AUSTRALIA CITIES, REEF AND ROCK
12 Days
For one or two persons or...
Gather some friends and HAVE YOUR OWN PRIVATE TOUR!!
Mostly small group touring
Highlights:
Melbourne
Wildlife tour with naturalist
Penguins of Philip Island
Australian Outback
Ayers Rock and The Olgas
Aborogine Culture experience
Sounds of Silence Dinner
North Queensland - Cairns
Great Barrier Reef
World Heritage Rainforests
Sydney
City tour and cruise on Sydney Harbour
Opera House performance (optional)
Blue Mountains
Note: Days can be added to this trip, or another destination(s) within Australia can be added, such as Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin and Kakadu... PLEASE SEE MODULAR OPTIONS ON OUR WEB SITE!
Operates Daily
DAY 1 WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA!
Arrive any day! (Note: this itinerary can be revised to start in Sydney)
Arrive Melbourne this morning. Clear arrival formalities and exit into the Arrivals Hall where you meet a representative who will transfer you to your hotel in central Melbourne.
This afternoon you have a coach tour of Melbourne sights. Melbourne has compelling appeal in its gardens, history, character and its charm. Inhabited by cultures from across the globe, this city has a fascination in the mix of its cosmopolitan peoples who give generously and share passionately in the richness of this most dynamic and vibrant city. Highlights of your tour include; St Paul's Cathedral, Queen Victoria Market, Fitzroy Gardens, the Princess Theatre, Melbourne Cricket Ground, National Tennis Centre (where the Australian Open is played), trendy Southbank and St Kilda, Port Melbourne, Crown Casino and the Royal Botanic Gardens. The tour finishes in the centre of Melbourne at approximately 4.30pm.
The evening is at leisure to venture out amongst a myriad of fine restaurants. Then, a good nights' sleep!
DAY 2 MELBOURNE, Koala and Kangaroo (CB/L) - small group tour
You are picked up from your hotel at 10.00AM by your guide and travel 1.5 hours from Melbourne into the Victorian countryside. Today you will see free range Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Emus, and watch Koalas in their natural habitat. You will also be introduced to a program which is breeding for release a variety of bird species which were once common on Victoria's volcanic plains. Enjoy a day with your naturalist guide and discover the Australian bush and the animals that inhabit it. Cross the Werribee Plains, part of one of the world's largest volcanic provinces, to visit Serendip Sanctuary. Here drive around the perimeter road offering excellent opportunities to see the mobs of kangaroos, small groups of Emu's and a variety of waterfowl. Stop to walk through the bird hides with opportunities to look out over the Sanctuary's extensive wetlands and inspect breeding colonies.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at the Sanctuary before driving further west to the Brisbane Ranges National Park. Here you are guaranteed to see Koalas in their natural habitat; your guide will describe the research in the Park which has provided much of the knowledge of this fascinating creature. After the tour, return to the hotel approximately 4.45PM.
DAY 3 MELBOURNE, penguins and wines - small group tour (CB/D
The morning is at leisure. Perhaps a stroll through Fitzroy Gardens or the fashionable shops of central Melbourne.
You are met in the hotel foyer at 1.00PM by your guide for your excursion to Phillip Island. Tour the scenic Mornington Peninsula and visit two boutique wineries for tastings. This relatively new region produces excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The cellar staff are a wonderful source of information on Australian wines.
Then skirt Westernport to Phillip Island, tailoring your activities on the island to suit your interests. If time permits you can take a walk to a bird hide to watch waterfowl, or visit a Silver Gull rookery at the Nobbies, or call in at the Koala Conservation Centre. Your final destination is the famous Penguin Parade where you watch the Little Penguins come ashore at dusk. Dinner is on Phillip Island. Return to your hotel between 10-11PM
Note: this tour can be upgraded to an air tour to and from the island with small group island touring: subject to minimum of 4 persons.
DAY 4 MELBOURNE/OUTBACK (CB)
You are transferred to the airport for a morning flight into the Australian Outback.
Arrive into Ayers Rock early afternoon. You are transferred to your hotel.
Mid afternoon, you are collected from your hotel for an excursion to the famous Olgas. Experience the great sand dune formations that are the hallmark of the Australian deserts and discover the secrets of plant and animal survival in the desert. In the late afternoon, as the sun begins to set, stroll up the great Olgas Gorge and discover why Aboriginal people found this place to be so important. Finally, experience the magic of sunset in this special place. Return to hotel at dusk.
