Authentic Australia: Sydney to Melbourne

Welcome to Sydney and its sunny skies! Upon arrival at the airport, enjoy a private transfer to your accommodation. Take a bit of time to settle before heading out for an unforgettable Panoramic Sydney half day city sights tour. On tour you will visit the historic Rocks area and hear of early convict history. We continue through the financially focused Central Business District (CBD), and Macquarie Street. Marvel at 18th century sandstone architecture such as NSW Parliament House, Rum Hospital, Hyde Park Barracks and St Mary’s Cathedral. We will continue to Mrs Macquaries Point, to enjoy magnificent views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

We then continue through Sydneys Eastern Suburbs, home to the rich and famous. Travelling along the coves and shores of one of the worlds most impressive harbours, we will take a few stops for photo opportunities, including a panoramic photo of Sydney skyline. You will pass through areas such as Kings Cross, Double Bay, Rose Bay before arriving at Watsons Bay, passengers will have the option a short coastal walk with views of the South Pacific Ocean and the entrance to Sydney harbour.
Travel on to famous Bondi Beach where we enjoy a short stop of approximately 30 minutes. Visit the beachfront promenade, put your toes in the sand, enjoy a coffee or cool drink (at own cost). See bronzed Aussie lifesavers and surfers riding the waves of Bondi

Re-board your bus and continue on to Tamarama and Bronte beaches before returning to the city via Centennial Park and Paddington, a trendy district with its elegant terrace houses and boutique shops along Oxford Street.

Final stop of the day is Darling Harbour. Your tour will end at Darling Harbour or Circular Quay. You will need to make your way back to your hotel.

The Blue Mountains National Park is one of seven national parks that make up the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. This wonderland of sandstone outcrops, deep ravines and hazy blue eucalypt forests boasts luxury retreats and stunning views. Today your guide will take you off the beaten track to visit remote lookout locations and discuss the history, flora and fauna of this magnificent region.

At 7:00am-7:30am depart from the hotel with AEA Luxury Tours. Our first stop of the day is at Calmsley Hill a working farm also home to Kangaroos, Emus, Wombats and Koalas. Enjoy morning tea and time to wander at leisure.

From Calmsley Hill we continue to ascend the Blue Mountains via the highway. We will visit one of the ranges of stunning outlooks of the Jamison Valley seeing beautiful vistas. Where possible this will be away from the crowds of tours that visit the mountains each day with other operators, thus our guests will enjoy a stress and hurry-free environment taking in the views and information imparted by their guide.

Continuing on we arrive at Eaglehawk Lookout, a remote lookout points away from the crowds for views of the famous 3 Sisters. Whilst the Blue Mountains features so much more than this natural attraction you can't help but admire the unquestionable beauty of this amazing rock formation. The character of the Three Sisters changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons as the sunlight brings out magnificent colors. Here your guide will discuss the legends behind this famous rock formation and the time available for you to take some great photos.

We then make our way around the mountain towards the village of Blackheath and our lunch venue the Hydro Majestic. Here in this relaxed venue with stunning views. We enjoy a 2-course lunch with tea/coffee. All diets are catered for (excluding Kosher Meals). Beverages can be purchased at your own expense from the Bar.

The afternoon is spent visiting a selection of lookouts. Once you clap your eyes on the view from Govetts Leap you'll know why it's one of the most famous lookouts in Australia. The magnificent waterfall drops a whopping 180m to the base of the cliff. If you're not mesmerized by the dancing waves of water spray, you'll be transfixed by the sweeping views down the valley to the Grose Wilderness. We then stop briefly to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine or orange juice at the delightful Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens our last stop, where we enjoy the sweeping views across to Sydney before traveling down the Bells Line of Road to arrive back at your hotel approximately 4:30pm-5:00pm.

Wave a fond farewell to Sydney before heading towards the next stop on the journey: Ayers Rock! After settling into your accommodations, get ready to head out and travel to Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) where your guide will reveal the many attributes of this diverse environment. Arriving at Walpa Gorge you will walk between the mighty conglomerate domes and hear how these 36 domes that makeup Kata Tjuta have evolved over millions of years. Your guide will return you to your hotel in time for those joining A Night at Field of Lights.

