Highlights of Australia
15 Days
from $6,315
Tour Code: AUH
Spend 15 leisurely days in the land down under searching out the beauties of the compelling island-continent of Australia. From Melbourne to Sydney, you'll enjoy sights that will last in your memory forever! From Melbourne, fly to the Outback and enjoy the cultural sights of Alice Springs and Ayers Rock, including the experience of a magnificent sunset at Ayers Rock followed by a sumptuous Barbeque Dinner under the stars.
Travel to Tropical North Queensland and spend 3 relaxing nights in Cairns, the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy a full day reef cruise and take the opportunity to snorkel through this majestic natural wonder.
From Cairns, travel to Sydney for a fantastic three night stay in this cosmopolitan playground. Take a morning city tour that includes a Harbor Luncheon Cruise.
Stay in a fantastic selection of First Class accommodations throughout as well as 16 meals, including 12 Buffet Breakfasts, 2 Highlight Lunches, 1 Three-Course Dinner with tea or coffee and 1 Farewell Dinner.
To ensure a comfortable travel experience, our motorcoaches are equipped with large panoramic windows, reclining seats, air-conditioning and restroom facilities.
Tour price is per person and is based on two people sharing a twin bedded room. Single rooms are available at a supplement.
***This tour is operated by our sister company.
Please Note: Visa required for this tour, please call for details.
Your Tour Price Includes
VIP Door-to-Door TransferTransfers you from your door step to select airports. Start your vacation in style with our outbound VIP Door-to-Door Town Car airport transfer service available on every tour from over 40 cities throughout the USA. Our service will collect your from you home and transfer you to your departure airport. We will arrange a pick-up time from your home that suits you, and your driver will meet you at your front door and assist with your bags before transporting you to the airport with ample time for check-in. |
Travel DocumentsGET travel wallet, Discover Australia & New Zealand booklet, and $100 Frequent Traveler Discount upon return for a future tour. |
| Inter-Tour Flights |
First Class HotelsHotels are an expensive element of any tour and certainly one of the most important. For our tours we reserve European Standard First Class Hotels (or best available) and all hotel rooms feature a private bathroom. You’ll enjoy our selection of hotels such as Radisson, Hilton and Sheraton. |
TransportationLuxury motorcoach with A/C, panoramic windows, reclining seats & emergency restroom. Airport arrival and departure transfers as noted in itinerary included with the purchase of combined air and land package. |
15 Meals12 Buffet Breakfasts, 2 Highlight Lunches, 1 Three-Course Dinner with tea or coffee and 1 Farewell Dinner Included. |
Professional Tour DirectorYour tour will be conducted by the most experienced Tour Directors in the business and will be with you throughout the tour. |
Included Tour Highlights
Discover MelbourneTour of Melbourne includes the Royal Botanic Gardens, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Parliament House and the Shrine of Remembrance. |
Travel to the Great Barrier ReefCruise on a high-speed catamaran to the Great Barrier Reef. View the colorful coral and tropical fish from a semi-submersible vessel. Enjoy a reef education presentation on this living wonder and a tropical buffet lunch on board the pontoon. |
School of the Air and Alice SpringsVisit the School of the Air and the panoramic views of Alice Springs. |
Cairns Free Day |
Royal Flying Doctor Service and Ayers RockVisit the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Watch the sunset at Uluru (Ayers Rock) this evening. |
Sydney City Tour and harbour cruiseSydney sightseeing includes views of the Harbor Bridge, Opera House, Darling Harbor and a cruise on Sydney Harbor. |
Ayers Rock and the OlgasWatch the sunrise at Uluru (Ayers Rock) then later view the sunset over the 36 domes of conglomerate rock, The Olgas. |
Optional Excursions
Optional excursions can be purchased upon arrival.
The list below is a sampling of excursions that may be offered by your tour director.
