G Adventure - Best Of The Red Centre & Eastern Australia (Plus) Itinerary

Arrive at any time and settle into your comfortable hotel: there are no planned activities until your welcome meeting this evening, so you are free to head into the city to take in the 'cultural capital of Australia'. 

Get lost in the city's famous laneways, go on the hunt for the perfect flat white (hint: Melbourne loves its coffee shops), catch the tram to St. Kilda, or wander around the über-cool Fitzroy neighbourhood.

Evening: Meet Your CEO and Group

At this evening's welcome meeting, you will get to know your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Why not opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards? 

Accommodation: Melbourne - 2 Nights

After a light breakfast and delicious coffee (which no trip to Melbourne would be complete without!), experience Melbourne's laneways with an expert local host. Journey through this 'secret city,' seeing local hotspots and incredible street art while learning about the city's history. Enjoy your free afternoon exploring more of what this vibrant city has to offer.

Meal: Breakfast

En route to the Mornington Peninsula we will stop to check out the famous bathing boxes that Port Phillip Bay is known for. These brightly-coloured one-room "mini-cabins" are owned by families to store belongings on their favourite beach.

Mornington Peninsula

Although fairly small in size, the Mornington Peninsula packs a big punch with the amount of things to do here. Be awed with the gorgeous coastal scenery while driving through quaint towns and past stunning beaches.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mornington Peninsula - 2 Nights

A free day to get out and explore the stunning Mornington Peninsula. With so many cute bayside villages and pristine beaches, you can wander at leisure or take an optional wine tour to discover the world-renowned local varieties.

Optional activity: Mornington Peninsula Wine Tour

Visit some local wineries to taste locally produced vino. The Mornington Peninsula is famed for its Pinot Noir, but the 50 plus wineries in the region produce over 200 different wines... bottoms up!

Hop on a ferry to Queenscliff before spending the day travelling along the Great Ocean Road. Pass world-famous surf beaches, enjoy views of the 12 Apostles, and walk through the rainforest in Great Otway National Park.

Rainforest Walk Great Otway National Park

Take in the beautiful greenery of the Great Otway National Park on a leisurely walk with your CEO.

Visit the 12 Apostles

Stop at a scenic lookout point along the Great Ocean Road and capture the beautiful views over the ocean and the 12 Apostles. These iconic attractions were once limestone caves which eroded to become arches and eventually stacks up to 45 m (147 ft) in height.

 Discover Loch Ard Gorge: Port Campbell National Park

Beautiful Loch Ard Gorge shows the process of erosion in action. See offshore stacks and blowholes, and watch short-tailed shearwaters soar over the nearby island.

Optional Activity: 12 Apostles Helicopter Flight

Pre-book a helicopter flight and get a birds-eye view of the massive 12 Apostles rock columns from above.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Port Campbell - 1 Night

Travel inland to Grampians National Park, known for its sandstone mountain range and impressive rock art. Trek through the forest, lush with vegetation and wildlife. Walk to the stunning Balconies and visit MacKenzie Falls.

Visit Tower Hill State Wildlife Reserve

A chance to see animals endemic to Australia such as koalas, emus and kangaroos. Learn more about this large volcanic crater and wetland, then visit the Worn Gundidj Centre to see cultural displays and crafts.

See The Balconies (Jaws of Death): Grampians National Park

Set off from the Reed Lookout overlooking Victoria Valley, and enjoy a short walk with beautiful scenery to the Balconies, formerly called the Jaws of Death. Check out the gorgeous view, but be careful not to lean too far over the edge!

MacKenzie Falls: Grampians National Park

MacKenzie Falls is the only waterway in the region that flows year-round and it is also the most visited waterfall in the Grampians; take a short walk and check out the falls out from a viewing platform.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: Halls Gap - 2 Nights

Trek through the forest, lush with vegetation and wildlife. Visit the culturally significant MacKenzie Falls for a short hike. Walk to the stunning Balconies, then spend the afternoon relaxing with the locals - our resident wild kangaroos and emus.

Meal: Breakfast

Visit the Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre before continuing on to Adelaide. Your CEO will point out important highlights of the city while driving in, before free time to explore the city.

Adelaide

Cosmopolitan Adelaide is filled to the brim with culture, flavours, events and entertainment. With spacious boulevards and vibrant inner-city districts, sophisticated architecture and lush gardens, South Australia's capital has it all.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Adelaide - 2 Nights

Today is a free day to enjoy Adelaide, capital of South Australia and famed for its churches and gardens.

Opt to stroll the city streets, hop on a tram to the coastal village of Glenelg, take in a full day wine tour of the famed Barossa Valley, or for the truly adventurous, take a day trip to Kangaroo Island.

Meal: Breakfast

Board your flight to Yulara, in the heart of Australia's Red Centre and only a short distance to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. Experience a colourful sunset at Uluru with a glass of bubbly in hand.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Uluru - 2 Nights

Enjoy the Mala Walk at Uluru to learn the importance of the rock to the Aborigines.

