12D11N Discover Australia by National Geographic Journeys

Arrive at any time.

Make your way to the hotel to check in. There are no planned activities during the day, so enjoy some time to explore the city before joining our CEO for a welcome briefing at 8pm.

Please note that while day 1 is an arrival day with no major activities planned there will still be a welcome meeting at 8pm.

We recommend arriving a few hours before to ensure you have enough time to make it from the airport to the starting hotel where the welcome meeting will take place.

Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
1h
The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

Hotel
Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne (or similar)

Embark on a food tour of Melbourne with a local author and culinary storyteller. Home to many thriving immigrant communities, Melbourne has long been considered one of Australia’s gastronomic hubs. On this foodie walk through the city’s famed laneways, we’ll experience a range of flavors and cuisines over lunch at three popular venues. Start with an Asian entree with wine; move on to an Italian restaurant for a main dish accompanied with more wine, and finish off the tour with a gelato dessert at our third stop. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Occasionally Monique Bayer may not be available for the Melbourne Foodie Walk. In the event this happens, an equally qualified guide will lead the walk.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Melbourne Foodie Walk
Melbourne has long been considered a major centre for foodie culture in Australia. As home to many immigrant communities, the gastronomic expertise on offer here is both diverse and exciting. Explore this incredible city on a National Geographic Journeys-exclusive guided walk, led by local author and culinary storyteller, Monique Bayer. Enjoy lunch at three popular venues that showcase why contemporary dining in Melbourne is such a special experience. Through European flavours as well as those from across Asia, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the city’s history, its people, and its celebrated (and gorgeous) laneways.

Free Time
Melbourne
Free time to explore the city or take an excursion.

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

Hotel
Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne (or similar)

Spend the day exploring vibrant Melbourne. Set out on an optional excursion on the Great Ocean Road, following spectacular sea cliffs along the windswept Southern Ocean. Visit some of the region’s top wineries or wander the city’s narrow cobbled lanes and alleys, discovering quirky cafés and colorful murals.

Free Time
Melbourne Full Day
Melbourne is full of things to do – take advantage of this free day and get out to explore! Head out on a Yarra Valley Wine Tour or book an excursion along the Great Ocean Road.

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne (or similar)

Catch a flight to Uluru, in the heart of the Australian outback. Visit the Cultural Centre of the Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage site—and learn about the beliefs and customs of the Anangu, the area’s traditional Indigenous owners. Cap off the day with a glass of sparkling wine as you witness a crimson sunset over this fabled monolith. Accommodations in Uluru are limited and of varying amenities. We do our best to secure a mid-range hotel, but on occasion a more simple accommodation with fewer amenities may be used. Airline schedules and flight availability are outside of our control and are always subject to change without notice. While we do our best to book direct flights, on occasion we may have to connect though another city.

The Mala Walk at Uluru is not permitted if temperatures exceed 36°C (98°F). During these hot months, we try to offer all walks early in the day to avoid the midday sun. Our CEOs will monitor the weather conditions to gauge the safety of any included walks and may need to call off a given day’s walk due to extreme heat.

Plane
Melbourne – Uluru 3h

Indigenous Cultural Centre Visit
Uluru
Learn about Indigenous Australian culture in the area to get a better perspective of the history, beliefs and present-day life of the Anangu people. Discover the wild world of bush tucker (indigenous food), find out which plants are used in bush medicine, and hear creation stories.

Uluru Mala Walk
Uluru 1h-1h30m 2km
Walk along the northwest side of Uluru to learn about the history of the area, stories of the Anangu people and these awe-inspiring uplifted sandstone rock formations.

Free Time
Uluru
Relax and watch the sunset over Uluru.

Private Vehicle
Uluru 30m
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Sunset at Uluru
Uluru 1h-1h30m
Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine while watching the sunset over Uluru. Marvel at the changing colours over the desert and keep reminding yourself that yes, you really are there.

Meals included: Breakfast

Resort
Sails in the Desert (or similar)

Awaken at dawn to witness the sunrise over Uluru and see the famous Field of Light installation. Then delve into a full-day exploration of the ancient, red-hued landscapes of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. After breakfast, make your way to Kata Tjuta, Uluru’s neighboring natural wonder for a morning of exploration. Later set out on a guided walk around the base of the monolith, gaining insight into its sacred significance to the Anangu.

Between November and March, there is extreme heat with temperatures averaging between 43-46°C (109-115°F) in the middle of Australia, especially around Uluru. This can lead to heat exhaustion and potentially become very dangerous. Be sure to drink plenty of water and replenish electrolytes by drinking sports drinks, coconut water or water mixed with electrolyte powder packets.

Sunrise at Field of Light
Uluru
Head to the Field of Light for a sunrise experience you won’t soon forget. The artist Bruce Munro created an art installation that becomes illuminated in the changing light. Observe the stunning display and watch the sun rise with views of Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the distance.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 1h30m-2h
Take a walk in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to explore the beautiful, red, domed rocks that comprise the site. While Uluru is the most famous landmark in the park, we explore a bit further afield to enjoy this stunning landscape.

Free Time
Uluru
Enjoy some time at leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast

Resort
Sails in the Desert (or similar)

Enjoy free time on our final morning in the Red Centre. Then pack up and head off to the airport for an afternoon flight to Sydney. Check in to our hotel and opt to join our CEO for a dinner out on the town in one of Sydney’s famous neighbourhoods.