Melbourne - Penguins with Kangaroos & KoalasSee Port Phillip Bay and the prestigious bayside suburbs on your way to Phillip Island. Visit the Koala Conservation Centre, then observe the nightly ritual of the world famous Penguin Parade. Every day at dusk you can experience the natural wonder of the Little Penguins returning from a day of fishing. This unique scene is viewed from elevated stands under subdued floodlights. Koalas can be seen in their natural environment, and there is the opportunity to inspect the Visitor Information Centre to learn about the animals that inhabit Phillip Island. |
Cairns - Great AdventuresNo experience is necessary to take a fully supervised introductory dive and explore the reef and its amazing marine life. Snorkel tours are a great way to maximize your experience on the Great Barrier Reef with many magnificent sites to capture the excitement. Age and medical restrictions may apply to diving. |
Melbourne - Colonial Tramcar RestaurantDine and see the sights aboard the famous colonial Tramcar Restaurant. The restored 1927 trams are amongst the oldest in Melbourne. Included in your fare is a delicious meal, full bar service-including wine, beer, spirits and liqueur with dessert. |
Cairns - Cairns Night ZooEnjoy a delicious Aussie barbeque dinner of steak, sausages, chicken, fish, baked potatoes, fresh prawns and a selection of salads followed by dessert. Relax with a drink from our licensed bar. After dinner, our guides will provide you with a torch and lead you into the darkness to meet the creatures of the night. On clear nights our guides will take you star gazing. Follow our guides as they lead you safely through the crocodiles’ lair. See the croc eyes glow in your torchlight. In the Aussie bush, there’s always a chance you will cross paths with a ’Swaggie’ (an original Australian bushman). Join our hospitable Swaggie for billy tea and damper by the campfire. After complimentary cold beer or wine, join in the fun of some famous Aussie Bush Dances. Return hotel transfers included. |
Alice Springs - Overlanders SteakhouseThe Overlanders Steakhouse was established in 1971 to honour the men and women of Australia who ventured ’further out’ into the great outback of Australia. Explorers, miners, settlers, bush workers and the ’overlanders’ - the people involved in the largest movements of cattle in the history of Australia and the World. The first building, where the Steakhouse now stands, was the old, and original Alice Springs ’ Town Hall. Enjoy the signature ’Drovers Blowout’ menu, featuring four courses with a unique Australian theme. |
Cairns - Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural ParkVisit the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park where the legends of the Dreamtime are brought to life. Three theaters, a museum, art gallery and a traditional Aboriginal camp combine to give a fascinating glimpse of the rich and ancient culture of the traditional inhabitants of the region. Try your hand at boomerang and spear throwing too! |
Alice Springs - Outback Bush BBQ DinnerEnjoy an evening around the campfire with a fine meal of prime central Australian beef. This fun filled evening under the stars in the atmosphere of an early cattle camp will long be remembered. Your evening includes a boomerang throwing demonstration, bush damper making, an informative insight into the early Aboriginal way of life, bush balladeer and star gazing at our clear outback skies. Return transfers to your hotel are included. |
Cairns - Tjapukai by NightJourney into dreamtime legend and discover the magic of Australia’s ancient indigenous culture. Immerse yourself in the traditions of Tjapukai ’The people of the rainforest’ through traditional and contemporary cultural performances. Includes a welcome drink and face painting upon arrival to ’initiate’ you into the Tjapukai tribe, solemn didgeridoo blessing, cultural performances, lake side fire making ceremony and an international buffet dinner. |
Alice Springs - Outback BallooningYour adventure begins with the balloons being inflated just as the sun lights up the rugged MacDonnell Ranges. Whilst floating gently in the air you will appreciate the vast remoteness, scenery and wildlife of the Australian outback. The tour includes your return transfers and a fresh cooked breakfast accompanied by champagne and tropical fruit juice cocktails. Please note this excursion is not recommended for the elderly or a less agile person. If you are unsure, please discuss your situation directly with Outback Ballooning. An aviation insurance levy of $25.00 per person is payable direct to Outback Ballooning. |
Cairns - Ochre Restaurant and CateringOchre Restaurant and Catering has created a whole new Australian Cuisine utilizing the abundant and, until recently, untapped traditional native fruits, berries, game meats and seafood, as well as the best of Australian Wines and Beers.
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Ayers Rock - Fixed Wing Scenic Flight - Ayers Rock & the OlgasExperience the beauty of these great Australian landmarks with an amazing aerial view. The incredible rock formations of The Olgas are a must-see from the air. |
Cairns - Habitat Cruises (3 hr cruise)Enjoy a calm water cruise on Trinity Inlet, while discovering the secrets of the mangroves, wildlife, history and culture of the harbour and its trade. See crocodiles and a variety of native birds in their natural habitat, and then get close-up to crocodiles during the Crocodile Farm Tour on Australia’s largest commercial crocodile farm. Enjoy a delicious morning or afternoon tea, while cruising back to Cairns via the sugar cane fields. |
Ayers Rock - Fixed Wing Scenic Flight - Ayers Rock, Olgas & Lake AmadeusFly over the Northern Territory’s largest salt lake and witness the amazing contrast of colours. Fully experience the Australian desert environment, with the possibility to see wild camels. |
Cairns - Cape Tribulation Day TourTravel to the Daintree River, crossing the river by vehicular ferry. Travel through dense rainforest before arriving at the Daintree Discovery Centre. Here you can take a closer look at life in the rainforest from the Rainforest Canopy Tower. There is time to walk along Cape Tribulation Beach before enjoying lunch. Enjoy a cruise through mangroves along the Daintree River before returning to your hotel. |
Ayers Rock - Fixed Wing Scenic Flight - Ayers Rock, Olgas & Kings CanyonSee it all! With its amazing sheer cliff walls and surrounding valleys, Kings Canyon is an awe-inspiring landmark best appreciated from the air. |
Cairns - Kuranda Rail, Skyrail & Tjapukai Day TourJoin the famous Kuranda Railway for a breathtaking journey on one of the world’s most scenic railways to the village of Kuranda. Stroll through the famous Kuranda markets. Return to the lowlands by the Skyrail Cableway which takes you above the rainforest canopy. Visit the award-winning Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, meet your indigenous guide and learn about this ancient culture through theatres, stage shows and demonstrations. You are then transferred back to your hotel. |
Ayers Rock - Helicopter FlightsExperience the spectacular views of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (Olgas). Photograph these magnificent formations whilst listening to the commentary provided by your pilot.
