Visions of Australia Itinerary
Day 1: London to Singapore
Make your way to London Heathrow Terminal 4 for the late evening flight with Qantas Airways direct to Singapore. Our company representative will be available at the check-in area 3 hours prior to the group’s scheduled departure time to offer assistance. If, however, you have travelled in by a regional connecting flight, you will remain airside. Meals and drinks are included in-flight.
Day 2: Singapore
Arrive Singapore late afternoon. Our resident Singapore Tour Escort will greet you on arrival at Changi Airport and accompany you on the coach as you transfer to the hotel. This exciting 2 night stopover will help you adjust to the time difference, relax between flights and gain an insight into this vibrant and sophisticated city. After settling in, we have organised an informal cocktail party for you to meet your fellow travellers. Afterwards, you may like to take a stroll through the adjacent Bugis Junction shopping complex or dine in one of the hotel’s award winning restaurants.
In Singapore you will stay at the InterContinental Hotel for 2 nights. Breakfast included.
Day 3: Singapore
This morning we explore the main sights of Singapore, including the intriguing ethnic quarters, historic riverfront area, sophisticated downtown and the beautiful Botanic Gardens. During the afternoon, enjoy some free time to sightsee or stroll through the many shops on Orchard Road. This evening you may wish to join our optional excursion of the world’s first and only Night Safari at Singapore Zoo.
Day 4: Singapore to Melbourne
Enjoy the day at leisure and the comfort of an extended checkout from your room. Shop in the fabulous malls, treat yourself to morning tea at Raffles, travel on the modern MRT rail system, or visit Sentosa Island by cable car. Late afternoon we transfer to the airport for the evening Qantas Airways flight direct to Melbourne.
Day 5: Melbourne
Arrive Melbourne in the early morning and clear customs and immigration. Your Tour Manager, who will accompany you throughout Australia, will be waiting to greet you in the Arrivals Hall. Transfer by luxury coach to the hotel and enjoy spending the day at leisure. You may wish to join our optional excursion and take a sightseeing cruise on the Yarra River. This evening we have organised an informal cocktail party for your Tour Manager to welcome you to Australia.
In Melbourne you will stay at the Langham Hotel for 4 nights. Breakfast included, plus dinner on day 5 and special meal on day 6.
Day 6: Melbourne and the Dandenong Ranges
This morning we explore the city’s main sights, including Queen Victoria Market, Cooks’ Cottage and the Royal Botanic Gardens. During the afternoon, we travel east of the city to the picturesque Dandenong Ranges and ride aboard the famous Puffing Billy, Australia’s oldest steam train. This evening we have arranged a special dinner aboard the fleet of historical trams that have become the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. Enjoy fine cuisine and complimentary drinks as you travel through the scenic streets and suburbs of Melbourne. This unique restaurant is both cosy and inviting, providing you with an evening to remember and a highlight of the tour.
Day 7: Melbourne
Today is completely free for you to enjoy more of Melbourne and its beautiful surrounds and we would recommend one of our small group optional excursions along the Great Ocean Road. With sparkling clean beaches, breathtaking coastal scenery, amazing rainforests, wilderness, wildlife and interesting towns, it is no wonder that the mighty road is considered to be one of the world’s most compelling journeys. This evening you are free to dine out.
Day 8: Melbourne
Enjoy a further day at leisure. Marvel at the creative mix of buildings at Federation Square, ride on the free City Circle Tram, take a walk along the Southbank, or indulge in a luxury treatment at the hotel’s Chuan Spa. Alternatively, we can recommend some wonderful optional excursions. Explore behind the scenes at some of the city’s great sporting venues, absorb the history and charm of the gold rush era at Soverign Hill, discover the quality wines and breathtaking scenery of the Yarra Valley, or witness the world famous Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. In a city famous for its café culture and alfresco restaurants, we have once again left this evening free for you to dine out.
Day 9: Melbourne to Adelaide
This morning we transfer to the airport for the flight to Adelaide. South Australia’s capital, Adelaide is an elegant and gracious city surrounded by extensive parklands and gardens. This afternoon we explore the city’s main sights, including North Terrace, the Adelaide Cricket Oval and the River Torrens.
