solo time. Opt to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, tour the Sydney Opera house or whip through the bay on a Jet Boat ride.
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Traveling solo alongside your new Solo-ish travel mates means there's always something fun to do and new friends to explore with. But the joy of travel can also be about taking time to yourself to recharge, refresh and reflect on the journey. Today, choose to join your CEO for an incredible activity, or take the time to yourself to enjoy your own company in one of the most incredible places on our planet.Accommodation - Rydges Sydney Central
Day 23: Sydney to Cairns
Leave the city behind and fly north to Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. This afternoon, have a chance to explore Kuranda Village tucked away in Kuranda National Park. Do some shopping in the local market and visit the beautiful gardens. Then ride the Skyrail down towards Cairns. Pass over the top of the tropical rainforest, admire the incredible view and makes stops at a waterfall and other incredible lookout points.
Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Activity - Visit Kuranda town and take some time to explore the markets and gardens. Then, settle into a comfortable 6 seat gondola for a ride with a spectacular view. The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway glides 7.5 km above the ancient Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, so close to the tree tops it's as if you could reach out and touch the leaves. Stop and get off at Barron Falls and Red Peaks to admire the forrest, falls and the greenery of Kuranda National Park.Accommodation - Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns
Day 24: Cairns: Free Day
A free day in Cairns means one thing for most people, an adventure to the Great Barrier Reef! Book a tour out to sea to snorkel or scuba dive through the biggest coral reef system in the entire world. In the evening, opt to join your fellow Solo-ish travellers for one last hoorah together.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Spend the full day free in Cairns and at the Great Barrier Reef.Accommodation - Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns
Day 25: Cairns
You arrived a solo traveller and are leaving with many new friends. Say goodbye to your fellow Solo-ish friends and depart at any time.
Meals included: Breakfast
Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
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Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.
In Business Since 1990
