14-DAY AUSTRALIA WINE & WILDLIFE TOUR

Visits: Sydney, Hunter Valley, Adelaide, Cradle Mountain, Melbourne

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Day 1 Fly USA to Sydney: Please note international air from the USA has not been included in the package price.

Day 2 You cross the International Date Line
The International Date Line is an imaginary line on the earth’s surface that approximately coincides with the 180th meridian (LONGITUDE), and separates the calendar date. Traveling east across the line takes the traveler back one day; traveling west, takes the traveler forward one day.

Day 3 Welcome to Sydney, Australia
On arrival into S ydney you will need to clear customs and make your way through the main arrivals hall from where you will be met and transferred to your accommodation. Sydney - Australia's premier city is the oldest settlement in Australia, the economic powerhouse of the nation and the country's capital in everything but name. Built on the shores of the stunning Port Jackson, you would have to die and go to heaven before you see a more spectacular setting for a city. It's a vital, self-regarding metropolis, exuding both a devil-may-care urbanity and a slavish obsession with global fads.  The Sydney area was the ancestral home of the Daruk tribe, whose territory extended from Botany Bay to Pittwater. There are some 2000 Aboriginal rock engraving sites in the Sydney area, and many of Sydney's suburbs have Aboriginal names. The city of Sydney began life as a penal colony in 1788, and for the next 60 years received the unwanted, persecuted and criminal elements of British society. Despite its brutal beginnings, the city's mixture of pragmatic egalitarianism and plain indifference has transformed it into a thriving multicultural society. Sydney now attracts the majority of Australia's immigrants and the city's predominantly Anglo-Irish heritage has been revitalized by large influxes of Italian, Lebanese, Turkish, Greek, Chinese and Vietnamese.

Day 4 Tour - Sydney Harbour coffee cruise
The Sydney Harbor Bridge, the world renowned Opera House, Mrs. Macquaries Chair… Just some of the sights you will see on when cruising on Sydney’s famous harbor.  A Coffee Cruise includes comprehensive commentary, complimentary tea, coffee and cookies – with departures from Darling Harbour or Circular Quay.   A unique way to see the highlights of this fabulous city.

Day 5 Drive Sydney to the Hunter Valley
Collect your vehicle from the city depot for your drive to the Hunter Valley. Allow at least two hours for this drive. The Hunter Valley conjures up images of lazy days, wine-tasting at the cellar door, and romantic retreats set in quaint farming country. With national parks and historic settlements, you can’t go wrong.

Day 6 At leisure, Hunter Valley
Its not only fine wines that are produced in Hunter; it also offers a visual feast for lovers of contemporary and traditional art and craft. Browse through galleries full of antiques, art and beautifully crafted pieces to help you remember your Hunter Valley liaison.

Pick up a piece of distinctive jewelry, sculpture, fine glasswork, an oil painting depicting a local scene or a tasteful knick-knack as a gift. The taste buds are not neglected with gourmet eateries offering specialty cheeses, chocolates, breads, pastries, jams, mustards and chutneys – and plenty of wine to wash it down!

Day 7 Fly Sydney to Adelaide
Head back to Sydney from the Hunter Valley and return your vehicle to Sydney airport before boarding your flight to Adelaide. Transfer to your hotel upon arrival.                                             

The capital of South Australia, Adelaide is nestled between the sea and hills. It is a graceful city of wide streets, elegant buildings and parkland. Adelaide is compact and easy to walk around. It is known for its refinement and has a charm and grace that shows in sophisticated wining and dining, and beautiful architecture that has been well-preserved.  The state of South Australia is home to some of the freshest food and finest wines in Australia. Adelaide has a reputation for innovative, affordable cuisine which, when combined with local wines, is a memorable experience.

Regardless of the season, the Adelaide Hills offer a welcome respite in country air. Investigate historic townships and enjoy heritage accommodation properties with stunning gardens. Adelaide has a great reputation for its art and culture. The Adelaide Festival of Arts and associated Fringe Festival generate a constant energy in the city. The Festival Centre on King William Road is the hub of opera, theatre and orchestra. For visual arts, the Art Gallery of South Australia is a must for its collection of Aboriginal works, Australian 19th century paintings and a collection of Rodins. Several galleries specialize in indigenous art and Melbourne Street is the place for antiques. 

