Grand Tour of Australia

Cross the International Date Line in flight and “lose” a day.

Your flight continues to Australia.

Welcome to Australia! Transfer to your hotel and then gather with your fellow travelers at a welcome dinner this evening.

Set off on a guided tour to admire the city’s beautiful 19th-century architecture, historic landmarks, and sprawling parks.

• Explore Carlton Gardens, home of the Royal Exhibition Building and the Melbourne Museum
• Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Shrine of Remembrance
• Pass the Yarra River and the Sports and Arts Precinct, site of the Australian Open
• Enter the National Opal Collection
• Stroll through Queen Victoria Market

Enjoy free time in Melbourne or add an excursion.

Spend a free day in Melbourne or add an excursion.

Fly to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to learn about many institutions that date back to the country’s colonial days.

• Stop at Anzac Hill and take in sweeping views of the town and countryside
• Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service, School of Air, and the old Alice Springs Telegraph Station

Take a scenic ride through the Outback, stopping en route at a local farm to ride camels.

Spend free time in the Uluru region or add an excursion.

Please note: On some departures, the excursion may be offered on the morning of day 8 instead of the morning of day 7.

Then, journey through the desert to Uluru to begin your exploration of the park on a guided tour.

• View Kata Tjuta, the weathered rock domes also known as the Olgas
• Watch the sunset over Uluru

Return to Uluru, the monolith that’s been worshiped by Aboriginal tribes for 22,000 years. Then, fly to Cairns, a coastal city in the state of Queensland, and transfer to your hotel in the Great Barrier Reef region upon arrival.

Enjoy a full day at the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system.

• Head to Cairns Marina to board a boat out into the Coral Sea
• View the coral’s colors from the underwater observatory, glass-bottom boat, or semi-submarine—or hop in the water with a snorkel
• Enjoy an included buffet lunch

Spend a free day in the Great Barrier Reef region or add excursions.

Please note: Depending on flight schedules, the Sunrise Ballooning excursion may be offered on the morning of day 11 instead of the morning of day 10.

Fly to Sydney this morning. Then, enjoy free time in the city or add an excursion.

Join your Tour Director for a guided tour of one of the world’s most pleasant cities.

• Pass Darling Harbour and the Royal Botanic Gardens
• Stop at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair to take in views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
• See the Rocks neighborhood, Bondi Beach, and the Gap in Watsons Bay
• Step inside the UNESCO-listed Sydney Opera House with a local guide

Enjoy a free day in Sydney or add an excursion.

Then, join your group at a farewell dinner this evening.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.