Christmas & New Year in Australia Tour

Our Christmas adventure begins with a flight with Qantas & Emirates from the airport most convenient to you. Your options are from Birmingham, Glasgow, London Heathrow, Manchester or Newcastle – regardless of your choice, there’s no extra cost.

The next two days of our itinerary are based on a stopover in Singapore. On arrival into this wonderful city state we will transfer to the four-star M Hotel City Centre, situated close to the banks of the scenic Singapore River and a perfect location from which to explore everything Singapore has to offer.

Alternative stopovers: Dubai or Perth

We have based days 2-4 of this itinerary on a stopover in Singapore. If you prefer, you may choose to stopover in Dubai or head straight to Perth for an extra two nights before the tour starts, all at no additional cost. Your stopover includes transfers, accommodation, daily breakfast, and if choosing Dubai, a city sightseeing tour. Flight timings will vary. Please speak with one of our personal travel experts for more details.

Singapore is a truly cosmopolitan city whose Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures have over the years blended with Western influences from its colonial past, making it one of the most fascinating destinations in Asia. This morning we head out on a sightseeing tour taking in the main highlights of the city, such as the waterfront Merlion Park, home to the famous Merlion Statue which is a national symbol of Singapore; the various ethnic quarters such as Little India and Chinatown, and the beautiful Botanical Gardens – the first and only tropical botanic gardens on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Our tour ends back at the hotel, and we can relax and enjoy the rest of our day at leisure.  For a quintessentially Singaporean experience, why not treat yourselves to Afternoon Tea at the elegant Raffles Hotel?

A day free to spend as we please in Singapore until it’s time to head to the airport for our evening flight to Perth, our first stop in Australia. We can recommend some suggestions for your second day in Singapore, such as a visit to the Gardens by the Bay, or a trip to nearby Sentosa Island, with its host of attractions including wildlife parks, cable cars and light shows. Once we arrive in Perth, our Tour Manager will greet us and our coach will whisk us to the Duxton Hotel.

Despite being the world’s most isolated city, Perth is known for its friendly locals and welcome. Following a delicious breakfast, we meet up with our Tour Manager and the rest of our group to discuss our day. Later on, we head to Caversham Wildlife Park to meet some of Australia’s native wildlife, such as koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wallabies, wombats and possums.

Perth, in Western Australia, is one of the world’s most isolated cities. Our day begins with a sightseeing tour of the city and its surrounding areas. We start at King’s Park, which is larger than New York’s Central Park and has some 400 hectares of bushland and pretty wildflowers, offering stunning views over the city’s skyline. Next, we travel to the nearby port town of Fremantle to visit to the fascinating Shipwreck Galleries. The galleries have hundreds of relics from ships wrecked along the treacherous coastline, including the original timbers from the Batavia, wrecked in 1629. The tour will end with a gentle cruise along the Swan River back to the city centre, passing some jaw-dropping millionaire’s mansions along the way.

Today is the first of several Freedom Days in Australia, where we can spend the day however we please. Our Distant Journeys Tour Manager will be on hand to offer expert advice and guidance on things to do and recommendations of places to eat. They can also help book additional excursions we may wish to do, including two optional tours to some of the spectacular natural landscapes close to the city.

The first is to Nambung National Park, home to hundreds of striking limestone pillars known as the Pinnacles. It’s believed the Pinnacles were created millions of years ago as seashells were broken down into sand and then eroded by water and wind. Alternatively, you can take a trip to Rottnest Island, just a short ferry ride from Perth. A protected nature reserve with a coastline of hidden coves and white sandy beaches, Rottnest is the only place in the world to spot Quokka in their natural habitat. This friendly, wallaby-like marsupial is the world’s most photogenic animal and has no fear of humans, so have your camera at the ready!

In the morning, we make our way to Perth Airport in time for our flight to Adelaide. Surrounded by grassy parkland, picturesque hills and the Mount Lofty Range, Adelaide could scarcely present a more captivating aspect. On arrival, we will be introduced to Adelaide’s streets, fine Victorian buildings and the attractive parks and gardens that surround the city. Later we transfer to the centrally-located Crowne Plaza Hotel, where we will stay for the next three nights.

During this morning’s sightseeing tour we leave the city to visit Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement in the quaint village of Hahndorf, with its tree-lined streets and original ‘Fachwerk’ buildings. We continue to the famous wine growing region of the Barossa Valley where, after a visit to a working blacksmith museum, we enjoy wine tasting and lunch in one of the picturesque wineries.

A Freedom Day to spend as you please. Take a look around Adelaide on foot or perhaps take an optional tour to Kangaroo Island, situated off the Fleurieu Peninsula, which offers a unique touring experience combining rare, native wildlife with natural, unspoilt wilderness.

