Australian Highlights

Australian Highlights

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13 Days From

$8774

$7863

Australian Highlights

13 Days Starting in Melbourne, Australia and ending in Sydney, Australia

Visiting: Melbourne, Alice Springs, Uluru, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney

Tour operator:

AAT Kings

Tour code:

IMSE24

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low level of fitness required

Age range:

16-

Tour operated in:

English
From: $8774 $7863 Operator discount: -$911

NB: Prices correct on 22-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Australia's most iconic landscapes with the "Australian Highlights" tour. This 13-day adventure begins in Melbourne, where you'll explore vibrant laneways and art-filled alleys. Travel to the remote Northern Territory, experiencing the awe-inspiring Uluru and the rich Aboriginal culture of Central Australia. Dive into the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and marvel at its diverse marine life. In Sydney, uncover the secrets of the Sydney Opera House and enjoy a scenic harbour cruise. With premium accommodations, expert guides, and internal flights included, this tour offers a seamless and enriching exploration of Australia's cultural and natural treasures. Whether you're stargazing in Alice Springs or strolling along Bondi Beach, each day promises new discoveries and unforgettable memories.

Highlights

  • content:

    Make Travel Matter

    Learn about Aboriginal culture of Central Australia and hear stories of the Anangu.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Welcome To Melbourne

Location: Melbourne

Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne

Meals Included: Dinner

Settle into your hotel on the banks of the Yarra River and meet your Travel Director for a welcome reception and dinner at the South Wharf riverside pub, The General Assembly restaurant. It's a great opportunity to get to know everyone in a unique setting.

Day 2: Melbourne Sightseeing And Free Time

Location: Melbourne

Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne

Join your Travel Director for a city sights tour that includes a private walk through Melbourne's famous hidden laneways. You'll discover the city's eclectic little lanes, arcades, café society and fascinating street art. There's time afterwards to explore the city on your own, enjoy an optional experience to Phillip Island to see the nightly ritual of the Penguin Parade (own expense) or simply relax and watch the world go by.

Day 3: Melbourne Free Time

Location: Melbourne

Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne

If you're still getting your bearings in Melbourne, take your time to wander through the city, exploring its boutiques, galleries, and eclectic suburbs. Or, perhaps exploring the city on foot with a History and Donuts Walking Tour is more your thing. However, if you're ready to explore beyond the city limits, consider embarking on a journey along the Great Ocean Road. This legendary stretch of coastline truly lives up to its reputation as one of the most breathtaking touring routes globally. As you wind your way along this scenic route, be prepared to encounter breathtaking views at every turn, making it an unforgettable journey that truly showcases the natural beauty of Australia.

Day 4: Melbourne - Alice Springs

Location: Alice Springs

Accommodation Name: Mercure Alice Springs Resort

Some parts of Australia are so remote that the only way kids can get an education is remotely via the School of the Air. Your next stop is the birthplace of the Alice Springs township, the historic Telegraph Station. Being this far flung also means there’s no light pollution from cars or skyscrapers. The result? Unrivalled stargazing (and a BBQ feast) with the Falzon family at their eco-oriented Earth Sanctuary World Nature Centre.

Day 5: Alice Springs - Uluru

Location: Uluru

Accommodation Name: Desert Gardens

Travel from Alice Springs to Uluru, experiencing the rugged desert landscapes while learning about the geological history of Australia. Stopping at the Mt. Conner lookout before arriving at Ayers Rock Resort. In the heart of Australia, Uluru has been home to the Anangu for millennia. You will discover their connection to the land when you arrive in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park at sunset to watch the shifting colours transform the desert. Not ready to go home yet? Discuss with your Travel Director the option to elevate your evening with the exclusive Uluru Barbecue Dinner.

Day 6: Uluru And Kata Tjuta

Location: Uluru

Accommodation Name: Desert Gardens

If there’s one thing worth getting out of bed early for, it’s sunrise over Uluru. Incredibly, the Rock’s base caves are home to First Nations art that dates tens of thousands of years. What an honour to glimpse it. The ochres and silvery greens of the NT outback follow you to Kata Tjuta, where Walpa Gorge humbles with its soaring cliffs. Wander through the tallest domes before yet another sparkling sunset (and sparkling wine).

Day 7: Uluru - Cairns

Location: Cairns

Accommodation Name: Hilton Hotel Cairns

Ok, so the other reason to get up early is to view artist Bruce Munro’s installation Field of Light at dawn – 50,000 glowing spindles of light blanketing the desert. Clamber to the top of a sand dune to marvel in the morning unfolding over this very special part of the world. Later, an Anangu artist will explain just what makes it so spiritual over an introduction to Western Desert art, introducing totems and symbols important to the region and represented in paintings and installations, another MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Head to your next stop in tropical Cairns.

