Highlights
- Board a private plane for a culinary experience in the heart of a national park
- Take part in a traditional ceremony on an Aboriginal-led bush food and art tour
- Meet Aussie wildlife like wallabies and wombats with a full-day private nature tour
- Drift over Melbourne's skyline at sunrise in a hot-air balloon
- Get creative in Australia's cultural capital during a street art masterclass
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Sydney, Taste of Sydney Tour | Sydney |
| Day 2 | Full-Day Wildlife in the Wild Tour | Sydney |
| Day 3 | The Cottage Point Inn Fly & Dine, Urban Aboriginal Cultural Tour | Sydney |
| Day 4 | Sydney Opera House Tour, Fly to Melbourne, Restaurant & Food Walk | Melbourne |
| Day 5 | Melbourne Balloon Flight, Half-Day Street Art Masterclass | Melbourne |
| Day 6 | Full-Day Phillip Island Penguin Experience | Melbourne |
| Day 7 | Depart Melbourne |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Sydney, Taste of Sydney Tour
G'day and welcome to Sydney! This Australian city is a must-visit destination for good reason. With a dazzling natural harbor, epic beachside walks (not to mention beaches), a world-class restaurant and bar scene, excellent live music and theater, and an unquenchable thirst for fun, you'll never get bored here. A private driver will be waiting at the airport, ready to transfer you to the 5-star QT Sydney, a contemporary and quirky hotel. The luxe and playful rooms blend Gothic, Art Deco, and Italianate-influenced design features drawn from the dazzling facade.
Drop your bags and refresh ahead of this afternoon's exploration of Sydney's world-class culinary scene. Your half-day private tour will explore the city's diverse tastes, from the oldest colonial area The Rocks to the buzzy waterfront at Barangaroo. You'll eat your way around the world, from pizza to pad thai, while learning about Australia's multicultural food scene and waves of migrants that continue to influence and redefine modern Australian cuisine.
Day 2: Full-Day Wildlife in the Wild Tour
Experience Australia's native bushland and seek out the country's iconic animals in their natural habitat with today's full-day private wildlife tour. A guide and driver will take you to a private property in the Southern Highlands, just 90 minutes south of Sydney. Here you'll wander through towering forests of grey gums in search of koalas, look for platypus along the riverbanks, and drive through woodlands as mobs of kangaroos feed. Look for wallabies and the elusive emu while your guide describes the birdlife and bushland.
After dinner, you'll go night spotting for nocturnal wombats, gliders, and possums who are most active in the evening. After an adventurous day immersed in nature, you'll return to your luxurious digs in Sydney.
Day 3: The Cottage Point Inn Fly & Dine, Urban Aboriginal Cultural Tour
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This morning you'll board a private 20-minute scenic flight destined for the award-winning Cottage Point Inn. This beautiful waterfront restaurant sits in the heart of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and is renowned for its exceptional modern Australian cuisine. The friendly staff will greet you with a warm welcome and great Australian wines. After your laid-back and leisurely three-course lunch, board the seaplane for your return to the city. Circuit above the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House before landing at Rose Bay.
Later this afternoon you'll learn about the world's oldest living civilization on a five-hour Aboriginal culture and history tour, led by a respected member of the Bundjalung Nation. Start at the Royal Botanic Garden with a traditional "Welcome to Country" ceremony. After, you'll walk through the park, learning about people and plants, then continue past Sydney's beautiful eastern beaches to an Aboriginal art gallery that showcases works from some of the most remote Indigenous communities. Finally, pause for a seafood dinner by the beach.
Day 4: Sydney Opera House Tour, Fly to Melbourne, Restaurant & Food Walk
Venture to the Sydney Opera House this morning for a behind-the-scenes private tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and iconic landmark. Learn about Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect who designed this sculptural building on Sydney Harbour and changed the course of 20th-century architecture. A knowledgeable guide will lead you through off-limits areas to see how the engineering masterpiece and venue hosts more than 2,000 shows each year.
After, a private driver will transfer you to Sydney Airport for your 90-minute flight to Melbourne, the cultural capital of Australia. On arrival, collect your luggage and meet another private driver who will transfer you to the luxurious QT Melbourne. Set within the high-end fashion district of Australia's most creative city, this will be your inspiring and artsy base for your three nights in Melbourne.
Refresh and get ready to embrace the city's food culture with a private guided tour. It can be hard to keep up with the city's ever-changing food scene, with diverse and progressive new restaurants popping up all the time. But you'll be in the hands of a local foodie who has their finger on the pulse. They'll lead you through Melbourne's incredible restaurant scene, visiting three unique venues to enjoy favorite local bites paired with wines. Hear stories from the owners and staff and pick up insider foodie tips.
Day 5: Melbourne Balloon Flight, Half-Day Street Art Masterclass
Start the day with a peaceful hour drifting gently over the city of Melbourne in a private hot-air balloon, admiring the skyline from a bird's-eye perspective. After you land on solid ground and pack the balloon away, you'll drop into the Amora Hotel Riverwalk Melbourne for a special hot breakfast with a glass of sparkling wine or coffee to toast the morning's adventure.
After an early start, you might like to take a nap ahead of this afternoon's street art masterclass. Meet a renowned local street artist at EverFresh Studios and set out to discover the city's incredible street art scene. You'll start with a crash course on the evolution and the history of this art form, and learn how Melbourne's street art disciplines cross over. Then you'll get to create your own design in a workshop before you head out back to practice with spray cans. Finally, you'll get to leave your mark on an iconic Melbourne street art laneway.
Day 6: Full-Day Phillip Island Penguin Experience
Today you'll take an epic private day trip to Phillip Island to witness the evening ritual of the "Penguin Parade." Stop first at the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park, where you can see endangered species, greet adorable kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas, and admire an array of colorful birds and reptiles. After two hours, you'll reach Phillip Island, famous for the cute wild penguins that waddle up the beach every night—but there's much more to explore on the small island.
This afternoon you might visit Woolamai Beach to watch the surfers. From here, head to the western corner of the island to enjoy magnificent views of Bass Strait and the Nobbies, home to Australia's largest colony of fur seals. Before evening falls, you'll stroll along the boardwalk to the Penguin Plus viewing platform at Summerland Beach to witness the phenomena of the Penguin Parade. Watch the adorable little penguins come ashore as they hurry off to find their burrows. After, sit back and nap on the return drive to Melbourne.
Day 7: Depart Melbourne
It's your final day in Australia, so if you have time before your departing flight, explore Melbourne one last time. You could jump on the free City Circle tram to pass by must-see attractions such as St Paul's Cathedral, Parliament House, and the Royal Exhibition Building. Hop off at Flagstaff Station for Queen Victoria Market, a Melbourne landmark for over a century. Grab a coffee from Market Lane and a spinach and cheese borek (a Turkish savory pie) from the Borek Shop.
Or venture to the suburbs and visit the lively Prahran Market, renowned for its gourmet delis and specialty produce, and then walk down the funky Greville Street. Take a taxi to St Kilda Beach, where you can stroll along the esplanade and historic St Kilda Pier and enjoy a cake at one of Acland Street's famous pâtisseries. Later, at an agreed time, a private driver will collect you and your bags for your transfer to the airport. Safe travels home or onward!
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