Pacific Adrenaline
Age: 16 and up
Island Discovery and High Adrenaline
An epic journey through the Fiji Islands and New Zealand
Day 01 - Tuesday
Depart the USA
All of Rustic Pathways scheduled group flights to Fiji depart from Los Angeles. Our carrier is Air Pacific – Fiji’s national airline. The flight each week is non-stop to Nadi International Airport and is escorted by a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. The flight departs LAX in the evening and takes about 10 hours. During your flight take the time to get to know other students, get some sleep in preparation for your arrival in the South Pacific, relax with a movie or two and start to settle into the easy-going and friendly nature of the Fijian’s and their legendary hospitality.
Day 02 – Wednesday
In transit
Today is “lost” as you cross the international dateline, but don’t worry too
much… you will get it back on your way home!
Day 03 - Thursday
Bula! Welcome to Fiji!
You will immediately be greeted by our Rustic Pathways staff and start your three-week adventure. Once you arrive you will head to your hotel, which is right on the beach and has beautiful sunsets. After a delicious breakfast your counselor will spend some time going over the plan for the next three weeks. By the end of this orientation you will have seen the map and the path that you will be taking on this adventure.
After breakfast work off your jet lag in style by spending the day relaxing at one of Fiji's exquisite resorts. Take a break and get ready to hit the ocean for some tubing and banana boating. For lunch you will head to lunch at one of the most well known restaurants in Fiji. If you are feeling up for it, then you can also be pulled behind a boat at over 100 feet in the air with an optional parasailing ride.
Tonight you will watch the sun set as you eat dinner at a restaurant on the beach. If you are up to it you can participate in some great night games or get some sleep.
Day 04 – Friday
Zipline in Fiji’s Tropical Rainforest
This morning you will head to the rainforest of Fiji where it will be time for fun above the trees. Welcome to Zip Fiji, the only set of zip lines in Fiji. Zoom 60 feet above the ground at over forty miles per hour on eight connecting zip lines. Your heart will be pumping by the end of today, but don’t worry; there is more adventure to come!
Tonight will start the next adventure of an epic overnight ferry ride from the capital of Fiji to Taveuni where you will spend the next five days. Spend the evening relaxing on the deck watching islands go by or in your private cabin below paying card games with your group. In the morning choose to watch the sunrise over some of Fiji’s most beautiful islands or relax and read below deck.
Days 05 to 09 – Saturday to Wednesday
Tropical Paradise on Fiji’s “Garden Island”
Over the next five days you will spend your time exploring the beautiful island of Taveuni. This island is home to gorgeous views, fantastic waterfall hikes and the International Date Line. During your first day on Taveuni get ready to head to Lavena Falls, which is located at the end of a stunning costal hike. After a swim beneath the falls there is another short hike to Bouma falls within the rainforest. The evening will be spent camping on the beach and stargazing.
On Monday there will be a great hike up to the only volcano crater lake in all of Fiji. The hike is covered with lush vegetative growth and surrounded by a breathtaking site of a tropical rainforest. During this hike keep a look out for the Tagimoucia flower, which is only found on this island.
Another day explore the beautiful world below with an optional scuba dive. Taveuni is known for the Great Wall of coral and it is contains a plethora of marine species. Don’t be surprised if you end up face to face with a gorgeous sea turtle. This island is full of beautiful hikes and beaches and we will be sure to visit the majority of them. If your not feeling up for a hike or dive there are plenty of activities to do right at the hotel, including kayaking, snorkeling, beach volleyball or relaxing on a hammock to read.
Two nights will be spent at one of the most beautiful resorts in Taveuni, which is literally at the end of the world. In the morning you will be picked up by boat for snorkeling journey to your new home in tropical paradise. You might see dolphins swimming besides the boat or even an octopus while snorkeling. Optional massages, night snorkeling, kayaking and swimming are on the agenda. Enjoy a five star dinner right next to the ocean and an evening of optional night snorkeling. This resort is called Paradise Taveuni and it lives up to its name.
