About your tour
Travel from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef city of Cairns, sampling some of Australia's finest natural sights, from beautiful beaches and wild dolphins, to the tropical paradise of Daydream Island.
Included Highlights
Sydney City sightseeing and harbour cruise
Port Macquarie
Byron Bay
Brisbane
Moreton Island Cruise, Dolphin watching
Australia Zoo
Fraser Island Cruise, Four Wheel Drive excursion
Rockhampton
Daydream Island Cruise, Catamaran trip to 'Reefworld'
Cairns Tjapukai by Night
Port Douglas
Green Island
Included in the Price
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Flights: UK - Sydney; Cairns - UK
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Accommodation on tour in twin room with private facilities
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Touring is based on a driver/guide
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Transfers between overseas airports and hotels
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All local and airport taxes/service charges
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Meals on tour 15 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 5 dinners (D)
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Travel on tour in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle
Australia Extensions
Why not extend your Australian encounter? We have a range of pre and post tour extensions available. For information on the various possibilities please contact our Specialist Sales team on: 0871 423 8501
Note: Your holiday insurance must cover the complete duration of your holiday.
Extend Your Holiday
Fiji
You can extend this fascinating holiday with a visit to the South Pacific paradise of Fiji, which lies east of Australia and comprises of over 330 islands.
At the end of your tour you will be transferred to Cairns airport for your flight to Fiji and stay 6 nights at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, before returning to the UK.
Bangkok with Singapore or Hong Kong
You can combine your Australia's Pacific Explorer tour with stopovers in Bangkok with Singapore or Hong Kong. Either visit Singapore for two nights on your outward journey and Bangkok for three nights on the way home, or Hong Kong on your outward journey for two nights and Bangkok for three nights on the way home. You have the choice of superior (Radisson in Bangkok, Copthorne Kings in Singapore, and Metropark Kowloon in Hong Kong) or deluxe (Landmark in Bangkok, Orchard Parade in Singapore, and Ramada Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong) accommodation.
Ayers Rock
Extend your stay in Australia with a visit to the world's largest monolith, Ayers Rock, which captured the imagination of the Australian Aborigines centuries before European settlement. On day 18 fly from Cairns to Ayers Rock for a two night stay at the Outback Pioneer Hotel (or similar) with full sightseeing included. Ayers Rock is steeped in the mystery of legend, mythology and folklore. Our sightseeing includes a walk into Olga Gorge before heading for the Sunset Strip vantage point, where you will enjoy champagne and canapés while experiencing, and of course photographing, one of the world's great spectacles - Ayers Rock at sunset.
Cairns
Extend your holiday to Australia with three extra nights staying at the stunning Lakes Cairns Resort & Spa. Please see our website www.archersdirect.co.uk, for full details and description.
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Your itinerary
Days 1 - 2: Depart UK.
On Saturday evening fly to Sydney, via Bangkok.
Day 3: Arrive Sydney.
Upon arrival in Sydney this morning you will be met by our representative and taken to your hotel for a three night stay. Your room will be ready for you on arrival, the rest of the day is free to relax.
Day 4: Sydney. Included sightseeing.
Australia's oldest and largest city, Sydney boasts one of the largest and most beautiful harbours in the world, home to the instantly recognisable Sydney Harbour Bridge and world famous architectural wonder - the Sydney Opera House. In the morning our included sightseeing tour will take you through the commercial and shopping heart of Sydney. You'll see Chinatown and Darling Harbour before heading to historical Mrs Macquarie's Chair, for a breathtaking view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. You'll also enjoy an included cruise around the main harbour, with magnificent views of the city skyline, harbourside beaches and magnificent waterfront homes.
(B)
Day 5: Sydney.
The day is yours to see more of this wonderful city. For the more adventurous, how about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to climb the world famous Sydney Harbour Bridge? An evening performance at the Opera House is also a popular choice.
(B)
Day 6: Sydney - Port Macquarie.
Today you will take leave of Sydney and head north, starting with a drive across the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and then on to the Central Coast en route to Port Macquarie, situated on the mouth of the Hastings River and home to some beautiful beaches.
(B)
(D)
Day 7: Port Macquarie - Byron Bay.
Enjoy a morning drive to Byron Bay, an artistic coastal town renowned for its surf beaches and bohemian culture. Take in the incredible views from Cape Byron, the Australian mainland's most easterly point. Watch the surfers, see the Cape Byron lighthouse and maybe even see dolphins frolicking off the point.
(B)
Day 8: Byron Bay - Brisbane - Moreton Island.
Today a short drive brings us to Brisbane, capital of the state of Queensland, and the start of the Gold Coast. Enjoy time to explore the shops or perhaps take a leisurely stroll across the pretty Brisbane River to Southbank. Then it is time to join a cruise across the waters of Moreton Bay to picturesque Moreton Island National Park.
(B)
(D)
Day 9: Moreton Island.
Enjoy a full day to explore this beautiful island. You can be as relaxed or as adventurous as you please. Snorkel around the shipwrecks, try sand-tobogganing, quad-bike riding or take a 4WD tour of the island. Tonight is sure to be the highlight of your stay on Moreton Island, with the opportunity to interact with the dolphins that swim close to shore. Most evenings, the dolphins swim up to the beach where they are rewarded with fresh fish hand-fed to them by either the staff or, should you choose, yourself. As they are wild, dolphin appearances can't be guaranteed but coming in at regular times through the day to interact with people has been a ritual for many years.
