14 Day Sydney to Cairns

Transcription

1 14 Day Sydney to Cairns HIGHLIGHTS: This 14 day adventure visits the highlights of the east coast in one easy package offering diverse landscapes including the best beaches,outback cattle station,the Great barrier reef and Whitsunday islands. Airlie Beach Beaches Brisbane Byron Bay Cairns Fraser Island Great Barrier Reef Kroombit Cattle Station Paradise Reef Sydney Whitehaven Beach Whitsunday islands INCLUDES: Experienced guide, meals as indicated, 13 nights dorm accommodation, surf lesson, national park entrance fees, Whitsunday Sailing, Hunter Valley wine tasting experience, return ferry transfers to Fraser Island and 4WD tour, outback cattle station experience. Duration: Departs: 14 days Wake Up! Sydney, 07:30am Arrives: Select Cairns accommodation day 14 Passengers: Luggage: Fitness: Dietary requests: What to bring: Optional Activities: Upgrades: 36 people 20kg Moderate Please advise us if you have any special dietary requirements or medical conditions (including allergies) well ahead of departure. Sturdy walking shoes, thongs/sandals, hat & sunscreen, towel & toiletries, swimming gear/beach towel, water bottle, camera, money for some meals and optional activities. Activities marked with an * are optional and at own expense. Travel Insurance is compulsory and must be shown to the guide on day one. Tour is for year olds only. Tour is not suitable for children; however special considerations may be made for clients aged 17 years with a travelling companion over the age of 18.

2 ITINERARY: Day 1 Sydney to Crescent Head Your 14 day east coast adventure starts early as we wave Sydney goodbye, crossing the famous Harbour Bridge in search of surf, sun and sand. Detouring off the main roads, we venture into the famous Australian wine region of the Hunter Valley. Jump in an oak barrel and experience the age-old tradition of pressing grapes by foot! (Seasonal). Afterwards, it s on to the Hunter Wine Theatre where we learn all about the grape s fascinating journey from vine to bottle before enjoying an intimate, structured wine tasting before local produce for lunch*. From here, we continue north to our base for the night at Crescent Head. (D) Day 2 Crescent Head to Byron Bay Wake up bright and early today and enjoy breakfast with your new tour buddies. Your included surf lesson will start with ocean education and mastering the moves on the beach before we head into the blue to test your skills. What better way to celebrate becoming a surfer than with lunch at a local village café*. We then pass through Coffs Harbour and the Northern Rivers towns of Grafton and Ballina before reaching our home for the next two nights inbyron Bay- Australia s most easterly (and most laid-back) point. Renowned for its relaxed vibe, surf beaches and eclectic lifestyle, Byron will have you hooked. Enjoy a pub meal tonight and mingle with the locals out on the town. (B) Day 3 Byron Bay Today is free to do whatever you please and the activities are endless. Why not try skydiving* for spectacular views, go scuba diving* at Julian Rocks, hop in a sea kayak* for a paddle and hopefully spot a dolphin, show off your new surf skills with another lesson* or just chill out with a coffee on the beach? If you re in the mood for an adventure, make sure you walk up to the lighthouse atcapebyronfor the best easterly views in Oz. Here, it s not uncommon to spot dolphins or whales cruising past so have your camera ready. Tonight is your chance to let your taste buds run wild. Head to that cosy restaurant you spotted today in town, or check with your guide for suggestions on the town s best eats. (B) Day 4 Byron Bay to Gold Coast An early start this morning as our short journey takes us inland via Murwillumbah and Springbrook National Park where we enter the sunshine state, Queensland. We will make a stop at Natural Arch a natural feature where a spectacular waterfall plummets through a stone archway into a rock pool below. We then travel through the Numinbah Valley and Nerang to Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast. With its great climate, famous surf beaches, adventure activities* and well known Theme Parks*, this region is one ofaustralia s most popular holiday destinations. The afternoon is yours to explore the area. The restaurants and nightlife are pumping every night of the week and we ll take you on short walk to Cavill and Orchid Avenues where we ll enjoy some of the Gold Coast s hot spots! (B)

