Magnificent Uluru, Sydney & Melbourne

Today you have a free day in Sydney! If you aren’t sure what to do, we recommend tha you join one of these optional activities: Blue Mountains & Wildlife Park Day Trip*, Hunter Valley Signature Wine Tour**, or Sydney’s Northern Beaches & Ku-ring-gai National Park Tour***. Overnight stay in Sydney.

*Blue Mountains Full Day Tour: The day starts with a visit to an outstanding wildlife park where you can get up close, interact, and learn about Australia’s amazing animals, birds, and reptiles. Kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, emus, wombats, etc. Further west into the mountains, you’ll take a short walk to see the amazing views of the Blue Mountains. Then head to the small town of Katoomba, and after lunch (not included) you’ll be taken on a long bush walk away from the crowds on national park tracks that stimulate the senses. Get up close to waterfalls, breathe in the fresh air, smell the eucalyptus trees, and see parrots and even a lyrebird. The final stop will be at the iconic Three Sisters.

**Hunter Valley Signature Wine Tour: Can you picture yourself exploring the stunning Hunter Valley wine region, tasting some of Australia’s best wine, food, cheese, chocolate, beer, and distilled spirits? This is your opportunity to make it happen and learn more about the wineries and wines grown in Australia.

***Sydney’s Northern Beaches & Ku-ring-gai National Park Tour: See the impressive beauty of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, with its ancient Aboriginal sites, extensive waterways, and Aussie wildlife. Visit Palm Beach, where you’ll enjoy the amazing lookout points from The Spit, West Head, Narrabeen, Long Reef, and North Head. Then, travel down the winding roads passing the scenic seascapes of Bilgola to Narrabeen Beach for a chance to view one of the best surfing spots in Sydney. Then, get away from the crowds and stroll the cliffs along the Curl Curl boardwalk. Wrap up this amazing day with a ferry cruise on the iconic Manly Ferry.

Today you’ll self-transfer to Sydney Airtport to fly to the wonderful Ayers Rock and, upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves, and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will have free time for the rest of the day to relax. Overnight stay in Ayers Rock.

Today you’ll experience the two major landmarks in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Start with an amazing sunrise at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku in the Uluru sunrise viewing area. Here you’ll enjoy a warming cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate as the dawn creeps across the desert plain and lights up Uluru.

Afterwards, on the drive to Kata Tjuta, the guide will provide you with a historical overview of the National Park. Arrive at the 36 steep-sided domes, the other icon of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. See also Walpa Gorge, meaning ‘wind’ in the local Aboriginal language. Follow the path between two of the tallest domes of Kata Tjuta, to a lush oasis in the desert. Admire mulla mulla plants and spearwood trees at the end of the gorge. From here, enjoy a panoramic view of the southern side of Kata Tjuta, and see Uluru on the distant horizon. You can complete your day with an optional Uluru Sunset & Barbecue Dinner*. Overnight stay in Ayers Rock.

*Optional Uluru Sunset & Barbecue Dinner: Sit back and relax as you travel into the amazing Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Enjoy appetizers and complimentary Australian sparkling wine as the sun starts to move towards the western horizon and brings out the colors Uluru is famous for! After sunset, you will be transferred to the exclusive barbecue site. The site is within the Uluru National Park set amongst red sand dunes and desert oak trees providing a peaceful desert setting. Once at the site, you will enjoy a variety of Australian meats and salads, accompanied by wine, beer, or orange juice. Afterwards, your guide will conduct a tour of the night sky, describing and pointing out some of the visible constellations with the assistance of a high beam spotlight. The guide will also explain some Aboriginal stories that relate to the stars. 

Note: Special dietary requests must be advised before 2 pm on the day of joining this optional activity.

Today you have the morning to enjoy at your own leisure. One possibility would be to join the optional Uluru's Best & Segway tour*. 