In Adelaide you will stay at the Hilton Hotel for 3 nights. Breakfast included, plus dinner on day 9.
Day 10: Adelaide
Today is completely free for you to enjoy more of Adelaide and its beautiful surrounds and we can recommend some wonderful optional excursions. Come face to face with the wildlife on Kangaroo Island, or taste some of Australia’s finest wines at a selection of premium and boutique wineries in the Barossa Valley. Not wishing to place any restrictions on your day, we have left this evening free for you to dine out.
Day 11: Adelaide
Enjoy a further day at leisure. Admire the heritage streetscapes, charming buildings and public art, take a walk along the river and through the parklands, ride the heritage tram to Glenelg, or visit a local gallery to view opals mined in the South Australian outback. You may wish to join our optional excursion and take a guided walking tour through North Adelaide, one of the city’s most graceful suburbs. This evening you are once again free to dine out, perhaps in the casual atmosphere of Rundle Street.
Day 12: Adelaide to Alice Springs
This morning we transfer to the airport for the flight to Alice Springs. Nestled between the MacDonnell Ranges, this famous outback town is the geographical centre of Australia and has an enchanting pioneering history and ancient indigenous culture. This afternoon we visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Telegraph Station Historical Reserve. This evening, as an alternative to dining at the hotel, you may wish to join our optional excursion and ‘Take a Camel to Dinner’!
In Alice Springs you will stay at the Voyages Alice Springs Resort for 1 night. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 13: Alice Springs to Ayers Rock
Today you will experience the real Australian outback as we travel by coach through its rugged landscape to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Discovered by explorers in 1872, Uluru (the Aboriginal name for Ayers Rock) is justifiably one of Australia’s most famous sights and sacred to the Aboriginal people since the dawn of time. The award winning Voyages Ayers Rock Resort is a luxurious oasis just 10 km north of Uluru. The afternoon is completely free for you to relax and enjoy the resort facilities. This evening we have arranged a special dinner in the desert, a truly unique experience. Enjoy champagne and canapés as you watch the sun set over Uluru, dine on a Northern Territory feast, and study the stars in the company of an expert astronomer.
At Ayers Rock you will stay at the Voyages Sails in the Desert Hotel for 2 nights. Breakfast included, plus special meal on day 13.
Day 14: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
This morning you can take an optional sunrise tour by Harley-Davidson or helicopter before joining the rest of the group as we visit the base of Uluru and then continue on to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, where dynamic displays, video and artwork explain the world heritage landscape from the perspective of the traditional Aboriginal owners. This afternoon we visit the immense rock domes and peaks of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and take a walk to Olga Gorge to experience the unique landscape. This evening you are free to dine out. The resort features more than 10 restaurants to choose from with the convenience of charge-back to your room account.
Day 15 : Ayers Rock to Cairns
This morning you have some free time for a refreshing swim in the pool, or to visit the acclaimed Mulgara Gallery, before we transfer to the airport for the flight to Cairns. Framed by a spectacular backdrop of rainforest mountain ranges and fringed by the sparkling Coral Sea, this friendly coastal city enjoys a leisurely, outdoor focussed lifestyle and offers a perfect base from which to explore the attractions of Tropical North Queensland.
In Cairns you will stay at the Cairns Internationl Hotel for 4 nights. Breakfast included, plus dinner on day 15 and 17.
Day 16 : Barron Gorge National Park and Kuranda
This morning you can take an optional hot air balloon flight over the Australian bush before joining the rest of the group for the ‘Ultimate Kuranda Experience’, a tour which brings together 3 of the best mainland attractions in far north Queensland. Glimpse 40 thousand years of Aboriginal history and culture at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park before boarding Skyrail, the world’s longest gondola cableway, for a unique journey above the rainforest canopy. There is time at leisure to explore the village of Kuranda before we travel back to Cairns on the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway. This evening you are free to dine out and enjoy the fresh local produce and tropical flavours of the region.