Uluru Mala Walk

Walk along the northwest side of Uluru with your CEO to learn about the history of the area, stories of the Anangu people and these awe-inspiring uplifted sandstone rock formations.

Aboriginal Cultural Centre Visit Uluru

Learn about the Aboriginal Australian culture in the area to get a better perspective of the history, beliefs and present-day life of the Anangu people. Discover the wild world of bush tucker (indigenous food), find out which plants are used in bush medicine, and hear creation stories.

Optional Activity: Uluru & Kata Tjuta Helicopter Ride

Get a bird's eye view of the iconic red rock, and take in the vast expanses of desert surrounding the 'Heart of the Red Centre'.

Optional Activity: Outback Astronomy Tour

Enjoy a tour of the night sky, learning how Aboriginals used the stars for mythology and seasonal predictions while getting a chance to stargaze through telescopes and binoculars.

Optional Activity: Sounds of Silence Dinner

Enjoy a decadent three-course dinner while watching the sunset over Uluru. Try traditional bush tucker inspired food while listening to a didgeridoo performance as day turns to night. After dinner, learn more about the southern night sky during an astronomy tour with a local expert.
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Meal: Breakfast

Fly to the oceanside city of Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.

With its close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, Cairns is a haven of scuba diving, snorkelling, reef cruises, all types of fishing, rainforest walks, native bird and wildlife watching.

You may be a seasoned pro at group travel by now, but there will likely be some new travellers joining the group in Cairns. Sit in on the welcome meeting to meet the newest members of your group and learn about the next leg of your tour.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Cairns - 1 Night

From Cairns you will head north to Cape Tribulation, a remote headland famed for its beautiful beach and rainforest landscape. Stop en route to explore Mossman Gorge and take an interpretive walk through the Daintree Rainforest.

Included Activity: Aboriginal Interpretive Walk at Mossman Gorge

Follow your Aboriginal guide and learn about bush food, medicinal plants and the lasting relationship of the Kuku Yalanji people with their natural environment. Find out how to make bush soap, watch an ochre painting demonstration and sample some bush tea.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Cape Tribulation - 2 Nights

A free day in beautiful Cape Tribulation. Why not opt for a trip to the Great Barrier Reef or to explore Daintree National Park?

Explore Daintree National Park

Step back in time in this lush tropical rainforest, reported to be more than 110 million years old! Bring your binoculars to spot some of the 430 species of birds, including the buff-breasted paradise kingfisher and flightless cassowary. On the ground, look for possums, bandicoots, echidna and musky rat kangaroo. Discover why the Aborigines consider this a spiritual place.

Optional Activity: Great Barrier Reef Visit

Hop on a boat and head out to sea to reach the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. Don a mask and opt to snorkel the largest coral reef in the world.

Optional Activity: Daintree Rainforest Night Walk

Once the sun goes down, grab a torch and head out into the jungle for a guided night walk. With your guide, you'll spot various critters who call this region home.

Optional Activity: Cape Tribulation Horseback Riding

Ride through lush canopy floors and crystal clear streams, ending up on the stunning Myall beach. Cap off this adventure by galloping through the ocean spray!

Meal: Breakfast

Bid farewell to the rainforest and return to Cairns in the afternoon with free time to explore this laid-back city.

Sun-seekers and locals alike flock to Cairns Esplanade's swimming lagoon on the city’s foreshore. There are picnic areas, birdwatching viewpoints, free barbecues and fitness equipment along the boardwalk, perfect for unwinding after today's journey.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Cairns - 1 Night

Depart early for a full day of travel to reach Airlie Beach. Sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery from the convenience of your private vehicle.

Airlie Beach

Palm-fringed beaches and waterfront parks are a staple of this seriously laid-back holiday destination. After your journey, why not cool off at Airlie Beach Lagoon? Here you can swim all year round and there are even lifeguards on duty in the daylight hours.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Airlie Beach - 2 Nights

Set sail for a day in the Whitsunday Islands, visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Opt to swim or snorkel, and hike to an island lookout over Whitehaven Beach, known for its stunning white sand. Return to Airlie Beach for the night.

Meal: Lunch 

Fly to Brisbane and transfer to Byron Bay for two nights in Australia's famous "hippie" paradise.

Byron is one of Australia's most creative locations, with a huge population of musicians, writers and designers living here and enjoying the relaxed beach lifestyle. Think chic boutiques, luxury wellness retreats, organic cafes and yoga on the sands.

Accommodation: Byron Bay - 2 Nights

There's plenty to see and do in Byron Bay, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like sea kayaking, yoga, and skydiving. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!

Optional Activity: Hinterland and Minyon Falls Tour

Head inland to the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, for a 2-hour guided walk through the rainforest to beautiful Minyon Falls.

Optional Activity: Whale Watching

Enjoy a thrilling excursion on the water in search of the magnificent Humpback whales. Between June and November, they migrate north from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to breed and birth in the tropics.

Optional Activity: Byron Bay Ocean Kayaking

Slice through the waters of the iconic Byron Bay on this half-day kayaking adventure. Paddle past the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, see the Julian Rocks Marine Reserve, and ride the waves into shore.

