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Incredible Australia - The Land of Ahhhhhs
Overview
Featuring Melbourne, Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula, Otway/Port Campbell National Parks, Apollo Bay, Great Ocean Road, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Flinders Chase National Park, Barossa Valley, Hahndorf, Alice Springs, Yulara, Ulurukata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock), Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park, Sydney, Blue Mountains National Park and Katoomba
Details
- This trip is limited to 30 passengers
- Air (Sacramento/Melbourne, Melbourne/Adeline, Adeline/Alice Springs, Ayers Rock/Cairns, Cairns/Sydney, Sydney/Sacramento)
- Accommodations
- Attractions as listed
- 33 meals (17B, 9L, 7D)
- Door-to-door service
Disclaimers
This tour ranges from Active to Energetic on the Activity Meter. MUST HAVE A VALID PASSPORT
Categories
Categories:
Daily Itinerary
Day 1-3
Fly to Melbourne from Sacramento (via SFO) on a trans-Pacific flight. Day 2 is "lost" when crossing the International Date Line, arriving in Australia on the morning of Day 3.
Day 3-7
Australia's "Heart of Culture" and largest city, Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and is famous for its gorgeous gardens, exciting culinary scene, and wealth of arts and cultural attractions. Grab a bird's eye view of the metropolis from the Skydeck, the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere, on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. Visit the Koorie Heritage Trust for an Aboriginal talk about the long history of the Kulin Nation on this land. Visit Phillip Island, home to the Koala Conservation Centre where you'll come face-to-face with koalas in the natural habitat and the Nobbies Centre overlooking the world's largest Fur Seal colony. Don't miss the Penguin Parade on the beach at sunset! On the Mornington Peninsula enjoy the ride and views from Arthurs Seat Eagle, a gondola high above the treetops, taking you into the heart of Wine Country where you'll visit Trofeo and Pt. Leo Estates. The Great Ocean Road on the Mornington Peninsula offers one of the most scenic drives in the world along coastal cliffs, golden beaches, and the rainforests of Apollo Bay, famous for the 12 Apostles rock formations, and Otway and Port Campbell National Parks. Sofitel Melbourne on Collins - 4 nights (4B, 2L, 2D)
Day 7-10
A morning flight takes you to Adelaide, South Australia's cosmopolitan coastal capital. On a city tour you'll see Victoria Square, the elegant Parliament House and oldest church, Trinity, before a visit to the Art Gallery of South Australia. Kangaroo Island (simply "KI" to locals) is Australia's third largest island and a haven for wildlife, especially its namesake, plus whales, wallabies, platypuses and more. Reached by ferry, you'll spend a full day in the care of a naturalist guide who will lead you through Seal Bay Conservation Park and Flinders Chase National Park including stops at Cape Bourda Lighthouse, Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. The Barossa Valley is South Australia's Wine Country boasting over 80 cellars including Seppeltsfield where you'll enjoy a tour and tasting. You'll also visit Hahndorf, Australia's German-style Alpine village. Sofitel Adelaide - 3 nights (3B, 2L)
Day 10-11
Travel by air to the hardy, remote desert town of Alice Springs in the heart of the Australian Outback. This is the best place to get a taste of the breathtaking "Red Centre," the country's interior desert region. Started as a telegraph station in 1871, it's appropriate to begin your visit at the original station facility. Next you'll see the School of Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Service - necessary to bringing education and medical services to the people of the Outback - and visit the Veterans Memorial high on ANZAC Hill. Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters (B, D)
Day 11-13
It's a full day's drive from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock through billions of years of time where harsh landscapes hide a desert that is brimming with life. See Mount Conner along the way, then Ayers Rock at both sunset and sunrise for iconic photographs. Sacred to the Anangu people who know it as Uluru, it is actually the largest of 36 red rocks monoliths known collectively as The Olgas. Whilst there you'll learn some of the Anangu language and the significance of their unique dot paintings to include the creation of a masterpiece of your own. A special treat is Field of Light Uluru where the desert comes alive with 50,000 spheres of light at dusk. Voyages Sails in the Desert Hotel Yulara - 2 nights (2B, L, D)
Day 13-16
Fly to Cairns on the coast of North Queensland. Once a sleepy sugar-milling town, it's now a vibrant cosmopolitan city that serves as the primary casting-off point for expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef which you'll visit (including snorkeling if you wish!) on a full-day catamaran cruise to Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park aboard the Ocean Spirit. Get up close and personal with the coral whilst snorkeling, diving or aboard a semi-submersible vessel. Explore the inland around Cairns on a multi-modal day of exploration starting on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to Kuranda Village. Travel by shuttle even deeper into the rainforest for a Pamagirri Aboriginal experience including traditional dance with didgeridoo accompaniment and lunch. The journey continues aboard WWII-era amphibious "ducks" through hidden waterways before the Kuranda Scenic Railway delivers you to Freshwater Station. There your coach awaits for the return trip to Cairns. Hilton Hotel Cairns - 3 nights (3B, 2L, D)
Day 16-20
Your final intra-island flight brings you to Sydney on Australia's southeast coast, the capital of New South Wales. You know the famous Opera House, but there's so much more to do and see in this metropolis where city life and nature coexist in rare and wonderful ways! A full-day's city tour will reveal such famed sites as Mrs. Macquarie's Chair, The Rocks, Bondi Beach, the amazing Sydney Harbour Bridge and, of course, a guided tour of the interior and exterior of the iconic Opera House. At Katoomba Scenic World ride the Scenic Railway, Cableway and Skyway, all providing stunning views of the Blue Mountains and the famous Three Sisters rock formation. Meet the animals native to Australia at Featherdale Wildlife Park. You can even get your photo made with a koala! And finally, cast off with Captain Cook Cruises on a Starlight Dinner Cruise of Sydney Harbour as we prepare to say goodbye to this amazing city and country. Return to the US on a noontime flight, arriving in Sacramento that same day (via LAX) at approximately 10pm filled with wonderful memories of your own time "down under" in incredible Australia. Sofitel Sydney Wentworth - 4 nights (4B, 2L, 2D)
| CB | Continental Breakfast |
|---|---|
| B | Generally a limited buffet or menu |
| FB | Full buffet or choice of menu |
| BR | Brunch, often buffet-style |
| L | Lunch, often several menu options |
| HT or AT | High or Afternoon Tea |
| D | Dinner, often several menu options |
Departures
Tuesday, February 6, 2024 to Sunday, February 25, 2024
20 Days, 33 Meals
17 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 7 dinners
$13700 | p.p./dbl.occ. |
$15875 | single |
Pricing
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Speak to a Staff Member
Have a question or would rather book over the phone? Call us!
| Local | (916) 361 - 2051 |
|---|---|
| Toll-Free | (800) 951 - 5556 |