Day 17 : Great Barrier Reef
This morning we travel north by coach along the beautiful coastline to Port Douglas. Here we join Quicksilver’s wave piercing catamaran and cruise at high speed to the floating activity platform at Agincourt Reef to enjoy a tropical buffet lunch and host of activities. Take a trip on a semi-submersible, walk into the underwater observatory or join a snorkelling tour with a Marine Biologist. This afternoon, as an alternative to cruising back we offer an optional excursion to fly directly back from the platform by helicopter. Experience thrilling views as you fly low over the reef before reaching the green canopy of World Heritage rainforest.
Day 18: Cairns
Today is completely free for you to enjoy at leisure. Browse through the boutique shops, walk down to the Esplanade and relax by the saltwater swimming lagoon, or follow the boardwalk along the Foreshore Promenade. Alternatively, we can recommend some wonderful optional excursions. Explore the diverse and fascinating ecosystem of Trinity Inlet, or discover the Daintree River Region, where the rainforest meets the reef at World Heritage listed Cape Tribulation. This evening you are once again free to dine out.
Day 19: Cairns to Brisbane
Head to the hotel’s pool deck on level 3 for a refreshing swim, or experience a revitalising treatment in the day spa, before we transfer to the airport for the flight to Brisbane. Sitting on the Brisbane River, this youthful city offers a dining, shopping, cultural and recreational experience worthy of Australia’s fastest growing capital city. With a near perfect climate, Brisbane thrives on an outdoor lifestyle and enjoys a relaxed pace of life.
In Brisbane you will stay at the Hilton Hotel for 2 nights. Breakfast included, plus dinner on day 19.
Day 20: Brisbane
This morning we explore the city’s main sights, and then continue on to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. We return to the city by riverboat and the remainder of the afternoon is free for you to discover more of this tropical city at leisure. Visit the Queensland Art Gallery, window shop in Queen Street Mall, stroll through the Roma Street Parklands, or join our optional excursion and learn the history of an Australian icon at The XXXX Ale House. Brisbane is renowned for its world-class restaurants and buzzing nightlife, so we have left this evening free for you to dine out.
Day 21: Brisbane to Sydney
After a relaxed start, we transfer to the airport for the midday flight to Sydney. Wrapped around one of the most spectacular harbours on earth, Sydney is a vibrant, glamorous city and home to the instantly recognisable icons of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to explore at leisure. Take a relaxing stroll through the delightful Royal Botanic Gardens or relax with a coffee alfresco and soak up the stunning harbour views.
In Sydney you will stay at the Shangri-la Hotel for 4 nights. Breakfast included, plus dinner on day 21 and special meal on day 24. Note: For uninterrupted harbour views you can upgrade to a Deluxe Grand Harbour View Room for a supplement of £88 share twin per person, £176 single.
Day 22: Sydney
This morning we explore the city’s main sights, including the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Hyde Park, Kings Cross and Bondi Beach. The tour concludes at Circular Quay with a cruise on Sydney Harbour. During the afternoon, enjoy some free time to sightsee or perhaps discover the history of the Harbour Bridge at the Pylon Lookout exhibition. This evening you are free to dine out, or you may wish to join our optional excursion at the Sydney Opera House for a night of indulgence which includes a guided tour, three course dinner and tickets to the performance of your choice.
Day 23: Sydney
Today is completely free for you to enjoy more of Sydney and its beautiful surrounds and we would recommend our exclusive optional excursion to the Blue Mountains. Just 90 minutes west of Sydney, this famous World Heritage listed National Park offers a natural wilderness of untamed bush, spectacular rock formations and native wildlife. This evening you are free to dine out in Sydney, perhaps at one of the vibrant waterside restaurants on Darling Harbour.
Day 24: Sydney
Enjoy a further day at leisure. Browse through the shops in the beautiful Queen Victoria Building, take a stroll through the colourful stalls of The Rocks Market, or catch the ferry to Manly. Alternatively, we can recommend some wonderful optional excursions. Experience magical views of the city from the air, join a thrilling jet boat ride on Sydney Harbour, or make the exhilarating climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge. This evening we have organised a special Farewell Dinner at Wolfie’s Grill, a perfect setting right on the harbour for your last night in Australia.