Hit the beach and get ready to hang ten with a surf lesson (included) from trained surf instructors. Spend some time in the water getting friendly with the waves, practice paddling, then pop up to balance on the wider, softer beginner boards.

Later, you will head to the coastal township of Port Macquarie, featuring all the beauty of the beach set alongside gorgeous national parks. Enjoy an evening in Port Macquarie.

Meal: Lunch

Accommodation: Port Macquarie - 1 Night

Leave the coast behind and head inland to the breathtaking Blue Mountains region. En route, opt to stop at the Koala Hospital to learn about these unique creatures and even adopt your very own Koala!

Blue Mountains

Prepare to be awed by rugged sandstone cliffs, hidden canyons, towering waterfalls and never-ending expanses of gorgeous eucalyptus forests. The World-Heritage-Listed Blue Mountains region is guaranteed to impress.

Accommodation: Blue Mountains - 2 Nights

With charming Leura as your base, explore the major attractions of the Blue Mountains from sightseeing to bushwalking to cafés and more. Visit the Jenolan Caves, take a walk in Jamison Valley, and ride on the Scenic Railway, the steepest railway in the world.

Included Activity: Jenolan Caves Tour

Jenolan Caves are a protected feature of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Enjoy a guided tour in the cool climes of this fascinating underworld.

Included Activity: Blue Mountains Scenic Railway

This stunning scenic railway is steep and plunges into the rainforest and through the valley. At the end, opt to take a rainforest walk or a cable car back to the visitor's centre.

Included Activity: Jamison Valley Walk

Take in some amazing lookouts over the Jamison Valley, via the iconic Three Sisters. Descend down the 900 step giant staircase to the valley floor and walk amongst the beautiful forest.

Welcome to Sydney, the oldest and grandest of Australia's big cities. Blessed with a glorious natural harbour, golden beaches and a blissful climate, this incredible metropolis is guaranteed to impress.

Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

You have a free afternoon, so why not settle in with a stroll along Circular Quay. With the Harbour Bridge at one end and the Opera House at the other, is there any more iconic place to begin exploring?

Accommodation: Sydney - 2 Nights

Enjoy a free day to explore one of Australia's most exciting cities. Today is your day to get a feel for the city, relax seaside at Bondi Beach, and enjoy an optional final night out with the group. Discover the city at your leisure, or you can opt to pre-book some amazing Sydney activities:

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Climb one of the most famous bridges in the world – the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Soak in amazing panoramic city views of Sydney at the top – a perfect photo opp and memory to take home with you!

Sydney HarbourJet Boat Ride

Want an adrenaline rush? Hold on and get ready for a white-water thrill while gorgeous scenery whizzes past. Explore Sydney Harbour, jetting by the Opera House, Harbour Islands and more!

Sydney Opera House Visit

Take a guided tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site to discover its history, folklore, and more. Catch the boom of the grand organ–with more than 10,000 pipes, it took 10 years to build and is the largest mechanical organ in the world.

Sydney Adrenaline Bundle

Admire the city from new perspectives with this Adrenaline Bundle. Start with a climb to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge – 134 m (440 ft) above sea level! Learn the story of the bridge from an expert guide and soak in the epic views. Next, board a jet boat and enjoy the thrill of spins, slides, and fishtails, spotting iconic landmarks like the Opera House, Taronga Zoo, and Shark Island along the way. Book this Adrenaline Bundle and save on both activities.

Bid farewell to Sydney this morning and, after any last-minute sightseeing, prepare to embark on your journey home.

Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

Included Highlights

• Classic Tour Style, 3.5-4 Star accommodation: Hotels (22 nts), rainforest cabin (2 nts). 
• Discover the hidden laneways of Melbourne
• Marvel at the 12 Apostles along the Great Ocean Road
• Catch the magnificent colours of Uluru at sunset
• Trek through Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest
• Sail through the gorgeous Whitsundays
• Hang ten in Byron Bay
• Explore the Blue Mountains by foot

Inclusions

• Surfing Lesson in Byron Bay
• Melbourne laneways walk
• Brighton bathing boxes visit
• Rainforest walk in Great Otway NP.
• 12 Apostles visit
• Loch Ard Gorge Visit
• Hike at Grampians NP
• Tower Hill State Wildlife Reserve Visit
• Brambuk Indigenous Cultural Centre Visit
• Wilpena Pound visit
• Champagne sunset viewing of Uluru
• Mala Walk around Uluru and cultural centre visit
• Guided Daintree Rainforest walk
• Whitsunday Islands sailing excursion
• Blue Mountains stay with hikes
• Jenolan Caves visit
• Scenic Railway
• Jamison Valley walk
• Orientation walk in Sydney
• Free time in Cairns, Byron Bay, and Sydney
• Internal flights.
• All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Is this tour for me?

Service Level: Standard Comfortable tourist-class accommodations with character; mix of public and private transport.

Physical Grading: 2 - Light: Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.

Small group experience: Max 12, avg 10.