Any dates - any combination - may be customized.
ULTIMATE
SYDNEY - 4 nights/5 days
Day
1 Sydney
Met on arrival and transfer to your hotel
Balance of the day at leisure
Accommodation: Sydney, 4 nights
Day
2 Sydney Old & New (B)
Departing
your city hotel we travel to the charming Rocks
area where you take a stroll around the historic
area with its quaint old cottages, pubs and churches.
Rejoin the vehicle and travel along Macquarie
St – the
seat of government for NSW, the Mint and Hyde
Park Barracks. Travelling past St. Mary’s
Cathedral you visit
Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair for an unsurpassed
view of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Bridge.
Continuing
along the shores of Sydney Harbour you travel
through Kings Cross, Double Bay and Rose Bay.
Passing the
up-market real estate we pause briefly for a morning
tea in the beautiful Sydney Harbour National Park.
We
then travel further to South Head with its breathtaking
view of Sydney Harbour and the City. Take a short
stroll along the cliff tops and rejoin the vehicle
to continue to Bondi Beach and Centennial Park
to the city.
Afternoon at leisure
Day
3 Blue Mountains 4WD Adventure (BL)
This
fantastic Eco tour begins at your hotel and heads
westwards across the coastal plain to the
Great
Dividing Range of Australia. It is here we leave
the average Blue Mountains tourist behind d and
enter the
National Park to unlock a piece of Australia you
would never have known existed. We visit
an ancient
Aboriginal site and outstanding lookouts; examine
rock formations and the unusual plants and wildlife
that
abound the area. From the quaint little
village of Leura we skirt around Cliff Drive to
Katoomba where you
will find yourself looking out over the magnificent
Jamieson Valley (Australia’s Grand Canyon)
and the
Three Sisters. We enjoy a delicious barbecue lunch
including a selection of fine Australian wines
with a
cheese platter under the canopy of the Australian
bush.
Before returning to Sydney we drop into a hidden
valley where we roam the area seeking out the
many
kangaroos that graze in the wild (conditions permitting)
Reluctantly we leave the National Park for return
to our hotel passing through the Olympic 2000
site on route.
Day
4 Harbour cruise, Opera House (B,L,D)
Cruise
the world’s most beautiful harbour and enjoy
a delicious buffet lunch as you pass the Opera
House,
Sydney Harbour Bridge and bays.
This evening a special treat – an Evening
at Sydney’s world famous Opera House with
guided tour, dinner
and selected performance. Transfers to and from
the Opera House included.
Day
5 Depart (B)
Transfer
to airport for onward or homebound flight.
ULTIMATE
CAIRNS - 4 nights/5 days
Day
1 Cairns
Met
on arrival and transfer to hotel
Accommodation: Cairns, 4 nights
Day
2 Great Barrier Reef (BL)
Visit
the Great Barrier Reef, a true wonder of the world,
to see coral formations, a kaleidoscope of colour.
The lagoon offers swimming, snorkeling or scuba
diving, presentation by a marine biologist, semi-
submersible reef viewing, tropical buffet lunch,
helicopter flight for spectacular Reef views.
Day
3 Ultimate Kuranda Experience (BL)
Travel
by steam train through hand hewn tunnels and over
gorges to Kuranda, with time to explore village
and market (open W/Th/F/Su). Return on Skyrail,
gliding over the rainforest canopy to Caravonica
Lakes.
Discover ancient Aboriginal culture at Tjapukai
Aboriginal Park including a performance by the
Tjapukai
Aboriginal Dancers.
Day
4 Cape Tribulation Rainforest (BL)
Travel
through the sugar cane and pineapple plantations
toward the Daintree River where we join our
cruise which takes us through areas where the
rainforest meets overhead and crocodiles can normally
be
seen basking on the muddy banks. We enjoy a home
prepared morning tea whilst cruising the placid
waters
before returning to our vehicle to cross the river
aboard a barge. We enter the Daintree Rainforest
making
our way to Cape Tribulation where we stroll through
the rainforest to the shores of the Coral Sea.
