The Best of Australia - Solo

We touch down in Melbourne and transfer to our hotel for some time to relax after the long flight. The rest of the day is free to explore Melbourne’s tram-crossed streets, historic shopping arcades and riverside parks.

Our morning takes us on a tour of Melbourne’s highlights. Wander the wide boulevards lined with grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Known as the ‘garden city’, we’ll of course take some time to explore the sprawling parkland - including the famed Botanical Gardens, which make up more than a third of the entire city. We’ll then take an afternoon trip over to Phillip Island, where we’ll spot the waddling ‘parade’ of fairy penguins emerge from the sea and shuffle up Summerland Beach to their sand dune burrows.

Excursions & visits:

City tour of Melbourne (morning)
Excursion to Phillip Island (afternoon)

This morning we’ll head out into the Dandenong Mountains and you’ll suddenly feel you’re in another place entirely. Here, waterways weave between the forested slopes and you might spot vivid birdlife flitting in the treetops - including the rare and comical lyrebird. We’ll take an exciting ride on ‘Puffing Billy’, Australia’s oldest narrow gauge steam train - and a real thrill! The following day is free to spend as you please in Melbourne. You might like to stroll through the ‘sheds’ Victoria Market - an open-air market popular with the locals. Browse the huge number of stalls selling clothes, accessories and other bric-à-brac.

Excursions & visits:

Excursion to Dandenong Mountains with steam train ride (morning)

Justifiably known as one of Victoria’s most scenic roads, the Great Ocean Road snakes all the way along the southwest coast of the state, starting in Torquay and finishing up just before Warrnambool. Get your camera at the ready because this will be one of the most dramatic and photogenic drives you’ve ever seen. Its wild grandeur encompasses rainforests, gorges, gullies, arches and blowholes. The section to Warrnambool, beyond the Bay of Isles and Bay of Martyrs, is particularly special. You’ll really feel connected with the ocean as we pass by grand sweeping bays and exciting seaward vistas. The road climbs the cliffside as we skirt Cape Otway National Park and pass into Port Campbell National Park, where we pause to admire the Twelve Apostles.

Excursions & visits:

Great Ocean Road drive (all day)

Australia’s ‘other red centre’, Coonawarra, is where some of the world’s best Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz is grown, perfected since the late 19th century. Today, the region is home to a mix of old winemaking families and fresh new talent. We’ll stop by a local winery for a taste of these award-winning vintages - and enjoy the sprawling vineyard views. Our journey then takes us through enchanting pastureland, running brooks and great orchards beside the Murray River, as we descend towards the lovely city of Adelaide.

Excursions & visits:

Coonawarra region winery (afternoon)

Sophisticated. Cultured. Neat. Adelaide’s church spires punctuate the city’s skyline, but it’s really a trendy city with a great music scene and plenty of local pubs tucked away in hidden streets. The graceful Victorian-lined streets are a delight to wander. We’ll visit the Cleland Wildlife Park this morning, on the slopes of Mount Lofty, a place of sanctuary for native species such as kangaroos and koalas. You can even enjoy a close-up koala encounter while they snack on eucalyptus leaves. After, we’ll explore the city together on a sightseeing tour.

Excursions & visits:

Cleland Wildlife Park (morning)
City tour of Adelaide (afternoon)

Enjoy a day to explore exactly as you please. Maybe the colourful Central Market, the beautiful gardens of Victoria Square or a spot of shopping. Or, if the mercury is on the rise, you might want to hop on a train to the beachy shores of Glenelg for a day of sandy toes and ice creams.

We’ll fly to Alice Springs today. ‘The Alice’, as it’s affectionately known, was founded as a staging point for the overland telegraph line in the 1870s.

This morning we’ll take a tour of the Telegraph Station and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, before heading to Uluru. People from across Australia and the world travel to discover Uluru, a site of deep cultural significance to First Nations people. Uluru is a World Heritage Site, and is believed to be around 550 million years old. The title deeds for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (on which Uluru stands) were returned to the Anangu people by the Australian government in 1985. We’ll spend some time taking in the sheer size (348 metres), with two thirds of the rock actually buried beneath the sand. With a glass of wine in hand, we’ll watch the rock glow shades of orange and red as the sun sets behind us. The perfect ending to a very special day. Please note: The order of excursions at Uluru is subject to change.

Excursions & visits:

City tour of Alice Springs (morning)
Sunset at Uluru (afternoon)

If you felt the spiritual connection yesterday, you’re in luck. We head back to Uluru early this morning to see it, quite literally, in a very different light. Watch as the twinkling stars disappear above us and the towering silhouette of Uluru appear as the sun rises from behind it. To the west are the Olgas, a collection of more rounded rocks known as Kata Tjuta (‘Many Heads’) - Mount Olga is taller than Uluru at 584m. The afternoon is free before visiting the mesmerising Field of Light installation this evening.

Excursions & visits:

Sunrise at Uluru (morning)
Visit to Kata Tjuta (morning)
Entry to the Field of Light installation (evening)

We fly to Cairns, where you’ll notice the pace of life slows right down and even in the inner city, you’ll more likely see board shorts than briefcases. We’ll spend the next few days based here. This part of Australia is the gateway to not only the Great Barrier Reef, but also the fascinating Tropical North.

Stretching along 200km of coastline, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system. It’s even visible from space! But it’s not just the size that is impressive; it’s the wonderfully rich ecosystem that thrives in these waters. It is completely breathtaking and easily one of Australia’s most remarkable natural wonders. Today we’ll head out on a catamaran ride to visit the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Here, we can view the coral from an underwater observatory or a semi-submersible boat. Watch as yellow, blue and orange tropical fish dart between reefs in this magical underwater world. You’ll even have the chance to jump in for a spot of snorkelling in the water, if you like (equipment provided).

Excursions & visits:

Outer Greater Barrier Reef experience (all day)

Take a day to unwind in the warmth of tropical Queensland. Perhaps wander along the promenade, stop for a spot of lunch at one of the restaurants, or opt for a spot of shopping. Cairns has some great museums and galleries - specifically the aquarium, which houses a vast range of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef in miniature! Along the coast, there’s a host of excellent beaches of golden sand.

We’ll make our way up to Kuranda on the Skyrail, gliding above the rainforest canopy as we ascend. We’ll spend some time at leisure here in Kuranda - the ‘village in the rainforest’ - to browse the shops and cafés or visit the butterfly sanctuary. Kuranda Railway Station itself is particularly lovely, with its original wooden structures and connecting bridge decked out with tropical flowers and ferns. Gold prospecting and tin mining inspired the amazing engineering feat of this afternoon’s scenic railway ride, as we wind through the rainforest down the mountainside. Literally hewn from the rock, it twists and turns for 34km through 15 tunnels, across chasms and beyond cascades. A truly memorable journey - we’ll be sure to stop for photos at the dramatic Barron Falls as we return to Cairns.

Excursions & visits:

Skyrail journey (morning)
Kuranda Scenic Railway (afternoon)

Today’s destination really delivers the wow factor. We transfer to the airport for our flight to Sydney, one of the world’s most iconic cities. Gazing out at the Opera House from across the harbour really is one of those surreal ‘pinch me’ moments, but we’ll have plenty of that over the next few days in this fascinating city. We’ll be staying near Darling Harbour, a pretty, restored area of dockland with a palm-fringed promenade, a Chinese garden and the magnificent Sydney Aquarium nearby.

We’ll head out on a tour this morning to take in all the highlights of this great city. As we work our way around, we’ll visit the harbour - dominated by the great span of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (‘the coat hanger’) and distinctive Opera House - and the 19th-century Royal Botanical Gardens. This afternoon, we’ll take to the water for a completely different perspective of the city. As we cruise by, we’ll enjoy the view of the sumptuous waterfront homes and an even closer look at its iconic harbour.

Excursions & visits:

Guided city tour of Sydney (morning)
Sydney Harbour Cruise (afternoon)

Two full free days at leisure. Why not explore Sydney on foot? Take a leisurely stroll through the old dockland streets of the Rocks - the area where the first British convicts settled, which retains an alluring Victorian charm, and now hosts numerous fine shops, galleries and restaurants. Nearby Circular Quay has some must-try dining venues of its own. On the other side of the Quay, be sure to pose for a selfie in front of the Opera House. Have a wander through the Botanical Gardens, admiring the flora, and along historic Macquarie Street, a parade of grand colonial-style buildings. Here, you’ll spot the State Conservatory of Music, Parliament House and the Mint, all designed by Englishman Francis Greenway, who was transported to Australia for forgery. Shopping opportunities abound in Sydney, but many of the best can be found on Pitt Street, running south of Circular Quay, and George Street, which boasts one of the most sublime shopping centres in the world - the Queen Victoria Building, with its three floors of bow-fronted shops adorned with marble, gilt, rich panelling and stained glass.

Enjoy a few last hours at leisure in Sydney, before we transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Upon arrival, your vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.