8 in-depth reviews of the Australia and New Zealand trips we list — with scores, honest pros and cons, and a straight answer on who each one actually suits. We don't score a tour higher because it pays more.
All reviews
Each review scores the itinerary across six dimensions, sets out what we'd watch for, and points you at three alternatives if it isn't the right fit.
It's the most expensive holiday we list by some distance — and yet its price per day is lower than any of the shorter Highlights tours. Here's our full verdict on Travelsphere's grand slam.
Three weeks, £7,249, all 4-star hotels and every Australian icon worth crossing the world for. We think this is the smartest starting point on the market.
Twenty-one days overland from Sydney to Cairns, with four separate First Nations experiences and a dozen places the big coach tours have never heard of.
Sixteen days, five destinations, two separate Great Barrier Reef experiences and four nights on Hamilton Island — for £4,019. We went through the inclusions line by line.
Thirteen days, two great cities, a guided Outback adventure through Kings Canyon and Uluru — and a lead-in price of £3,639 including flights.
No coach, no group, no fixed departure times. We look at what a private Australian tour actually includes — and the significant catch in the price.
Fox Glacier, Milford Sound, the Catlins and two nights on Stewart Island — the only itinerary we list that reaches New Zealand's third island.
Eleven days in Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island and Margaret River for £3,339 — the emptiest beaches and the best wine region in Australia.
Our method
We read every itinerary line by line, cross-check the inclusions against the operator's own terms, and price them against every comparable trip on the market. We have not personally travelled every route — where we are drawing on published detail rather than first-hand experience, we say so.
Every score is broken into six dimensions — itinerary depth, value for money, pace, accommodation, inclusions and how well the trip works for solo travellers — so you can weight them according to what matters to you. A trip that scores 6 for pace isn't bad; it's busy, which some people want.
We earn commission when you book through our links. That has no bearing on scores, and you'll notice several reviews steering readers towards cheaper trips than the one being reviewed. Read the full disclosure.
The comparison table lists all 20 holidays side by side — duration, countries covered and price, sorted cheapest first.
Compare all 20 holidays →