9 Days / 8 Nights
For the Independent Traveler
Departures: Daily
from $3799 per person, double occupancy
Nights at Destination: Sydney (3), Melbourne (3), Cradle Mountain (2)
The land Down Under has so much to offer on this exciting visit to Australia. Enjoy the sights of cosmopolitan Sydney, tropical luxury in Cairns and fast-moving Melbourne. This unique vacation includes accommodations in some of Australia's most hospitable and luxurious locations. A perfect blend of planned activity and relaxing days at leisure ensure this vacation will suit all tastes. 1
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney welcomes visitors with traditional Australian warmth. Featuring harbor views, gourmet dining, luxurious spa, fitness and business centers, the hotel has impressed travelers worldwide. Located in the heart of Cairns, the Cairns International Hotel experience begins as you step into the beautiful lobby. Guest rooms enjoy fantastic views across the harbor or Cairns hinterland. The hotel features three award-winning restaurants and tropical pool deck area perched on the 3rd floor.
Crown Towers Melbourne
Crown Towers Melbourne is a haven of luxury set on the banks of the Yarra River. The hotel enjoys panoramic views over Port Phillip Bay and the city skyline and features 451 luxuriously appointed guest rooms with separate dressing rooms, and marble and wood finishes. Chateau Yering is a stunningly restored mansion located in the heart of the Yarra Valley, Victoria's premier wine growing region, an easy one-hour drive from Melbourne.
Chateau Yering
Chateau Yering is a gracious 5-star Relais & Chateaux hotel featuring 32 luxurious suites with antiques and fine furnishings. This property enjoys spectacular views across the Yarra Valley to the Great Dividing Range. Enjoy fine dining and outstanding Yarra Valley wines in Eleonore's Restaurant. Sweetwater Cafe serves breakfast, light meals and luscious cakes. Chateau Yering is the ideal base to explore the region, with Yering Station winery only a short stroll through the gardens and many wineries including Domaine Chandon within easy reach.
Included
10 nights accommodationPrivate car transfers Luxury vessel Sydney Harbor luncheon cruise Luxury 4WD Blue Mountains tour Great Barrier Reef cruise Luxury Kuranda & Rainforest tour Luxury flightseeing tour of Phillip Island Penguins & Great Ocean Road 3 day Full-size uto rental car Yarra Valley ballooning10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner Not Included:
Note: International and domestic airfare not included.
Note: All prices, itineraries and routings are subject to change. Please call for our current prices.
Itinerary
Day 1: Sydney at Leisure
Be welcomed on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Today is at leisure to explore Sydney. Jump on a ferry, enjoy a shopping spree, or meander in the museums. Overnight: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Harbor View Room for 3 nights
Day 2: Sydney Harbor in Style
Discover Sydney's spectacular harbor today aboard a luxury vessel. Pass under Sydney Harbor Bridge and past the Opera House. Set anchor in a beautiful bay and enjoy a gourmet buffet lunch of seasonal seafood, cold cuts and salads with a glass of premium Australian wine or beer. Cast a fishing line or have a swim before leisurely cruising back to Darling Harbor. (B,L)
Day 3: Blue Mountains Luxury Tour
Travel today to the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Visit Aboriginal sites and look out over the magnificent Jamison Valley and the famous Three Sisters. Afternoon tea is served in a little-known hidden valley, then view wild kangaroos up-close (conditions permitting). Arrive back in Sydney in the early evening. Tonight, you may like to dine at a Darling Harbor waterfront restaurant (own expense). (B,L)
Day 4: Sydney - Cairns
Board your flight from Sydney to Cairns (airfare not included). Travel by private car to the Cairns International Hotel. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the seaside city of Cairns. Overnight: Cairns International Hotel, Premium Harbor View Room for 3 nights (B)
Day 5: Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise
Travel to Port Douglas and board a 121-foot catamaran that travels to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. You can choose to snorkel, ride the semisubmersible or visit the underwater observatory. Optional activities include guided snorkeling tours, diving or a scenic helicopter flight. Enjoy lunch on board this afternoon (diving and helicopter own expense). (B,L)
Day 6: Kuranda Luxury Tour
Today, visit Hartley's Crocodile Adventure Park, including an exclusive wildlife spotting cruise and a sumptuous lunch. Transfer to the Skyrail Cableway and glide above the World Heritage listed rainforest canopy to Kuranda, a village in the rainforest where you will have time to explore or shop for local souvenirs. Board he Kuranda Scenic Railway in the exclusive Gold Class cabin for a scenic rail journey to Cairns. (B,L)
Day 7: Cairns - Melbourne
Depart this morning for your flight to Melbourne (airfare not included), the sporting capital of Australia, where you'll be transferred to the famed Crown Towers Melbourne. Spend the day at leisure. Overnight: Crown Towers Melbourne, Deluxe Room for 2 nights (B)
Day 8: Great Ocean Road & Phillip Island Penguins Luxury Flightseeing
The morning flight departs for Warrnambool where a local guide and limousine await. After a brief tour of the historic town, visit the Shipwreck Coast and stop for a gourmet lunch at Port Campbell. Head to the famous Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge before the return flight to Phillip Island along the Great Ocean Road. See koalas, kangaroos and wombats up close before arriving at the world famous Little Penguin Parade. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner before your return flight over Melbourne at night. (B,L,D);
Day 9: Welcome to Yarra Valley
Pick up your rental car and drive east of Melbourne towards the Yarra Valley. A sweeping drive through historic gardens reveals Chateau Yering, a gracious 5-star Relais & Chateaux hotel just 50 minutes from Melbourne in the magnificent Yarra Valley. Overnight: Chateau Yering, River Suite for 2 nights (B)
Day 10: Yarra Valley Ballooning
Wake early this morning for a spectacular sunrise balloon flight. Let the breeze usher you along the corridors of grape vines and over the Yarra River as you take in the breathtaking views of mountains that surround the valley. Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Sweetwater Cafe. The rest of the day is at leisure, we recommend a visit to some of the local wineries (own expense). (B)
Day 11: Depart Yarra Valley
Drive back to Melbourne Airport to connect with your onward flight. (B)
Accommodation
Day City - Area Hotel
Day 1, 2, 3 - Sydney - Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Day 4, 5, 6 - Cairns - Cairns International Hotel
Day 7, 8 - Melbourne - Crown Towers Melbourne
Day 9, 10 - Yarra Valley - Chateau Yering
