Australia The Spectacular Australia 1 - Itinerary
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Day 1: Melbourne - Arrivals On your arrival in Melbourne Airport (MEL), you will be met by a Sights and Soul representative for your private transfer to the hotel. If your flight arrives in the morning, you'll get a chance to rest after the long flight or get acquainted with the colorful area around the hotel, featuring the Fitzroy Gardens, Batman Park, Federation Square, cafes, and art galleries. Melbourne is ideal for strolling, savoring the ambiance and the lifestyle, and the central district, where the hotel is located, has a stunning skyline with intriguing modern architecture. In the afternoon, we'll meet the rest of the group for our welcome dinner at an elegant restaurant to enjoy our first taste of the amazing local food and fine Australian wines, as we get to know other travelers and share in the anticipation of our upcoming adventures. Day 2: Melbourne This morning, we'll set out to explore Melbourne, the city that has it all: magnificent architecture, beautiful gardens, a fascinating history, a great diversity of arts and culture, fine restaurants, and nightlife. Our private guide will share with us the sights and experiences (and the amazing coffee) of the city considered to be one of the most livable on Earth, its history and cultural presence. We'll see the Old Treasury Building, the Parliament House, the Shrine of Remembrance and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Victorian buildings nestling among the skyscrapers, intricate ironwork decorating the mansions testifying to the wealth of the city during the gold rush, city parks reflecting their British heritage, and the Royal Exhibition Building. We'll end the tour at the city's icon, the gold plated Eureka Skydeck 88 on the South Bank of the Yarra River. After spending some time admiring the 360 degree views of Melbourne from the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere, we'll celebrate the experience with lunch at a lively, contemporary city cafe. Day 3: Great Ocean Road Today, we'll set out from the city to experience the majestic Great Ocean Road, one of the world's great coastal drives. As we follow the road that hugs the side of sheer cliffs, where the native bushland and eucalyptus forests meet the blue waters of Australia's spectacular coast, we'll experience some of the world's most inspiring scenery, watch out for whales, dolphins, echidnas, and bandicoots. We'll stroll along the wild beaches and stop for coffee at the striking Split Point Lighthouse to take in the awe-inspiring scenery. We'll experience the temperate Eucalyptus Forest, as we walk in the splendor of the giant rainforest trees, watching the kangaroos hopping alongside and visit the tranquil seaside town of Apollo Bay. This perfect day will be topped off with the magnificent vistas and tragic romantic stories at the ancient rock formations of the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge. Day 4: Melbourne to Uluru After breakfast, we'll take an early flight to Ayers Rock / Uluru in the Australian Outback. On arrival, we'll transfer to the mesmerizing site of Kata Tjuta, with its 36 steep-sided, dark orange colored domes rising out of the desert. We'll walk through the Walpa Gorge, following a path gently rising through the surreal landscape to an ephemeral stream, ending at a grove of spearwood, where we'll enjoy our picnic lunch. After checking into our resort, we'll have some free time to rest or to explore the resort: we can join a bush yarn at the Circle of Sand with a local storyteller, visit the Wintjiri Arts + Museum showcasing the local Anangu art, browse the indigenous art markets to marvel at the beauty of the Mutitjulu artists' dot paintings or head to the Yulara Town Square for lunch and shopping. Just before sunset, we'll travel across the red desert to the Sounds of Silence dinner, for a unique gourmet dining experience enhanced by stargazing and followed by an exploration of the Field of Lights art installation, as the darkness descends over Australia’s spiritual heartland. Day 5: Uluru to Cairns Today, we'll be up early, an hour before sunrise, to enjoy the cool, clear morning air, as we travel towards the majestic Uluru, or Ayer's Rock, to arrive at a perfect spot to witness the sunrise over this amazing rock. We'll marvel at its vast shape rising from the sand dunes in the early dawn light, changing its color with each reflection, from light brown to purple, then pink, before it transforms to its signature ocher red. Rising 1,148 feet above the desert floor, Uluru is one of the largest monoliths in the world, and the land around it has always been sacred to the Aboriginal Anangu people. After witnessing the sunrise at Uluru, we'll return to the hotel for breakfast, before transferring to the airport for our flight to Cairns. After arriving at our beautiful Cairns hotel, we'll have an early dinner, then enjoy the evening at leisure. Day 6: Great Barrier Reef Today, we'll spend the day on the Great Barrier Reef, as we set sail aboard a luxury catamaran for a memorable day in Michaelmas Cay’s unique reef environment. A low-lying vegetated sand cay encircled by a spectacular fringing reef, Michaelmas Cay is a National Park and a protected sanctuary for migratory seabirds. It is a major natural seabird habitat that is rich in sea life, with green sea turtles, mollusks and hundreds of species of tropical reef fish including Humphead Maori Wrasse. During the cruise, we'll also have a chance to view the coral reef from the semi-submersible, listen to the ecological presentations by onboard Marine Biologists, and enjoy a tropical