Best of Australia: Great Barrier Reef to Ayers Rock

15 Days from $5,239* USD

Now includes ALL government taxes & fees!

Please note: A visa is required for U.S. and Canadian passport holders to enter Australia.

Come witness the jaw-dropping landscapes of the land Down Under. From the Great Barrier Reef’s kaleidoscopic colors to rust-dusted Ayers Rock, Australia’s natural beauty will amaze and inspire you. Along the way, you’ll marvel at Uluru National Park at sunset, tour down-to-earth Melbourne and acquaint yourself with cosmopolitan Sydney.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

On today’s flight to Australia, cross the International Date Line and “lose” a day. You’ll land in Sydney to go through customs. Your flight then continues to Cairns in the Great Barrier Reef State of Queensland.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 2 - Overnight Flight

Today's flight brings you to Cairns in the Great Barrier Reef State of Queensland.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Cairns

Welcome to Cairns! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel, where you will spend the next three nights. You are free to spend the remainder of the day as you wish, whether you want to catch up on your sleep or begin your own explorations of this tropical paradise. At an included dinner, meet your fellow “down under” travelers.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 4 - Cairns

One of the highlights of your stay in Queensland is this morning’s boat ride to the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral bed. There will also be opportunities to go snorkeling or view the brilliant colors of the barrier reef from the exciting underwater observatory. Enjoy an included lunch this afternoon.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch

Day 5 - Cairns

Spend the day at your leisure. Choose to go out on your own, discovering the cafés and shops of the wharf district or strolling along the harborfront esplanade. You may also opt for a full-day guided trek into the Kuranda Village and Rainforest on the cusp of the Atherton Tablelands.
Included meals: breakfast

$149 USD

Kuranda Village & Rainforest

This fascinating excursion takes you deep into the heart of the tropical rainforest aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway. After free time for lunch and browsing in the markets of Kuranda, you’ll ride the skyrail over the treetops for magnificent views of Barron Falls and Red Peak.

Day 6 - Alice Springs

Today, fly to Alice Springs. After checking in to your hotel, enjoy a free evening to explore on your own.
Included meals: breakfast

Day 7 - Alice Springs

You’ll have free time this morning to make your own explorations of this charming frontier town. Alternatively, join an optional Aboriginal Dreamtime excursion, held just a short distance from Alice Springs in Red Bush country. Learn about the Aboriginal religion and its mythology and music. Later this afternoon, enjoy a comprehensive tour of Alice Springs. You’ll see many buildings dating back to Australia’s colonial days, including the Stuart Town Gaol and the Old Telegraph Station.
Included meals: breakfast

$99 USD

Aboriginal Dreamtime

Journey into the bush to learn about the culture, stories and history of Australia’s Aboriginal people. You'll meet Aborigine artists and see how their people's traditions live on today. You'll sample "damper" and "tucker" and learn to throw a boomerang during your time in the Outback.

Day 8 - Ayers Rock

Begin the day with an optional sunrise flight (and champagne breakfast) via hot air balloon over the “Red Centre.” Later this morning, journey by motorcoach through the desert to the breathtaking Uluru National Park, where you will spend the night. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided sightseeing of Olgas Sunset, a stunning collection of 36 weathered red domes. At sunset, the domes glow all colors of red and purple.
Included meals: breakfast

$259 USD

Sunrise Ballooning

Sail through the morning sky high above Alice Springs on this breathtaking excursion. Watch as kangaroos and wallabies greet another day in the Outback. Your balloon ride lasts 30 minutes, and upon landing, you'll enjoy breakfast accompanied by champagne. Please note: This excursion is weather dependent.

