Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, the Great Barrier Reef & Sydney from $3099 - 15 days/12 nights
For a great Aussie welcome, head straight for Adelaide, a beautiful city renowned for its warm and friendly people, art, culture and wine. From Adelaide it’s just a quick hop (actually, a 40-minute ferry ride) to Kangaroo Island, an exciting wilderness vacation destination and home to Australia’s largest koala colony. For an unforgettable look at one of the world’s most amazing natural wonders, explore Cairns and the famous Great Barrier Reef – you don’t even have to get wet! Round off your vacation in Sydney, one of the world’s most vibrant cities, where you can go to the beach, the ballet at the Opera House and 5-star restaurants, all in one day.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart US
Day 2 - Cross International Date Line
Day 3 - Arrive
Adelaide
The state’s capital, is beautifully positioned on the Torrens River with stunning beaches to the west and the lush Adelaide Hills to the east. Adelaide offers café-lined streets, leafy parklands and a colorful calendar of festivals and special events. Spend time exploring the city’s distinctive architecture and be sure to visit the Adelaide Casino to see what was once the Central Railway Terminal. Visit the colorful Central Market, excellent Immigration Museum and take a tram to explore the beach resort of Glenelg, only 20 minutes from the city.
Day 4 - Kangaroo Island
Fly (additional cost) or take ferry to Kangaroo Island Sea Lions Guided Beach Walk, Kangaroos, Koalas, Wetlands Birdlife
Meet your guide for an introduction to Kangaroo Island before heading out in search of wildlife encounters. Your guide will help you spot kangaroos, koalas and echidnas in the wild. A highlight today is a guided beach walk at Seal Bay, home to a colony of Australian sea lions. See these fascinating mammals up close, as they bask on the beach or in the dunes. Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch in the bush, followed by a bushwalk. We visit one of the island's wetland areas to see and hear diverse birdlife.
Days 5 - Kangaroo Island
After breakfast discover the wonders of Flinders Chase National Park. See at close range the New Zealand fur seals that inhabit these waters and view the unique geological formations of Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks. Enjoy a picnic lunch in a bush setting, sampling island foods and South Australian wines. Later, explore the Rocky River region to see yet more wildlife.
At Hanson Bay Sanctuary, we search for koalas, then, by special permit, we enter the Kelly Hill Conservation Park. As dusk approaches, mobs of kangaroos and other native animals move out into the open to graze.
Days 6 - Adelaide
Fly (additional cost) or take ferry back to Adelaide
Rest of day at your leisure to explore Adelaide
Day 7 - Fly Adelaide - Cairns
Cairns is the colorful capital of Tropical North Queensland and the major gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. The city is a gateway to an amazing selection of touring options encompassing the Reef, the Outback and the Rainforest. Take the Skyrail gondola to the market town of Kuranda and return to Cairns via the Kuranda scenic railway through lush rainforest. A visit to the Tjupukai Aboriginal Park is a must to learn of the local Aboriginal tribes and culture. The exclusive resort of Palm Cove lies 20 minutes north of Cairns, with hotels set on an esplanade behind a pristine palm fringed beach. An hour north of Cairns brings you to Port Douglas, the closest town to the Great Barrier Reef with Rainforest clad mountains sweeping down to sparkling sandy beaches.
Days 8 -10 - Cairns
Explore Cairns at your leisure or consider adding one of our tour options - Some of our favorites:
Kuranda, Rail, Skyrail & Tjapukai
Kuranda Scenic Rail to Kuranda, Barron River & Stoney Creek Falls, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway,
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park which includes indigenous guide , entrance to all Theatres, the famous Tjapukai Dancers, boomerang/spear throwing & bush medicine.
Ocean Spirit Cruise
Luxury sailing catamaran to Michaelmas Cay, a picturesque vegetated Sand Cay encircled by a superb fringing reef. The Cay is a National Park and a protected sanctuary for migratory seabirds. Lunch is included. Enjoy four hours on the Reef where you can choose from a range of activities including snorkelling, semi-submersible tours and guided beach walks.
Cape Tribulation by Appointment
Privately guided explorations of Australia's Tropical Rainforests have been a specialty of Down Under by Appointment since they began touring over 20 years ago, with every itinerary tailor-made to suit each guest's interests, time frame and budget.
Day 11 - Fly Cairns - Sydney
Blessed with a temperate climate, Sydney is Australia’s favorite city with the world’s most beautiful harbor. The harbor provides a playground for jet boating, sailing, swimming, harbor scenic flights, dining, fishing, climbing the harbor bridge and sightseeing at the Opera House. Take a stroll through The Rocks, the site of the first European settlement. Don’t miss The Rocks markets held every Saturday & Sunday. Be entertained with great street theatre and music while you browse for Australian arts & crafts. Circular Quay is the gateway to the harbor and the starting point for most of Sydney’s harbor cruises and passenger ferries. Familiarize yourself with the harbor by taking one of the many cruises on offer or jump on a passenger ferry to Taronga Zoo or Manly beach. Sydney’s shopping is second to none with its endless selection of boutiques, markets and malls. Unique Australian specialty shops reside at The Rocks and Darling harbor’s Shopping Centre and a visit to the Queen Victoria Building in the city center is a must. Dining out at one of the many fabulous harbor side restaurants is a must. Fresh produce, great views, inspiring chefs and a multicultural flavor turn a meal into a gastronomic delight.
Days 12 - 14 - Sydney
Explore
Sydney at your leisure or consider adding one of our tour options - Some of our favorites:
Sydney Opera House - Essentials Tour
Experience this miracle of architecture and engineering. Working with new, rich audio-visual components, where images are projected onto the fabric of the building, your guide will take you on an emotional journey, engrossing you in a story to rival any opera plot with its dramatic twists and turns.
Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
BridgeClimb is a 3.5 hour adventure and an experience that will never be forgotten on one of the world's most modern wonders - The Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Australian Eco Adventures Blue Mountains tour
Breakfast with the Koalas at Featherdale Wildlife Park,
Complete circle loop of the Blue Mountains,
Short walks to explore the remote regions with stunning views
Lunch, Visit to Scenic World Attractions,
Champagne with Wild Kangaroos.
"Wild Ways to See Sydney" combo
Let Australian Wild Escapes take you on a morning tour of Sydney, the city, its harbour, South Head and Bondi
Beach. You will be transferred to Sea Sydney Cruises, lunch on the vessel and
cruise like a local in the afternoon on your four hour Sydney Harbour cruise on Calypso, a 52 foot motor yacht.
Day 15 - Depart for US
Package Inclusions
• Roundtrip Economy Class airfare from Los Angeles
• Add-on airfares from other U.S. cities are available
• All domestic air within Australia
• 2 nights in Adelaide
• 2 nights on Kangaroo Island, plus two full-day tours on Kangaroo Island
• 4 nights in Cairns
• 4 nights in Sydney
• Roundtrip coach and ferry transfers between Adelaide and Kangaroo Island
Prices are per person based on double occupancy from Los Angeles. Melbourne Cup, Grand Prix, Australian Open, Mardi Gras, Sydney New Years Eve and other blackout periods will have surcharges. Tickets must be purchased by
Dec 31, 2010 and travel by 31 March 2011. Add $300 for New York departures. Add-on fares are available from other cities. Seats are limited and may not be available on every flight. Hotels are subject to availability. US/foreign taxes/fees of approximately $190, including September 11th Security Fee, are additional. After ticketing, no change is allowed on outbound sector; inbound may be changed for $150. Cancellation penalties and other restrictions apply.