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Cairns - Flames of the Forest Rainforest DinnerThe evening features two local indigenous brothers sharing some of their remarkable culture with you in a setting where they adventured as children. The rainforest setting is the natural, authentic backdrop for this spiritual and mystic culture, a performance unique to the Flames of the Forest, where you will learn about their timeless oral traditions in an intimate and personal setting. This evening of theater, tropical dining, authentic aboriginal culture explored through story telling and music is a must do for anyone interested in history, Aboriginal culture, the rainforest, meeting new people and great Australian food. |
Ayers Rock - Camel RideMeet your friendly camel and enjoy your ride from the Uluru Camel Depot to view sunrise or sunset over Ayers Rock. Return to the depot for billy tea and baked beerbread (sunrise) or a glass of sparking wine and nibbles (sunset). Return transfers to your hotel included.
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Sydney - The Blue Mountains & Wildlife DinnerTravel to the spectacular Blue Mountains. Opportunity to ride the Scenic Railway, Skyway Cable Car or the new Sceniscender (own expense). View the Three Sisters, a giant rock formation of Aboriginal legend. Visit Featherdale Wildlife Park, home to native Australian wildlife and birds. Travel through Homebush, the site of the 2000 Sydney Olympics on your return to Sydney. |
Ayers Rock - Motorcycle RideSee spectacular Uluru (Ayers Rock) from a legendary, late model Harley Davidson motorcycle. Expert riders will take you on a Pa’s Special (30 minutes) to the Uluru viewing point or you may prefer to cruise around Uluru (60 minutes), both with a photo stop. Return transfers to your hotel included. |
Sydney - Hunter Valley Wine TastingDepart the city via the Harbour Bridge and travel through the spectacular Hawkesbury district, stopping in historic Wollombi for morning tea. Enjoy private wine tastings at Lindeman’s Winery. Increase your knowledge of wine with an introductory DVD about the wine making process. Learn about styles, techniques and how to blend your own wine. Visit the home of Bluetongue Beer and enjoy a tasting paddle of available varieties (own expense). A smorgasbord lunch of tasting platters offering you a range of dishes is included, while the cellarmaster shows you how food ’marries’ with the wines. Enjoy boutique wine at its best with a tasting at Oakvale, one of Australia’s oldest working wineries. Enjoy the quaint village of Hunter Valley Gardens. View lush rolling hills and small wineries dotted across the landscape as you journey back to Sydney. |
Ayers Rock - Sounds of Silence DinnerDine under a million stars at the award winning Sounds of Silence Restaurant. Sip on a cool drink with the sound of a lone didjeridu filling the air, all with a view over Ayers Rock and the Olgas. Dinner includes a gourmet barbecue of Australian delicacies accompanied by fine Australian wines. Later enjoy a tour of the Southern night skies in a stargazing session. |
Sydney - Sydney Tower RestaurantIconic Sydney tower restaurant is the highest revolving restaurant in the southern hemisphere. It’s the ideal location to enjoy all Sydney has to offer from over three-hundred meters above the city center. Taking a leisurely seventy minutes to complete a full revolution, you are treated to a three-hundred and sixty degree panoramic view of Sydney whilst enjoying quality local and international cuisine from the self-select buffet. |
Cairns - Hot Air BallooningDeparting Cairns daily, enjoy a spectacular balloon flight over the Atherton Tablelands - the hot air ballooning capital of the southern hemisphere! See kangaroos and enjoy some of the most reliable and best priced ballooning in the world. After the flight enjoy a full hot and cold breakfast buffet and champagne. |
Sydney - Italian VillageWith amazing service and some of Sydney’s best modern cuisine, Italian Village is at the forefront of Australian dining. Ideally located in the Rocks, the restaurant is surrounded by 360 degree views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This price includes a 2 course set menu. |
Cairns - Scenic Helicopter Flight (10-minute ride)Experience the exhilaration of flying above one of the wonders of the world. Opal like formations of coral appear to float in the pristine blue waters, while the sun pierces through and enhances this natural beauty. Flying above such a vast array of marine life and spectacular colour provides irresistible photo opportunities. An aerial perspective of the Great Barrier Reef is a vision that stays with you long after you return home. A must see, must experience, option on your day at the reef. |





























