Sydney, Uluru, Kings Canyon & Reef - Highlights of Australia from $4,699 per person

This trip takes you upfront and personal with the diverse and breathtaking wonders that Australia has to offer. First, visit the stunning city of Sydney with its spectacular Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Then, journey to the Red Centre to Uluru (Ayers Rock), see the stunning sunrise and take in the Field of Light art installation, and visit the breathtaking Kings Canyon. Finish in tropical north Queensland in the town of Port Douglas where you will visit the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef & Daintree Rainforest.

Inclusions

  • Roundtrip International Economy Class Flights from Los Angeles (domestic US flights can be added at an additional cost)
  • Internal Australia flights
  • Three nights accommodation in Sydney at 4* Parkroyal Darling Harbour
  • Half day Sydney Sightseeing small group tour
  • Sydney Opera House tour
  • Sydney Harbour Hop on Hop Off Cruise
  • Three nights accommodation in Ayers Rock at 4* Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel
  • A Night at Field of Light Tour
  • Uluru Sunrise small group tour
  • Kings Canyon full day tour
  • Three nights accommodation in Port Douglas at 4* Meridian Port Douglas
  • Full Day Great Barrier Reef tour
  • Half-Day Mossman Gorge & Aboriginal cultural tour
  • Private car service transfers in Sydney
  • Shuttle airport transfers in Ayers Rock and Port Douglas
  • All airport taxes & fuel surcharges

Itinerary

Day 1 - Depart US 
Roundtrip International Economy Class Flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York JFK or Dallas (domestic US flights can be added at an additional cost)

Ask about our upgrade options to Premium Economy and Business class.

Day 2 - Cross International Date Line

Day 3 - Arrive in Sydney 
Welcome to Australia! On arrival you will be met by your driver for a car service transfer to the Parkroyal Darling Harbour hotel for your three nights stay.

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.

ACCOMMODATION -The Parkroyal Darling Harbour is located on the city-side of Darling Harbour, a short distance from the restaurants and bars of Darling Quarter and two kilometers from Circular Quay. The spacious guest rooms and suites are contemporary, with a cityscape or Darling Harbour view.

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Image: Tourism Australia

Day 4 - Sydney – Half Day City Sights tour 
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel for your small group Panoramic Sydney tour. Visit the historic Rocks area and hear about early convict history. Enjoy magnificent views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. See the city's shopping heart, Queen Victoria Building, and Sydney Tower. Visit Sydney's trendy Oxford Street district and travel through Paddington with its terrace houses before arriving at the Pacific Ocean. See the magnificent coast cliff walk around Tamarama and Bronte. Travel on to famous Bondi Beach and visit the beachfront promenade with time to enjoy a coffee or cool drink (at your own cost). See Aussie lifesavers and Sydney's best panoramic view at Dover Heights. Return to Sydney via Double Bay, Kings Cross, and Mrs. Macquarie's Point for a final magical viewpoint over the harbour before returning to the city center. Tour concludes at Darling Harbour or Circular Quay.

Day 5 - Sydney – Explore Sydney
Explore Sydney harbor onboard the Hop on Hop Off Sydney Harbour Explorer. Travel aboard a 25-meter motorized Rocket Ferry vessel and enjoy a fun and easy way to explore Sydney, including commentary on selected routes. Then, sit back and relax as your vessel cruises around Sydney Harbour and stops at six harbourside attractions, including Circular Quay, Manly, Taronga Zoo, Watsons Bay, Shark Island, and Darling Harbour. Then, hop off and reboard as many times as you wish as you explore the best of Sydney!

This afternoon enjoy a one-hour guided tour of the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most recognizable landmarks, and this is your chance to truly get up close. Run your hands over the world-famous shell tiles, take a seat in the elegant custom-made white birch timber chairs, and marvel at the vaulted ceilings. Next, visit areas off-limits to the public and capture photographs from rare vantage points. Finally, explore theatres and foyers where more than 1600 concerts, operas, dramas, and ballets occur each year.

