Journeys: Discover Australia

Arrive at any time. Make your way to the hotel to check in. There are no planned activities during the day, so enjoy some time to explore the city before joining our National Geographic Expedition Leader for a welcome briefing at 8pm.

Included Experiences

• Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group: Your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Embark on a food tour of Melbourne with a culinary storyteller. Home to many thriving immigrant communities, Melbourne has long been considered one of Australia’s gastronomic hubs. On this foodie walk through the city’s famed laneways, we’ll experience a range of flavors and cuisines over lunch at three popular venues. Start with an Asian entree with wine; move on to an Italian restaurant for a main dish accompanied with more wine, and finish off the tour with a gelato dessert at our third stop. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Free time to explore the city or take an excursion.
• Melbourne Foodie Walk: Melbourne has long been considered a major centre for foodie culture in Australia. As home to many immigrant communities, the gastronomic expertise on offer here is both diverse and exciting. Explore this incredible city on a National Geographic Journeys-exclusive guided walk. Enjoy lunch at three popular venues that showcase why contemporary dining in Melbourne is such a special experience. Through European flavours as well as those from across Asia, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the city’s history, its people, and its celebrated (and gorgeous) laneways.

Spend the day exploring vibrant Melbourne. Set out on an optional excursion on the Great Ocean Road, following spectacular sea cliffs along the windswept Southern Ocean. Wander the city’s narrow cobbled lanes and alleys, discovering quirky cafés and colorful murals.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Melbourne is full of things to do – take advantage of this free day and get out to explore! Opt to book an excursion along the Great Ocean Road.

Optional Experiences

• 12 Apostles, Otways & Great Ocean Road: Kick start this adventure early from Melbourne and travel straight to the 12 Apostles. Enjoy time to take in the scenery before the crowds of people arrive. Wander along the boardwalk and marvel at the limestone rocks and then continue on to the Gibson Steps. Walk down to the beach for a different perspective before grabbing lunch at a local cafe. With renewed energy the group will drive through the Great Otway National park where we’ll stop for a quick hike through the ancient rainforests here. From there, travel further along the Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay. There’s time here to grab an optional ice cream before trying to spot koalas, kangaroos, and king parrots near the Kennett River. Before heading back to Melbourne the group will make a final stop to the town of Lorne. Grab a snack, stroll past the shops, or walk along the beach in this quaint destination.

Catch a flight to Uluru, in the heart of the Australian outback. Visit the Cultural Centre of the Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage site—and learn about the beliefs and customs of the Anangu, the area’s traditional Indigenous owners. Then take a guided walk along both the northwest and southern sides of Uluru to learn about the history of the area, hear the stories of the Anangu people and gaze upon these awe-inspiring uplifted sandstone rock formations. Accommodations in Uluru are limited and of varying amenities. We do our best to secure a mid-range hotel, but on occasion a more simple accommodation with fewer amenities may be used.

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• Indigenous Cultural Centre Visit: Learn about the beliefs and customs of the Anangu, the area’s traditional Indigenous owners.
• Uluru Mala Walk: Gaze upon these awe-inspiring uplifted sandstone rock formations.

In the morning make your way to Kata Tjuta, Uluru’s neighboring natural wonder for a morning of exploration as you walk along these ancient, red-hued landscapes. Enjoy some free time in the afternoon before capping off the day with a glass of sparkling wine as you witness a crimson sunset over this fabled monolith.

Included Experiences

• Kata Tjuta Guided Walk: While Uluru is the most famous landmark in the park, we explore a bit further afield at Kata Tjuta walking through these red domed rocks that comprise this stunning landscape.
• Free Time: Enjoy some time at leisure.
• Sunset at Uluru: Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine while watching the sunset over Uluru. Marvel at the changing colours over the desert and keep reminding yourself that yes, you really are there.

Awaken at dawn to witness the famous Field of Light installation, the artist Bruce Munro created an art installation that becomes illuminated in the changing light. Enjoy your final moments in the heart of the outback before it’s time to pack up and head off to the airport for an afternoon flight to Sydney. Observe the stunning display and watch the sun rise with views of Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the distance. Return to the hotel for breakfast and your final moments in the heart of the outback before it’s time to pack up and head off to the airport for an afternoon flight to Sydney. Check in to our Sydney hotel and opt to join our National Geographic Expedition Leader for a dinner out on the town in one of Sydney's famous neighbourhoods.

