Highlights
- Explore Sydney and soak up the history and culture of this cosmopolitan city
- Taste wine in Adelaide and find out what all the fuss is about over Australian wine
- Spend two days on Kangaroo Island and encounter kangaroos and koalas up close
- Immerse yourself in spectacular aquatic scenery along the Great Barrier Reef
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Sydney, Optional Activities | Sydney |
| Day 2 | Sydney Harbour Long Lunch Cruise, Sydney Opera House Tour | Sydney |
| Day 3 | Full-Day Quintessential Sydney Tour | Sydney |
| Day 4 | Sydney to Adelaide, Evening Wine, Dine & Discover by Foot | Adelaide |
| Day 5 | Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Island in Style Tour (Day 1) | Kangaroo Island |
| Day 6 | Kangaroo Island in Style Tour (Day 2), Transfer to Adelaide | Adelaide |
| Day 7 | Adelaide to Uluru, A Field of Light Dinner | Uluru |
| Day 8 | Dot Painting Workshop, Afternoon Uluru Sunset | Uluru |
| Day 9 | Uluru to Cairns, Optional Activities | Cairns |
| Day 10 | Full-Day Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise | Cairns |
| Day 11 | Free Day in Cairns | Cairns |
| Day 12 | Full-Day Daintree Adventure & River Snorkeling | Cairns |
| Day 13 | Depart Australia |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Sydney, Optional Activities
Welcome to Sydney! Often mistaken as Australia's capital (that would be Canberra), this city feels like the country's central metropolis. This is due to its iconic city sights, historic neighborhoods, world-class culinary and nightlife scenes, prime waterfront location, and an array of pristine beaches. Upon arrival at the airport, you'll transfer to your hotel, where you can take some time to relax and unwind.
If you have the energy, head out and explore. Soak up the lively atmosphere of Darling Harbour, or walk across Harbour Bridge for great views of the opera house. Nearby are the cobblestone laneways of The Rocks, Sydney's oldest neighborhood. You can also head to the famous Bondi Beach and take a surf lesson or enjoy the calmer waters at Coogee. Afterward, dine on fresh seafood or eclectic international fare before taking on Sydney's legendary nightlife.
Day 2: Sydney Harbour Long Lunch Cruise, Sydney Opera House Tour
You'll take a four-hour cruise along Sydney Harbour on a luxury cruiser in the morning. While sailing past the famous Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, you'll learn about the harbor's history. Start with an appetizer at Watsons Bay, then cruise onto Middle Head and Middle Harbour. Enjoy beautiful views before stopping at Balmoral Beach for lunch. As you move past the Spit Bridge, indulge in a decadent dessert, cheese platter, and local wine before returning to the main harbor. You'll even have an opportunity to stop for a swim.
In the afternoon, you'll see inside the world's most recognizable sails with a backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House. Learn how this iconic architectural feat came into existence against impossible odds to become one of the world's most famous performing arts centers. Your guide will take you on an unforgettable journey, engrossing you in a story to rival any opera plot with its dramatic twists and turns.
Day 3: Full-Day Quintessential Sydney Tour
Today's tour allows you to discover Sydney from a local's perspective. Start in the bustling city, exploring The Rocks area and the first streets developed as part of Sydney's original urban plan. Next, you'll venture toward the iconic coastline, weaving your way through the picturesque Eastern Suburbs, from Bondi Beach to Tamarama to Bronte Beach. Get an authentic feel for the famous Australian surf and swim culture. Follow this with a local gallery visit.
Heading north along the peninsula, stop at Dudley Reserve for uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour and see the infamous Gap, an ocean cliff facing the Tasman Sea. Continue to Rose Bay, the site of Australia's first airport, checking out the country's most luxurious harbor suburbs, Vaucluse and Point Piper. Just across the Harbour Bridge, visit the charming suburbs of Mosman, The Spit, Middle Harbour, and Manly for a lunch stop. After lunch, a driver will take you back to your hotel.
Day 4: Sydney to Adelaide, Evening Wine, Dine & Discover by Foot
Your driver will take you to the airport in the morning, where you'll fly west to Adelaide. Upon arrival, a driver will transfer you to your hotel. Then, you'll have the day free to discover South Australia's capital at your own pace. This former British colonial hub is laid out in a grid pattern on the lovely River Torrens and is surrounded by green parklands. It's a progressive city famous for its many festivals, fine food, and wine.
Day 5: Adelaide to Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Island in Style Tour (Day 1)
A driver will pick you up early from your hotel today and transfer you to the airport, where you'll catch a quick 40-minute flight to Kangaroo Island. Upon arrival in the town of Penneshaw, your guide will meet you at the airport. After checking in to your hotel, you'll board a bus and enjoy the first day of tours around this highlight locale of South Australia. A third of the island's total area comprises protected wildlife reserves, so you'll see some incredible sights. Visit Seal Bay Conservation Park, where you'll enjoy a guided beach walk at a breeding colony of wild sea lions.