Day 10 to 12 – Thursday to Saturday
Sail the Seas
Step aboard a magnificent cruising catamaran for an amazing three days of sailing and cruising to deserted blue lagoons, exploration of ancient volcanic islands, snorkeling amongst a plethora of marine life and soaking in the grandeur of Fiji’s famous Mamanuca Islands. Visit a Fijian village, drink kava and meet the chief and village elders. Trek to the top of nearby mountains and swim in cool freshwater rock pools. Spend your nights at anchor under the stars, falling asleep on the decks if you wish. This three day adventure is one of the most exciting journeys that Fiji has to offer.
Day 13 to 16 – Sunday to Wednesday
Island Heaven in Malakati Village
Your day will start by boarding a ferry for a four-hour ride through the breathtaking Yasawa Islands. Pass by some of the most beautiful islands in the world while enjoying a nice cold ice-cream bar and talking with your new friends. The last stop in the Yasawa Islands is Nacula Island which is home to Malakati Village and that is where you will call home during your stay. Toba Totoka, meaning “Beautiful Bay” is the name of our Nacula Island Base where you will be partaking in your exciting activities.
Your time on the island includes a hike to one of the tallest mountains in the Yasawas, trip to the mysterious underwater caves, night fishing, scuba diving, ocean kayaking and snorkeling trips (with gear provided) and a traditional Fijian dance called the “Meke” put on by the villagers of Malakati. Nights can be spent next to a beach bon fire or gazing at the stars. By the time you leave this island you will have fallen in love with the villagers and the beauty of Nacula Island.
There is enough time on this island for you to take part in a scuba diving adventure. If you are not in the mood to scuba dive, there are some great snorkeling spots were you can see all of the beauty of the ocean. Each day there will also be day trips to other islands where we will visit villages and other well-known areas of Fiji.
Each night you can join in with the Fijians as they sing and play guitar or sit on the beach and examine the stars above you. Another night you might sit next to a bonfire on the beach, which is a perfect way to end an amazing day.
Day 17 - Thursday: Welcome to New Zealand- (Auckland)
Kia Ora! And welcome to New Zealand. You will arrive into Auckland where you will be met by our exciting on-ground Kiwi staff. They will help you settle into your new Kiwi lifestyle. Today we will get straight to the point with some traditional meat pies for lunch. This afternoon we will head straight to downtown Auckland and have an optional SkyJump or SkyWalk! The Skytower is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere! At 192m (630ft) Sky-Jump is a cable controlled base jump. The sky walk is a wobbly walk around the circumference of the viewing deck. Friends on the inside can take pictures! The view is awesome, the experience is unforgettable. If we can squeeze it in, we can have a look at the old volcano at Mt Eden.
Day 18 - Friday: Road trip to Waitomo Glow Worm Caves and Black Water Rafting
We will depart Auckland this morning and travel south to Waitomo Caves. On our first leg of the road trip, we'll travel through Waikato Country to see beautiful rolling farms and hundreds of sheep! At Waitomo there is rural excitement to be had. Today, Saturday, kiwis play Rugby all over NZ and our backyard happens to be the local battle field. A beautiful rugby field, swimming pool, and trampoline are waiting! After the game we will venture underground for an exhilarating caving experience blending climbing, tramping and floating through a unique underground river system. Lower yourself into a sinkhole to see the awesome limestone and experience the adrenaline rush as you clamber and slide through squeezes, zip into the black water filled abyss and scramble up waterfalls in your pursuit of daylight.
Day 19 - Saturday: Optional luge and thermal mud park
After our stay in beautiful Waikato Country we then depart Waitomo Caves and make our way to Rotorua. Today there will be time for an optional gondola and luge ride. The Skyline Luge sends you racing down a winding track through the trees. Have a go racing your friends around the bends, or pull in for a breather and enjoy the awesome views. Burn it up on the advanced track or cruise down the scenic track. Then hop on the chairlift and do it all again! After a morning of racing around we will head to Rotorua’s very own thermal mud park. You can see bubbly mud and hissing steam escaping from the ground in one of new Zealands most thermally active areas. The day will finish up with a traditional Kiwi BBQ at our holiday park.