This morning we transfer to the airport for our short flight to Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria. It’s an elegant and impressive city, as seen in the stunning and extremely well-preserved Victorian architecture of its public buildings and grand houses. On arrival, we’ll enjoy all these sights and much more with a tour of the city. Among the places we will visit are the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Treasury Gardens, the Victoria Markets, the Rod Laver Arena (home to tennis’ Australian Open every January) and Federation Square. We will also head out of the city centre to see two of Melbourne’s waterside suburbs: Port Melbourne and St Kilda. Our hotel for the next two nights is the four-star Pullman on the Park. This contemporary hotel was built on the site of the 1887 Cliveden Mansion, alongside Fitzroy Gardens.

A Freedom Day in Melbourne. Why not take a trip to Phillip Island, home to the world’s largest colony of Little Penguins, to view the Penguin Parade. The Little Penguins spend most of their day swimming and foraging at sea, then at dusk they waddle back to their nests on land.  It’s a sight not to be missed. Alternatively, take a morning excursion to ride on the Puffing Billy steam train through the Blue Dandenong Ranges, with an Aussie-style elevenses of Bush Billy Tea with lamingtons, Vegemite and crackers served beforehand. If you’re remaining in the city, today is a great opportunity to explore Melbourne’s quirky laneways, whose street art provides fabulous photo opportunities.

Today has also been left free to spend as we please. For those looking to explore the region surrounding Melbourne, there’s the opportunity of an optional tour along what consistently features in the Top 10 of the world’s greatest scenic coastal drives, the Great Ocean Road. Departing from Torquay, home to the world-famous Bells Beach, our tour will take us through laid-back beach resorts along Victoria’s dramatic coastline to our end destination, the iconic stone monoliths known as the Twelve Apostles.

Following breakfast this morning, we board our flight to Alice Springs, in Australia’s Red Centre, whose red earth and blue skies so typify Outback Australia. On arrival, we enjoy a sightseeing tour, visiting the Old Telegraph Station, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which has been saving lives in rural and isolated parts of Australia for more than 90 years, and the School of the Air, which provides an education remotely to children living in the most far-flung areas of the Outback. Later, we check in to the Crowne Plaza Lasseters Hotel, our overnight accommodation.

This evening, there’s the opportunity to enjoy an authentic Outback bush BBQ. Huddle around a cosy campfire under the desert skies at the traditional cattle camp, whilst tucking into a superb barbecued steak. Enjoy a cold beer or chilled wine from the bar while a bush balladeer sings timeless Australian songs.  Finally, the camp lights are switched off and a knowledgeable star guide will decode the night skies as we bathe in the velvety darkness of an Outback night.

Tour Highlight

After breakfast we board our coach for the drive along the Stuart and Lasseter Highways to Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock. Upon arrival we make our way to the Desert Gardens Hotel, our home for the next two nights. After freshening up at the hotel we will be taken to a viewing area to witness the sun setting behind Uluru. Sparkling wine and nibbles will be served whilst you and your travelling companions watch the remarkable changing colours of Uluru as the sun sinks below the horizon.

FLAG An early start as we journey back to Ayers Rock during dawn, for spectacular views as we enjoy a Sunrise Tour. Admire Uluru from a new position in a different light, displaying Ayers Rock in a totally new perspective with changing colours and character of the rock. We return back to our hotel for breakfast, before discovering more of Uluru’s cultural history with a tour of the rock followed by a visit to the captivating Kata Tjuta, (The Olgas), an intriguing series of rounded ochre-coloured sandstone domes. Enjoy an optional Sounds of Silence Dinner, and experience canapes and chilled sparkling wines, served overlooking the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Enjoy the cultural sounds of a didgeridoo as the sun sets and darkness falls as you join your table for an unforgettable dining experience before our flight to Cairns the following day.

Wake up to a Christmas Eve like no other. We will then leave the Red Centre behind as we take an afternoon flight to Cairns, in Tropical Far North Queensland. We’ll head straight to our hotel, the Hilton Cairns, on arrival. Situated in a prime spot right on Cairns’ Esplanade, this superior hotel is our home for the next five nights, and the scene of the Christmas festivities to come.

Tour Highlight

Merry Christmas! Begin the day with a hearty breakfast to set you up for the celebrations ahead. Our day is free to spend as we please, perhaps with a stroll along the Esplanade followed by a picnic on the grass in the sunshine or even a swim in Cairns’ lagoon pool. This evening we gather in the hotel to enjoy a celebratory Christmas buffet dinner and drinks with our new-found friends.

After our day of festivities, today is another of our Freedom Days to spend however we wish in Cairns. A very popular optional excursion is our tour to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest. Our tour begins as we travel to Kuranda village via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, soaring above the treetops with astounding views over the rainforest. There is plenty of time to browse the craft markets, visit the butterfly sanctuary, or enjoy one of Kuranda’s many laid-back coffee shops. We begin our afternoon with a visit to meet the Pamagirri Aboriginal people at Rainforest Station. Enjoying nothing more than sharing their culture and traditions, we join a Yarning Circle, where we can listen to stories and ask questions. After a traditional dance performance and trying our luck at boomerang throwing, we return to Cairns on the unique Kuranda Scenic Railway. Passing over 40 bridges and through 15 tunnels, the railway is a feat of engineering and a railway journey to remember.

