12-Nights Inspiring Australia

12 nights from: $13,800

Inspiring Australia
Adventure across Australia on this 13-day guided tour. Just outside of Cairns, explore the tropical rainforest of Daintree National Park with a Local Expert, who will teach you about the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people who live there. Fly to Uluru, where a guide will lead you through the Walpa Gorge and past its red, rocky domes. Later, watch as 50,000 solar powered lights illuminate the desert during its Field of Light display by Artist Bruce Munro. Explore Melbourne's laneways and visit the Yarra Valley for a chocolate masterclass, winery visit and gin tasting. Cruise the Sydney Harbour, then go inside its famous Opera House for a VIP tour. Celebrate your incredible trip with dinner at Bennelong Restaurant, set inside the opera house’s iconic sails.


Dining Summary

• 5 Dinner (D)
• 10 Breakfast (B)
• 4 Lunch (L)

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Great Barrier Reef: Dive into one of the seven wonders of the natural world. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef and one of the most complex ecosystems we have. See incredible aquatic life beneath the surface as you swim.
• Kuranda: Board your SkyRail cable car to ascend through rainforest to reach the mountain village of Kuranda. Take time to explore the vibrant local markets before returning to Cairns via the Kuranda Scenic Railway.

• Enjoy seamless personal assistance throughout your journey. From securing exclusive reservations, to organising transportation, your Travel Concierge ensures every aspect of your travel is tailored to your tastes and preferences.
• In select destinations, our network of Local Expert Guides will illuminate your journey on a deeper level.
• Included at all hotels.
• Hotel taxes, porterage and tips, as well as tips for included dining experiences, are included.
• Enjoy breakfast every morning, and an array of incredible dining options throughout your journey, infused with discovery and adventure.
• On days where a Relaxed Start (RS) is indicated, you can select to indulge in breakfast in bed.
• Enjoy complimentary hotel Wi-Fi. And, on select coaches, onboard Wi-Fi may also be available.
• Transfers are included on your journey start and end dates, and where additional accommodation has been booked in advance through Luxury Gold. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city as the itinerary, may be requested.

• Palm Cove: Savour a meal made from the finest quality local seasonal ingredients at this award-winning restaurant. Relax in the tropical setting with a glass of wine as you overlook the stunning crystal-clear water of the Coral Sea while nestled beneath Melaleuca trees.
• Uluru: Experience the magic of this powerful place as the sun sets and darkness cloaks the land. The soulful sound of the digeridoo plays as you feast on fine local cuisine during the award-winning Sounds of Silence dinner.
• Hunter Valley: Discover the bouquets of one of Australia's most famous wine regions. Arrive to a private wine tasting at a boutique winery, where you can sample the wines that grow here, then enjoy an exquisite tasting lunch with your fellow travellers.

• Uluru: Situated in the heart of Australia’s Red Center, the five-star Sails in the Desert, Ayers Rock Resort is a beautiful oasis amid the raw beauty of the Outback. It comes with a wellness spa, swimming-pool, gourmet restaurants and an impressive collection of indigenous artworks.

• Daintree Rainforest: Join your Local Expert for an insightful exploration in the oldest tropical rainforest on earth. Learn about the close relationship the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people have with the land here, which they've been connected to for thousands of years. The experience reduces inequalities for indigenous people & preserves local traditions, protects natural culturally sensitive sites and promotes cultural vibrancy. This experience creates employment opportunities for local Kuku Yalanji people who are proud to share and preserve their land and culture.
• Kata Tjuta: Join your Travel Concierge for a guided walk through the sacred Walpa Gorge, which is a refuge from the hot desert sun for a variety of flora and fauna. Admire the change in colour on the gorge walls and spot the odd wallaby.
• Uluru: Arrive at the Ulu u-Kata Tju a National Park in the afternoon in time to see the sun slipping behind the majestic rock. See the vibrant colours of the landscape lit up as you sip on sparkling wine.
• Uluru: Watch the sunrise over Uluru as you are enchanted by the magical 'Field of Light' art installation by artist Bruce Munro.
• Uluru: Visit the Mutitjulu Waterhole, home to the Anangu’s wanampi, an ancestral water snake.
• Uluru: Learn about the strong connection shared over millennia between the Anangu and this ancient land on a visit to the Ulu u-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre.
• Melbourne: Indulge in a memorable experience at the family-owned Yarra Valley Chocolaterie in the heart of the picturesque wine-making region. Here, you'll make and taste your own chocolate in an epic masterclass hosted by Ian and Leanne Neeland.
• Hunter Valley: Marvel at the vastness of untouched landscape on your journey northwards to the Hunter Valley. After miles of pristine natural terrain, the neat rows of vineyards will appear, whetting your appetite for what's to come.
• Sydney: Step on board a luxurious cruiser and sail around the glistening Sydney harbour while you savour a delicious lunch with a strong focus on local produce and wines.