Day 20 - Sunday: Zorb, Agrojet and Swoop - (Rotorua)
Start today off with a Zorb ride where you squeeze inside the Zorb before being sent head over heels downhill. Laugh and giggle your whole way down the track with new friends. Now that your warmed up it's time for a Agrojet ride which is a 13ft, 450 horsepower jet boat that will deliver you up to 100kph in four seconds! In the tight man-made watercourse, you will take corners not unlike Formula One race cars. Let's keep the action going with a Swoop. One, two or three people are placed in hang-gliding harnesses, hoisted 40 metres in the air, pull the rip-cord and FLY! We'll picnic outside with our new kiwi friends for lunch.
Day 21- Monday: Fantastic White Water Rafting- (Rotorua to Lake Taupo)
Today we will take on the mighty Kaituna which boasts the highest commercially rafted waterfall (22ft) in the world. This spectacular region of the country offers wonderful scenery and some of the finest rafting conditions around! After a hard day on the river you can unwind in natural hot pools and streams! We will make our way to Kerosene Creek for a dip in a thermal stream, just underneath a waterfall! This afternoon we take a gorgeous drive along SH5 to Taupo where we will settle in to our new hostel. We will spend some time before dinner to explore Lake Taupo, as the biggest lake in NZ, with Mt. Doom in the backgrounds, it is a beautiful sight.
Day 22 - Tueday: Optional Sky dive and Hidden Valley Thermal Wonderland - (Taupo)
For those of you willing to throw your selves out of a plane at 15,000ft today is the day for an optional skydive! After this exhilarating experience we will travel by boat to the Hidden Valley of Orakei Korako, here we will experience one of the finest thermal areas in the world. There are over 23 natural geysers that may go off at any time in a burst of hot bubbly water and well as numerous hot pools and caves to explore!
Day 23 - Wednesday: Optional bungy jump and return to Auckland
Today is the day for the optional or bungy jump for an unforgettable way to end the trip. At this point, surely all of your kiwi dreams came true! We will continue on though the spectacular country side as we return to Auckland for one last meal together.
Day 24- Thursday: Returning Home or Continuing onto Your Next Adventure
Our journey ends with sadly packing our stuff and driving to the airport. We hope you had a blast on the North Island Adventure! Hopefully you are going to see the rest of New Zealand with us and contribute your services on the North Island or fly down south for more adventure!
Extending your Adrenaline Rush.
Weeks Three, Four and beyond….
If you’re staying longer there will be new opportunities of service and adventure. Your understanding of Fijian culture will be better, the depth of the friendships you’ve made will be stronger and your ability to communicate, participate and contribute will be enhanced the greater the amount of time you spend here. You can continue your adventure by adding on the “Learn to Dive” or “Diver’s Dream” programs and explore Fiji from below the surface. If you would like to add on an additional country, programs in Australia and New Zealand can be added easily. Trips are easy to add on so get creative when you design the summer of your dreams.
An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.
Pacific Adrenaline is an exciting three-week exploratory trip through Fiji and New Zealand, designed for seasoned student travelers and created with a small group of adventurers in mind. Come discover the remote regions and outer islands of Fiji and experience the wild thrills of New Zealand’s North Island.
This diverse adventure will combine action, exquisite scenery, remote locations, and wild wanderings in the heart of Fiji. Whether on land or in the water, you will take part in adventures that few people ever experience. Hike up to beautiful waterfalls that crash down into shimmering pools of tranquility. Sit back and watch the sunset as your kayak paddle slips into the blue ocean water. Experience the wonders of the underwater world while scuba diving in the best soft coral reef system in the world, and sail through remote islands. When it is time to relax, rest your head and gaze up at the palm trees swaying in the breeze on Fiji’s endless white sand beaches.
New Zealand Thrills