Tour Highlight

No holiday to Australia can be complete without a visit to the Great Barrier Reef. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most enduring natural wonders, the Reef’s stunningly beautiful coral and colourful marine life is a place like no other. Our exciting excursion to the Great Barrier Reef begins with a journey aboard a high speed catamaran as we zip across the Coral Sea to the Outer Reef.

We spend several hours at the Outer Reef for you to enjoy as you wish. The more active among us can snorkel in the sheltered coral lagoon or, for an additional cost, join the marine biologist on a guided snorkel safari. There is also the opportunity to have a go at scuba diving (introductory or certified), join a Seawalker Helmet dive, or see the reef from above on a scenic helicopter flight. Those who would rather not get wet can still experience the underwater world of the reef with a ride in a glass-bottomed boat, or semi-submersible reef viewer. A buffet lunch is served on board the platform.

We return by catamaran to Cairns later in the afternoon, bringing our thrilling Great Barrier Reef day to a close

Our final day in Cairns has been left free for you to choose how to spend your day.  A last opportunity for some shopping, or maybe just a day relaxing by the hotel pool. For those interested in further activities and the chance to explore one of the world’s most ancient tropical rainforests, dating as far back as 180 million years, come with us on our optional tour to the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. During the excursion, we’ll see dramatic jungle-clad gorges, wild rivers, and tumbling waterfalls while taking a guided walk as well as a cruise to spot saltwater crocodiles. At Cape Tribulation, an isolated headland, stroll on the beach where the rainforest meets the reef.

This morning we leave Cairns and fly to Sydney our final port of call on this wonderful tour of Australia, with the promise of an extraordinary New Year’s Eve celebration ahead. We will be taken speedily to the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, an excellent hotel set in an historic building just a short walk from Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour, home to the world-famous Sydney Opera House. The city centre itself is packed with world class restaurants, a lively arts culture and some remarkable museums and galleries. Beyond the harbour and the iconic bridge, however, Sydney has pristine sandy beaches and native bushland, sprawling parks and leafy gardens. Our 4-night stay in Sydney allows us plenty of time to enjoy all that this wonderful city has to offer.

Our tour of Sydney includes all the famous highlights: Harbour Bridge, The Rocks and iconic Bondi Beach. Also included are three special treats: a guided tour of Sydney’s Opera House; a stroll through Sydney’s famous Botanic Garden with an Aboriginal guide; and a glimpse into the convict origins of Sydney at the interactive Hyde Park Barracks Museum – a world heritage site.

Tour Highlight

The eyes of the world fall on Sydney on New Year’s Eve, and today you are among the privileged few who are at the epicentre of the celebrations. Our day is left free, and your Tour Manager will be happy to help and offer their recommendations or make any arrangements for you. This evening, the excitement builds as we make our way to King Street Wharf to board Clear View, our luxury cruise vessel. The glass boat offers amazing 360-degree views around Sydney Harbour and will be positioned in an exclusion zone giving a prime position for viewing the fireworks.  We will be welcomed aboard with a glass of finest Australian sparkling wine, before settling into our reserved seat to be served a fabulous 5-course dinner of restaurant-quality, locally sourced favourites. The conversation and the drinks will flow, and after dinner we’ll be entertained by a live band, plus a DJ whose selection of music will be bound to have you up on your feet and dancing the evening away. As midnight strikes, Sydney’s annual firework spectacular bursts into life, and we’ll truly feel at the heart of the festivities as we view the stunning display from the comfort of our boat. Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2024, and a final Freedom Day in Sydney. Shake off the cobwebs with an optional climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge! Or maybe take a trip to the fabulous Blue Mountains. However you choose to spend your final full day in Sydney, relax and enjoy.

Our last day in Sydney is yours to spend as you please until we leave for the airport with suitcases full of memories: the end of an unforgettable adventure in Australia. Flights to our chosen UK airport all stop in Dubai or Singapore for a change of aircraft before the second leg back home.

SPECIAL OFFER: SAVE up to £592 per couple!
If you would like to stopover on your way home we have a sensational stopover offer available from £49 per person for a stay in Singapore, Bangkok or Dubai. Alternatively, we have a relaxing Bali stopover available from £199 per person, or if you prefer stay on Sentosa Island, from £149 per person. All you need to do to take advantage of this huge saving is book any departure after September 2024 by 29th February 2024.

This morning we arrive back into the UK at our chosen airport: either Birmingham, Glasgow, London Heathrow, Manchester or Newcastle, bringing our unforgettable journey to an end.