Day 6: Kangaroo Island in Style Tour (Day 2), Transfer to Adelaide
Enjoy breakfast this morning before meeting your guide for a full-day sightseeing tour. Travel through the island's northwest and visit Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, an important wildlife reserve. Learn about the programs for protecting endangered mammals and get an introduction to the Australian bush. You'll also get a chance to feed kangaroos and mingle with koalas.
After lunch, travel to Flinders Chase National Park and explore the massive shapes of Remarkable Rocks, a natural sculpture perched impossibly on top of a dome of granite emerging from the ocean. Continue on to Admirals Arch, a coastal grotto that provides shelter for a large colony of long-nosed fur seals who swim effortlessly through the crashing waves. After your tour, you will be transferred to Kingscote's airport or ferry terminal to return to Adelaide.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 7: Adelaide to Uluru, A Field of Light Dinner
In the morning, your driver will transfer you to the airport, where you'll catch a flight north to Uluru (Ayers Rock), the spiritual heart of Australia's Red Centre desert plains. You'll find Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has two major features: the sandstone Kata Tjuta and Uluru rock formations. Uluru is the country's most recognized natural wonder and is home to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara tribes, the area's traditional landowners. Upon arrival, you'll transfer to your hotel.
This evening, looking out to the Uluru monolith, you'll have an unforgettable alfresco dining experience at a prime vantage point in the desert. As darkness falls, the ground will come alive with over 50,000 glass spheres mounted on flower-like stems, which light up in various colors. These LEDs are connected by optical-fiber cables and create the effect of tendrils of light spreading root-like across an area of 527,431 square feet (49,000 sq m).
Amid this incredible art installation, you'll enjoy a three-course menu with First Nations "bush tucker" flavors. Gaze at the stars as your host reveals these constellations' significance for the First Nations people. You'll also learn about the origin of the art installation before heading for a stroll along its glimmering pathways. Once the experience is over, you'll return to your hotel.
Day 8: Dot Painting Workshop, Afternoon Uluru Sunset
With a brush in hand this morning, you'll learn some basic techniques of dot painting and ancient symbols still used today in Anangu art from a local Anangu artist. Dot painting is an artistic technique associated with Aboriginal culture. Because these First Nations groups are the oldest on the planet, art and painting are two main ways they have preserved their culture and knowledge. You'll also learn some essential Pitjantjatjara words, a regional dialect the Aṉangu people speak. At the end of the workshop, you'll have created your own dot painting to take home with you as a memorable souvenir.
This evening, travel through the desert landscapes of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Feel all of your senses come alive as you admire the immensity of Uluru and immerse yourself in the surroundings of this site. Relax with a glass of sparkling wine and appreciate the color spectrum shift of this world-renowned icon as the sun sets over Uluru.
Day 9: Uluru to Cairns, Optional Activities
It's time to head to the tropics! Transfer to the airport for the 2.5-hour flight to Cairns, a gem of a city located on the northern Queensland coast. When you arrive, a driver will be waiting to transport you to the hotel. You're in for a treat, as Cairns is the gateway to some of Australia's most famous natural attractions. Sitting just offshore is the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's most popular diving sites. To the north lies another UNESCO treasure, the ancient rainforests of Daintree National Park.
After checking in to your hotel, spend the rest of the day browsing Cairns' charming boutiques, dining in its restaurants, or heading farther north to some of its white sandy beaches. To see marine life, visit the Cairns Aquarium, home to various sharks, rays, sea turtles, eels, and many others.
Day 10: Full-Day Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise
This morning, you'll embark on the Great Barrier Reef experience of a lifetime. Board a high-speed catamaran to zip across the water to a reef at the outer edge of Australia's continental shelf. Then, dive off the boat and snorkel around an underwater world abounding with exotic marine life. Swim next to sea turtles as they glide gracefully through the water and marvel at the 1,500 fish species that inhabit this marine park. These include everything from sergeant majors and parrotfish to moray eels and reef sharks.
Or you could stay dry and view this underwater kingdom from the comfort of a semi-submersible craft. You'll sit in the cabin below deck, 3 feet (1 m) underwater. You can watch fish feeding in colorful coral gardens formed over thousands of years through large windows on all sides. Other optional activities include scuba diving, snorkeling with a marine biologist guide, and helicopter flights over the reef.
Day 11: Free Day in Cairns
Spend a relaxing day exploring all that Cairns has to offer. Perhaps travel to nearby coastal villages and palm-fringed beaches like Trinity and Clifton. Or opt for a 4WD tour of Daintree and explore the oldest rainforest ecosystem on earth. Continue to other natural wonders like the stunning Cape Tribulation coastal headland. You could also visit the Kuranda Rainforest by taking the Kuranda Scenic Railway.
Day 12: Full-Day Daintree Adventure & River Snorkeling
In the morning, travel to nearby Mossman Gorge, the gateway to Daintree National Park. You'll embark on an unforgettable rainforest adventure combining swimming, snorkeling, and jungle hikes. Upon arrival at Mossman, participate in a traditional "smoking" ceremony conducted by the Kuku Yalanji First Nations people designed to protect you while visiting their ancestral lands. They'll even apply rainforest body paint.
Day 13: Depart Australia
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