Experience the great sand dune formations that are the hallmark of the Australian deserts and discover the secrets of plant and animal survival in the desert. In the late afternoon, as the sun begins to set, stroll up the great Olgas Gorge and discover why Aboriginal people found this place to be so important. Finally, experience the magic of sunset in this special place. Return to hotel at dusk.
DAY 5 AYERS ROCK, Aborigine morning tour and dinner at The Rock (B/D)
Come share in the wonderful culture of the Aborigine.
This experience includes sunrise at Ayers Rock and a base tour, with breakfast overlooking Uluru, before joining your Aboriginal Guide.
Learn the real meaning and history of Uluru directly from local Aboriginal Guides. Retrace the path of the Liru Ancestors through unique bushland to Uluru. See the scars left on the rock during their battle with Kuniya thousands of years ago.
Learn to hold a spear and imagine you're on the hunt. Hear the tragic fate of Lungkata, the emu thief, whose body we see laying at the base of Uluru. See demonstrations of ancient bush skills such as making kiti (bush glue), starting a fire without matches and carving wooden tools with only a sharpened stone.
Return to your hotel late morning. The afternoon is a leisure for a swim, shopping, or independent sightseeing.
Tonight - you dine in the desert to the sounds of silence...
A brilliant outback sunset over KataTjuta (The Olgas), with Desert Oaks framing the view, the haunting sounds of the didgeridoo, the fresh tastes of outback cuisine, the sounds of silence and the Milky Way.
You will journey into the desert where a didgeridoo welcome awaits.
As the sun dips behind the many domes of KataTjuta, enjoy a selection of fine Australian beverages and sample delicious outback canapes. The sun has set, the horizon is glowing richly, and the BBQ sizzles as the desert silhouettes blend with the darkening sky.
Enjoy our special bush blend vegetable soup followed by tender choice cuts of kangaroo, emu, chicken and Northern Territory barramundi - all accompanied by a fresh selection of salads, vegetables and unique Territory chutneys and relishes.
This is followed by a selection of Australian desserts, with some old favorites including pavlova and our own macadamia nut pudding. By the time you finish dessert you become aware that the only sound and light is from the gas lanterns. Then the lanterns are dimmed and perhaps for the first time in your life you hear the sounds of the great outback.
Wind gently rustling through the Desert Oaks, the chipping of a bat, the haunting howls of dingoes in the distance or possibly just the 'sounds of silence'.
Looking up you become aware of Southern Skies - the Milky Way gleaming above amongst an array of planets, stars and constellations. You are now introduced to the heavens by an Astronomer followed by individual viewing through our on-site telescope.
Completely relaxed, you finish your evening around the camp fire with a brew of billy tea or coffee and a glass of port. You are transferred back to you hotel about three hours after sunset.
DAY 6 DEPART AYERS ROCK for North Queensland (CB)
A relaxing morning - perhaps to make the climb to the top of the rock.
Depart on your afternoon flight to Cairns in sunny North Queensland. On arrival, you are transferred to the northern beaches for three nights in a tropical hotel.
Relax in the warm Queensland sunshine at the pool or on the beach.
DAY 7 NORTH QUEENSLAND, Great Barrier Reef (CB/L)
You are transferred to Port Douglas where you board your catamaran out to the Outer Edge of the Great Barrier Reef.
From the moon the Great Barrier Reef is the only living structure visible on earth - a national treasure and one of the true wonders of the world. The friendly crew will take you to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and life. The reef lagoon at Agincourt offers excellent swimming and snorkeling areas. Quality snorkeling equipment is provided free of charge and the Marine Biologists on board can introduce you to a whole new world. For the more adventurous, SCUBA diving on Agincourt is amongst the best in the world. Both introductory dives for the beginner and guided dives for the certified diver are available at an additional cost. Or you can choose to stay dry and explore the stunning reef world one metre underwater from the semi-submersible vessel or an underwater observatory. Tropical smorgasbord lunch and morning and afternoon teas on board the Wavepiercer are included. After a day of fun and sun return to Port Douglas and transfer back to your hotel by approximately 6.15PM.
DAY 8 CAIRNS, Rainforest (CB/L)
Your naturalist guide will meet you at your hotel and after introductions all around you drive north along the scenic route to Mossman. Lush farmland contrasts with seascape as you approach the majestic Daintree River. After a short morning tea break, board your boat and relax and enjoy the splendor only a Daintree River Cruise can off. Learn about the Estuarine Crocodiles, mangrove forests and wildlife - this is nature at its best.