Day 8: Cairns Free Time

Location: Cairns

Accommodation Name: Hilton Hotel Cairns

Meals Included: Dinner

If you’re in the habit of getting up early now, you may wish to begin your day with an optional horizon-bending hot-air-balloon ride over the Atherton Tablelands. Prefer to stay grounded? Sign up for a guided walk through the Daintree Rainforest, or surround yourself with nature riding the Scenic Railway to Kuranda returning on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway – perhaps with a side visit to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures for wetlands cruise? Tonight, celebrate the end of an incredible day at dinner on Cairns’ waterfront at Salt House for regional seafood plucked straight from the ocean, highlighting fresh, local ingredients, and prepared on their custom-built Argentinian wood fired grill.

Day 9: Great Barrier Reef

Location: Great Barrier Reef

Accommodation Name: Hilton Hotel Cairns

Meals Included: Lunch

The world’s largest living organism, the Great Barrier Reef, never fails to dazzle. Set out on a catamaran to explore this natural wonder of over 1,500 species of fish, 215 different birds, 3,000 molluscs, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, and 30 species of dolphins and whales are residents. Strap on a snorkel or visit an underwater observatory and semi-submersible craft to take in the menagerie without getting your hair wet. A tropical buffet lunch is served on board before returning to Cairns.

Day 10: Cairns - Sydney

Location: Sydney

Accommodation Name: InterContinental Hotel Sydney

Touch down in Australia’s largest city, with a harbour you could gaze at all day long. And all night. Spend time at leisure in the buzzing metropolis of Sydney. Take a stroll along the iconic harbour, visit one of the city’s many bars, pubs, or restaurants, or simply while away the day at the beach. You decide how best to enjoy this bustling city of delights.

Day 11: Sydney

Location: Sydney

Accommodation Name: InterContinental Hotel Sydney

Meals Included: Lunch

Bring your stamina: today is one of innumerable highlights. Go on a tour of the Sydney Opera House, discovering its architectural and performance secrets. If these sails could talk. Then see the city from the water on a Sydney Harbour Highlight Lunch Cruise enjoying a menu focusing on local food and wine. See Circular Quay and Shark Island as well as magnificent waterfront homes, beaches, parklands, the Opera House's grand sails and the Harbour Bridge. One icon to another: The world’s most famous beach beckons this afternoon, with your chance to pad along the sand at Bondi with Sydney’s beautiful people.

Day 12: Sydney Free Time

Location: Sydney

Accommodation Name: InterContinental Hotel Sydney

Meals Included: Dinner

The hardest decision you have to make today: explore more of Sydney, or head to the Blue Mountains, 11,400 square kilometres of World Heritage listed wilderness, a place where sandstone escarpments appear to cleave off the edge of the Earth and waterfall-cooled valleys of rainforest slip dreamily from the pages of a fairytale. Or why not linger around the harbour – perhaps it’s time to glimpse it from above on a Sydney BridgeClimb? This bird’s-eye view certainly puts things in perspective. Back at ground level, you’re in the heart of the Rocks, the city’s original colonial settlement and a place of cobbled alleys and private galleries. This evening, celebrate your holiday at a Farewell Dinner at Midden restaurant at the Sydney Opera House. Talk about ending on a high.

Day 13: Farewell From Sydney

Location: Sydney

What an epic journey, with so many destinations explored in less than two weeks. Now you just have to sort through the photos…

What's Included

What's Not Included

  • Return airfares from your home port

    Return airfares from your home port are not included in the tour price.

  • Optional experiences

    Optional experiences such as the Penguin Parade and hot-air-balloon ride over the Atherton Tablelands are not included in the tour price.

Mode of Transport

Internal-vacation flights included. Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 12 noon into Melbourne Airport. Day 13 – flights to depart anytime from Sydney Airport. Internal-holiday flights: Day 4 – Melbourne to Alice Springs. Day 7 – Ayers Rock to Cairns. Day 10 – Cairns to Sydney. Return airfares from your home port are not included in the price above. Return airport to hotel transfers are included in the price above.

Accommodation

Your Guided Holiday includes a range of quality accommodation for your comfort. The accommodation you will enjoy on this tour includes: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne, Mercure Alice Springs Resort, Desert Gardens, Hilton Hotel Cairns, InterContinental Hotel Sydney.

Dining Summary

  • 2 Dinner with Wine (DW)
  • 12 Full Breakfast (B)
  • 1 Be My Guest Dinner (BGD)
  • 1 Lunch (L)
  • 1 Highlight Lunch (HL)
  • 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)

Cultural Immersion

  • The Sydney Opera House is the stuff of postcards. You get to tour with an expert who not only reveals architectural highlights, but also performance secrets.