This exclusive dining experience combines the award-winning 'Sounds of Silence' dinner under the outback sky with the once-in-a-lifetime Field of Light art installation. With magnificent views of Uluru at sunset, a three-course bush tucker menu, a premium selection of Australian wines and beers, fascinating star talk and a self-guided walk through the Field of Light art installation, your 'A Night at Field of Light' experience is complete.

The evening begins with a convenient hotel pick-up and a transfer to the remote desert location with majestic views of Uluru. As the sun sets on the horizon to the music of a didgeridoo, enjoy gourmet canapes and chilled sparkling wine.

As darkness falls and the coloured lights of the 50,000 glass spheres gently come to life, join your table of fellow travelers for an exceptional three-course menu infused with bush tucker flavours. As the night ignites with countless stars, settle back and listen to our resident star talker decode the southern night sky.

The host will provide insights into the art installation that awaits you, before you are invited to immerse yourself in the Field of Light, its pathways glistening softly with rhythms of coloured light, beckoning you to explore. After dinner, guests are welcomed back at the dune viewing area to enjoy a sweet treat, hot chocolate or port whilst viewing the illuminated installation in the darkness.

Explore the most profound and culturally significant monolith in Australia. Embrace the culture, geology and environment that is Uluru. As we drive around the base, immerse yourself in the area. Enjoy a short walk into Mutitjulu Waterhole, visit rock art sites and the local waterhole with your guide to learn of Uluru's significance to the Anangu (local Aboriginal people). As we continue our drive around the rest of the base we experience the Mala walk before adjourning to the Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area where you will observe a sunset from a different perspective over Uluru with Kata Tjuta in the distance.

Your Wintjiri Wiru experience begins deep in the desert. After a short journey from Ayers Rock Resort, take a gentle stroll through the desert along an elevated walkway until you reach the open-air theatre, set upon a dune top with incredible views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

With the heart of Australia as the backdrop, a story passed on for thousands of generations, now passes to you. Witness the ancient Mala story re-told like never before with ground-breaking technology. Choreographed drones, lasers, and projections will take flight, lighting up the night sky in a modern, artistic expression of an ancient, Anangu story. Feel a powerful connection to country as you listen to a traditional Inma soundtrack and narration in the local Pitjantjatjara language, and immerse yourself in a living story.

Travel through spectacular desert scenery from Ayers Rock Resort. Pass through Curtin Springs Station and view Atila (Mt. Conner). Stopping for breakfast at Kings Creek Station. Along the way your Driver Guide will provide informative commentary about the history of the surrounding cattle stations on the way to your accommodation and stay at Kings Canyon. Keep a look out for wild horses and camel along the way.

Your guide will escort you on the rocky climb to the rim of Kings Canyon. The views of Watarrka National Park from the top of the canyon are magnificent as are the views down into the canyon itself. Follow the rim of the canyon stopping to view the canyon gorge at look-out points. Time permitting, you may choose to descend to the green oasis of the "Garden of Eden". The walk will take up to 3 hours and is rocky and steep in parts. It is for those with a high level of fitness. Alternatively, you may wish to take an easier, shorter walk to explore the boulder strewn canyon floor with the Driver/Guide.

Pack your things and get ready for the beauty of Alice Springs. Travel by luxury coach through beautiful desert landscapes. Stop at Erldunda, a roadhouse located at the junction of the Stuart Highway and Lasseter Highway, where you can purchase afternoon tea.

Travel along the Stuart Highway before arriving at your hotel in Alice Springs to enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Wave Alice Springs goodbye before heading off to Darwin. Upon arrival enjoy a private transfer via sedan to your accommodation. Settle in and relax with the rest of the day at your leisure. 

Learn the real story on this small-group day tour from Darwin to Litchfield National Park. Explore the area with a personable Indigenous guide with countless generations of history in the region. Get hands on as our guide demonstrates bush resources in season. See and refresh yourself at iconic waterfalls. Experience dramatic stone country as it comes alive in our tropical summer. Enjoy a flame-grilled lunch of ocean-caught barramundi, marinated kangaroo and crocodile eye fillet, in beautiful shaded surrounds. Be treated to expert natural and cultural interpretation from guides with unrivalled knowledge of the area. Take home memories you'll never forget.

