Highlights Of Australia

Itinerary

Day 1 Overnight flight to Sydney

Take an overnight flight from the UK to Sydney, including a change of plane and time to stretch your legs.

Day 2 Sydney

Arrive in Sydney and transfer to your hotel. After youve checked into your hotel, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 3 Sydney

Today is your free day to relax and adjust to the new time zone in Sydney. You can choose to start early or take it easy. After breakfast, you can join a guided orientation tour with your Tour Manager to discover interesting places, restaurants, and museums for independent exploration.

Alternatively, explore on your own, considering options like a Sydney Harbour cruise, waterfront cocktails, beach visits, or ascending the iconic Harbour Bridge for a unique city view. In the evening, savour Sydney’s diverse cuisine, whether it’s affordable dumplings in Chinatown, a Michelin-starred city dining experience, or fresh seafood with wine overlooking scenic Sydney Harbour.

Day 4 Sydney

After breakfast, your day begins with a visit to The Rocks, the historic landing site of the First Fleet in 1788, which marked the beginning of Australia’s first European colonies. The exploration continues with a visit to Bondi Beach, renowned for its scenic beauty and popularity among surfers, families, and tourists. Enjoy some free time here.

Returning to Sydneys Central Business District, stop at Mrs Macquaries Chair for a perfect photo opportunity, offering breathtaking views of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Fort Denison. The day concludes with a guided tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon over 60 years ago.

Day 5 Blue Mountains

Today, you’ll leave Sydney to explore the Blue Mountains, a serene escape just 40 miles away. The landscape boasts gentle green peaks, the iconic Three Sisters rock formation, and a distinctive blue haze from eucalyptus trees.

Your visit includes Scenic World, featuring the world’s steepest incline railway, a rainforest boardwalk, and a cable car offering breathtaking views of ancient ravines and waterfalls, all on display through an Electro-Scenic Glass Floor.

Day 6 Brisbane

After breakfast, fly directly from Sydney to Brisbane. Upon arrival, visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, established in 1927, to encounter diverse wildlife, including iconic species like wombats, koalas, and kangaroos. In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic Brisbane River cruise, passing key landmarks like Kangaroo Point Cliffs and Story Bridge.

Day 7 Brisbane

Today is yours to explore Brisbane at your leisure. The city, known for its compact size and friendly, relaxed atmosphere, can be easily explored in a day. Perhaps spend some time strolling along South Bank, a vibrant area with parks, galleries, cafes, and restaurants, where you will encounter a diverse mix of people, from families to rollerbladers enjoying ice creams.

Alternatively, for a wildlife experience, consider visiting Australia Zoo, once home to the late Steve Irwin, the “Crocodile Hunter,” where you can encounter a variety of Australian wildlife.

Day 8 Cairns

Today, fly from Brisbane to Cairns, a small city on Australia’s northeastern coast.

Upon arrival, a brief transfer will take you to your hotel. Upon check-in, you will have a free afternoon to unwind at the hotel, or you can explore this vibrant city.

Day 9 Kuranda Scenic Railway

Today, explore Kuranda, a mountain village near Cairns.

Our journey begins with the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, offering a unique perspective as gondolas travel four-and-a-half miles above the ancient rainforest canopy of Australia’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Afterward, visit a rainforest interpretative centre and explore charming Kuranda village.

Next, board the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, traveling through World Heritage-listed Barron Falls National Park. Enjoy the picturesque scenery, including valleys, jungles, and century-old railway bridges and tunnels, while keeping an eye out for Barron Falls. This train ride is a delight for rail enthusiasts.

Day 10 Great Barrier Reef

Today, sail by catamaran to Michaelmas Cay, a reef sand island surrounded by vibrant coral gardens teeming with marine life. This Great Barrier Reef sanctuary is home to over 20,000 migratory seabirds and boasts an array of exotic marine species, magnificent coral formations, and giant clams. You can snorkel, take a glass bottom boat ride, and enjoy an inclusive buffet lunch in this breathtaking natural wonder.

Day 11 – Cairns

Today is entirely at your disposal. If you crave relaxation, unwind at the hotel with no worries. Alternatively, explore Cairns by visiting the Botanical Gardens, museums, Josephine Falls swimming hole, Rusty’s market, and more. Our Tour Manager can assist in planning your activities. You might also consider booking a day trip, like the recommended tour to Cape Tribulation, a remote coastal area in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Daintree National Park, where rainforest and beaches converge.

Day 12 Melbourne

After a morning of leisure in Cairns, you will fly to Melbourne. This city, often referred to as Australia’s cultural capital, boasts a thriving arts scene and top-tier dining. This afternoon and evening, explore Melbourne’s renowned caf culture, offering more than just coffee.

You can also embrace the Asian influence across Australia by dining in Chinatown for dumplings or Richmond for Vietnamese Pho. Melbourne offers an array of museums, galleries, theatres, sports events, and year-round festivals for your enjoyment.

Day 13 Melbourne

Today, you will tour Melbourne’s city centre with its high-rises, historic buildings, and boutique-lined alleyways. Just beyond the city, you will discover parks, gardens, and landmarks like the Old Treasury Building and the 1880 Great Exhibition’s Exhibition Building.

The tour includes driving past iconic sites such as the MCG and Rod Laver Arena, host to the Australian Open Tennis. You will also see parklands, the War Memorial, and Federation Square, the city’s focal point.

In the afternoon, explore Melbourne at your leisure. Walk along the Southbank promenade by the Yarra River, enjoy coffee and cake, or visit local galleries featuring diverse artworks.

Day 14 Great Ocean Road

Today, depart early to drive along the Great Ocean Road, renowned as Australia’s most scenic coastal highway. This 150-mile route is an Australian National Heritage site, offering breathtaking coastal scenery, including the iconic Twelve Apostles limestone pillars sculpted by the Southern Ocean.

After exploring the coastal route, return to Melbourne in the evening, where you will have leisure time.

Day 15 Puffing Billy and Philip Island

This morning, travel to the Dandenong Ranges, exploring the hills on the Puffing Billy steam train from Belgrave to Lakeside Visitor Centre & Museum.

Next, visit Phillip Island, starting at the Koala Centre to see koalas in their natural habitat on tree-top boardwalks. Then, head to the Nobbies Centre, offering views of marine life like Australian fur seals in Bass Strait.

The highlight of the day is the Penguin Parade in the Phillip Island Nature Park, where Little Penguins emerge from the ocean at sunset and waddle to their sand-dune burrows. After this unique experience, return to Melbourne late in the evening.

Day 16 Depart Melbourne

Transfer to the airport for your overnight flight back to the UK.

Day 17 Arrive home

Arrive back in the UK.