Australia & New Zealand

---

Biology, English, Geography

Embark on a unique and extraordinary experience to the lands down under while earning a credit. This is one of our signature programs: an eco-educational tour which we have run for years on account of the rave reviews we receive from students.

Our journey begins in Sydney to explore this incredible city before moving to Cairns – Queensland, Australia – our base for visiting the Great Barrier Reef and the Rainforests of northern Australia.

The Great Barrier Reef, home to the most diverse and colourful marine life, is the largest in the world, stretching for a length of more than 750km, with waters reaching a depth of 30 m. Because it’s winter down under, it will be warm enough to go snorkelling, with temperatures reaching 28°C.

We will then spend time in remote areas outside of Cairns – in the Outback – where Kangaroos roam freely and we enjoy full bush breakfasts in the wild! At Cape Tribulation, we study the unique flora and fauna and the Indigenous Aboriginal culture while bushwalking through an area where the coral reef meets the untouched tropical rainforests of Australia surrounded by sandy beaches, mangroves and swamps. The deep gorges and falls are protected UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Our journey takes us next to northern New Zealand for a wilderness and cultural experience. This is the land where Lord of the Rings was filmed and otherwise known by the indigenous Maori people as the “Land of the Long White Cloud”. While in New Zealand students will follow Maori guides to venture through lush rainforests to see some of the largest trees and ferns in the world, enjoy fascinating wildlife, idyllic crystal clear rivers and lakes, and explore incredible lava formations. Untouched until the Maori arrived from Polynesia 1200 years ago, New Zealand’s plant and insect population evolved in isolation and is today extremely diverse. In fact, some of the rare wildlife and bird species date back to the Jurassic era, 200 million years ago, and include flightless birds, and strange reptiles and insects – but very few mammals.

We will also spend time in Auckland – a vibrant city with a buzzing waterfront and harbour full of restaurants and shops. From here we take day trips to rugged coastal beaches and explore the rainforest west of Auckland. We then journey south to Rotorua for an endless discovery of more remote areas of New Zealand, where the amazing experience comes to its final stage as we experience the stunning geothermal activity of gurgling mud pools, hissing geysers and steaming volcanic craters, and glide through massive subterranean caverns on a waterborne barge to see the famous Glow Worm Caves. The day temperature in northern New Zealand during July will be c. 16°C.

This will be an unforgettable experience that you will talk about for years to come!