(B)
Day 10: Moreton Island - Australia Zoo - Sunshine Coast - Hervey Bay.
Return to the mainland this morning and visit the renowned Australia Zoo, made famous by the late 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin. The zoo is home to more than 550 animals, the most famous of these being crocodiles. Watch the feeding of the crocodiles or interact with the many native animals that the handlers walk around the zoo with. Later travel through the beautiful Sunshine Coast before arriving in the coastal town of Hervey Bay. With its beautiful beaches and sparkling waters, Hervey Bay is a popular tourist destination, especially in whale-watching season (August-October) when humpback whales can be seen playing offshore.
(B)
Day 11: Fraser Island. Included sightseeing.
This morning you will board a cruise to World Heritage listed Fraser Island, a place of exceptional natural beauty and home to Australia's purest strain of dingo. You will enjoy a 4WD adventure, with the chance to discover unspoilt surf beaches, pristine inland lakes and lush tropical rainforest. Fraser Island is the only place in the world where rainforest grows on sand at elevations of over 200 metres. After a fascinating tour of the island recross the Great Sandy Strait, as you cruise back to Hervey Bay, watch for Humpback whales migrating to their breeding grounds (August-October).
(B)
(L)
Day 12: Hervey Bay - Rockhampton.
This morning you leave Hervey Bay, and journey to the charming city of Rockhampton, situated on the banks of the Fitzroy River and located on the Tropic of Capricorn. Take a leisurely stroll around the lush Botanical Gardens, where excellent specimens of palms, cycads and ferns are found throughout the manicured grounds.
(B)
(D)
Day 13: Rockhampton - Mackay - Airlie Beach. Cruise to Daydream Island.
This morning you make tracks for the town of Mackay. Surrounded by sugarcane crops, Mackay is also known as the 'sugar capital' of Australia. Continue to stunning Airlie Beach, a popular tourist destination and the gateway to the 74 idyllic islands of the Whitsunday Passage. Cruise to Daydream Island, part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and described as the jewel of the Whitsunday Islands. This is one of Australia's most enticing destinations, an archipelago of green islands lying in rich blue tropical waters. Continue to your hotel for a two night stay.
(B)
(D)
Day 14: Daydream Island. Included sightseeing.
Voyage to the heart of the Great Barrier Reef aboard your high speed catamaran and arrive at Reefworld, one of the largest reef pontoons in Australia. Enjoy a reef education presentation and view the spectacular schools of tropical fish from the Underwater Observatory and the semi-submersible vessel. For the more adventurous, follow a snorkelling trail and view the coral and sea life up close. Or simply relax on the sundeck and enjoy the amazing 360 degree view of the Great Barrier Reef. Your lunch onboard is included.
(B)
(L)
Day 15: Daydream Island - Townsville - Cairns.
This morning we return to the mainland and head towards Townsville, North Queensland's largest city. We continue along the coastline travelling amongst lush mountains with tropical vegetation and sandy beaches reaching the cosmopolitan city of Cairns - where its residents enjoy an enviable tropical lifestyle. Cairns is the gateway to two of Australia's World Heritage Sites, where the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest meet to create a pristine environment.
(B)
Day 16: Cairns. Included sightseeing.
This morning, enjoy one of Australia's greatest coastal drives to Port Douglas, passing Palm Cove - a luxurious coastal resort town, en route. Enjoy some free time at Port Douglas, perhaps strolling the palm-fringed beach or browsing the shops on sophisticated Macrossan Street. We then journey to Kuranda, a village situated in the rainforest where you can wander the local markets and travel aboard the Skyrail, Kuranda Scenic Railway (own expense) or by coach back to Cairns. Tonight, enjoy our special Farewell Dinner at 'Tjapukai by Night', where you can indulge in a banquet of the region's best food and become part of an interactive ancient corroboree.
(B)
(D)
Day 17: Cairns, Green Island.
This morning join a cruise to beautiful Green Island - a coral cay located on the Great Barrier Reef, which shelters a mass of colourful marine life. Explore the white sandy beaches, enjoy a swim in the warm waters or embark on a self-guided snorkelling trail. Or, for a different perspective, you can join a glass-bottom boat tour and watch the changing coral formations as you float by. Later, return to Cairns for an afternoon at leisure or you can extend your stay for a full day on Green Island.
(B)
Day 18: Cairns - UK.
Today you will be taken to the airport for your overnight flight to the UK.
(B)
Day 19: Home landing in the UK.
Hotels On Tour
Sydney: Mercure On Broadway; Port Macquarie: Rydges Hotel; Byron Bay: Mantra On Salt Beach; Moreton Island: Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort; Hervey Bay: Mantra Hervey Bay; Rockhampton: Rockhampton Plaza Hotel; Daydream Island: Daydream Island Resort and Spa; Cairns: Hotel Cairns.
Note: Tour hotels will be as specified or alternatives of a similar standard.
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