australia

It’s worth the time spent going!

Price Full Package: 
(including flights from New York-JFK)
$7,999 per person

Price for Land Only:
$5,999 per person

*Prices per person based on double room occupancy.

Single Room Supplement:
$1,500 per person

Dates:
December 1 – 14, 2020

Duration: 
14 days

Locations Visited: 
Sydney, Alice Springs, Cairns, Melbourne

Accommodations: 
5 Star

Deposit: 
$500
Due at time of booking
Deposits accepted only while space is available

Final Payment:
Due by July 31, 2020

Travel Protection: 
$644 per person (Double)
$748 per person (Single)

AUSTRALIA FAQs

Time Zone:
Australian Eastern StandardTime

Money:
Australian Dollar

Weather:
December Average Temp
70 Degrees

Language:
English

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

Airline: TBA

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Tue - Dec 01 - Depart USA

Day 2 - Wed - Dec 02 - Inflight - Cross International Dateline

Day 3 - Thu - Dec 03 - Arrive Sydney                                                          

After clearing arrival formalities, you will be met and transferred to the hotel. The balance of the day is at your leisure.  In the evening, board your private coach for transfer to Nick’s Seafood Restaurant in Darling Harbour. Enjoy 3-course dinner at Nick’s seafood Restaurant. (Beverages not included.)

Hotel: Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney
Meals: Breakfast/ Dinner

Day 4 - Fri - Dec 04 - Half Day Sightseeing Tour and Opera House Tour    

After hotel breakfast,  your guide will escort you on foot to the Sydney Opera House. This tour offers the opportunity to experience the Sydney Opera House in its daily operation. Visitors are guided into theatres, given a fascinating account of the history and architecture of the House and introduced to the magic of performance. With its white, sculptural 'shells' rising from the harbour foreshore at Bennelong Point, the Opera House is Sydney's most recognizable building and, officially, one of the seven wonders of the 20th century. After the tour, please board your private coach and commence your half day city sightseeing tour Drive through the commercial area of the city passing the historical buildings of Macquarie Street - Parliament House, The Mint and Hyde Park Barracks. Alight at Mrs Macquarie's Chair for breathtaking views of the city and harbour. Proceed through cosmopolitan Kings Cross and exclusive garden suburbs to the Gap on the ocean headland at Watsons Bay, then the famous Bondi Beach.

After lunch you’ll  return to the city via Paddington, a Victorian suburb of restored terrace houses richly decorated with cast-iron lace. Drive under the famous 'coat hanger', the Sydney Harbour Bridge and through the historic 'Rocks' area where Australia was first founded with its maze of terrace houses, restored warehouses, pubs and restaurants. The tour concludes at your hotel.

The rest of afternoon is at leisure

Hotel: Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - Sat - Dec 05 - Hop on Hop off Cruise and Taronga Zoo               

Experience your hop on and hop off cruise at Circular Quay. Sydney Harbour is yours to enjoy. Spend as little as one hour or the whole day enjoying the sights of spectacular Sydney Harbour. Captain Cook Cruises/ Matilda's Rocket Harbour Express has a number of stops and many departures throughout the day. Your ticket remains valid all day so you can disembark at all or any of the stops and spend as long as you like before re-joining the cruise. Entry to Taronga Park Zoo is included so we recommend you allow several hours to explore this exceptional Zoo.

• Sydney Harbour Hop On Hop Off Explorer Cruise

• 1x Taronga Zoo entry & Sky Safari Cable Car

• Sydney Aquarium & Cockle Bay - The Sydney Aquarium (entry not included) provides a fish eye view of the underwater world, with crocodiles, a miniature coral reef and a walk-through underwater tunnel where sharks glide overhead. Cockle Bay boasts some of the most fashionable restaurants in the city.

• Circular Quay Jetty 6 - Circular Quay was the site of the first European settlement. The Rocks, originally the home of convicts, now boasts many beautifully restored shops, restaurants and interesting pubs. The spirit and charm of Sydney's early days remain throughout this area and provide an insight into Australia's unique past.

• Fisherman's Wharf, Watson's Bay - Situated over the water, Doyles Fisherman's Wharf restaurant. Dine alfresco or inside, either way enjoy fabulous views of the bay and the city skyline. Recently rated Sydney's most popular beer garden, Watson's Bay Hotel has the only waterfront beer garden on Sydney Harbour. It serves fantastic fresh seafood and BBQ steaks.

• Taronga Zoo Ferry Wharf - See an array of Australian and exotic animals as you stroll through settings evoking their natural habitats. Informative keeper talks, shows and feedings take place throughout the day. With perhaps the most spectacular setting of any zoo in the world, you're sure to enjoy the fabulous harbour views as much as the animals

Hotel: Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Sun - Dec 06 -  Depart Sydney to Alice Springs                                          

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before you check out. Your driver will meet you and take you to the Sydney airport for your departure flight to Alice Springs. Upon your arrival in Alice Springs, board your private coach.