Day 8 Tour - Kangaroo Island Sealink full day tour
Today you will take the brief flight to Kangaroo Island for a full day of touring.  Highlights will include a visit to Seal Bay, where you can walk with a Park Ranger amongst a colony of rare Australian Sea Lions resting on the beach after their long fishing expeditions.  Discover the Island's most renowned park, Flinders Chase National Park, a sanctuary for numerous native Australian animals including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas and Cape Barren Geese. On the southern tip of Flinders Chase National Park are Remarkable Rocks and Admiral's Arch, both providing great photographic opportunities.

Return to Kingscote for your return fight to Adelaide.  Today’s excursion includes round trip air, full day touring, National Park fees and lunch.          

Day 9 Tour - Barossa Valley full day tour
Savor the Barossa Valley, a wonderful mix of German wine growers in a watered Australian Valley, with villages dotting the countryside!  Travel in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle on a tour that provides the unique flavors of premium wineries, a sumptuous lunch and an insight into the rich history and current lifestyle of this world renowned region.

Day 10 Fly Adelaide to Launceston (Via Melbourne)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Launceston. Upon arrival pick up your rental vehicle at the airport depot and commence your scenic drive to Cradle Mountain.

This is a two hour drive, although if you have time to spare there are some interesting places to see and scenery to enjoy all along the way. 

Day 11 At leisure, Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain National Park has two main focal points: the northern one is Cradle Mountain (about 37 miles south of Burnie) and the southern one is Australia's deepest lake, Lake St Clair (about 31 miles southeast of Cradle Mountain). The park's total size is about 161,000 hectares (397,840 acres) and it covers some of Tasmania's highest country. It is famous for its lakes, peaks, rainforest and moorland. Tasmania's highest mountain is here - Mount Ossa (5,305 feet) - and the island's best known walking track - the Overland Track (53 miles), which takes about five days to walk.

To venture into the wilderness is a personal adventure, an experience that lasts beyond the 'here and now'. Cradle Mountain is one of those experiences - walk the many trails that make up the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, feed the tame wallabies, take a scenic flight, or a guided walk or maybe just sit back and contemplate.

Day 12 Fly Launceston to Melbourne
Depart Cradle Mountain and drive to Launceston.  Return your rental car at the airport depot before boarding your flight to Melbourne. On arrival, you will transfer to your hotel.  

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and a cultural hub, is known for the good things in life - fashion, food, entertainment and sport. This is a city of style, architecture, trams, theatres and art. The influence of decades of immigration from all over the world has made Melbourne a paradise for those who love food and wine. Whole streets are dedicated to food, whether it be Indian, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, or a host of other styles. You can't miss the world-class wines either. You’ll barely meet a visitor who hasn’t fallen in love with Melbourne. Rattling trams, parklands singing with blackbirds, stately architecture and palm trees - its like northern Europe on the Mediterranean.

Tour - Colonial Tramcar restaurant
Tonight, dine in style aboard the unique Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. Enjoy fine         

Australian cuisine and wines as you travel around the city aboard this specially renovated Tramcar.  The tracks take you all over the Melbourne area past the city center and into the more exclusive suburbs Melbourne is known for.                       

Day 13 Tour - Savannah Walkabout
A one day cultural and nature tour where you may see and learn about native animals and plants both in the famous open-range grasslands of Serendip Sanctuary on the Western Plains and in the bush lands of Brisbane Ranges National Park.  We search for kangaroos, koalas, birdlife and discover a rich Aboriginal heritage.  Departing from your city hotel, we travel the short distance to the western plains of Victoria - one of the largest volcanic plains on earth.  Open grasslands stretch in all directions with the occasional extinct volcano or ancient mountain range rising steeply out of the plain.  There is a distinctly 'Australian' feel about the region. Our first stop is Serendip Sanctuary, an open range reservation for rare and endangered indigenous wildlife of the Western Plains.  Run by the National Parks Service, Serendip plays a pivotal role in the conservation of some of Australia's rarest birds, including the Bustard, Brolga and Cape Barren Goose.  Seek out the large free-range mobs of our tallest kangaroo, the Eastern-grey and family groups of the world's second largest bird, the Emu. We have a bush lunch before traveling to the Brisbane Ranges National Park, to walk a wide Savannah of grass, bush and wetlands searching for kangaroos and koalas.  The park has a large population of wild Koalas and we very rarely miss out on sighting a number of these delightful creatures, we also visit places of importance to the Aboriginal people of the region.

Day 14 At leisure, Melbourne
At your leisure to explore the very cosmopolitan city of Melbourne. The many attractions of the city vary from the spectacular parklands and gardens that surround the city, to the museums and festivals that are a continuing part of the city life. Excellent restaurants are on every corner and cater for every taste in the world.

Day 15 Fly Melbourne to USA (Via Sydney)
You will be transferred to the airport for your departure