Day 9 - Melbourne

Visit magnificent Ayers Rock, located nearly 900 miles from the nearest city, in the heart of the Australian outback and close to the Tropic of Capricorn. On a guided sightseeing tour, you’ll learn about the rock’s history. For 20,000 years, native Aboriginal tribes have worshiped this dramatic monolith (which they call Uluru), whose red hues shift with the changing light. Following your visit, board a flight to Melbourne.
Included meals: breakfast

Day 10 - Melbourne

Melbourne has long stood in Sydney’s shadow as Australia’s calling card, but the city (pronounced something like “Melbuhn” by Aussies) is a beautiful, diverse, down-to-earth collection of 19th-century architecture, trams, sprawling parks and charming suburbs. On today’s guided tour of the city, you’ll see Flinders Street Station (meeting point for Melburnians), South Bank, Tudor-influenced Cooks’ Cottage in Fitzroy Gardens (residence of Captain?Cook’s parents before it was moved here from Yorkshire), St. Paul’s Cathedral, Town Hall, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Melbourne Park, setting for tennis’ annual Australian Open. This evening, travel to nearby Phillip Island for a memorable optional excursion—the nightly “Penguin Parade” on Summerland Beach, when thousands of tiny penguins waddle up from the sea to nest.
Included meals: breakfast

$139 USD

Fairy Penguin Parade

Every night, the tiny Fairy Penguins of Phillip Island waddle ashore in an adorable parade. On this excursion, you'll journey to Summerland Beach to see the penguins come home after a long day of fishing. They're returning to feed their babies, and you'll watch as the penguins arrive for dinner on the beach. Please note: This excursion is weather dependent.

Day 11 - Melbourne

Today is free to embark on your own exploration of Melbourne. You might wish to browse the stalls of the Queen Victoria Market or shop along South Bank, which houses the massive Crown Casino complex. Our recommendation: Don’t miss venturing out to Melbourne’s eclectic suburbs—Carlton, Fitzroy, Richmond, South Yarra and St. Kilda among them. You’ll be rewarded with an amazing collection of international cuisine, unique architecture and a true small-town feel. Alternatively, join an optional Steamtrain and Winery excursion to the Yarra Valley to taste the excellent wines of the region. Also included in the optional excursion is a ride on the historic “Puffing Billy” steam train on its way past the spectacular Emerald Lake.
Included meals: breakfast

$179 USD

Yarra Valley Winery via Steamtrain

Enjoy a delicious lunch in Melbourne’s Yarra Valley vineyards, along with a wine-tasting event to sample the region’s vintages. Later, tour the majestic eucalyptus forest and fern gullies of the Dandenong Mountains aboard “Puffing Billy,” an authentic steam-powered train, en route to Emerald Lake Park.

Day 12 - Sydney

This morning, bid adieu to Melbourne, as you fly to Sydney, host of the summer 2000 Olympic Games. Upon arrival, relax or begin your own explorations of the city’s iconic beaches, World Heritage areas, lush hinterland and acclaimed wine regions. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 13 - Sydney

Sydney’s laid-back outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world’s easiest and most pleasant cities to visit. Situated directly by the harbor of Port Jackson, with the Harbor Bridge and Opera House jutting out into the skyline, the city is truly a sight to behold. On your guided sightseeing tour, learn about the convicted criminals who arrived here in the late 18th century to become Australia’s first European settlers. Pass by Chinatown and the grand public buildings on Macquarie Street. See Darling Harbor, the Rocks and world-famous Bondi Beach, and step inside the iconic Opera House for a guided tour. In the evening, take an optional ride to the top of Sydney Tower, where you’ll dine on Asian Fusion cuisine while you take in panoramic views of the city, the Blue Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Sydney Opera House

$135 USD

Sydney Tower Dinner

Ascend to the top of Sydney Tower for a festive evening of Asian-fusion cuisine and panoramic views of Sydney. You'll dine in one of the Tower's revolving restaurants and take in the city's sights, including the Coat Hanger Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Day 14 - Sydney

Spend the day enjoying Sydney at your own pace today. Consider a visit to the Sydney Jewish Museum, the Chinese Garden of Friendship or the Royal Botanic Gardens. Alternatively, opt for an excursion to the Blue Mountains and the famous “Three Sisters.”
Included meals: breakfast

$155 USD

The Blue Mountains

On a clear day, the Blue Mountains are imbued with an exquisite blue hue, the result of sunlight striking drops of eucalyptus oil hanging in the air. On this excursion, you'll pass by the Sydney Olympic Park, stop to feed kangaroos and wallabies at a wildlife park, enjoy an included lunch at Echo Point in the shadow of the famed Three Sisters and browse through the shops in the quaint village of Leura. Please note: This excursion is weather dependent.