No matter how we spin it, Australia IS a long way away. So why not break up the journey with a stay in the vibrant metropolis of Singapore? Discover the city’s many different cultures, taste the delicious food – and acclimatise to the time difference before heading Down Under to Australia’s greatest highlights.
Safely arrived in Australia, you set out to visit one of the world’s most scenically located cities, Sydney.
From here, you travel into the red heart of Australia. You’ll watch the sun set and rise over Uluru and go walking at Kata Tjuta.
You end the tour in tropical Queensland – the gateway to one of the world’s oldest rainforests and, of course, the unique Great Barrier Reef.
We’ve chosen to leave some of the days free for you to enjoy your own experiences. There are so many excursions to choose from that we think you should have a say in what you see and do – and when.
You can choose to extend the tour to include a beach holiday in either Port Douglas or, depending on the season, perhaps round off the UNESCO tour with a visit to Darwin and Kakadu National Park.
Today is the day you set off from your chosen airport. You’re bound for Singapore with connecting flights on the way.
On your arrival in Singapore, a driver will be waiting to drive you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore the small island state which, covering an area of just 721.5 km2, is South-east Asia’s smallest country. What the small, well-developed country lacks in size, it makes up for in experiences!
Getting around is easy, and most attractions are within a reasonable distance and can be reached on foot, by taxi or by metro.
The days are yours to do as you please.
Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures, and the people here live with respect and understanding for each other. Buddhist temples, mosques, churches and Hindu temples stand side by side here.
A visit to the charming districts of Little India, China Town and the Arabic and Malay quarter, Kampong Glam, is warmly recommended.
The multicultural community is also reflected in the many culinary delights on offer around the city. If you’re into authentic street food, you can visit one of the famous hawker centres, or, if upscale Michelin restaurants are more your thing, make your way to the special food street, Keong Saik Road, and discover some of Singapore’s best restaurants housed in the beautiful buildings. A true mecca for foodies!
Other popular and hip neighbourhoods worth a visit are the colourful Haji Lane in Kampong Glam and the Art Deco area, Tiong Bahru. Both neighbourhoods are known for their cosy cafés, exciting restaurants and shops as well as wonderful street art.
In stark contrast to the vibrant city life is Sentosa Island, a small island which offers lovely sandy beaches and countless sights and activities for the whole family such as Universal Studios and various adventure parks.
A trip past the architectural Marina Bay Sands, which you are guaranteed to have seen pictures of, is pretty much a must. Remember also to go for a stroll around the green oasis Gardens by the Bay, shop to your heart’s content on Orchard Road, drink Singapore Slings at Raffles Hotel and ride in the 165-metre-high ferris wheel, the Singapore Flyer, which offers a phenomenal view of all the futuristic skyscrapers and the harbour.
You will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the airport, from which you fly on to Australia.
Welcome Down Under!
Having arrived at the airport In Sydney, you’ll be transported to your hotel.
The day is yours to do as you please, and you’re probably already eager to get down to Sydney’s famous waterfront today, where light and fresh air are precisely what you get – not to mention Utzon’s world-famous opera house, which from the right angle is beautifully framed by the world’s largest steel arch bridge, Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Opera House has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, joining the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China on the list, and the building takes most people’s breath away.
Sydney is built up around the world’s largest natural harbour, where the water is a hive of activity. Chubby little ferries transport “Sydney-siders” across the harbour between the suburbs and their workplaces in the city centre. Water taxis zip back and forth. Sailing ships large and small cruise around with their white sails set. And giant cruise ships can suddenly come into view.
Sit yourself down at a café, order a “flat white” (Australia’s answer to a cappuccino) and tune into the Aussie drawl.
Sydney buzzes with life from the early hours of the morning. People flock to the city and the workplaces in the tall office buildings from the suburbs, grabbing breakfast at their favourite café on the way. Do like them and soak up the city life.
In the morning, it’s time for a half-day guided tour of one of the world’s most scenically situated cities. There are many highlights, and the tour will give you a good introduction to the city, making it easier for you plan what you want to return to and explore further. The Opera House, the Botanic Garden, the old quarter, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Hyde Park, Chinatown, etc. are all on the list today. Along the way, the guide will tell you all about the history and culture of the city.
The rest of the day is yours to do as you please. If you’d like to learn a little more about the history of Sydney, we recommend a visit to the Museum of Sydney, an exciting, interactive museum, built on the ruins of the house of Sydney’s first Governor.
The Australian Museum is also a fabulous museum! It is the world’s fifth oldest natural history museum, where you can learn more about the Aboriginal people and their history and culture.
You can also choose to purchase a guided tour, e.g. a guided tour of the Opera House itself – or if you fancy seeing the bigger picture, perhaps a bridge climb on Sydney Harbour Bridge!
Please note that you have to make your way to the starting point of the guided tour on your own. The address is written on your voucher.
The days are yours to explore the city.
You might like to walk down to the Opera House and continue out to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and through the Botanic Gardens to Hyde Park Barracks.
Built in the early 19th century, the barracks were to be used to house convicts. Hyde Park Barracks are, along with a number of other colonial buildings around the country, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
And don’t forget to visit the Queen Victoria Building – once a fruit and vegetable market, today a beautiful (and expensive) shopping centre.
The old quarter, The Rocks, is always a pleasant place to visit. This is where the first Europeans settled when they arrived in Australia in 1788. If you feel like adding to your step count, you can walk around Barangaroo Reserve and enjoy the view of the harbour. A former industrial area, it has been converted into a park, so today it looks like it did before the Europeans came.