smorgasbord lunch. We can spend time snorkeling around the reef, take guided nature tours of the island and the bird sanctuary, or just relax and enjoy a leisurely day on the Great Barrier Reef. Day 7: Kuranda Scenic SkyRail This morning, we'll board the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway gondolas and travel over Australia’s tropical rainforests, stopping at several stations for the up-close wilderness experience. The journey comprises unsurpassed views of dense rainforest, steep ravines and picturesque waterfalls. At Red Peak station, we'll explore the grandeur of the ancient forest from the ground level, with lush palms, giant ferns and a diverse array of plants and wildlife. At Barron Falls, we'll watch the vibrant splashes of the electric blue Ulysses butterflies dancing through a million shades of green of the canopy, accompanied by a chorus of calls from the native Cockatoos, we'll enjoy the views of Barron Gorge and Barron Falls and we'll visit the state-of-the-art Rainforest Interpretation Centre. At the final station, Kuranda Village, we'll explore the Heritage Markets, the Koala Gardens, Birdworld and the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, where we can visit with koalas, get close to a kangaroo, see and feed one of the world’s largest birds, the Cassowary, and be surrounded by the graceful motion of over 1,500 native butterflies. Then, we'll take the Gold Class Scenic Railway back to Cairns, enjoying the luxurious club class seating with Victorian décor, while sipping a drink and sampling locally produced delicacies. In the evening, we'll get together again to share our impressions of Cairns over dinner at a modern, upscale restaurant. Day 8: Cairns to Sydney, Sydney Opera House After breakfast, we'll transfer to Cairns Airport for our flight to Sydney. After checking into our Sydney hotel and some time to rest and lunch, we'll take a tour of the Sydney Opera House, to discover the stories, secrets, history and magic of this iconic building underneath the famous sails. This graceful piece of urban sculpture in patterned tiles, glistening in the sunlight and aglow at night is a masterpiece of late modern architecture, admired internationally and proudly treasured by the people of Australia. In the afternoon, there will be time for a leisurely walk around Circular Quay at Customs House which offers spectacular sweeping views across Sydney Harbour, before enjoying a leisurely dinner at one of Sydney's most iconic dining experiences. Circular Quay is the hub of Sydney, at a small inlet of Sydney Cove, the founding site for Sydney and Australia. The landscaped walkways lead to the Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanical Gardens, the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks, one of the oldest, most attractive and interesting parts of Sydney. In the evening, we'll meet for another exquisite dining experience, as we enjoy dinner at the upscale Café Sydney featuring gourmet Australian cuisine and unforgettable views over the city, the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour. Day 9: Australian Southern Highlands Vineyards This morning, we'll set out to explore Australia's Southern Highlands, as we continue our course in Australian culture appreciation. The vineyards of Southern Highlands produce award-winning, world class wines in vineyards nestled amidst rolling hills and lush countryside, where the cool-climate varieties thrive, producing elegant wines known for their complexity and finesse. We'll visit two boutique wineries, indulging in wine tastings of award-winning wines, from crisp Chardonnays to velvety Pinot Noirs, accompanied by sweeping views of vineyard-draped landscapes. After lunch at a wine-producing estate, accompanied by an entertaining presentation on Australian viticulture, we'll visit the village of Berrima which exudes colonial charm with its well-preserved Georgian architecture, quaint streets lined with boutique shops, and welcoming country hospitality. Day 10: Sydney and Aboriginal Rocks Dreaming This morning, we'll get familiar with the city of Sydney. We'll start with getting an insight into the soul of Australia, as we take an intimate journey revealing the Story of Sydney. From The Rocks, the birthplace of the nation through historic sights, the back streets of Sydney's most fashionable suburbs, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, Bondi Beach, Woollahra and Paddington's village atmosphere, Chinatown and Darling Harbour, this experience will give us a warm connection to Australia's most dynamic city. Afterwards, we'll continue with an alternative way of seeing Sydney with the Rocks Dreaming Tour, through indigenous eyes, and an opportunity to appreciate how the ancient Aboriginal dreaming is still alive within the modern Sydney landscape and how the land, marine environment, sandstone strata, waterways, flora and fauna influenced Aboriginal people who lived in the area. We'll start with an ocher painting activity, we'll hear stories of the saltwater lifestyle of the Gadigal people and of the spiritual importance of the land around the modern Sydney Harbour. In the evening, we'll board M/V Sydney 2000, to enjoy the million dollar views of Sydney Harbour by night, followed by a farewell dinner, a fine dining experience accompanied by vintage Australian wines and live music, where we'll toast our Australian adventures and share our best memories from the trip. Day 11: Departures Depending on your flight departure time, you may have some free time in the morning before your private transfer to the airport, in accordance with your flight's departure time.
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