Here we
view the bay against the backdrop of the dense
rainforest. We enjoy a delicious lunch under the
canopy of
the forest before travelling along the Bloomfield
Track to Woobadda creek. After exploring the area
we
return along the track taking a stroll deep into
the rainforest. Returning to the vehicle we travel
Southward and enter the Mossman Gorge with its
breathtaking waterfalls and rushing waters. Drop
off at
hotel in the late afternoon.
Day
5 Depart (B)
Transfer
to airport for onward or homebound flight
ULTIMATE
MELBOURNE - 4 nights/5 days
Day
1 Melbourne
Met
on arrival and transfer to hotel.
Accommodation: Melbourne, 4 nights
Day
2 City, Gardens, Tramcar dinner (BD)
This
morning discover the diversity of this multi-cultural
city on this tour. See historical buildings,
beautiful gardens, and shopping areas famous for
their restaurants and fashion. Melbourne is the
sporting
city. Melbournians are passionate about their
Aussie Rules footy and almost all sports known
to mankind.
Travel past the sporting precinct that became
famous in the 1956 Olympic Games and now roars
to the
cheers of Aussie Rules crowds each weekend. See
the nearby Rod Laver Tennis Centre that host the
Australian Tennis Open each year. Melbourne is
home to people from all over the world and this
cultural
diversity is expressed in the food and fashion
centers. Walk along the shopping strips of up-market
traditional Toorak, funky Chapel Street Prahran
or culturally Vietnamese Bridge Street Richmond.
Return to the Melbourne botanic Gardens for the
morning / afternoon tea near the banks of the
Yarra
River. Drive to the Italian precinct of Lygon
Street Carlton and see the historic Exhibition
Buildings
alongside the ultramodern Melbourne Museum. Finish
your tour at the bustling activity of Queen Victoria
Markets where huge range of fresh produce, exotic
foods, clothing and artifacts are sold amidst
a chorus of
stall holders.
Note: Queen Victoria Markets are not open Mon/Wed.
This evening enjoy dinner on board the Colonial
Tramcar restaurant. As it cruises the scenic streets
of Melbourne, diners can enjoy fine cuisine
and drink
the very best of Australian wines.
Day
3 Koalas and Wine (BL)
From
Melbourne city centre, travel through a cross
section of suburbs to the eucalypt forests of
Warrandyte. Enjoy a short stroll with your guide
with a chance to see the diverse bird life and
koalas that
inhabit the forest. Your guide will bring the
natural history of this region to life. A short
drive to a nearby
forest area will enable you the chance to see
wild kangaroos relaxing in their natural habitat.
Drive
downward into the rich greenness of Yarra Valley.
Over 50 wineries are established in the valley,
varying in
size from small family vineyards to large international
establishments. We visit historic wineries
for wine
tastings and browse at a display of fine artwork.
Lunch will be at the award winning Eyton Restaurant
at
Rochford Winery. Enjoy superb food looking onto
the vineyards. After lunch, visit a boutique winery
for
further wine tastings. Drive through the valley
to the cool and inviting forests of the Dandenong
Ranges.
The tall wet eucalypt forests feature the large
mountain ash trees and verdant canopy of tree
ferns. A
short walk with your guide takes you along a fern
gully stream deep into the forest. The mimicking
calls of
the lyrebird can sometimes be heard. Return to
city centre through the established suburbs of
South
Eastern Melbourne.
Day
4 Fairy Penguin Parade (BD)
This
fascinating experience takes you southeast of
the city through the rich Gippsland coastal region.
Visit
a boutique winery overlooking Westernport Bay
hearing colourful stories about explorers, sealers
and
whalers who settled this region. Phillip Island
is known as the wildlife island. Walk amongst
the treetops at
the Koala Conservation Centre to see a protected
koala company. Walk with your guide in nature
reserve
bushland and wetlands. The walk provides the opportunity
to see wallabies and a range of bird life in the
wild. Penguins come ashore each evening at dusk
from their ocean feeding grounds. The large penguin
colony enters the beach in groups and “walk
and talk” loudly as they work their way
into the dunes where
their burrow nests are situated. Boardwalks enable
the visitor to gain close contact with the penguins
in
the dune area. Enjoy a fish and chip dinner at
the Jetty Restaurant in Cowes at Phillip Island.
Return to
Melbourne inland, arriving late evening.