• Great Barrier Reef: Dive into one of the seven wonders of the natural
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The world's largest monolith, located 280 mi/450 km southwest of Alice Springs, is a truly stunning sight, especially at sunset when its burnt-orange glow seems to set the desert on fire. Called Uluru by the Aborigines, the sandstone rock is huge (1,140 ft/350 m high, 9 mi/13 km around) and reddish brown most of the time, taking its color from iron oxide, or rust. Its presence is made more powerful by the mostly barren plain that surrounds it and disappears into the horizon. In 1985, ownership of the rock was returned to its traditional owners. It is rarely referred to as Ayers Rock anymore.Uluru Travel
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Considered sacred by the Aborigines for thousands of years, the rock is now part of the expansive Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, one of the country's biggest tourist attractions. The park includes the Olgas/Kata Tjuta, a cluster of 36 giant domelike rock formations about 20 mi/35 km west. If you want to visit both, plan to spend at least one night. You'll want to see Uluru at both sunset and sunrise. The Olgas are equally magnificent at both times of day. (But be prepared to jockey for position at either place; tour buses disgorge hundreds of visitors laden with binoculars, cameras and video equipment.)

Start your visit to the park with a stop at the cultural center. Run by the Anangu (a local Aboriginal clan), the center is a wonderful introduction to the unusual rock formations and to the people who lived in their harsh shadows for centuries. Aboriginal artwork and artifacts are on display. You can also see re-enactments of life in the bush and watch informative videos. Most visitors explore the rock as part of a tour led by park rangers, Anangu guides or private tour companies. But you can also pick up a printed walking guide at the cultural center and set off on your own.

Only one trail leads to the top of the rock, and it's fairly steep—those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, asthma, fear of heights or the like should remain earthbound. The Anangu prefer you walk around—not on—the rock because of its spiritual importance. If you do decide to climb it, allow two to three hours and take along a snack and plenty of water. The view from the top is spectacular, but hiking around the base is more educational and less strenuous. We suggest taking one or more of the shorter walks that pass water holes and rock paintings, allowing you to observe the rock's many faces at a leisurely pace. (Walking around the entire base of the rock takes about three hours.)

Allow at least an afternoon to visit the Olgas/Kata Tjuta. A frequent debate among visitors is whether the Olgas outshine the rock. It's a close call—the Olgas are taller, reaching 1,790 ft/545 m at the highest point. Made of conglomerate (pebbles and boulders cemented together by mud and sand), they are off-limits to climbers, but you can explore some of the valleys and chasms between the rocks.

Most visitors fly to Uluru or drive from Alice Springs. About the only place to stay in the area is the Ayers Rock Resort, or Yulara, whose five hotels and a campground can accommodate visitors in all price ranges. Longitude 131 is a magnificent safari camp with 15 luxury tents. Dozens of tours leave from Ayers Rock Resort, including sunrise camel rides around the rock, sunset champagne dinners in the desert, Aboriginal culture tours and stargazing. You can also rent a car there and explore on your own.

Because of the excessive heat in summer, the best time to visit is April-November (winter in Australia). Always take along plenty of drinking water. If you are flying to the Outback, we suggest going overland one way from Alice Springs (four to five hours) but flying the other way—the desert drive is scenic, but it can be tedious the second time around. http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru.