The Very Best of Australia Tour

Fly with Qantas & Emirates from the airport most convenient to you. Depart from Birmingham, Glasgow, London Heathrow, Manchester or Newcastle – whichever you depart from, there is no extra cost.

The next two days of our itinerary are based on a stopover in Singapore. Upon arriving into this wonderful modern city, you’ll be staying close to the banks of the scenic Singapore River at the four-star M Hotel City Centre, in a perfect location for exploring the city.

Alternative stopover

We have based days 2-4 of this itinerary on a stopover in Singapore. If you prefer, you may choose to stop in Dubai or spend an extra two nights in Perth for the same price. 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 one of the most exciting destinations in all of Asia, a real melting pot where Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures have merged with Western influences to create a vibrant city. This morning you’ll embark on a tour to take in the main highlights of the city, such as the ethnic quarters that have helped make the city what it is today; the waterfront Merlion Park, home to the famous Merlion Statue, a national symbol of Singapore; and the beautiful botanical gardens. Your tour will return you to your hotel, from where you can enjoy the rest of your day as you wish.

We can recommend a few suggestions for your second day in Singapore, such as high tea at Raffles, or perhaps a visit to nearby Sentosa Island, with its myriad of attractions including wildlife parks, cable cars and light shows.

Spend the rest of your time in Singapore as you please until it’s time for us to head to the airport, ready for our evening flight to our first stop in Australia, Perth. Once we arrive in Perth, we will clear customs and then head to Duxton Hotel.

Our first day in Perth, the capital of Western Australia and the world’s most isolated city. After breakfast we head to Caversham Wildlife Park to meet some of Australia’s iconic native wildlife, from kangaroos and koalas to wombats and wallabies.

Our day begins with a sightseeing tour of the city and the surrounding area. First of all, we’ll visit King’s Park, a landscape of bushland and pretty wildflowers, offering astounding views out over the city’s skyline. We will then take a small excursion to the nearby port town of Fremantle to pay a visit to the fascinating Shipwreck Galleries. The tour will end with a relaxing cruise along the Swan River back to our hotel, passing the Millionaire Mansions on the way.

Our first of several Freedom Days in Australia, where you can spend the day however you please. If you need a little guidance, our Distant Journeys Tour Manager will be there for you to offer expert advice and recommendations on things to do and places to eat, and they can also help to make any arrangements you may need or book additional excursions for you. On this first Freedom Day we also offer two optional excursions to some spectacular natural landscapes close to the city. The first is the Nambung National Park, home to hundreds of striking limestone towers known as the Pinnacles. Alternatively, you can take a trip to Rottnest Island, a protected nature reserve with a coastline of hidden coves and white sandy beaches. Rich in wildlife, here you can spot the quokka, a wallaby-like marsupial. However you choose to spend your first Freedom Day, enjoy!

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. During this afternoon’s sightseeing tour we will be introduced to Adelaide’s streets, fine Victorian buildings and the attractive parks and gardens that surround the city. Later, we arrive at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for our next three nights.

We leave the city this morning for a sightseeing tour, to visit Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement in the quaint village of Hahndorf, with its tree-lined streets and original ‘Fachwerk’ buildings. After a stop at a working blacksmith museum, we head to the Barossa Valley, a renowned wine growing region, to enjoy wine tasting and lunch.

A Freedom Day to spend as you please. Enjoy exploring Adelaide on foot, taking time to chat to the locals and visit its many eateries. Alternatively, take an optional tour to Kangaroo Island, to spend a full day discovering wildlife up-close, such as a rare colony of sea lions.

This morning we head to the airport for our first internal flight to Melbourne, the second-largest city in Australia. It’s also one of the most historic, as seen in the stunning and extremely well-preserved Victorian architecture of its public buildings and grand houses. Once we arrive, you’ll get to witness the gorgeous architecture and much more with a sightseeing tour of the city. Among the places we will visit are the Victoria Markets, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Treasury Gardens, the Rod Laver Arena and Federation Square. After soaking up these sights, we also head out of the city centre to see two lovely waterside suburbs: Port Melbourne and St Kilda. For the next four nights, you’ll be staying at the four-star Pullman on the Park.