Day
5 Depart (B)
Transfer
to airport for onward or homebound flight.
ULTIMATE
HOBART - 3 nights/4 days
Day
1 Hobart
On
arrival in Hobart met and transfer to hotel
Accommodation: Hobart, 3 nights
Day
2 Historic Port Arthur (BL)
Today
we travel around the historic birthplace of this
fascinating city - Constitution Docks and Battery
Point and across the Tasman Bridge to Sorell and
onto Forestier and Tasmanian Peninsulas. As we
enter the
Peninsula, we are greeted with breathtaking scenery.
We visit the tessellated pavement, Tasman Arch,
The Blowhole and the ruggedly beautiful
coastline around Devil's Kitchen. Rejoining the
vehicle after a
short stroll we continue onto Port Arthur. The
settlement was created to put fear and hatred
into the
minds of those unfortunate enough to be
sent there. Visit the ruins of the settlement
whilst hearing
tales of the hardships suffered by the convicts.
We board a short cruise around the harbour,
and enjoy a
light lunch before re-boarding our vehicle for
Hobart.
Day
3 Historic Richmond and Ross (B)
This
historic journey takes us northwards across the
Tasman bridge to the quaint village of Richmond.
Here
we visit Australia’s oldest bridge, the
Jail St John's and St Luke's Churches. Rejoining
the vehicle we
continue onto Ross, Tasmania’s finest heritage
village, We visit the Wool centre where we can
follow the
history of the production of fine wool, as well
as an historical exhibit on the history of the
area. Ross was
also home to the Female factory where convict
women were put to work sewing and laundering garments.
Some 12,000 women were transported over the 50
year convict era. From Ross it is off to Campbelltown
and the forest areas toward the coast at Swansea.
We call in at Kate's Berry Farm with magnificent
views
across the bay. Maybe enjoy a local made ice-cream
or taste the home made jams. Continuing down the
coast we are met with outstanding views of the
coastline and winter forest country as we journey
back to
Hobart.
Day
4 Depart (B)
Departure
transfer to airport for onward or homebound flight.
ULTIMATE
ADELAIDE - 3 nights/4 days
Day
1 Adelaide
On
arrival in Adelaide, met and transfer to hotel
Accommodation: Adelaide, 3 nights
Day
2 Adelaide City Tour (B)
The
most understated of Australia's state capitals,
Adelaide is a charming, medium-sized city with
a
contemporary edge. It has a dry, Mediterranean
climate, which ensures the greenery of the parks
and
gardens year round and makes the many outdoor
restaurants and sidewalk cafés very tempting.
We will
show you the highlights of the city and Adelaide
Hills on this half day tour. We start our tour
at Victoria
Square. Eight acres in extent, it was laid out
as the principal square of Colonel Light's plan
of Adelaide in
March 1837. He refers to
it on his first map as 'the great square'. The
center of attraction in VS is the General Post
Office, an
impressive building with an elaborate main hall
and a clock tower. This is a great way to start
to orientate
yourself. From here we head North west and towards
Parliament House. This classical building with
its
majestic marble columns is a beautiful example
of nineteenth century architecture. We then head
down to
the banks of the Torrens River for morning tea,
where you have time to wander the walkways in
the
immediate area. We make the short journey to Morphett
St Bridge, then stroll north up the hill, walking
away from the city for some amazing photos of
the Adelaide sky line, and also views of the grandstands
of
the Adelaide Oval. To finish up your morning we
head out of the city, into the Adelaide Hills
and enter the
town of Hahndorf. Settled in 1839 by Prussian
and East German immigrants, Hahndorf is Australia's
oldest
surviving German settlement. The young German
women of the town packed eggs, butter and vegetables
and walked 25 kilometres through the night to
sell their wares in Adelaide. There are two places
we will
concentrate our time on here. Firstly, The Cedars,
Hahndorf home for 56 years to the renowned artist
Sir
Hans Heysen. We will wander the historic house,
studio and gardens and view the extensive
selection of
the artist's work still owned by the Heysen family.