A trip to one of Sydney’s many beaches is also recommendable. There are more than 100 of them, so there are plenty to choose from!
You might like to take the local ferry to Manly, for example. Make sure you sit outside – you’d be hard-pressed to find a more stunning view of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Bondi Beach is also worth a visit. This is where you’ll get a good picture of the almost iconic lifeguards from the TV show “Bondi Rescue”.
If you’re interested in guided excursions, see our large selection below. We recommend that you book your excursions from home as they are often extremely popular.
There is a transfer from the hotel in Sydney to the airport, from which you fly into the red heart of Australia. A free shuttlebus (no booking necessary) drives you from the airport into the small town of Yulara, a tourist centre here in the Australian outback.
In addition to a couple of hotels, the small town has a campsite, a supermarket, a gallery and the option of a number of free activities. Several times a day there are, for example, free didgeridoo “concerts”, and you can also learn more about the Australian bush and how the Aboriginal people have been finding both food and medicine here in the dry, red desert for thousands of years.
At the end of the day, another of the absolute highlights of the tour awaits: the sunset over Uluru. It is magical to witness how one of the world’s largest monoliths changes colour as the sun goes further and further down. The appearance of the stone changes from rusty red to an almost luminous orange, before finally becoming a large, grey stone – in the middle of nowhere.
And be sure to lean your head back and look at the sky. The stars are brighter here than many other places on Earth due to minimal light pollution.
Yesterday you saw the sun set over Uluru – this morning you’ll watch it rise again.
As you stand there in the early morning and stare out into the darkness, and the slowly rising rays of the sun suddenly reveal the outline of Uluru, it’ll suddenly become very clear why the place is so sacred to the indigenous Anangu people.
From Uluru, you continue to the Kata Tjuta rock formations, some 50 km to the west. Kata Tjuta means “many heads”, and from a distance, the 36 round rocks do look like bald heads sticking up out of the ground.
The area around Kata Tjuta is also sacred to the Aboriginal people, and there are places you will never get to visit as a tourist. Fortunately, there are also a lot of places that are accessible, and one of the most popular walks through the scenic rock formations is the walk through Walpa Gorge. Along the way, the guide will tell you more about both the geology and the connection of the Aboriginal people to this wonderful place.
The rest of the day is yours to do as you please.
You depart for tropical Queensland. The transfer bus back to the airport is also free, and departures are timed to fit in with departure times at the airport. Check with the reception at the hotel what time it leaves.
The contrasts today could hardly be greater. From the red desert and a more than 300-million-year-old rock, to the world’s oldest rainforest and the world’s largest coral reef. Australia certainly has the record on that!
The rest of the day is yours to settle into the tropical climate. Cairns is a cosy city with lots of shops, restaurants and activities. You might like to go for a walk to the man-made lagoon, which is located in the heart of the city. There are neither crocodiles nor jellyfish here, just a fabulous, man-made sandy beach.
Please note: The flight will often include a stop-over between Uluru/Ayers Rock and Cairns. For an additional charge, you can fly directly to Cairns on certain days. For pricing, please ask your travel consultant.
The days are yours to explore tropical North Queensland. Below, you can see a selection of the excursions we offer. We recommend that you book the excursions you want to go on when you book the tour to avoid any disappointment if they’re sold out when you get to Cairns.
North of the city is Daintree Rainforest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rainforest is believed to be more than 135 million years old. To put that in perspective, the Amazon is reckoned to be around 10 million years old…
Another highlight when you’re based in Cairns is, of course, the Great Barrier Reef, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A good adrenaline kick with a rafting trip might also be the order of the day – or perhaps you’d rather visit the beautiful countryside west of Cairns, which offers both waterfalls and coffee plantations. The possibilities are endless!
Your tour to the Highlights of Australia is coming to an end. It’s time to buy those last souvenirs before heading to the airport from which you will fly home with connecting flight(s) on the way.
You will land at your chosen airport after a lovely, adventure-packed tour.
From £599 pp including flights
Children under 12 years from £449
Single room supplement from £309
Extend your tour to include a couple of relaxing days in the cosy town of Port Douglas, north of Cairns, where you’ll find good restaurants, lots of shops and a chilled atmosphere.
From £649 pp including flights
Children under 12 years from £489
Single room supplement from £149
Discover the fantastic UNESCO-listed Kakadu National park on this four-day extension to the Northern Territory.
You’ll spend four nights in Darwin, which you perhaps know from the film, “Australia”?
The first full-day excursion takes you to Kakadu National Park, where you’ll both sail on crocodile-infested rivers and learn more about the Aboriginal people’s unique connection to the place.
You’ll also visit the less well-known but equally beautiful Litchfield National Park, where it’s possible to swim in some of the amazing waterfalls.
This extension is particularly great during the period from May–September, as this is the dry season in the northern part of Australia. If you wish to book this extension during the rainy season from October–April, it’s important that you contact your travel specialist before booking, as the excursions to Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks depart less frequently during this period. Please note that we do not offer this extension from December to March.
Children under 12 years from £2909
Single room supplement from £1059
Pernille has travelled extensively around the world since she was quite young. She has more than 30 years’ experience in helping others on their life’s journey.
It is possible to add extra nights in the various cities you visit, if, for example, you’d like to have more days on your own. Please contact our travel consultant to discuss your specific wishes for the tour.