You then ascend the Alexandra Range, pause for a panoramic view of the World Heritage Tropical Rainforest merging with the Coral Sea. A delicious BBQ lunch with salads, tropical fruits and Australian wines is prepared whilst you take the opportunity to swim in a tranquil freshwater stream. Fish and turtles in the creek, butterflies and exotic birds in the trees and often goannas on the forest floor are all at the luncheon site. This tour also takes you beyond Cape Tribulation to along the only 4WD Bloomfield Track. There is no set timetable so don't bring your watch. Enjoy the day with experienced guides who allow ample time for questions and photographs. After a short afternoon refreshment stop where you can pat a kangaroo, scratch a cockatoo, have a cold beer, we then begin our homeward journey somewhat wiser for your Rainforest Experience.
DAY 9 CAIRNS/SYDNEY (CB)
You are transferred to the airport for your late morning flight to Sydney.
On arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel in central Sydney.
This evening is at leisure to dine in any of the myriad of restaurants famous in Sydney - some within a short walk of your hotel.
DAY 10 SYDNEY, touring and harbour cruise (CB/L)
Sydney is a thriving harbourside metropolis populated by four million people and is Australia's best known city. It was the first site of European settlement on the Australian continent - one vastly different from today's cosmopolitan showcase. The city's most famous landmarks include Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and the Centrepoint Tower. With the harbour at Sydney's centre, the city proper is bounded by water to the north and west and fringed to the east by the extensive green parklands of the Botanical Gardens and the Domain. Sydney is an exciting and interesting city to experience.
This morning, you take a coach city tour of Sydney sights followed by a lunch cruise on Sydney Harbour.
This evening, perhaps an optional performance at the Sydney Opera House (please inquire for schedules and costs).
DAY 11 SYDNEY, Blue Mountains (CB/L)Depart your hotel this morning, travel in luxury 4WDs across the Sydney Harbour Bridge then past the 2000 Olympic Games site and onto the Blue Mtns National Park. Leaving the main roads behind travel deep into the bush. Enjoy morning tea surrounded by kangaroos, parrots & kookaburras.
Departing Glenbrook, continue into the high Blue Mtns. See Leura village & the 3 Sisters. These majestic pillars of sandstone tower over the valley and are one of Australia's spectacular sights. We'll also drop-off at Lilianfels hotel.
Travel on to the highest point of the whole Blue Mtns, then descend in 4WD along a thrilling backcountry track out to the magnificent Kanimbla lookout. If you have the energy take a bushwalk. Nearby, enjoy lunch at the Hotel Imperial. Experience a fabulous meal, chat to the locals and explore Mt Victoria village.
This afternoon visit the so-called 'Grand Canyon' of Australia at Govetts Leap with its awesome views. Pick-up passengers returning to Sydney from Katoomba then commence the return to Sydney. Follow the original trail of the first explorers to cross the Blue Mtns in 1813 before arriving at Sydney's premier wildlife park. See koalas, kangaroos up close plus friendly dingoes. Take a close-up photo as you pat the koalas. Depart the park & return directly to Sydney and hotels. Fantastic day!
DAY 12 SYDNEY/HOME (or extension to New Zealand *) (CB)
You are transferred to the airport for your flight home. OR.....
You can extend your stay in Sydney for as many nights as you wish, extend your stay to other Australia destinations or NEW ZEALAND! Please see our Australia modular and New Zealand itineraries.
Inclusions and cost: AUSTRALIA CITIES, REEF AND ROCK:
Three nights Melbourne centrally located hotel with continental breakfast
Afternoon coach sightseeing tour of Melbourne
Full day wildlife excursion "Kangaroo and Koala" with local guide and including transport and lunch, hotel pick up and return (small group)
Afternoon and evening "Philip Island" penguin excursion with local guide and including transport and hotel pick up and return (small group)
Two nights Ayers Rock hotel
Afternoon excursion to The Olgas
Morning Aborigine cultural walk and exploration including breakfast and transport, guides
Evening Sounds of Silence Dinner
Three nights North Queensland (Cairns area) tropical hotel with continental breakfast
Full day rainforest excursion with local guide and including transport and lunch, and hotel pick up and return (small group)
Full day Great Barrier Reef cruise including hotel pick up and return, snorkel equipment and lunch
Three nights Sydney centrally located hotel with continental breakfast
Morning Sydney city sights coach tour
Lunch cruise on Sydney Harbour
Full day Blue Mountain excursion with local guide and including transport and lunch, hotel pick up and return (small group)
All airport/hotel transfers
All taxes
Price (click here)
You'll have a terrific Australia Holiday! For New Zealand holiday options to extend your trip, click here...
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