Indulge yourself with a luxury holiday from Qantas

Qantas Holidays has launched its most extensive Australia and New Zealand brochure to date with an increase in the number of luxury resorts, lodges and boutique hotels.

New cutting edge luxury resorts such as qualia on Hamilton Island and Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island in Australia; and lodges such as Greenhill The Lodge Hawkes Bay and the Boatshed Waiheke Island in New Zealand, highlight the growing number of luxury accommodation options available.

New for this year is a range of unique experiences such as the Cape York Turtle Rescue project in Australia where holidaymakers can assist indigenous rangers to protect the turtles and other marine life from entrapment from fishing nets and a guided sea kayaking tour on the Abel Tasman in New Zealand.

The brochure is easy to use with a flip style design featuring 167 pages of Australian holiday ideas and 93 pages of New Zealand holiday ideas. The brochure also covers a number of exciting Asian, American and South Pacific stopover options to enable travellers to break up their journey.

Holidaymakers will be spoilt for choice as the brochure covers both independent holidays as well as tailor made and escorted itineraries throughout the region; from the well known areas of New South Wales and Victoria to the more off the beaten track regions of South and Western Australia, and the Southern Lakes and the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

Travellers looking for culture, fantastic rail journeys, breathtaking cruises or self drive holidays; adventure, indulgence or indigenous experiences; city breaks, country retreats or Outback stations; budget, mid range or luxury will find what they are looking for in this new brochure.

AUSTRALIAN HIGHLIGHTS
Touring options include a mammoth 26-day World Explorer tour that includes stopovers in Singapore and Los Angeles, and visits Cairns, Uluru and Sydney in Australia, and Auckland and Rotorua in New Zealand. Prices from £3,479 per person including international and domestic flights, 26-nights accommodation with some meals and seven-nights car hire.

Travellers who want to enjoy the Australian Outback by rail can take the world famous Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs. Prices start from £468 per person. Other train options include the unique Tilt train from Brisbane to Cairns, the Sunlander between Brisbane and the Tropical North and the Indian Pacific, one of the world’s longest rail journeys, from Sydney through to Perth via Adelaide.

Those seeking luxury could add a couple of nights at the exclusive qualia resort on the northern tip of Hamilton Island. The resort opened at the end of 2007 and offers world class facilities and service in a tropical and tranquil setting. Guests can opt to stay in a private pavilion with their own plunge pool or private deck. Prices from £670 per person for two nights including all meals and transfers.

Travellers keen to add a volunteer experience to their holiday can visit Cape York Turtle Rescue Centre in Northern Queensland and join a group of volunteers to assist indigenous rangers and researchers. Prices start from £433 per person for two nights including accommodation, all meals and transfers.

NEW ZEALAND HIGHLIGHTS
Touring options include a 21-day Great New Zealand Experience, a comprehensive sightseeing tour, exploring North and South Island highlights. Prices start from £3,185 and include 20-nights accommodation, guided touring and all sightseeing as per itinerary, some meals and transfers to and from Auckland airport.

There are three rail journeys including the TranzAlpine linking Christchurch and Greymouth on the South Island, considered one of the finest rail journeys in the world. Prices start from £60 per person for the 4.5 hour journey coast to coast.

Wine enthusiasts should consider staying in Hawkes Bay wine country, an area that offers wonderful scenery and the chance to explore the 40 wineries in the region. Stay at the luxury Greenhill The Lodge in the heart of the Hawkes Bay which offers just seven rooms at this tranquil retreat. Prices start from £141 per person

Travellers can explore the extraordinary alpine region of Mount Cook on the South Island, where glaciers cover 40% of the area, with 19 peaks towering over 3,000 metres, including New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook. Close by is the world-renowned Hermitage Hotel that has been offering superior accommodation from 1884. Prices start from £137 per person per night.

And finally, another new facility is the Lounge Pass which provides passengers with the opportunity to avoid busy departure lounges. From £18.50 travellers can access (subject to terms and conditions) up to 128 VIP airport lounges worldwide at almost 100 airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, before boarding their flight.

For more information see Qantas.co.uk/holidays.