A Town Like Alice

Tour the sights of 'The Alice' including The School of the Air. We learn how children who cannot access schools are educated by radio, we may have the opportunity to listen to and observe actual lessons in progress on air. Stop at the historic Telegraph Station, which marks the original site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs. Visit the Royal Flying Doctors Service, where you will see how medical aid reaches those who live in the remote 'outback'. We also make a stop at the Alice Springs Reptile Centre, where you can see up close and maybe touch some of the lizards and snakes of Central Australia's semi-arid desert, such as the Perentie Lizard and the Thorny Devil. The tour concludes with a panoramic view of the township of Alice Springs and the MacDonnell Ranges from the top of Anzac Hill.

Hotel: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Mon - Dec 07 – Alice Springs to Ayers Rock                     

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel.  Travel from Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock) aboard a luxury coach. Take in the rugged desert landscapes of the region, passing through the beautiful MacDonnell Ranges. Stop at Camels Australia Camel Farm and learn about the impact camels had in opening up Central Australia. Here you will have the opportunity to ride a camel. Learn the natural and geological history of the region, as well as the unique Australian desert flora and fauna such as the Perentie monitor lizard, the thorny devil and the red kangaroo. Also hear about the traditional customs and beliefs of the local Aboriginals. There is time for a stop at Erldunda Roadhouse for a quick break then view flat-topped Atila (Mt Conner) in the distance before arriving at Ayers Rock Resort rested, relaxed and ready to explore the amazing World Heritage-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Uluru Sacred Sites and Sunset

Visit Uluru - Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre where there is time to purchase some locally made Aboriginal art and learn more about the Western Desert region. Later travel around the base of Uluru with a local Driver Guide. Learn about the native flora, fauna and intriguing cultural traditions of traditional owners, the Anangu, and discover an array of fascinating sacred sites. Join your Driver Guide for a walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole. You'll explore a number of caves and view Aboriginal rock paintings as your Guide interprets their meaning and significance. Travel to the Uluru sunset viewing area, 'Sunset Strip' and relax with a glass of wine and Nibbles as the sun sets over the western horizon and the evening sky brings out the many shades of colour for which Uluru is renowned. You will also enjoy an Outback BBQ dinner.

Hotel: Sails in the Desert
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

Day 8 - Tue - Dec 08 – Ayers Rock to Cairns                                                 

Uluru Sunrise & Field of Light

This morning you will be picked up at your accommodation in a luxury coach to be taken the very short distance to the exclusive Field of Light location. With just enough time for some background commentary on the internationally renowned artist Bruce Monroe, you will arrive very excited to see his latest artistic endeavor. Arriving in complete darkness, you will be able to enjoy the 50,000 globes of light in the desert, before making your way up the hill to the Field of Light sunrise viewing platform. Once at the platform, you will be served tea, coffee or hot chocolate. You can enjoy your beverage as the sun starts to creep light throughout the sky and then watch in awe as it pops up in the distance behind Uluru, flooding the landscape, including Kata Tjuta behind you, with light. As the natural light brightens the landscape, the Field of Light will dim for the day. Enjoy some amazing photos from this unique raised location that allows you to view both Kata Tjuta and Uluru in all their natural glory. Return to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, your driver will meet you and take you to the Alice Spring airport for your departure flight to Cairns.

Hotel: Shangri-La Hotel The Marina Cairns
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Wed - Dec 09- Full Day Reef Cruise                                                                  

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. This day you’ll join Reef Magic Cruises for your Full Day Reef Trip at Cairns with Hot/Cold Tropical buffet lunch.

Reef Magic Cruises new, luxury fast catamaran travels direct from Cairns to the spacious, stable Marine World activity platform in less than 90 minutes. Guests have privileged access to one of the most pristine, accessible & versatile Outer Great Barrier Reef sites available on a day trip from Cairns. Unmatched in value, Reef Magic Cruises provides the complete reef experience with 5 full hours at a private patch of reef & the smallest pontoon passenger numbers – no rush, no crowds. Guests choose from a full complement of inclusive activities and an affordable range of optional extras in a uniquely relaxed, friendly and personalized atmosphere

Hotel: Shangri-La Hotel The Marina Cairns
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 10 - Thu - Dec 10 - Cairns                                                                               

Enjoy breakfast at  the hotel.  Enjoy a full free day for independent activities or avail the Optional Tour.

OPTIONAL TOUR A – FULL DAY KURANDA TOUR (with lunch) $ 350 per person

Meet your local guide who will accompany you on your full day Kuranda tour. You will be collected by private coach and transfer to Freshwater Train Station to join the Kuranda Scenic Railway train to Cairns. Climbing more than 300 metres through dense, tropical rainforest, the Kuranda Scenic Railway is a 90-minute journey encompassing deep river gorges, rugged mountain ranges and spectacular waterfalls.

