Connect outside of the rigors of daily life through the new experiences handcrafted just for the two of you as you tour Australia. Experience Aboriginal culture, enjoy campfires beneath the stars, explore the cities and spend long hours on the coast. This itinerary is a handcrafted best-of tour with a little bit of city, a lot of nature, and time spent on the beautiful coastline. Share new experiences in the outback, swim beneath remote waterfalls and dive into Australia’s inimitability as you...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Sydney – Landing in an Iconic City
Sydney is a delight from the sky, as landing planes usually loop above Sydney Harbour Bridge before descending towards the coast and landing on a slither of land in the Pacific. Gazing out of the window is an exciting introduction, as is taking your first walk through the heart of the city. Check out the restaurants and boats around Darling Harbour, soak up the atmosphere around Circular Quay, and then walk out to Sydney Opera House. This is a surprisingly small city, its center is compact and it is easy to get around on foot or on the monorail. You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel near Circular Quay, which keeps you in the heart of everything. So go explore, and then succumb to the jet lag and get some rest.
What's Included:
Day 2
Sydney – Cycling Sydney
Day 3
Sydney – Bondi Beach Surf or Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
Day 4
Uluru – The Magnificence of Uluru 4WD Camping Safari
Day 5
Uluru – Exploring Kata Tjuta and a Second Night Beneath the Stars
Day 6
Alice Springs – Discovering Kings Canyon and the Garden of Eden
Day 7
Darwin – Aboriginal Culture in Far Northern Australia
Day 8 - 9
Kakadu National Park – Wilderness Adventure in Australia’s Most Beautiful Corner
Day 10
Cairns – More Waterfalls and Culture, Onwards to Cairns
Day 11
Cairns – A Day of Relaxing on the Beach
Day 12
Cairns – The Best of the Great Barrier Reef
Day 13
Cairns – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Escape to Australia’s red center for a two-day outback experience around Uluru, Ayer’s Rock, and Kata Tjuta
- Cycle through the heart of Sydney to take in this stunning city
- Relax on the beaches of northern Queensland and spend a day at the Great Barrier Reef
- Strengthen your bond with a shared adventure in Australia’s Northern Territory for several days on a four-wheel-drive adventure through Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks
- Connect with Aboriginal culture with time spent in Darwin, Kakadu, Kata Tjuta, and Uluru
- Learn to surf on world-famous Bondi Beach, climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and continue your adventures during your time in Sydney
- Camp around a fire beneath the stars, with nothing but nature all around
Detailed Description
Bonds are made through sharing new experiences, and there are few experiences comparable with what is possible in Australia. There will be something new every day on this 13-day mother and daughter vacation. The two of you will go glamping in the outback on a four-wheel driving adventure and eat around a campfire with shooting stars illuminating the sky. Cycle through the old and the new of Sydney, with so many iconic sights all around you. Connect with Aboriginal culture, and connect with nature in Kakadu National Park, where the landscapes always take your breath away, and then snorkel around the Great Barrier Reef and sunbathe in the solitude of northern Queensland.
Each experience will softly extend your comfort zone while you are in the hands of expert local guides who love to show off their local area. So while many of the experiences seem highly adventurous, you will not be roughing it in the middle of nowhere. These are soft adventures in superlative destinations. Take Kakadu as an example, where your guide will take you on a four-wheel drive tour along bumpy, ochre-hued roads to hidden waterfalls and grand canyons, where there is nothing but nature around. You will spend the night out in nature, sleeping in stunning wooden huts that keep you away from snakes and spiders while still offering the best of the Australian wilderness with a campfire, the night’s sky, and plenty of space and time to come together as mother and daughter.
You will begin with three nights in Sydney. Check into your hotel and take some time to relax with a stroll around the city to feast your eyes on all of its charms. Wake the next day to cycle around central Sydney on a guided tour for an easy introduction to the new experiences. The next day could bring you a surfing lesson on Bondi Beach, or a climb along the arches of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Fly direct to Uluru the next day to watch the famous sunset, as the world’s grandest monolith turns orange, and then to a silhouette if the moon is glowing. Around Uluru, you will spend two days glamping in the outback with surreal landscapes setting the scene for a classically Australian adventure.
After your experience in Alice Springs, you will then fly to Darwin, where Aboriginal culture remains alive. Learn more about it before setting off on a three-day, two-night adventure in Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. This is remote Australia, and the landscapes you find are otherworldly. You will end your adventure together with time on the coast. Fly to Cairns, take a walk down the promenade, and find a little beach to relax on. The final full day is dedicated to the Great Barrier Reef with a cruise and snorkeling experience in perhaps the world’s greatest work of nature. Cairns is a relaxed little town on the coast and a good place to kick back after your outback adventure.
Starting Price
$5,700 per person (excluding international flights)
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.86 stars based on 1819 reviews.
Zicasso's travel designer put together a trip that got us to the places we wanted to see, with companies that suited our abilities and desires. He offered excellent suggestions, was always available, and was a pleasure to work with.
Reviewed By Mark H.
We very much enjoyed our time in New Zealand and Australia. The tours were all very good. Zicasso's travel agent and our tour partner were very responsive and helpful throughout the planning phase and while we were on vacation.
The only feedback we have is that the hotels selected, other than the hotels in New Zealand, did not have the amenities we were hoping to get from four-star properties. We'll do a better job of indicating what we need in hotel selections moving forward, but we thought the hotels could have been a notch better than they were.
Reviewed By Tim G.
I would use our travel company again in a minute! Zicasso's travel consultant really “got me” and designed the perfect trip for us.
The highlights especially included picking perfect places for us to stay (close to most everything we were doing and in the heart of the cities). The tours, both private and small group, gave us not only what we asked for, but even more that we didn’t know existed.
The itinerary was as detailed as it could possibly be, describing the day, what to bring, names and phone numbers to call if there were issues, and who we needed to call to confirm future tour dates.
One of our highlights was the penguin experience. Our guide was great and our trip planner got us “plus” tickets, which I would definitely recommend. Finally, she provided us with the necessary info and guides (where necessary) for our amazing hikes.
Reviewed By Ellin A.
Zicasso's travel specialists were fantastic! They provided excellent and unique recommendations. As a traveler seeking adventure and outdoor experiences, they completely understood my needs. Additionally, all accommodations were high quality, communication was very clear, and pricing was reasonable. I would strongly recommend them to anyone traveling to Australia/New Zealand.
Reviewed By Emil S.
We absolutely loved so much of our trip! My kids’ (ages 11 and eight) favorite activities were luging in Rotorua, NZ, and the sunset camel ride in Uluru, AU, while my husband and I were enchanted by Hobbiton and enjoyed exploring a glowworm cave with the owner's father! We all loved Tasmania.
There were a few hiccups. However, we were very happy with all the support the Zicasso travel company's team provided in real time to help us get back on track.
The overall trip was fantastic. My husband and I appreciated having the team support our adventures, both the highs and the lows. The team members were detailed-oriented. This trip exceeded our expectations and we’re incredibly grateful for their expertise in curating such memorable experiences.
Reviewed By Sivly R.
Zicasso's tour planner did a superb job for us. She collaborated with us on working out our itinerary and had useful information on how to combine our desired destinations efficiently.
While we were in Australia, she was available via the company's app, including helping us on a late evening when our flight from Sydney to Hobart was canceled because of a cyclone and we needed a short-notice hotel in Sydney.
Reviewed By Henry H.