Depart Darwin and travel along the Arnhem Highway, their major river systems and wetlands, into Kakadu National Park. Located 257 kilometres east of Darwin, this national park covers 20,000 square kilometres of landscape from rocky escarpment home to historic Aboriginal rock art dating back thousands of years, to floodplains abundant with wildlife. Visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre to view the informative displays depicting the traditions of the Aboriginal people in Kakadu. Join your local guide on a cruise of Yellow Water Billabong. Search for saltwater crocodiles and the colourful range of birdlife for which this region is renowned. After lunch, stop at Nourlangie, where your Driver Guide will lead you on a walk to view the rock art galleries.

This morning join your Driver Guide to explore the World Heritage Area of Ubirr, where you'll climb up through the ancient Aboriginal rock art galleries, believed to be 20,000 years old, to the lookout for a view over the surrounding wetlands. Join the Guluyambi Cruise on the East Alligator River. An Aboriginal guide will provide an insight into their culture, including local mythology, the river's abundant food chain, as well as bush survival skills. With special permission of the local people, you are able to go ashore in Arnhem Land. Visit the Bowali Visitor Centre before returning to Darwin, where your short break concludes.

Embark on a journey from the stunning sights of Darwin to the coasts of Cairns. Grab a seat in coach en route from the Cairns Airport to your hotel where you can check in, relax, and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

For an experience of a lifetime, Quicksilver's wave piercing catamarans and friendly crew will take you to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance. Agincourt Reef is a magnificent ribbon reef where you can experience first-hand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef. Choose to dive (extra cost), snorkel, or stay dry and explore the stunning reef from the comfort of a semi-sub, just one metre underwater. Watch the fish feeding from a unique underwater viewing platform and underwater observatory, or fly in a helicopter over the reef (extra cost). Whichever way you choose; you'll bring home a lifetime of memories from this living natural wonder.

The Classic Kuranda Experience includes the main attractions of Kuranda, but gives you more free time to explore Kuranda. You will travel to Kuranda by scenic railway and then spend some free time in the village. Wander through the many shops and local markets, which offer a full range of local handicrafts, souvenirs, and gifts.

You will then be transferred to Rainforestation Nature Park, where you will enjoy a delicious Australian BBQ lunch, a guided tour of the rainforest on board an amphibious Army Duck, and the Pamagirri Aboriginal Dance performance, followed by the Dreamtime Walk. You will learn how to throw a boomerang, see a spear-throwing demonstrations, and learn about aboriginal culture.

A guided tour of the Koala and Wildlife Park will commence at the Cultural Centre. Your coach will then transfer you to Kuranda Skyrail Terminal for the 7.5 kilometre Skyrail Rainforest Cableway journey down the mountain. Your coach will then return you to your accommodation.

Give one last wave to the coast of Cairns and make way for Melbourne's city stage. Enjoy a private transfer from the Melbourne Airport to your accommodation for the next two nights. After settling in, join an indulgent afternoon walk through Melbourne's beautiful back streets, and get orientated in the life of the city that locals love. Discover artisanal and specialty retailers, that often are only found in the city. Some of the quirkiest cafes, independent designers, street art, architecture, and historical tales are found in these walkways. Soak in the city via all your senses, and engage with passionate creatives. There is something for everyone, locals and visitors alike.

Your animal adventures will start with a visit to Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park with fascinating Australian animals at every turn. You have up-close encounters with animals like kangaroos, wombats and echidnas. Next, we will head to the island (Phillip Island) where will head to Woolamai Surf Beach to catch a glimpse of the awesome waves and die-hard surfers (weather permitting). We then cross the island to reach the dramatic west coast and the Nobbies where you will be awe-struck by the crashing waves.

And finally, it's time for the main event, the Penguin Parade. There is a reason that this is one of Australia's top attractions and the little penguins will not disappoint! You will sit on the protective platform to see possibly hundreds of little penguins waddling onto the beach. This fabulous natural spectacular is run by a non-for-profit organisation where all profits are directly reinvested in conservation efforts to protect the little penguins.

Enjoy one last morning in the city before packing up and relaxing on a private transfer to Melbourne Airport for your final departure home.