Then to finish this half day we stop at the historic
Beerenberg Farm, which dates back to the 1830's
when the Paech family along with many other German
immigrants, settled the village of Hahndorf. The
Beerenberg Farm boasts traditional crops which
are grown
on the farm and include strawberries, sweetcorn
and mixed vegetables, but more recently Beerenberg
has
established an international reputation for its
interesting and varied jams, home style pickles,
chutneys
and sauces. We will have you back in Adelaide
in time for lunch
Day
3 Full day Barossa Valley tour (BL)
There
are many wine regions in Australia but this area
is especially unique. The combination of a rich
European heritage and the fresh vitality of Australia
is embodied in the lifestyle of the Barossa. The
peaceful rural setting hides many treasures such
as magnificent old churches, wineries and historic
cottages. After leaving the main city centre we
head north, over the Torrens River and into the
Torrens
Gorge. Covering 400 square kilometres of land,
this area prides itself on its unspoiled beauty
and love of
the great outdoors. You may be lucky enough to
see kangaroos and emus grazing near the road before
venturing to the Chain of Ponds, which features
a breathtaking backdrop of giant reservoirs and
towering
pine trees. We make our way to Williamstown and
admire the beautiful stone buildings before having
morning tea from the historic Lyndoch bakery.
We admire the panoramic views offered from
Menglers Hill
Lookout, which gives you fantastic photographic
opportunities looking out onto the Barossa Valley,
before
a visit to The Angas Park Fruit Company at the
charming stone brick town of Angaston. We will
even get
the chance to sample some of the renowned range
of dried fruit. Lunch will be at 1918 Bistro &
Grill. Set
within an old villa set back from the road it
has a lovely garden setting during summer and
open fires inside
during winter. The cuisine is Modern Australian
with an ever changing menu. The afternoon will
then be
spent amongst the vineyards and wineries that
make this area so popular and famous around the
world.
This afternoon will be created to suit your palate.
Whether you prefer the red or white, dry or sweet,
our
guide will discuss with everyone what they prefer
and visit wineries appropriate to your taste.
This is the
joy of a small personalised group. The day will
finish with a stop to view the most famous of
all premium
Australian wine, Grange. At Penfolds Magill Estate
we will enjoy a comprehensive tasting in the original
Still
Room, tour the historic Magill Cellars and view
a complete set of Grange. These wines are worth
several
hundred dollars per bottle so have your wallet
at the ready! That ends your magical day with
us and we will
have you back in town early evening
Day
4 Depart (B)
Transfer
to the airport for your onward or homebound flight.
ULTIMATE
ALICE SPRINGS - 2 nights/3 days
Day
1 Alice Springs Town Tour, evening Aboriginal
performance (D)
Met on arrival and transfer to hotel. This afternoon
a tour of Alice visiting Anzac Hill, the Old Telegraph
Station, Royal Flying Doctor Base supporting life
in the Outback, before drop off at hotel.
Tonight the Red Centre Dreaming – dinner
and show with authentic, traditional performance
featuring
dancing weaponry, interaction, didgeridoo playing
and cultural history. Enjoy a glass of sparkling
wine on
arrival followed by a three course dinner accompanied
by wine and soft drink served with the main course.
‘Red Centre Dreaming’ is an interactive
and unique entertainment in a ruggedly beautiful
bushland setting.
Hotel transfers included.
Accommodation:
Alice Springs, 2 nights
Day
2 Hot Air Ballooning, Camel Safari (BD)
A
hot air balloon flight this morning, over the
rugged McDonnell ranges, seeing wildlife or the
vast open
spinifex plains, followed by a gourmet breakfast.
The day is then free for you to enjoy Alice on
your own.
Tonight, Take a Camel to Dinner! Transfer to meet
your camels, take a leisurely ride past magnificent
gums
trees on your way to the Camel Farm. Visit
the museum before dinner, served with homemade
bread and
salads, Australian wine or beer.
Day
3 Depart (B)
Transfer
to the airport for your onward or homebound flight.
ULTIMATE
AYERS ROCK - 2 nights/3 days
Day
1 Olgas and Dunes tour
On
arrival Ayers Rock, transfer to hotel.
