Sydney Opera and Birding Tour

The Australia and New Zealand Grand Tour

This is Part 1 of the Grand Tour

Part 1, September 14 - 20, 2026, 7-day tour in the Sydney, Australia area

Part 2, September 20 – 29, 2026, 10-day tour of New South Wales

Part 3, September 29 – October 10, 2026, 12-day tour to New Zealand

If you sign up for all three tours, it is a total of 27 days because there are two days that will overlap. 

Part 1, The Sydney Opera House and Birding Festival:  This will be a 7-day tour which starts and ends in Sydney, Australia.  We will stay at the Pullman Hyde Park Hotel for 6-nights.  This hotel overlooks Hyde Park and an excellent location for daytime activities. There will be 5-nights of evening events*. During the day we will go birding in and around the Sydney area, and travel to birding areas that are within a 1-hour drive from Sydney.

Evening Events:  This tour includes 5-nights of live musical performances.

**Not interested in the evening events?  You can sign up for the daytime birding activities only, or select as many evening events as you would like to see.   

Part 2:  We will travel through New South Whales, starting and ending in Sydney, making a loop through the countryside for a 10-day tour of birding.  Please see our New South Wales Tour page for more details.

Part 3:  This will be a 12-day tour of New Zealand.  The tour starts in Christchurch, New Zealand (south island) and ends in Auckland (north island).  Please see our New Zealand Tour page for more details.

Below you will find the details of Part 1

• Travel Dates: September 14 - 20, 2026
• Group Size: 7 travelers, spots left = 4
• Trip Length: 7 days
• Rates:   Rate per person = $3,650- $4,750** (based on double occupancy, an extra $1,300 for single)
• Rates include:  Lodging, breakfast, lunch on days 2 - 6, dinner on days 2 - 6, daily birding tours, airport transfer to/from Sydney, tickets for five evening performances, basic travel insurance.
• Not included: Airfare to the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), snacks, alcohol, lunch on days 1 and 7, dinner on days 1 and 7, and trip cancelation insurance.
• Adventure level:  Easy, please check the "Welcome" page for definition
• Reservations: To reserve a spot on the trip, a non-refundable 50% deposit is required, and the non-refundable balance is due six months prior to the trip.  

**Rates:  $3,650 is for joining the tour and attending only the daytime birding tours.  $4,750 includes the birding tours, plus 5-nights of evening performances, or pick as many evening events as you like.  The cost of each evening events will be added to the base price of $3,650. 

2026 Itinerary

September 14:  Arrival at the Sydney Airport

• Shuttle transfer from the Sydney Airport (SYD) to the Pullman Hyde Park Hotel where we will stay for the next 6-nights.  The Sydney Airport is a 20-minute drive from our lodging.
• No activities for the day.  Lunch and Dinner on your own. 

September 15:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding sites within Sydney:  Royal Botanic Gardens, Centennial Park, Landing Lights, and Hyde Park.
• 7:00pm:  My Fair Lady musical at the Joan Sutherland Theater Sydney Opera House

September 16:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding the northern beaches: Dee Why Lagoon, Long Reef Headland, Warriewood Wetlands, Irrawong Reserve, and Chiltern Trail.
• Evening Event: TBD

September 17:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding Blue Mountains, Lithgow Wastewater Plant, Wentworth Falls, and Woodford Dam. 
• Evening Event: TBD

September 18:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding the central coast: Ourimbah rest stop, Tuggerah Lake, Pioneer Dairy, and McPherson Swamp.
• 9:00pm:  Suzanne Vega in the Concert Hall 

September 19: Birding and Musical Event

• Birding Royal National Park 
• 7:00pm:  Dessner's Trembling Earth in the Concert Hall 

September 20:  Fly home or stay for Part 2

• If you choose to stay for the Part 2 tour, this day you will be on your own because some guests might be leaving, and some guests might be arriving, and that will be the activity for the day while we get reorganized in between tours.
• Your hotel will be included for the night and breakfast, but lunch and dinner are not included.