Highlights of Australia Multi Centre Holiday

Itinerary

4 Nights – Sydney
2 Nights – Blue Mountains
2 Nights – Hunter Valley
2 Nights – Ayers Rock
4 Nights – Cairns (Great Barrier Reef)

✈ UK – Sydney (4 nights): Arriving in Sydney after your flight, you will have enough time to recover from the journey and become acclimatised to Australia. Warm weather, an outdoors lifestyle and relaxed atmosphere all await you, but you will want to get out and enjoy some of the incredible attractions this harbour city has to offer. As well as visiting the famous Opera House and choosing to scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge (if you have a head for heights), there are a plethora of other activities to experience. Take in the exhibits at the Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum of Contemporary Art or learn how to surf on Bondi Beach. Relax in the evening with a leisurely meal at one of Sydney’s world-class restaurants and reflect on days well spent over drinks. While in Sydney be sure to head to the Glenmore, which has been a popular local pub for a long time and boasts a rooftop bar with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

🚗 Sydney – Blue Mountains (2 nights): Pick up your hire car in Sydney and join a long tradition of road tripping in Australia, which will take you through the stunning landscapes of the Blue Mountains. Nothing compares to hitting the open road against the backdrop of a spectacular mountain range. So incredible are the Blue Mountains that they have been listed as a UNSCO World Heritage Site. Getting out of the car and exploring can take many forms, with bushwalking trails, a glass-bottomed skyway, walkways and a railway all possibilities. Bear witness to steep cliffs, sandstone rock formations, eucalyptus forests, waterfalls and small villages dotted about the landscape. It’s also worth considering taking a 2.5 km detour off the Great Western Highway to Echo Point Katoomba and visit the spectacular Three Sisters rock formation. According to aboriginal legend, these pinnacles represent siblings that were turned to stone to protect them during a battle but the witch-doctor who committed the act died in the incident, before he had chance to reverse the spell.

🚗 Blue Mountains – Hunter Valley (2 nights): Tear yourself away from the Blue Mountains and drive on to Hunter Valley with the promise of some delicious wine your reward for making the journey. This renowned wine region produces award-winning vintages that are crying out to be sampled. Find out more about the process that takes the grapes from vine to glass by touring the vineyards and meeting the experts.

🚗 Hunter Valley – Ayers Rock (2 nights): Returning to Sydney, drop off the rental car and take a flight to the most instantly recognisable rock formation in the world – Ayers Rock, otherwise known as Uluru. Having existed in the landscape of the Northern Territory for millions of years, it has important spiritual significance for the aboriginal people of Australia. Avoid the crowds and see Uluru as it is glowing a unique shade of deep red early in the morning as the sun rises. If you can’t forego a lie-in, head to the rock at the opposite end of the day and watch as the sun dips below the horizon. Whilst in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is is also worth taking a trip to see the rock art at Kantju Gorge.

🚗 Ayers Rock – Cairns (4 nights): Flying into Cairns be sure to keep those window blinds open, as you will not want to miss the views. The city of Cairns has plenty to offer including a Centre for Contemporary Arts, the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, tempting outdoor markets and a vibrant restaurant and cafe culture. But it is the nature on the doorstep that makes this metropolis a must-visit on any trip to Australia, with two incredible sites within striking distance. The Daintree Forest UNESCO World Heritage Site is an area of tropical wetland that is home to a vast array of plants, marsupials, singing birds and many other endangered animals and plant species. However, the main reason many people come to this part of Australia is to spend time at the Great Barrier Reef, the biggest living thing on earth. Some 1,800 miles in length, a paradise of turquoise water, colourful coral and diverse marine species stretch out in front of you. Whether you prefer to dive or snorkel, a chunk of time should be dedicated to exploring this incredible underwater world and it’s the perfect way to round off your Australian adventure.

✈Cairns – UK: With images of tropical fish still swimming through your mind, you will be picked up from your hotel and transported to your flight back to the UK. Rest assured you will feel that you have really seen a wide variety of the delights Australia has to offer.