Australia is a land of adventure and discovery, where the family can share the marvels of the Mars-like landscape of the Red Centre and the rainbow colors of the Great Barrier Reef. Ride a camel across the desert landscape at sunrise, as the colors of Uluru change. Search the clear waters of the Coral Sea for sea turtles and dolphins. Listen to the thrilling sound of the didgeridoo and learn how to properly throw a boomerang from the native Aborigines. Your customizable tour immerses the family...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Sydney – G’day Australia
Sydney is a bustling city nestled amongst the verdant hills and opulent sea. The skyline soars above the Central Business District, reaching a staggering height of more than 1,000 feet above the surrounding streets in the form of the glittering Sydney Tower. Sailboats glide across the shimmering cobalt waters of the harbor, leading into estuaries and the open Coral Sea. Your flight lands at Sydney Airport where your private transfer meets the family. You check into a luxurious hotel overlooking the oldest neighborhood in Sydney, known as the Rocks. Elements of the 18th and 19th-century city remain with sandstone brick warehouses and Cadman’s Cottage, which was erected in 1816.
After settling in, the family boards the ferry bound for the Taronga Zoo. The kids marvel at the coastline and the arching figure of the Sydney Harbour Bridge framing the water. The ferry provides a panorama of the city’s central area, along with the verdant hills and golden beaches of the surrounding suburbs. The Sydney Skyline decorates the horizon like a photograph as exotic animals from across Australia and from around the world graze beneath the warm sun. The kids pause at the cassowary enclosure, marveling at the prehistoric vision of the gigantic birds with strong helmet and iridescent azure faces. The zoo provides the perfect introduction to the differences of Australia’s wildlife and landscape.
What's Included:
Day 2
Sydney – A City of Familial Charm
Day 3
Sydney – On the Lamb
Day 4
Uluru – Looking Beyond the Red in the Red Desert
Day 5
Cairns – Watching the Red Return
Day 6
Cairns – Sounds and Visions of the Sea
Day 7
Cairns – Immersion into History and Culture
Day 8
Gold Coast – Adventures in the Rainforest
Day 9
Gold Coast – Ocean Views and Kayak Thrills
Day 10
Gold Coast – Watching the Surf
Trip Highlights
- Discover the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef at a stationary dive site, providing the family with an on-site marine biologist to help understand the beauty and diversity of the aquatic life
- Immerse the family in the world’s oldest living culture at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park, learning about art, tradition, and heritage
- Relish the unique rusty-red colors of the Red Desert and the shifting hues of Uluru at sunrise during a guided camel tour
- Search for dolphins and whales swimming off the coast of Byron Bay on a kayak excursion
- Witness the iconic sails of Sydney Opera House on a private guided architectural tour
- Experience the life of an Australian cowboy on a ranch outside of central Sydney known for herding and shearing sheep
- Explore the rainforest west of the Gold Coast on a four-wheel-drive excursion to find kangaroos, koalas, and gigantic cassowaries
Detailed Description
The best family vacations combine culture and adventure, exploration and fun to provide an assortment of activities for everyone to enjoy. Your 10-day Australian journey offers the perfect blend of wildlife and relaxation, beach time and rainforest thrills. Decorate traditional boomerangs under the guidance of an Aboriginal artist and scour the coral of the Great Barrier Reef with the help of a marine biologist. From Sydney to Uluru, Cairns to the Gold Coast, you will uncover the splendors of a different world Down Under, embracing koalas and kangaroos, desert sand and sandy shores.
The journey begins with your arrival at Sydney Airport. Your private transfer greets you and escorts you to a marvelous hotel overlooking the bustling walkways and shores around Sydney Harbour. After checking into the hotel, you board a ferry bound for Taronga Zoo. Take to the sky on a gondola offering a stunning view of the Sydney skyline and animal enclosures below before enjoying a remarkable meal inside the zoo grounds that the entire family will enjoy. Enjoy the following morning at your leisure before boarding a cruise to explore the vast shores and staggered islands of Sydney Harbour. Return to shore and partake in an encompassing tour of the Sydney Opera House, one of the most iconic architectural structures in Australia.
Morning is once again at your leisure, allowing you to stroll the bustling neighborhoods or visit the Australian Museum to see the unique opal bones of Eric the Pliosaur. In the afternoon, you visit a local sheep farm for a herding and sheep shearing demonstration. Next, your private transfer escorts the family to the airport for your flight to Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. Your guide meets you at baggage claim, eager to take you on a tour of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
Walk around the base of Uluru and enjoy an evening under the stars listening to the enchanting stories of the Red Desert. Wake up before sunrise to relish a camel trek around Uluru, witnessing the sunrise over the desert landscape as a family. After breakfast, you tour the paths of Kata Tjuta before flying to Cairns, located on the shores of northeast Queensland. The family settles into the comforts of your hotel with the remainder of the day yours to enjoy at your preferred pace.
Afterward, you set out to sea on a catamaran bound for Agincourt Reef, a portion of the Great Barrier Reef. A marine biologist onboard the stationary platform introduces you to the reef systems and can even join you in the water as the family snorkels over the 600 different types of coral and hundreds of colorful fish during a full day tour. The following day takes you into the rainforest draping over the mountainous terrain west of the beach. Visit Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park for insight into the remarkable culture dating back more than 40,000 years. Learn to play the didgeridoo or throw a spear across an open plain. Continue to Kuranda, a village in the rainforest-clad mountains where you board the Skyrail gondola, riding it down to the shoreline.
In the afternoon, you have a crocodile safari in search of the famous reptiles, along with tropical flora and fauna. Your private transfer escorts the family to Cairns Airport for your flight to the Gold Coast. After checking into your hotel, the family has a four-wheel-drive excursion through Mt. Tamborine to see wildlife in their natural habitat, along with a stunning panorama of the landscape and shoreline. Afterward, you travel south to Byron Bay for a day of kayaking alongside the white sand beaches. You have a good chance of seeing sea turtles, dolphins, or even whales while following your guide around Cape Byron. Before returning to the Gold Coast, you visit the lighthouse for a captivating view of the horizon. On the final day, your private transfer escorts the family to the Gold Coast airport for your flight home.
Starting Price
$2,495 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.
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