Arrive at Kuranda Station and reboard your Private Coach for transfer to Rainforestation Nature Park, boasting 40 hectares of gardens and rainforest set amidst World Heritage areas. Ride the amphibious army duck through the rainforest and visit the Koala and Wildlife Park.

The Dreamtime Walk provides a comprehensive introduction to Aboriginal and Islander culture and history with practical experiences including boomerang lessons on spear throwing. Witness the dynamic performance of the Pamagirri Aboriginal.

Lunch will be served during the day.

Board the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway for an amazing experience over Australia’s World Heritage listed Tropical Rainforest canopy and deep into the forest.

Transfer back to the Hotel by Private Coach.

Hotel: Shangri-La Hotel The Marina Cairns
Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - Fri - Dec 11 - Depart Cairns to Melbourne                               

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before you check out. Your driver will meet you and take you to the Cairns airport for your departure flight to Melbourne.

Upon your arrival in Melbourne, you will be met by your local guide who will assist you with private coach transfer to your hotel.

Hotel: Pan Pacific Melbourne
Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 - Sat - Dec 12 - Full Day City & Phillip Island Tour                                       

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Today you’ll experience Full Day Phillip Island Tour including Melbourne sightseeing tour. Melbourne is Australia’s cosmopolitan and sophisticated lifestyle capital. The drive will take in the central business district with its eclectic architecture, past the 170-million-dollar Victorian Arts Centre. View Captain Cook's Cottage in the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens with avenues of huge English elms planted along gently contoured lawns. Pass by the Botanical Gardens and observe the hustle and bustle of the famous Queen Victorian Markets. Continue along taking in views of the Shrine of Remembrance and St Patrick's Cathedral. The tour continues to Phillip Island following the Yarra River through the leafy south-eastern suburbs and rural countryside, before arriving at the bridge to Phillip Island.

Visit Phillip Island Nature Park and experience a range of unique Australian attractions including the world famous Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre and Churchill Island heritage farm. At Phillip Island witness the nightly ritual of the fairy penguin parade. Hundreds of little penguins emerge from the sea and waddle resolutely up the beach to their nests. The parade takes place like clockwork a few minutes after sunset each day.

• Koala Conservation Centre - Come ‘face to face’ with koalas in their natural habitat. Explore the treetop boardwalks and stroll through the woodlands, home to many animals including wallabies, echidnas, bats and birds.

• Churchill Island Heritage Farm - Journey back in time and explore the heritage and tranquil scenery. Wander the old homestead and experience daily heritage farming activities including cow milking, sheep shearing and working dogs demonstrations. Continue to have dinner at Harrys on The Esplanade Re-board your Private Coach and continue to see Penguin Parade.

• Penguin Parade - Experience the magic of little penguins returning home at sunset to one of the largest penguin colonies in Australia. Penguins arrive at sunset. Transfer back to your hotel.

Hotel: Pan Pacific Melbourne
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

Day 13 - Sun - Dec 13 - Melbourne                                                                               

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a full free day for independent activities or join the optional Tour. In the evening, enjoy  a 2-course farewell dinner at the hotel restaurant.

OPTIONAL TOUR B – YARRA VALLEY WINERY TOUR (with lunch) - $ 225 per person

You will be collected from your hotel and taken on a Full day Yarra Valley Tour. Under an hour’s drive from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is famous for its wine, fresh food and breathtaking scenery. The place where Victorian winegrowing started, the Yarra Valley is now home to over 55 wineries, most of which offer cellar door tastings and sales. The Yarra Valley is richly endowed with some of the most beautiful countryside in Victoria. Distant blue ranges, rolling hills strung with vines, towering trees, and verdant valleys with pristine rivers make up the spectacular scenery on offer around Marysville and Warburton. Stop at Fergusson Winery & Restaurant for wine tasting The Fergusson Winery & Restaurant lies among rising hills at the northern end of the Yarra Valley. Fergusson vineyard is planted to classic French grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are rich in a range of wonderful aromatics along with a variety of flavours and sensations. Enjoy a wine tasting experience. Continue to visit De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate for private wine tasting. Experience the Yarra Valley with a wine tasting experience at De Bortoli Winery & Restaurant, set on top of a hill overlooking the picturesque vineyards. Reboard your private coach and continue to visit Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort. Enjoy your lunch including a glass of wine.

Hotel: Pan Pacific Melbourne
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

Day 14 - Mon - Dec 14 - Depart Melbourne / Return USA                     

Check out from the hotel after breakfast and transfer out to the airport for departure of your flight back home.

Meals: Breakfast

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