Our afternoon tour to the Olgas introduces you
to the desert and its development. A short walk
to the
dune lookouts lets you delight in the spectacular
panoramic view of the domes of Kata Tjuta (the
Olgas) - a
very sacred place to the Aboriginal people. Stroll
into Walpa Gorge's grand recesses to hear how
it has
evolved over millions of years and discuss the
secrets of plants, animal and human survival in
the desert.
As the sun sets sit back and absorb the desert
solitude or relax and chat to your guide about
Australia's red
centre over a glass of complimentary sparking
wine.
Accommodation: Ayers Rock, 2 nights
Day
2 Spirit of Uluru tour and dinner under
the Stars (BD)
Morning
tour to Uluru (Ayers Rock) where a short guided
walk is taken to areas of special interest viewing
rock art and waterholes whilst discovering the
fascinating relationship the Anangu people have
with Uluru.
Absorb the images and gain an insight of how Uluru
provided a tangible link with the creation time
ancestors. Finally visit the remarkable Uluru
Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre before returning to
hotel. Picnic
breakfast on tour included. Tonight, the
Sounds of Silence tour for dinner under the stars
– an experience
not to be missed!
Day
3 Depart (B)
Transfer
to airport for onward or homebound flight.
ULTIMATE
DARWIN - 4 nights/5 days
Day
1 Darwin
Met
on arrival and transfer to hotel
Accommodation: Darwin, 1 night
Day
2 Darwin to Kakadu National Park (BL)
Note:
tour departs on Wed and Sat only
Join small group scheduled service tour to explore
the beautiful perennial waterfalls of Litchfield
National
Park and the cultural landscape of Kakadu National
Park. We depart Darwin this morning and
travel east
along the Arnhem Highway across the Adelaide &
Mary River systems towards Kakadu. A brief
stop at the
Bark Hut Inn before continuing across the South
Alligator River flood plains and travel on to
one of Kakadu’s
famous rock art sites at Burrungui (Nourlangie
Rock), where you will see ochre rock paintings,
spanning a
period of continuous occupation of this area for
over 20,000 years. Your guide will explain the
stories and
mythology relating to the art. After lunch
we continue on to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural
Centre, an
impressive building built in the shape of the
local Pig Nosed turtle. Here you will learn
more about the
traditional Aboriginal owners of the park, their
culture, beliefs and lifestyles. From here we
continue our
journey to this evening’s accommodation.
Lunch on tour included today.
Accommodation: Cooinda, 1 night
Day
3 Yellow Waters/Lake Bennett (BL)
This
morning we embark on a guided cruise of the world
famous Yellow Water wetlands with the
opportunity to see some of the myriad bird life
and perhaps the awesome saltwater crocodile. Brolgas,
Jabiru, Whistling Ducks, Radjah Shellduck &
Magpie Geese together with many species of Kingfisher
and
Heron abound in these wetlands. After the
cruise we travel south along through the South
Alligator Valley
to spend time in the southern, less visited section
of Kakadu known as the stone country. A
visit to this
area will surely be a highlight. Gunlom
was made famous in the movie “Crocodile
Dundee” as Echo Pool.
Here we have the opportunity to have a refreshing
swim and explore the beautiful plunge pool. Leaving
Kakadu we continue westward to the historic mining
settlement of Pine Creek, site of a major gold
rush a
century ago and still a gold mining town today.
After a brief look around the town, we continue
to our
overnight accommodation.
Accommodation: Lake Bennett, 1 night
Day
4 Litchfield National Park (BL)
This
morning our journey takes us to Litchfield National
Park via the township of Batchelor. We visit
the
beautiful Wangi Falls and Tolmer Falls lookout
two of the many waterfalls cascading from the
Tabletop
Ranges. Perhaps a swim in the plunge pool
at the base of Wangi, or a walk to explore the
surrounding
monsoon rainforest. After lunch we travel on to
Florence Falls, perhaps the prettiest of them
all.
There is also the opportunity to view the unique
magnetic termite mounds before we leave the National
Park and continue on to Darwin. Breakfast
and lunch on this day included.
Accommodation: Darwin (1 night)
Note: in Dec-Mar (wet season), some areas become
inaccessible due to flooding, so alternative areas
will
be visited.
Day
5 Darwin (B)
Transfer
to airport for onward or homebound flights.
|