Our first Freedom Day in Melbourne, one of Australia’s most vibrant cities. Spend the day exploring its many shops and streets, or perhaps take the Puffing Billy steam train through the Blue Dandenong Ranges.

With so much to see and do in Melbourne, another Freedom Day allows you to join us for a tour along one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world, the Great Ocean Road. Departing from Torquay, home to the world-famous Bells Beach, our tour will take us along Victoria’s dramatic coastline to our end destination, the iconic Twelve Apostles.

A final Freedom Day in Melbourne, where we have the opportunity to take a trip to Phillip Island, home to the world’s largest colony of little penguins, to view the ‘Penguin Parade’.

Tour Highlight

Following breakfast this morning, we board our flight to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia’s Red Centre. Before landing, we may have the opportunity to view the world’s largest monolith from our aircraft. Rising from the flat surrounding scrubland, Uluru is a site of deep cultural significance to the Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory. Upon arrival we make our way to the four-star Desert Gardens Hotel. Later, we depart for a rock base tour enabling us to discover more about its historical and cultural importance. Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine with your travelling companions whilst witnessing the changing colours of Uluru as the sun begins to set. It’s truly a photographer’s delight.

This morning, before breakfast we have the option of viewing Uluru at sunrise. Later, we leave for a tour of the impressive series of rounded sandstone domes known as the Olgas before travelling along the Lasseter and Stuart Highways to Alice Springs. Upon arrival we make our way to the Crowne Plaza Lasseters Hotel. 

Nestled within the MacDonnell Ranges, Alice Springs is an iconic town made famous by its rich pioneering history and ancient indigenous culture. This morning you may wish to take an adventure in slow motion on an optional hot air balloon trip over the outback landscapes. Later, we board our coach and enjoy a sightseeing tour. Visits include the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the School of the Air, and the Old Telegraph Station, now a museum and the site of the old springs from which Alice gets its name.

Tour Highlight

Later in the afternoon, it’s time to make our way to Alice Springs Rail Terminal ready for our magnificent overland rail journey to Darwin, on Australia’s northern coastline. Known for being one of the world’s iconic rail journeys, The Ghan was named after the Afghan cameleers who once traversed this route. Our twin accommodation is in Gold Service cabins, air-conditioned, private sleepers, all with upper and lower bunk beds, en-suite shower, wash basin and toilet. Single travellers will be accommodated in Gold Service single cabins, which are configured as a lounge chair by day, converting into a bed at night, with shared bathroom facilities at the end of each carriage. Whilst onboard, all our meals are included, as are a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Following dinner in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, enjoy drinks with your travelling companions in the Outback Explorer Lounge.

After a leisurely on-board breakfast, The Ghan arrives into Katherine, where we have the opportunity to visit the awe-inspiring Katherine Gorge and the surrounding Nitmiluk National Park. Katherine Gorge is one of a series of thirteen sandstone gorges the Katherine River has carved into the landscape over time, and during your visit, you’ll learn all about how the gorge was named, as well as the local flora and fauna. After our stop, we once again board The Ghan for lunch and the final leg of the train journey to Darwin. Here we’ll be staying at a quality hotel on Darwin’s esplanade: the DoubleTree By Hilton Esplanade.

Darwin is the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory and is known for its laid-back fusion of frontier outpost and modern city. Your day has been left totally free to spend in your own particular way. Perhaps visit the Defence of Darwin Experience, an immersive, interactive multimedia experience telling the story of Darwin’s role in World War II – a very important time in Northern Territory history. Alternatively visit the thundering waterfalls, rainforest pockets and sacred sites of Litchfield National Park. For those wishing to venture further afield, a choice of excursion to Kakadu National Park can be arranged.

We rise early to make our way to the airport for our one-stop flight to Cairns. Once we arrive in this coastal city, we will be transferred to our home for the next four nights, the Hilton Cairns  – ready for our adventures to the Great Barrier Reef and beyond.