Plane
Uluru – Sydney

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Vibe Hotel Sydney (or similar)

Take it slow with a leisurely morning, or get up early and join your CEO for a walk around the Rocks area, a waterfront neighborhood that marks the spot of the first European settlement in Australia. It also holds a spiritual significance for the area’s indigenous people. Around midmorning, circle back and meet for a private tour of the Sydney Opera House. This afternoon, step aboard a private catamaran for a sunset sail around Sydney’s famous harbor. Tuck into a delicious Australian Barbecue dinner as the sun sets in the background.

Metro
Sydney
Get around underground via public transit.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Private Tour of the Sydney Opera House
During today’s private tour of the Sydney Opera House the group will learn about the history of the opera house and how the architecture functions within the theatres to produce sound. You’ll learn how during the mid-1950’s a man from Denmark named Jørn Utzon created a sculpture on Sydney Harbour that dramatically shifted twentieth-century architecture. Hear stories of the how the architects, engineers, and artists built this engineering masterpiece together and spend time in the theatres themselves witnessing how the architecture of each space contributes to sound, as well as the ways that this space manipulates it.

Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise
Sydney 4h
Board a private yacht and enjoy a four-hour cruise navigating the bays and coves of Sydney Harbour. Relax and enjoy the iconic scenery as our crew share stories of Sydney and its famed harbour. Enjoy a casual Aussie BBQ as the sun sets over the Harbour Bridge and Opera House and watch the city lights come alive across the water.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

Hotel
Vibe Hotel Sydney (or similar)

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the best of Sydney. Walk the Rocks and stop by Maybe Sammy for a drink, which happens to be one of the best bars in Sydney. Take the ferry to Manly Beach or walk the Bondi Coastal walk and snap some photos. Or, spend a full day exploring the Blue Mountains on an optional excursion.

Free Time
Sydney Full Day
Today is a free day and we recommend visiting the Australian Museum, Bondi Beach, or Darling Harbour.

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Vibe Hotel Sydney (or similar)

Fly to Cairns today and travel up the scenic coastal road to Daintree Rainforest, the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Embark on an interpretive walk with an indigenous guide at the lush Mossman Gorge, learning about the traditional ways of life of the region’s Kuku Yalanji people. Continue to the resort town of Port Douglas, our home for the next three nights.
We catch a very early flight to ensure we make the most of the day.
Please note that the max luggage allowance on domestic flights within Australia is 1 checked bag (20 kgs) and 1 carry on (7 kgs) per person. Any additional luggage is subject to airline fees and is not included.

Plane
Sydney – Cairns 3h

Private Vehicle
Cairns – Port Douglas 1h 70km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Indigenous Peoples Interpretive Walk
Mossman Gorge 2h
Take an interpretive walk through the Daintree Rainforest. Follow an Indigenous guide and learn about bush food, medicinal plants and the lasting relationship of the Kuku Yalanji people with their natural environment. Find out how to make bush soap, watch an ochre painting demonstration and sample some bush tea.

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Mantra PortSea (or similar)

Explore the Great Barrier Reef on a full-day catamaran tour to the Outer Reef. Immerse yourself in the largest coral reef system in the world, which teems with 1500 species of tropical fish, as well as whales, dolphins and porpoises. Hop into the warm waters off Australia’s east coast and experience this marine wonderland for yourself. Lunch will be served onboard. Back in Port Douglas the evening is yours to do as you please.

Great Barrier Reef Excursion With Sailaway
Port Douglas
You haven’t truly visited Australia until you’ve experienced the Great Barrier Reef. Climb aboard the Sailaway VII, a 25m (82ft) sailing vessel and take the journey to the Outer Barrier Reef. Spend time in the largest coral reef system in the world, snorkel amongst colourful fish and keep an eye out for nemo (of course). You’ll sail along the coastline with spectacular views of the Daintree Rainforest and pass Snapper Island on the way out to the reef. You’ll enjoy a guided snorkel tour, and a glass bottom boat which offers extra viewing opportunities for those not looking to get in the water. Afternoon tea, coffee, cakes, fruit, and a buffet lunch are included and all necessary snorkelling gear and equipment.

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

Hotel
Mantra PortSea (or similar)

Enjoy a free morning in charming Port Douglas. Stroll the town’s boutique-lined streets and idyllic beaches or head to the Sunday markets to browse the stalls. Later in the day, join your fellow travelers for an exclusive cultural experience at Cooya Beach. Meet Indigenous guides for a welcome ceremony, and get acquainted with members of the Kuku Yalanji people. Our CEO will organize an optional farewell dinner to toast your adventures down under.

Free Time
Port Douglas Full Day
Today is a free day in charming Port Douglas. Head to the Sunday markets to see what souvenirs you can
take home or if you are looking for adventure consider booking an optional snorkelling or diving trip out into the Great Barrier Reef again.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Exclusive Indigenous experience at Cooya Beach
Enjoy an exclusive Indigenous experience at Cooya Beach featuring a welcome ceremony and a smoking
ceremony, during which travellers will learn the purpose and meaning of these rituals and their
significance to the Kuku Yalanji people.

Meals included: Breakfast

Hotel
Mantra PortSea (or similar)

After one last breakfast in Port Douglas, transfer back to Cairns where our tour ends at the airport midmorning. Alternatively, extend your stay in Port Douglas.

Please book your departing flights no earlier than 1pm out of Cairns.

The tour will end at the airport in Cairns. If you have booked extra nights you will be staying at the final hotel in Port Douglas about an hour north from the airport. Please note that should you book extra nights you will be responsible for getting yourself to the airport in Cairns from Port Douglas.

Private Vehicle
Port Douglas – Cairns 1h 70km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Meals included: Breakfast