Australian Highlights

13 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
98%
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premier

USTOA

Cancellation Policy
Small Group Tour
Picture Australia: the Coral Sea’s turquoise, the intense rainforest green, powdery white sand, the Red Centre’s ochre soil. These are your palette on this Melbourne to Sydney tour, spanning glittering cities and the outback, World Heritage Sites – Uluru-Kata Tjuta and the Great Barrier Reef. Whether Melbourne’s cafes or a barbecue, food is a focus, because t...
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$10,616
From$7,864
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

What's this trip about?

    Picture Australia: the Coral Sea’s turquoise, the intense rainforest green, powdery white sand, the Red Centre’s ochre soil. These are your palette on this Melbourne to Sydney tour, spanning glittering cities and the outback, World Heritage Sites – Uluru-Kata Tjuta and the Great Barrier Reef. Whether Melbourne’s cafes or a barbecue, food is a focus, because this is Australia; eating well is in our DNA.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeGroup - max of 40 people
Age range6 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityMelbourne (VIC)
End CitySydney

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • 50 Plus

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 40

Trip includes

    • Specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House Centrally located premium hotels Arrival and departure private airport transfers

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Welcome to Melbourne

Settle into your hotel on the banks of the Yarra River and meet your Travel Director for a welcome reception and dinner at the South Wharf riverside pub, The General Assembly restaurant. It's a great opportunity to get to know everyone in a unique setting.

Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne

Dinner with Wine

Day 2: Melbourne Sightseeing and Free Time

Join your Travel Director for a city sights tour that includes a private walk through Melbourne's famous hidden laneways. You'll discover the city's eclectic little lanes, arcades, café society and fascinating street art. There's time afterwards to explore the city on...

Day 3: Melbourne Free Time

If you're still getting your bearings in Melbourne, take your time to wander through the city, exploring its boutiques, galleries, and eclectic suburbs. Or, perhaps exploring the city on foot with a History and Donuts Walking Tour is more your thing. However, if you'r...

Day 4: Melbourne - Alice Springs

Some parts of Australia are so remote that the only way kids can get an education is remotely via the School of the Air. Your next stop is the birthplace of the Alice Springs township, the historic Telegraph Station. Being this far flung also means there’s no light po...

Day 5: Alice Springs - Uluru

Travel from Alice Springs to Uluru, experiencing the rugged desert landscapes while learning about the geological history of Australia. Stopping at the Mt. Conner lookout before arriving at Ayers Rock Resort. In the heart of Australia, Uluru has been home to the Anang...

Day 6: Uluru and Kata Tjuta

If there’s one thing worth getting out of bed early for, it’s sunrise over Uluru. Incredibly, the Rock’s base caves are home to First Nations art that dates tens of thousands of years. What an honour to glimpse it. The ochres and silvery greens of the NT outback follo...

Day 7: Uluru - Cairns

Ok, so the other reason to get up early is to view artist Bruce Munro’s installation Field of Light at dawn – 50,000 glowing spindles of light blanketing the desert. Clamber to the top of a sand dune to marvel in the morning unfolding over this very special part of th...

Day 8: Cairns Free Time

If you’re in the habit of getting up early now, you may wish to begin your day with an optional horizon-bending hot-air-balloon ride over the Atherton Tablelands. Prefer to stay grounded? Sign up for a guided walk through the Daintree Rainforest, or surround yourself ...

Day 9: Great Barrier Reef

The world’s largest living organism, the Great Barrier Reef, never fails to dazzle. Set out on a catamaran to explore this natural wonder of over 1,500 species of fish, 215 different birds, 3,000 molluscs, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, and 30 species...

Day 10: Cairns - Sydney

Touch down in Australia’s largest city, with a harbour you could gaze at all day long. And all night. Spend time at leisure in the buzzing metropolis of Sydney. Take a stroll along the iconic harbour, visit one of the city’s many bars, pubs, or restaurants, or simply ...

Day 11: Sydney

Bring your stamina: today is one of innumerable highlights. Go on a tour of the Sydney Opera House, discovering its architectural and performance secrets. If these sails could talk. Then see the city from the water on a Sydney Harbour Highlight Lunch Cruise enjoying a...

Day 12: Sydney Free Time

The hardest decision you have to make today: explore more of Sydney, or head to the Blue Mountains, 11,400 square kilometres of World Heritage listed wilderness, a place where sandstone escarpments appear to cleave off the edge of the Earth and waterfall-cooled valley...

Day 13: Farewell from Sydney

What an epic journey, with so many destinations explored in less than two weeks. Now you just have to sort through the photos…

Full Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $7,864
Price per day$605
Last Updated: 1/5/2025
Departure Date
Finish Date
Double Room (Shared)
Single Room
Availability
12 Jan 2025
24 Jan 2025
$8,913
$11,139
26 Jan 2025
07 Feb 2025
$7,945
$9,853
09 Feb 2025
21 Feb 2025
$8,590
$10,710
02 Mar 2025
14 Mar 2025
$8,913
$11,139
16 Mar 2025
28 Mar 2025
$8,590
$10,710
06 Apr 2025
18 Apr 2025
$8,845
$10,944
25 May 2025
06 Jun 2025
$8,845
$10,944
22 Jun 2025
04 Jul 2025
$8,060
$9,907
24 Aug 2025
05 Sep 2025
$8,060
$9,907
07 Sep 2025
19 Sep 2025
$8,845
$10,944

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

AAT Kings Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
1,428
Great
398
Average
73
Disappointing
24
Terrible
17
J

Janice Drysdale

Oct 2024

Written on

Australian Highlights

I’m not really a high end kind of person. The extra space and comfort in hotels is nice but the service generally doesn’t match the price in my view. Similarly it’s...

