We had a GREAT experience working with Dianne and her firm GoWalkAbout Travel. (…) She has deep knowledge of the accommodations, sights and adventures, earned over many years of experience, but happily finds the new and innovative.
Planning Your Trip From Atlanta to Australia or New Zealand
G’day!
Welcome to our website! We at Go Walkabout Travel are your Australian Travel Specialists for Atlanta, Georgia.
With over 30 years of designing customized itineraries for our clients from Atlanta who are traveling to Australia and New Zealand, we have a wealth of knowledge to assist you.
Our Australia Travel Specialists for the Atlanta region are born and raised in Australia- you are guaranteed to receive the specialized knowledge that only a local would know. You can also practice speaking like an Aussie!
Below are some personalized tips from our Australia Travel Experts on what you need to be mindful of when planning an Australia Vacation from Atlanta.
Do I need a Visa when visiting Australia?
If you are a US Passport Holder, you will need an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa when enjoying a vacation in Australia or a business trip in Australia. Your Australian Travel Specialists can assist you with these. You need to ensure you have at least six months of validity left on your passports from the date you arrive back in the USA and also declare any criminal records upfront otherwise, you may be denied entry. We recommend you apply for all travel authorities before purchasing your airline ticket.
Do I need a Visa when visiting New Zealand?
If you are a US Passport Holder, you will need an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) to enter New Zealand. These must be applied for before arriving in New Zealand, and we recommend having approval before purchasing any airline tickets. You must ensure you have at least six months of validity left on your passports from the date you arrive back in the USA and also declare any criminal records upfront; otherwise, you may be denied entry.
How far ahead should I check in for my flight to New Zealand or Australia?
Like anywhere in North America, traffic and flight delays can cause mayhem and a really bad start to your holiday! If you are traveling to Atlanta Airport from other areas in Georgia, i.e Macon or Athens then please leave yourselves plenty of time. It is way better to be checked in and enjoy a drink than to be stressed at the beginning of a dream vacation! We recommend a minimum of 3 Hours before departure these days with all of the extra security and procedures.
How long is the flight from Atlanta to Sydney, Australia?
Flying times from Atlanta via Los Angeles to Sydney in the land down under are approx 19 hours in one direction with Qantas- this does not include the airport transfer time.
Will I get jetlag when flying to Australia and New Zealand?
Jet lag always hits the worst when flying back to Atlanta after enjoying your luxury vacation in Australia and New Zealand. Always allow yourself an extra day or two before going back to work. Trust us; you will be happy with our advice!
How far ahead should I arrive in Australia or New Zealand if I have a guided coach tour booked?
Always plan to arrive a day or two early if you have booked a guided tour in Australia or New Zealand. This will give you time not only to adjust to the time zone but also to not stress if your flight is delayed while connecting to your coach tour. Of course, your Australia Travel Agent is always there to assist you if there are any problems with our 24/7 emergency number.
When should I book my vacation to Australia and New Zealand?
Book early! We need time to start planning and designing you a once-in-a-lifetime custom itinerary to travel Down Under. The earlier you book, the better your chance of staying in the best accommodation options and getting the first choice on small group tours. If you are looking to enjoy an adventure package to Uluru, Australia, or snorkel or dive into The Great Barrier Reef, then you need to be very aware of when the best time to travel to Australia(opens in a new tab) is.
New Zealand is a smaller country and extremely popular it is very easy for places to become fully booked.
What sort of accommodation is there in New Zealand and Australia?
Consider having a mixture of accommodations when planning a trip to Australia. Some domestic flights have tight luggage restrictions, and if you are going for several weeks or more, you will need to do some laundry. Your accommodation choices range from high-end luxury island retreats like Hayman or Lizard Island, glamping in a true Australia outback experience at Ayers Rock/Uluru(opens in a new tab) to enjoying a five-star cruise in Australia, plus much more.
New Zealand has Luxury Lodges, Farm Stays, Apartment style accommodations, boutique hotels, and Bed and Breakfasts. We suggest a mix of all of them!
Are there different time zones in Australia and New Zealand?
Be aware of time zones! Just like North America, not all areas of Australia have Daylight Saving. When on a flight, always listen to the flight attendant to check if the time has changed. Even cities that sit above each other have different time zones during daylight saving…, i.e., Sydney and Brisbane.
New Zealand has Daylight saving, but the whole country is smart and operates in the same time zone.
Do I need to re-confirm my flights to Australia and New Zealand?
Keep an eye on the Atlanta Airport(opens in a new tab) website on your day of departure! You must double-check the Atlanta Airport website departures to ensure your flight operates on time. Most airlines do not advise if there are any schedule changes or delays right before the flight date. If they do, it is usually way after the fact!
How do we get started with you designing our custom trip to Australia or New Zealand?
We look forward to designing a customized vacation from Atlanta to Australia. We can tailor-make you a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime trip, whether planning an action-packed family holiday, attending a conference, celebrating a wedding anniversary, taking advantage of that well-deserved graduation gift, or finally getting to relax on that romantic honeymoon.
Please read our process page for more information on planning a handcrafted vacation from Atlanta to Australia or New Zealand with your South Pacific Travel Specialists.
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter below!
What Our Past Travelers Have to Say
G’day Dianne. Thank you! You listened well and organized our trip extremely well. Pick up and delivery times were spot on. The hotels were all good to great. (…) I just wanted to let you know that we appreciated everything you did to arrange a wonderful trip.
42 Days, 2 Countries, 6 States, 1 Territory, 15 Cities/Locations, 14 Flights and not a single mishap. On top of that, we had a GREAT TIME! A TRIP OF A LIFE-TIME! Our six week adventure to Australia and Singapore was our most memorable vacation to date. (…) Dianne is a wonderful find and without hesitation we recommend her to family and friends. Dianne will certainly be organizing our next adventure.
(…) Dianne put together an incredible New Zealand trip for us – we travelled from one tip to the other, East and West included. I would have thought Dianne knew me from childhood as every spot we visited or stayed at – was exactly what I would have chosen myself (had I known the country). (…)
Dianne planned a fantastic honeymoon for us. (…) We gave her an idea of the things and activities that we like to do and she just rolled with it! We didn’t really know much about either place, so didn’t have too much of a preference of where we wanted to go, but with her knowledge she was able to send us to some amazing places. (…) Thanks for planning us a wonderful honeymoon!
(…) Everything went very smoothly, thanks to you and your organizational skills! We really appreciate everything you did for us! (…) I want to thank you (Dianne) for all the work you & your colleagues did to ensure that we had an enjoyable holiday.
(…) Dianne, there are so many things you did for us that I cannot list them all in a letter. However, I can say that I have never worked with a travel agent before who took as much time to deal with all the details – big and small. It was like we were part of your extended family and you took full responsibility for our wellbeing. I would recommend you to anyone looking for a great travel agent, and I wish you the best of success in the future.
(…) From the beginning, Dianne really stood out. She spent a significant amount of time on the front end learning what we were interested in and what we did not like about previous tours. (…) I would definitely recommend GoWalkabout Travel to any of my friends and family. Thanks again for our trip! We had a fantastic time!
It was a trip of a lifetime!! (…) Every thing was working like clockwork. (…) Thanks Dianne and it was a pleasure meeting you and you taking the time to meet us in Sydney.
We really enjoyed working with Dianne in planning our trip to Australia. She was very efficient and gave us great recommendations. Prior to our departure, she ensured we had everything we needed including packing tips, in order to have a great trip. We would highly recommend using her services.
Newsletter Subscribe
Sign up for Australia and New Zealand Travel Updates. (Privacy Policy)