Today is another of our Freedom Days to spend how you wish in Cairns, although we are also offering an optional excursion to the rainforest village of Kuranda. Our day begins as we take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to Kuranda village, ascending above the treetops with far-reaching views over the rainforest. Once in Kuranda, there are several pleasant ways to spend the next few hours, including perusing the markets, visiting the butterfly sanctuary or exploring the Koala Gardens. We continue to to Rainforest Station where we meet our Aboriginal guides. Chat in the Yarning Circle, test your boomerang the spear throwing skills and watch a traditional Aboriginal dance performance. We make our way back to Cairns on the unique Kuranda Scenic Railway. Passing over 40 bridges and through 15 tunnels, along one narrow part the track even has to cling to the rock face: a railway journey to remember.

Tour Highlight

A full day visit to the Great Barrier Reef will be a highlight for many of our guests. Our high-speed catamaran will zip across the ocean to the Outer Reef, where we disembark onto a platform which will be our base for the day. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and the world’s largest coral reef system. Whether you want to snorkel surrounded by marine life, swim in the warm waters or explore the depths in a semi-submersible vessel, there is plenty of time to enjoy these activities and more. There are other activities available at an additional cost for those looking for more adventure, such as scuba diving, a snorkel safari guided by a marine biologist, a Seawalker Helmet dive, or even taking a scenic helicopter flight over the reef for spectacular views

This is the second of our Freedom Days during your stay in tropical northern Queensland. If you prefer to stay in Cairns today, there’s much to see and do, including numerous museums and art galleries, as well as over 200 walking tracks, each leading somewhere different. Today you can also come with us the nearby Daintree Rainforest, the world’s oldest rainforest. It’s also home to the World Heritage Site Cape Tribulation, an isolated headland where the rainforest meets the reef. During our rainforest tour, you’ll see the rainforest’s dazzling variety of flora and fauna on a guided walk as well as embarking on a cruise to spot saltwater crocodiles.

This morning we leave Cairns, heading to the airport ready for our flight to Sydney. Our transfer will then take us to our new home for the next four nights, the excellent Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. The sparkling harbour is of course also home to the world-famous Sydney Opera House. Sydney has plenty to discover outside of the harbour however; for instance, its suburbs promise a real change of scenery with their pristine sandy beaches and native bushland. The heart of the city itself is also bursting with excellent shopping opportunities, world-class eateries and a lively arts culture.

Tour Highlight

This morning we will see Sydney in all its glory with an extensive sightseeing tour and luncheon cruise. We start by travelling through some of the city’s trendiest inner-city areas to the iconic Bondi Beach, before passing the beautiful Rushcutters Bay and Double Bay on our way back to the city centre. Our tour will then bring us to Hyde Park, Parliament House and Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. This unique ‘chair’ and landmark is in fact an exposed sandstone rock, cut into a bench shape in 1810 by convicts as a gift to Governor Macquarie’s wife. It’s not only a fascinating landmark but also the perfect spot for a photo of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The sightseeing tour will then lead us on to a relaxing luncheon cruise around the stunning Sydney Harbour – the perfect way to end our first morning in Sydney.

This morning presents an array of diverse experiences: an expertly guided exploration of Sydney’s iconic Opera House, a leisurely walk through Sydney’s renowned Botanic Garden led by an Aboriginal guide, and a captivating journey into the historic convict roots of Sydney at the interactive Hyde Park Barracks Museum, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The afternoon is left entirely open for you to do as you wish. Whether you fancy some retail therapy or climb the awe-inspiring Harbour Bridge, our Tour Manager will be delighted to offer their assistance in making your choice a reality.

Today is the first of our Freedom Days in Sydney, though you are also welcome to join us on our optional trip to the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This National Park is home to an expansive area of Australia’s iconic bushland carpeted with gum trees, with deep gorges and towering peaks making this a simply spectacular place not to be missed. During our excursion, we will visit a series of lookouts where you can take in some of the best views of the Blue Mountains, including Echo Point, the prime viewing point for the striking Three Sisters rock formation. We will also take in the beautiful Wentworth Falls and the village of Leura, which showcases many of the region’s local artists and hosts several garden festivals. Afternoon tea at the historic Hydro Majestic Hotel is also included.

Our last day in Sydney is yours to enjoy as you like until we depart for the airport: the end of an amazing adventure in Australia. Flights to our chosen UK airport all stop in Dubai for a change of aircraft before the second leg back to the UK.

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 £129 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 our unforgettable journey comes to an end back in the UK at your chosen airport: either Birmingham, Glasgow, London Heathrow, Manchester or Newcastle.