T

Trusted Customer

Jul 2024

Written on

Australian Highlights

Although it was expensive because of the S.A. Rand it was a wonderful holiday. Hotels excellent. Our tour guide Nellie was so knowledgeable, helpful and went out of ...

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Other AAT Kings Reviews

T

Trusted Customer

Jan 2025

Written on

The ship that never was play at Straun

Carolyn is an excellent tour guide - full of information an...

A

Ann Cardinael

Jan 2025

Written on

Tasmanian Wonders

Accomodations were good. We had the best guide ever Carolyn ! All that she knows is amazing! The glutenfree food was sometimes difficult to find but Carolyn alw...

T

Trusted Customer

Jan 2025

Written on

I really liked the hike at Cradle Mountain and visit to Tasmanian Devils.

Darren did a great job safely driving us around Tasmania. Carolyn...

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Tour Operator

AAT Kings

premier
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A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travelers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customized, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid travelers on a wild and wonderful ride. We’ve come a long way and clocked a few kilometers in the process. But some things will never change. Like our spirit for adventure. Our oh-so-knowledgeable Travel Directors. The local characters we meet (and will never forget) along the way. The epic, goosebump-inducing stories we’re told by First Nations guides. The life-changing experiences on offer – the kind that only 100 years of exploring affords. We’ve never been more passionate about our next discovery. Join us and fall in love with Australia and New Zealand all over again. #aatkings


Why we love this operator
AAT Kings is renowned for its quality service, knowledgeable guides, and extensive network of destinations.
What they’re known for
AAT Kings is known for being one of Australia and New Zealand's leading tour operators, specializing in guided tours.

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Logistics

Accommodation

  • Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne
  • Mercure Alice Springs Resort
  • Desert Gardens
  • Hilton Hotel Cairns
  • InterContinental Hotel Sydney
Cancellation policy

Cancellation by the Traveller
Travel arrangements for any member of the party may be cancelled at any time by written notice by the person who made the booking.

If notice of cancellation is received by the Provider before final payment is due (see The Table), the deposit will be retained. If cancellation is made after final payment is due cancellation fees will apply (see The Table). These cancellation fees represent the costs incurred less any expected recoveries. Please also refer to Air cancellation Section where applicable.Notice of cancellation must be made in writing directly to the Provider or through your Travel Agent. Please also refer to the Provider's Gold Seal Additional Protection.

If a person in a party cancels and there is a room change caused by this cancellation (such as a twin share to Single, or Triple to twin share), charges for the new room type will be the responsibility of the remaining party. The charges detailed in the Summary Terms table (which includes GST), representing costs incurred by the Provider in cancelling your travel arrangements, will apply when notice of cancellation for your trip is given after the booking is confirmed. Please also refer to the Provider's Gold Seal Additional Protection.

If a guest fails to join the trip on the day of departure, cancellation fees will be 100% (unless the guest notifies us of the delay and joins the trip later at their own expense).

Cancellation fees as per The Table apply to additional accommodation and/or chargeable transfers prior to and after the trip, itinerary extensions or cruise reserved through the Provider.

Cancellation fees and charges will include any amounts that we have paid or have contractually committed to pay to third parties to deliver your travel arrangements which we cannot reasonably recover (for example payments made or due to airlines and hotels). Any payments we have made to third parties will only be refunded to you once we have deducted the above cancellation fees and charges and once we have actually recovered the amounts from the third parties.

All cancellation fees as per The Table are additional to any cancellation fees or other charges that may be levied by your Travel Agent.

Gold Seal Protection premiums are non-refundable.

If the reason for your cancellation is covered under your insurance, you may be able to reclaim these charges from your insurer. You are responsible for making the claim to your insurer. We will provide you with documentation to support your claim.

Cancellation by the Provider
The Provider reserves the right, to modify or cancel any trip, accommodation, in-destination activity or arrangement, definite or not, at any time.

Cancellation due to Failure to Pay

If full payment is not received by the due date (see The Table), The Provider has the right to cancel your reservation and no refund will be made. The Provider will not be responsible for lost reservations.

Cancellation due to Force Majeure Events

If The Provider cancels a trip as a result of a Force Majeure Event, a future travel credit (FTC) to the value of funds paid to date, less any unrecoverable third-party costs incurred, will be provided. All FTCs will be valid for 24 months from date of issue.

Where a trip is terminated mid-trip due to a Force Majeure event, if we provide you with any alternative services or assistance (such as hotels or travel) then you agree to pay for these costs.

Cancellation due to Events other than Force Majeure Events

If the cancellation by the Provider is not as a result of a Force Majeure Event, the Provider will provide an alternative comparable trip (if available). If an alternative is not available, then a refund will be made. The Provider is not liable for any cancellation or change cost or penalties incurred on other travel arrangements, including air travel, that may be affected thereby.

The Provider is not responsible for other travel arrangements that you or your party have made outside the Provider and which are affected by our cancellations.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of TruTravels at the following web address: https://www.aatkings.com/about-us/booking-conditions-published-5-august-2024/

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
  • 2 Dinner with Wine (DW)
  • 12 Full Breakfast (B)
  • 1 Be My Guest Dinner (BGD)
  • 1 Lunch (L)
  • 1 Highlight Lunch (HL)
  • 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
Age Requirements
6 years and up
Additional Information
Trip ID
aatkin-IMSE24

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