Later you’ll transfer to Ayers Rock Airport for your flight to Melbourne. Upon arrival, self-transfer to your hotel. Located on Port Phillip Bay astride the Yarra River, Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. With a trendy and lively atmosphere, it is considered the cultural, gastronomic, sporting, fashion, and shopping capital of the country. Some of Melbourne’s main attractions are the stunning Botanical Gardens, the Royal Exhibition Building, the magnificent Anglican Cathedral of Saint Paul's, and the Shrine of Remembrance. Overnight stay in Melbourne.

*Uluru's Best & Segway Tour: This tour will give you an opportunity to see the best bits of Uluru on Segway and on foot. After arriving at Uluru, your guide will teach you how to ride a Segway. Once you’re comfortable on your Segway, you’ll get off the beaten path and journey around one quarter of Uluru’s massive base. This takes approximately one hour. Once you have explored one of the most scenic sections of Uluru aboard your Segway, you will dismount and visit Mutitjulu Waterhole on foot and see the largest waterhole around Uluru. After this, you will visit Uluru's famous Mala Walk where you can explore caves, see Aboriginal rock art, and learn about local Indigenous culture.

Today you’ll enjoy a full-day tour of Melbourne. Start with the grand architecture of Eastern Hill, with buildings like Parliament House and the Treasury. Then wander down to the ‘Paris End’ of Collins Street and travel along the Golden Mile to see how the city was laid out during the ‘boom’ period of the 1850s Gold Rush. Take a peek into the culinary wonders of this cosmopolitan city with a visit to Queen Victoria Market, Australia’s largest open-air market. Continue this food theme as you arrive in Melbourne’s Little Italy, the home of the city’s famed coffee culture.

For sports fans, you’ll visit one of Australia’s biggest stadiums and learn all about the original game of Australian Rules Football. Next stop will be the Royal Botanical Gardens, home to rare and beautiful plants, breathtaking landscapes, and iconic buildings. Afterwards, you’ll escape the city to visit Melbourne’s most popular beach-side suburb, St Kilda. Before coming back to the hotel, travel along Port Phillip Bay to view mansions, historic sea baths, and Luna Park’s eye-catching rides in this beautiful seaside suburb. Overnight stay in Melbourne.

Today you have a free day in Melbourne to enjoy at your own pace. Also, we recommend you to join one of these optional activities: the Great Ocean Road Eco Tour*, Puffing Billy & Healesville Sanctuary & Chocolaterie**, or Phillip Island & Moonlit Sanctuary***.

*Great Ocean Road Eco Tour: Departing Melbourne in the early morning, you will enjoy panoramic views of the city and Port Phillip Bay as you cross the Westgate Bridge, Australia’s longest bridge. Then, you’ll set out along the Great Ocean Road itself. At the township of Kennett River, you will make a brief detour into the sweetly-scented eucalyptus forest to locate some of the local koalas in their native habitat. The tour proceeds through the impressive Otway Ranges, where you’ll stop to enjoy a stroll in the cool temperate rainforest. And then it’s onwards to the world-famous Port Campbell National Park and its iconic array of rock formations. You’ll be awestruck by the majestic monoliths of the Twelve Apostles! Descend the steps to Gibsons Beach and listen to the legend of the Loch Ard, bringing the gorge to life in a way you never imagined.

**Puffing Billy, Healesville Sanctuary & Chocolaterie Visit: Enjoy this iconic steam train ride through the glorious Dandenong Ranges and enjoy a leisurely wander around beautiful Emerald Lake. Then, explore the world-renowned Healesville Sanctuary where you can wander at your leisure, viewing native animals such as koalas, kangaroos, platypus, birds of prey, and more. Finish with a visit to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie where you can sample complimentary chocolates.

***Phillip Island & Moonlit Sanctuary Tour: Drive southeast from Melbourne to reach Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park where you will meet endangered species, kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas, plus an array of colorful birds and reptiles. The journey then leads onto Phillip Island, home of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix and the famous Little Penguins and the Penguin Parade. Head to the Visitor Centre and meander along the boardwalk to the viewing platform where you will see the little penguins come ashore, decked out in their tuxedos as they hurry off to find their burrows.