Fitness Requirement

  • Low level of fitness required

Flight information

  • Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 12 noon into Melbourne Airport  Day 13 – flights to depart anytime from Sydney Airport  Internal-holiday flights: Please note that prices include land and internal-holiday airfares, which AAT Kings will book in order to fulfil the holiday itinerary:  Day 4 – Melbourne to Alice Springs  Day 7 – Ayers Rock to Cairns  Day 10 – Cairns to Sydney  Return airfares from your home port are not included in the price above.  Return airport to hotel transfers are included in the price above.

Local Connection

  • Whether you’re exploring vibrant city streets (think, Melbourne’s art-filled alleys) or remote reaches of the Northern Territory under a blaze of stars, you’ll be wowed by local knowledge.

What to Bring

  • Warm layers in cooler months Camera Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Water bottle

World Class Nature

  • The only living organism you can see from outer space, the Great Barrier Reef is among the world’s most important, and biodiverse, ecosystems. Dive under the surface and see for yourself.

Check out our Q&As

  • What unique experiences are included in the tour of the Sydney Opera House?

    The tour of the Sydney Opera House includes discovering its architectural highlights and performance secrets with an expert guide.

  • What cultural experiences are offered in Central Australia?

    In Central Australia, you will learn about Aboriginal culture and hear stories of the Anangu people.

  • What can I expect during the visit to the Great Barrier Reef?

    During the visit to the Great Barrier Reef, you can explore the ecosystem by snorkeling or using an underwater observatory and semi-submersible craft. A tropical buffet lunch is served on board the catamaran.

  • What is the significance of Uluru in the tour?

    Uluru is a spiritual and sacred site in Australia's Red Centre, home to the Anangu people for millennia. The tour includes experiencing the shifting colors of Uluru at sunset and sunrise, and learning about First Nations art.

  • What kind of accommodation is provided during the tour?

    The tour includes quality accommodation at centrally located premium hotels such as Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne, Mercure Alice Springs Resort, Desert Gardens, Hilton Hotel Cairns, and InterContinental Hotel Sydney.

  • Are internal flights included in the tour package?

    Yes, internal flights are included in the tour package. These flights are from Melbourne to Alice Springs, Ayers Rock to Cairns, and Cairns to Sydney.

  • What level of physical fitness is required for this tour?

    A low level of fitness is required for this tour.

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    The beauty of taking a holiday with us is you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    It is important to adhere to departure times while on tour for the comfort of everyone on-board, and to make sure no one misses out on the planned experiences. The coach will not be able to wait for you, and in some instances, if you miss a departure time you will need to make your own way to the next destination to re-join the tour.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    AAT Kings operated Guided Holidays have competitive single supplement rates available if you prefer to confirm your own room. Or we can match you to share with a guest of the same gender at no extra cost. If we fail to match you, we will accommodate you in a single room at no extra cost.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Over 100 years

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    We will email your documents to you approximately four weeks before your departure date provided you have completed your pre trip registration using the My Travel Portal. If you’ve booked through a travel agent, your documents will be emailed directly to your agent.

Reviews of this operator

Ann Purcell  

Well worth the money

24-Feb-2023

Absolutely wonderful trip. Tastes of southern Australia. Hotels were good quality. Sightseeing was amazing. Manuela our travel director was lovely. A great trip all round

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Lynda Whittingham  

Particularly loved QUEENSTOWN (jet boat) and plane ride over Mt Cook

18-Feb-2023

Great guide “Dexter” who was pleasant and knowledgeable, skilled and pleasant driver, Aaron, interesting activities, and comfortable hotels in good locations. I have been on organized bus trips in different countries and this company stands out. I would travel with them again. Read less

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Trusted Customer  

Milford Sound , West Coast , Queenstown, Christchurch

22-Feb-2023

The most professional tour group i have ever travelled with. Both tour director (Hope) & driver (Dave) had extensive knowledge of NZ. Highly recommended.

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Keith Jones  

Christchurch, Milford Sound and the Franz Joseph Railway journey

02-Mar-2023

Very professional service throughout. Friendly experienced tour guide imparting excellent knowledge and local anecdotes. Friendly professional driver enhanced the overall pleasure. Excellent hotels throughout the holiday.

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Allison Cooper  

Wonderful experience, highlight had to be Uluru so spiritual and beautiful

22-Feb-2023

Very professional. Excellent travel director very knowledgeable and a lovely guy. Amazing experience seeing do many great places.

Feefo Trusted Reviews

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Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    AAT Kings requires a minimum deposit of 100 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of aat kings charges.

    Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.

    At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 7 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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