Day 25: Sydney and Home
This morning you have some free time to see any of the sights you may have missed, or just have to revisit, before we transfer to the airport for the early evening Qantas flight via Bangkok to London.
Day 26: Back in London
Arrive London Heathrow Terminal 4 in the early morning at the end of your tour. Arrangements conclude.
The Ghan Option
As an alternative to flying from Adelaide to Alice Springs, we offer you the opportunity to travel overnight aboard the legendary Ghan and experience one of Australia’s great rail journeys.
Day 11 : Adelaide - The Ghan
Following a leisurely start, transfer to Adelaide’s Keswick Rail Terminal where train crew will be waiting on the platform to welcome you aboard. The Ghan follows in the footsteps of the early explorers and is named after the Afghan cameleers who provided the only link between Australia’s Red Centre and the rest of the world in the late 1800’s. Depart at lunchtime, passing through the fertile countryside surrounding Adelaide, and travel north towards Spencer Gulf and Port Augusta. Dinner this evening is served in the stylish Gold Kangaroo Restaurant.
On The Ghan you will stay in a Gold Kangaroo Twin Cabin for 1 night. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 12 : The Ghan - Alice Springs
Awake to the rusty hues and rugged landscape of the outback and enjoy breakfast as your journey continues into the heart of this vast continent. Arrive Alice Springs in the afternoon and transfer to the resort. The remainder of the day is free for you to enjoy at leisure. Cross the almost permanently dry bed of the Todd River for a gentle stroll into the town centre, wander through the shops of Todd Mall, enjoy wonderful views of the town from Anzac Hill, or relax by the resort’s outdoor swimming pool. This evening, as an alternative to dining at the hotel, you may wish to join our optional excursion and ‘Take a Camel to Dinner’!
In Alice Springs you will stay at the Voyages Alice Springs Resort for 1 night. Breakfast and dinner included.
Supplement: £175 share twin per person, £132 single
Coral Princess Cruise Option
As an alternative to our land-based itinerary, we offer you the opportunity to travel aboard the Coral Princess on a 3 night expeditionstyle, small ship cruise exploring Australia's renowned tropical paradise.
Day 17 : Palm Cove to Cairns - Coral Princess Cruise
Transfer by road from Palm Cove to Cairns and catch the first glimpse of your Coral Princess vessel at her berth on Trinity Wharf. Coral Princess Cruises pioneered the concept of small ship expedition cruising, and this itinerary between Cairns and Townsville includes exclusive reef moorings, a rainforest experience on Dunk Island, and a visit to an uninhabited tropical island. Depart late morning and cruise the outer Great Barrier Reef, visiting Thetford Reef and Sudbury Cay for fish feeding, snorkelling, coral viewing and reef fishing.
On the Coral Princess Cruise you will stay in a Stateroom for 3 nights. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 18: Coral Princess Cruise
Visit Coates or Nathan Reefs to further enjoy the Great Barrier Reef and then step ashore on Voyages Dunk Island to enjoy a guided rainforest walk and extensive use of the resort’s facilities.
Day 19: Coral Princess Cruise
Cruise the Family Group of Islands, the only tropical rainforest islands on the Australian coast and then Hinchinbrook Channel. Step ashore on Pelorus Island with its magnificent fringing reef, beach and rainforest. Enjoy a beach barbecue as exclusive guests before cruising the Palm Group of Islands.
Day 20: Coral Princess Cruise - Townsville to Brisbane
Cruise Halifax Bay, passing Magnetic Island and arrive into Townsville during the morning. Enjoy some free time to explore this tropical city before you transfer to the airport for the flight to Brisbane. Sitting on the Brisbane River, this youthful city offers a dining, shopping, cultural and recreational experience worthy of Australia’s fastest growing capital city. With a near perfect climate, Brisbane thrives on an outdoor lifestyle and enjoys a relaxed pace of life. The remainder of the day is free for you to enjoy at leisure and this evening you are free to dine out.
In Brisbane you will stay at the Hilton Hotel for 1 night. Breakfast included.
Supplement for the Coral Princess
Cruise Option:
Stateroom
£195 share twin per person
£305 single
Deluxe Stateroom
£257 share twin per person
£398 single