3 Day 5 Gold Coast to Fraser Island A relaxing walk is the best way to get a feel for the city s relaxed vibe whilst taking in the views of the cityscape across the river. After a city stroll it s time to leavebrisbaneand head north on thebruce Highwaybound forfraserisland. As we cross the Great Sandy Straight on the ferry, you may be lucky enough to catch the sunset before we arrive for dinner at the infamous Dingo Bar. Located atkingfisherbay, our Wilderness Lodge accommodation is set in a eucalypt forest on the western side of the island. (B,D) Day 6 Fraser Island Fraser Island -Great Sandy National Park is World Heritage Listed and the world s largest sand island. It was home to the Badtjala Aboriginal people for around 5000 years, known as K gari. The island has dunes that reach 240m in height and about 40 dune lakes. The best way to see this vast national park is with our included 4-wheel drive bus trip. As we travel along Seventy-Five Mile Beach, get your camera finger ready for the iconic Pinnacles Coloured Sands and Maheno Shipwreck. Float your troubles away at the picturesque Eli Creek and you ll have an opportunity to try your hand at paddle boarding on the waters of Lake McKenzie. At the end of the day, you might like to join your crew to eat poolside at the Sand Bar*. (B,L) Day 7 Fraser Island to Kroombit Park Head inland for a taste of countryaustralia! Our stop is a visit to the Sandilands family on their 10,000 acre cattle station. Breathe in the fresh air and get a feel for the wide open space. Get ready for the world-famous Goat Rodeo * before we settle in for dinner around the campfire. Don t forget to try your skills on the Mechanical Bull! Tonight we sleep in bush cabins made from recycled timber at Kroombit Cattle Station. (B,D) Day 8 Kroombit to Emu Park Horse riding*, quad bike riding* or trap shooting* are just some of the activities you might want to try this morning before we say goodbye to the Sandilands. From Kroombit Park, we cross into the tropics at the beef capital of Queensland Rockhampton before arriving at Emu Park. Take a walk along the beach, dip in the resort pool or join your group for a game of beach cricket. Tonight you ll enjoy some local hospitality as we sit down together to enjoy a delicious Reef & Beef dinner.(b,l,d) Day 9 Emu Park to Whitsundays (Sailing) Who s up for sailing the Whitsundays? Arriving in Airlie Beach, this buzzing party town is our gateway to the Whitsunday Passage and the 74 nearby tropical islands. The best way to experience the islands is onboard our own private yacht! This will be our home for the night and the experienced sailing crew will provide us with a feast of freshly prepared meals along the way. You ll be able to learn the basics of sailing and get involved with hoisting and trimming the sails. There s plenty of time for swimming and snorkelling the reefs at your leisure. (B,D)

4 Day 10 Long Island Resort (Whitehaven Beach) Wake up to pure paradise in one of the many sheltered coves that make up the Whitsundays. Today we ll set sail for golden sandy beaches, snorkel over coral reefs and soak up the sun. A visit to the famous blinding white sands of Whitehaven Beach and Blue Pearl Bay will also be an option, weather permitting. (B,L,D) Day 11 Long Island Resort At Long Island Resort you ll have access to hectares of unspoilt National Park, with over 20 kilometres of walking trails and many secluded beaches to explore. For those feeling adventurous there are numerous watersports on offer* or even challenge your guide to a game of mini golf or tennis*. Or feel free to relax in a hammock, take a leisurely paddle in a kayak or simply watch the sunset by the pool bar with a cocktail in hand. End the day with a buffet dinner. (B,D) Day 12 The Whitsundays to Cairns Today we make the journey to Cairns, our next destination. We check into our centrally located accommodation and head out to enjoy a meal* together. After dinner we re free to head to the famous Night Markets or soak up the local nightlife at one of the many bars and clubs. (B) Day 13 Cairns Today you have the perfect chance to go wild with optional activities and day trips, from white water rafting* on thetullyriverto a full day tour* of the World Heritage listed Daintree region. Why not get up close and personal with a cuddly Koala or even zipline over a Saltwater Crocodile*? There s also horse riding*, quad biking*, bungy jumping*, tandem skydiving*and hot air ballooning*. If it s time out you re after, there are cafes, plenty of shopping opportunities and countless other attractions on offer. A very popular optional activity is of course a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef with our friends atpassions of Paradise*. If you choose this option, you ll stop at two unique locations Michaelmans Cay and the exclusive Paradise Reef. All snorkeling equipment is included and if you re keen to dive, optional introductory and certified scuba diving is available too*. Michaelmans Cay National Park is a world-famous bird sanctuary featuring a beautiful sandy beach that provides the rare opportunity to snorkel and dive straight off the edge in calm, protected waters. Sea turtles are abundant here and you re likely to see giant trevally, small black tip reef sharks and bat fish among many other species. Paradise Reef is an exclusive mooring just for Passions of Paradise so there are no crowds as you snorkel the hard coral reef with depths of up to 25 metres. There s also a tasty buffet lunch included on this optional day trip. (B) Day 14 Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) What better way to wrap things up with time to explore Cairns. Enjoy the oceanfront energy of the Cairns Esplanade and perhaps even take a swim in the lagoon, or simply wander the many

5 cafes, bars, and shops this afternoon with your travel companions. Our trip sadly draws to a close this evening when you ll bid farewell to your new friends and continue on your travels. (B) B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner