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Enjoy an immersive Australian adventure

19 days From £4,695 per person

2022 Tour code: OZJ22

About the tour

Enjoy an immersive Australian adventure, visiting Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef, and the wine lands surrounding Adelaide, as well as getting stuck into local life with fish and chips on Bondi Beach and a cup of proper coffee in Melbourne.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Days 1-2 - London and Sydney

Our Australian adventure begins as we meet our Tour Manager at London Heathrow for our flight to Sydney, via Singapore. We land on Day 2 and make our way to our hotel.

Sydney, Australia
Days 3-5 - Exploring Sydney

We explore Sydney on a guided sightseeing tour, discovering some of the best sights in the city. We head through the swanky neighbourhoods of Double Bay and Rose Bay with their upmarket boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. We continue to Watsons Bay, a harbourside suburb at the tip of a narrow peninsula, where the backdrop of cliffs, blue ocean, and city skyline paint a perfect postcard.

Next, we visit beautiful Bondi Beach, arguably the most famous beach in Australia, where we indulge in a delicious fish and chip lunch at Bondi Icebergs Club. On our return to the city, we see the bustling Chinatown and Darling Harbour. Our tour also takes in Mrs Macquarie's Chair, a sandstone rock in Sydney harbour cut in the shape of a bench, where we can enjoy wonderful views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

On Day 4 we discover Sydney's skyline from a new perspective today. We transfer to the quayside where we board a boat for a lunchtime cruise, seeing the sights of the city from the waters. Our cruise delivers stunning views of the surrounding ocean and harbour while we enjoy a delicious lunch.

Day 5 is free to explore all that Sydney has to offer at your own pace.

Sydney, Australia
Days 6-8 - Melbourne

After breakfast, we take the train to Melbourne.

On Day 7, we discover the city on a guided sightseeing tour. Melbourne offers a blend of urban attractions and diverse suburbs, famous for its vibrant laneways and alleys. We pause to sip on a steaming cup of coffee in one of the laneway cafés, before exploring the sporty side of the city with a visit to Melbourne Park and the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, situated beside Albert Park Lake. Later, we visit Queen Victoria Market, the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere. Our tour also takes in the beautiful Yarra River, the Golden Mile, Parliament House, and the Fitzroy Gardens. 

This afternoon, we transfer to Belgrave station where we take a journey back in time on board the Puffing Billy service. This narrow-gauge heritage steam train takes us across the Dandenong Ranges, past rainforests and through magical fern gullies. We alight at Lakeside where you have free time before our return journey.

Enjoy a free day in Melbourne on Day 8. You could relax in one of the fantastic cafés, or visit the Royal Botanic Gardens, where you'll find tens of thousands of stunning plants spread across grounds that slope down to the Yarra River.

Melbourne
Day 9 - The Great Ocean Road

This morning, we travel by coach along the Great Ocean Road, considered to be one of the most scenic journeys in Australia. Our trip gives us a glimpse into the beaches of Geelong, Torquay, and Bells Beach. As we journey through Campbell National Park, we take in stunning views of forests, cliffs, and some of the most dramatic rock formations known to mankind. We pass the Twelve Apostles - some of the world's most enormous naturally created limestone towers - as well as Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge, the Blowhole, and the Grotto. We arrive in Warrnambool, where we spend the night.

The Great Ocean Road
Days 10-11 - Mount Gambier and Adelaide

Today takes us to Towerhill Wildlife Reserve, which sits inside an extinct volcano. Here, we encounter some of Australia's iconic wildlife, including koalas, emus, and kangaroos. We continue to Mount Gambier, known for its volcanic landscapes. Here, we discover the Blue Lake - an extinct volcano whose crater now houses a lake formed by cerulean blue waters. Our journey continues to Adelaide, pausing at the charming gardens of Umpherston Sinkhole on the way.

On Day 11, we spend the day exploring McLaren Vale, a picturesque region known for producing world-class wines. We spend a full day here visiting the local boutique wineries, including d'Arenberg winery and Wirra Wirra Vineyards, and have the chance to sample some of the excellent wines at a tasting session.

Mount Gambier
Days 12-13 - Uluru

Today, we take a flight to Uluru, a beautiful red sandstone monolith. We see the rock in all its glory this afternoon as we travel to Sunset Strip where, accompanied by some sparkling wine, we watch the dramatic colour changes of the rock at dusk.

On Day 13, we visit Uluru at dawn for a different perspective of this geological wonder, followed by breakfast at our hotel. Tonight we indulge in a 'sound of silence' dinner under the starlit sky, enjoying a bush-inspired menu made from locally sourced ingredients as a star expert decodes the night sky.

Uluru
Days 14-15 - Cairns and the Kuranda Scenic Railway

We fly to Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, today. On Day 15, we join the Kuranda Scenic Railway for a journey to Kuranda, a charming tropical mountain retreat. Winding through lush green World Heritage Rainforest, we pass cascading waterfalls and a variety of different flora and fauna. A highlight of the journey is Barron Falls, a dramatically beautiful tiered cascade waterfall.

On arrival in Kuranda, we check out the vibrant market, which sells a wide range of aboriginal artefacts. We continue to the Koala Gardens, where we meet some of Australia's most famous animals, including koalas, wombats, and wallabies.

Kuranda Scenic Railway
Days 16-17 - The Great Barrier Reef

Today takes us to one of the iconic sights of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef. The world's most extensive coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef is a kaleidoscope of stunning colour, and widely considered to be one of the great wonders of the world. 

Our luxury catamaran sails to Low Isles, a coral island on the Reef, and there is the opportunity to take part in a slew of activities including a glass-bottom boat tour, which allows you to see the crystal clear waters and colourful reef without getting wet. Later, a marine biologist gives us a guided tour of the isles, giving us a unique insight into the many unique types of corals, fish and other creatures found in the waters. 

Day 17 is free in Cairns. You could relax at our hotel, explore the city further, or head to the nearby beach for a day soaking up the sun.

Great Barrier Reef
Days 18-19 - Cairns and London

Enjoy some more free time today, until late afternoon when we transfer to Cairns airport. We fly firstly to Singapore, where we join our onwards flight to London Heathrow, arriving on Day 19.

Cairns, Australia

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Grand Chancellor Hotel

Grand Chancellor Hotel, Adelaide

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Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort

Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort

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Rydges Esplanade Resort, Cairns

Rydges Esplanade Resort, Cairns

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Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne

Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne

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Rydges Sydney Central, Sydney

Rydges Sydney Central, Sydney

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Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs, Warrnambool

Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs, Warrnambool

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Trains

Kuranda Scenic Railway
Puffing Billy steam train

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Upgrades

Flight upgrades
London Hotels
UK rail connections
Worldwide Holidays by Rail 2022

Worldwide Holidays by Rail 2022

Long haul rail holidays to North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

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Enjoy an immersive Australian adventure

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Helen Laverack
Helen
Luke Simpson
Luke
Lynne Broadley
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