Included Experiences

• Sunrise at Field of Light: Head to the Field of Light for a sunrise experience you won't soon forget. The artist Bruce Munro created an art installation that becomes illuminated in the changing light. Observe the stunning display and watch the sun rise with views of Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the distance.
• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Join your Expedition Leader on a walking orientation tour of some of the city’s well known landmarks like the Rocks area, a waterfront neighborhood that marks the spot of the first European settlement in Australia. It also holds a spiritual significance for the area’s Indigenous people. Around midmorning, circle back and meet for a private tour of the Sydney Opera House. This afternoon, step aboard a private boat for a sunset sail around Sydney's famous harbor. Tuck into a delicious Australian Barbecue dinner as the sun sets in the background.

Included Experiences

• Metro: Get around underground via public transit.
• Private Tour of the Sydney Opera House: During today’s private tour of the Sydney Opera House the group will learn about the history of the opera house and how the architecture functions within the theatres to produce sound. You’ll learn how during the mid-1950’s a man from Denmark named Jørn Utzon created a sculpture on Sydney Harbour that dramatically shifted twentieth-century architecture. Hear stories of the how the architects, engineers, and artists built this engineering masterpiece together and spend time in the theatres themselves witnessing how the architecture of each space contributes to sound, as well as the ways that this space manipulates it.
• Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise: Board a private yacht and enjoy a four-hour cruise navigating the bays and coves of Sydney Harbour. Relax and enjoy the iconic scenery as our crew share stories of Sydney and its famed harbour. Enjoy a casual Aussie BBQ as the sun sets over the Harbour Bridge and Opera House and watch the city lights come alive across the water.

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the best of Sydney. Walk the Rocks and stop by Maybe Sammy for a drink, which happens to be one of the best bars in Sydney. Take the ferry to Manly Beach or walk the Bondi Coastal walk and snap some photos.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Today is a free day and we recommend visiting the Australian Museum, Bondi Beach, or Darling Harbour.

Fly to Cairns today and travel up the scenic coastal road to Daintree Rainforest, the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Embark on an interpretive walk with an Indigenous guide at the lush Mossman Gorge, learning about the traditional ways of life of the region’s Kuku Yalanji people. Continue to the resort town of Port Douglas, our home for the next three nights. We catch a very early flight to ensure we make the most of the day.

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• Indigenous Peoples Interpretive Walk: Take an interpretive walk through the Daintree Rainforest. Follow an Indigenous guide and learn about bush food, medicinal plants and the lasting relationship of the Kuku Yalanji people with their natural environment. Find out how to make bush soap, watch an ochre painting demonstration and sample some bush tea.

Explore the Great Barrier Reef on a full-day catamaran tour to the Outer Reef. Immerse yourself in the largest coral reef system in the world, which teems with 1500 species of tropical fish, as well as whales, dolphins and porpoises. Hop into the warm waters off Australia's east coast and experience this marine wonderland for yourself. Lunch will be served onboard. Back in Port Douglas the evening is yours to do as you please.

Included Experiences

• Great Barrier Reef Excursion With Sailaway: You haven't truly visited Australia until you've experienced the Great Barrier Reef. Climb aboard the Sailaway VII, a 25m (82ft) sailing vessel and take the journey to the Outer Barrier Reef. Spend time in the largest coral reef system in the world, snorkel amongst colourful fish and keep an eye out for nemo (of course). You’ll sail along the coastline with spectacular views of the Daintree Rainforest and pass Snapper Island on the way out to the reef. You’ll enjoy a guided snorkel tour, and a glass bottom boat which offers extra viewing opportunities for those not looking to get in the water. Afternoon tea, coffee, cakes, fruit, and a buffet lunch are included and all necessary snorkelling gear and equipment.

Enjoy a free morning in charming Port Douglas. Stroll the town’s boutique-lined streets and idyllic beaches or head to the Sunday markets to browse the stalls. Later in the day, join your fellow travelers for an exclusive cultural experience at Cooya Beach. Meet Indigenous guides for a welcome ceremony, and get acquainted with members of the Kuku Yalanji people. Our Expedition Leader will organize an optional farewell dinner to toast your adventures down under.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: In the morning explore charming Port Douglas. Head to the Sunday markets to see what souvenirs you can take home.
• Exclusive Indigenous experience at Cooya Beach: Enjoy an exclusive Indigenous experience at Cooya Beach featuring a welcome ceremony and a smoking ceremony, during which travellers will learn the purpose and meaning of these rituals and their significance to the Kuku Yalanji people.

After one last breakfast in Port Douglas, transfer back to Cairns where our tour ends at the airport mid-morning. Alternatively, extend your stay in Port Douglas.