Day 6 - Sydney to Ayers Rock
This morning you will be transferred by private car service to Sydney Airport. Fly Sydney to Ayers Rock. On arrival, take the courtesy shuttle to the Ayers Rock Resort

Uluru (Ayers Rock), in the heart of the Red Center, has a desert climate - mostly dry, with brilliant blue skies all year. It is a World Heritage Area, managed jointly by the Aboriginal traditional owners and the Australian Nature Conservation Agency. You will spend one night at the Ayers Rock Resort. The resort is a short stroll to numerous lookouts, where you can view what is Australia’s best sunset, with the spectacular play of colors across the face of Uluru and the surrounding desert.

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Image: Tourism Australia

ACCOMMODATION - Magnificent ghost gums and flowering native shrubs are the settings for this hotel. Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel is centrally located to all resort and touring facilities and offers a range of accommodation, from shaded poolside rooms to deluxe rooms overlooking the desert. Relax in the comfort of your private balcony or courtyard, or unwind in the pool, sipping cocktails from the Bunya bar. Once the sun has set, dine at White Gums Restaurant, and savor Australian native delicacies.

This evening enjoy a “Night at the Field of Light” dinner tour. With Uluru as the backdrop, enjoy canapés and chilled sparkling wine and drinks to the sounds of a didgeridoo and Indigenous dance performance as the sun slowly sets. As darkness gradually falls and the colored lights of the 50,000 glass spheres come to life, you are invited to join your fellow travelers at the dinner table for a special three-course bush tucker-inspired menu. During the night, a local astronomer will introduce the night sky. A knowledgeable guide will provide insights and background to the monumental installation, and guests are invited to immerse themselves and walk through the Field of Light.

Day 7 - Uluru Sunrise Tour
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel for your Sunrise Tour. As you travel towards Uluru where its vast shape rises from the sand dunes in the early dawn light highlighting its presence in this country. Your guide will take you to a special location with uninterrupted views to watch the sunrise over this amazing monolith. Enjoy a picnic breakfast before experiencing the highlights of Uluru. Your guide will walk you to Mutitjulu Waterhole, where you will learn the Creation stories of Liru (venomous snake) and Kuniya (python). Then drive around the base of Uluru, hearing the cultural stories of the Mala people before returning to the resort.

This afternoon consider adding an afternoon camel ride through the desert (additional cost applies):
Catch the camel train and ride the good-natured camels for 45 minutes through beautiful sand dune country with Uluru and Kata Tjuta as your stunning backdrop. The knowledgeable cameleer describes the landscape around you on your ride. Back at the farm, explore the camel museum and learn about the importance of camels to the history of the Red Centre

Day 8 - Uluru - Kings Canyon & Outback Panoramas
Depart your hotel to commence a Kings Canyon and Outback Panorama full-day tour. Travel from Ayers Rock Resort to Kings Canyon, stopping for breakfast at Kings Creek Station along the way (included in your tour). Take the rocky climb to the canyon's rim for marvelous views of Watarrka National Park. Follow the canyon rim, stopping to look down into the canyon gorge at lookout points. Time permitting, stop at the green oasis of the 'Garden of Eden.' The circuit walk takes approximately three hours to complete and is rocky and steep in parts (recommended for those with a good level of fitness). Alternatively, a more accessible and shorter walk is available to explore the boulder-strewn canyon floor. Arrive at Kings Canyon Resort and enjoy a relaxed lunch in the early afternoon (own expense). After an exciting, fun-filled day of hiking and sightseeing in the rugged terrain of Watarrka National Park, relax in the comfort of a coach transfer returning to Ayers Rock.

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Image: Tourism Australia

Day 9 – Ayers Rock to Port Douglas
This morning you will be transferred by shuttle service to Ayers Rock Airport. On arrival in Cairns, meet your shuttle transfer to the Meridian Hotel in Port Douglas.

Located just north of Cairns, Port Douglas offers a sophisticated and low-key escape for travelers in an unpretentious and relaxed tropical environment. Shop in the boutique clothing stores, dine in the exquisite alfresco restaurants, and enjoy the islands and coral cays of the nearby Great Barrier Reef. A visit to Four Mile Beach is essential where you can laze away the day on the pristine sand. Port Douglas is also a popular base from which to explore the rainforests of the Wet Tropics, Daintree, and Cape Tribulation.

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Image: Tourism Australia

ACCOMMODATION - Meridian Port Douglas offers boutique accommodation in the heart of Port Douglas, two hundred meters from Macrossan Street and Four Mile Beach. An adult haven of privacy and relaxation for couples and singles has been created in a selection of stylish self-contained Studio Rooms and One Bedroom Apartments, surrounding a newly renovated and heated lagoon style pool set in tropical gardens.

Day 10 - Great Barrier Reef Day Tour
This morning board your vessel at Crystal Brook Marina Port Douglas to commence a full-day cruise. Travel aboard Silversonic, a 29-meter luxury catamaran custom-designed for small groups of adventure-minded people to revel in the thrill of diving and snorkeling. Silversonic features a state-of-the-art ride control system for a super smooth journey, a submerged platform for easy water access, hot freshwater showers, change rooms, air-conditioned lounges, and a licensed bar. With over five hours to explore the delights of this underwater world, snorkelers can explore three different outer reef locations at Agincourt Reef, on the very outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel briefs at each site and a guided free snorkel tour are included in your day.

Day 11 – Port Douglas – Daintree Rainforest Dreamtime Gorge Walk

Experience the wonders of the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest and Aboriginal culture on this half-day tour.

NGANA JULAYMBA DUNGAY: “We All Going Daintree” tours are based around the Mossman, Mossman Gorge, coastal habitats & the Daintree River area. Discover the Kuku Yalanji people's environment, learn about different foods and medicines utilized from nature, sample some bush tucker, collect shellfish, and try traditional Aboriginal hunting practices. Have a go at boomerang and spear throwing and if you are lucky, catch a mud crab. Take a guided rainforest walk through the southern Daintree rainforest and visit the Mossman Gorge before being transferred back to Port Douglas.

**Optional Extra – Upgrade from a half-day to a full day tour for an additional $60 per person including lunch*.

Day 12 – Depart Port Douglas

This morning you will be transferred by shuttle to Cairns Airport. Bid farewell to Australia as you depart Cairns for your flight to the US, arriving the same day.

 

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Costing Per Person starting from $4,699 per person

  • Note: Daily departures, this package is an independent itinerary with flexible departures (not a group tour)
  • Single Supplement: From $1,350

Australian Entry Requirements

Before committing to a trip, please ensure you have a valid passport. Australia welcomes US travelers with an approved Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) to enter Australia.

Read More about the Australian entry requirements

Additional departure gateways & pricing

Add on airfares are available from most major airports – please ask an Aspire consultant for a quote

Upgrade Options

  • Upgrade to premium economy from $1,100 per person each way*
  • Upgrade to business class from $4,000 per person each way*
  • Can take the upgrade one way or round trip and combine premium/business classes on same ticket

* Upgrade from pricing based on Sunday through Wednesday departures from Los Angeles - ask an Aspire consultant for the upgrade fee from other departure points and travel Thursday through Saturday.

 

 

Terms & Conditions:

The package from pricing is based on double occupancy (2 people sharing a room) for low-season stays for travel Sundays through Wednesdays from Los Angeles. A $50 air supplement applies each way for international travel from Thursday to Saturday. Add-on fares are available from other cities. Specific blackout dates apply to the accommodation and tour value add offers. Seats are limited and may only be available on some flights. Hotels are subject to availability. All prices reflect discounts for purchases made by check/wire; please see the terms and conditions for credit card payments. Cancellation penalties and other restrictions apply.

To guarantee the package price & purchase the airline tickets, full payment is due at the time of booking. The purchase of travel Insurance is highly recommended for travel to Australia. Aspire Down Under partners with CSA Travel Protection. Travel insurance covers cancellation penalties under the cancellation benefit should you test positive for COVID-19 immediately before traveling to Australia. In the unlikely event your scheduled travel date is impacted by Australian government entry restrictions, Aspire Down Under will permit a change of travel dates within 12 months from your original booking date without any fees or penalties (the applicable price of the new trip itinerary will apply).

 

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