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Our "Best of Australia" trip is designed
to show off the best of Australia, including Sydney, the Top End, the
rugged Kimberleys outback and the marvels of the Great Barrier Reef. Don't
miss this opportunity to truly experience these vastly different parts
of this amazing country. At the end of this tour, after you will have
seen the incredible array of Australia's offerings, we are confident that
you'll soon be back for more! This trip is scheduled for the Australian
winter months (the summer months in the U.S.). This time of the year is
ideal for a visit to the Land Down Under, and the itinerary we have designed
focuses primarily on the more temperate regions of the country.
We will begin our tour in Sydney,
recovering from any residual jetlag as we explore this spectacular
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| Sydney Opera House. (Sydney, Australia) |
city. One day will be devoted to climbing the famous
Sydney Harbor Bridge, cruising the harbor and exploring all that this beautiful
city has to offer. We will then jumpstart our adventure with a day of dolphin
spotting and four wheel driving on the dunes of the New South Wales coast
before flying on to Darwin.
From Darwin, the capital of
the Northern Territory, we will embark upon our rugged 4WD outback experience,
beginning in Australia's "Top End" and continuing through to
West Australia's Kimberleys. Along the way, we will stop in Litchfield
National Park and the Katherine Gorge, spend a day with the Manyallaluk
Aboriginal Community, explore the tiger-striped rocks of the Bungle Bungles,
experience life on the famous El Questro cattle station, hike the beautiful
gorges of the Gibb River
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| 4WD crossing at Jim Jim Creek. (Kakadu, Australia) |
Road and visit the famous "Prison Tree"
in Derby. We will conclude the 4WD safari portion of our tour in Broome,
a small outback town renowned the world over for its pearls and its beaches,
particularly Cable Beach. We will spend one day in Broome, visiting a pearl
farm or relaxing on Cable Beach, before flying on to Cairns.
The last section of our tour includes a few days packed
with amazing adventures in Cairns. We will spend two days trekking through
tropical rainforest before spending a day snorkeling or diving on the
Great Barrier Reef. We conclude with a day of sea kayaking along the coast,
cruising the Daintree River and visiting the Mossman Gorge. There's no
better way to end a grand Australian tour! And, for those who are hungry
for even more snorkeling and diving, Global Adrenaline offers the "Great
Barrier Reef Scuba Diving" and "Coral Sea Scuba Diving"
extensions, either of which can be appended to this tour.
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No experience is required to take part in our
Australian adventure trips. A good level of fitness, however, is recommended
so that you'll be able to fully enjoy all of the exciting activities planned
for you!
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The following is a day-by-day description of this
tour:
After our arrival in Sydney, the remainder of
the day will be yours to spend at your leisure, settling in, recovering
from any jetlag, and beginning your explorations. We will overnight in
Sydney, the first of
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| Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. (Sydney, Australia) |
our three nights in this amazing metropolis.
In the morning, the group will embark on the "Bridge
Climb" of Sydney's famous Harbor Bridge. After the climb, we will
take a lunch cruise around Sydney Harbor, giving us a feel for the city's
spectacular setting as we enjoy the afternoon sun. Once again, we will
overnight in Sydney.
We will begin the day with an excursion to Port
Stephens. Our first stop will be the stunning Stockton Beach Sand Dunes.
This stretch of the coastline contains some of the largest and oldest
sand dunes remaining on Australia's eastern coast. We will join a 4WD
tour of the dunes, followed by lunch and a dolphin-spotting cruise. In
the afternoon, we will explore the area on foot - and go for a quick swim
in the refreshing waters - before returning to Sydney for our last night
there.
We will depart Sydney bound for Darwin in Australia's
remote "Top End." We will overnight in Darwin. Although Darwin
is the capital of the Northern Territory, it is still a veritable "frontier
town" with a transient and small population base of approximately
90,000. Darwin's incredibly diverse population, with 45-60 ethnic groups
(including many Asians) represented, has led to the city's recently-awarded
title: Australia's "Asian Gateway City."
In the morning, we begin our journey to the world
famous Kakadu National Park, where we will spend the greater part of the
next three days. The first leg of our journey takes us to Ubirr, an area
rich in Aboriginal history, set on a rise with spectacular views of the
surrounding floodplains. From
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| Group at Jim Jim Falls. (Kakadu, Australia) |
there, we head to the Bowali Visitor Center for
lunch, before continuing on to Gubara Springs, where we can enjoy a swim
and spend a few hours exploring this beautiful place . Leaving Gubara
Springs, we will next take in the sights at Nourlangie Rock, where vivid
rock art depicting Dreamtime beliefs dating back as many as 20,000 years
can be explored. Savoring the impressive scenery, we will journey to our
campsite for the evening.
In the morning, we will visit the awesome Jim
Jim Falls, hidden deep within the striking escarpment country. Our visit
will include a walk to the base of these spectacular falls, where we can
enjoy the peace and tranquility of this beautiful area. After lunch, we
will travel to Twin Falls, accessible only by swimming. After admiring
these cascading waterfalls, we'll have time to lie on the sandy banks,
baking in the outback sun, before we head back to our campsite in Kakadu.
We'll spend the day exploring the southern reaches
of Kakadu, including a stop for a swim at the spectacular Gunlom. We'll
also have time for a hike to the top of the falls and along the escarpment.
After lunch, we'll start making our way to Katherine Gorge where we'll
set up camp for
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| Adcock Gorge. (Kimberleys, Australia) |
the night.
The day will be devoted to a visit to the Manyallaluk
Aboriginal Community. Our tour of this fascinating site will give us the
chance to meet the traditional owners of the land, as well as a chance
to visit some of the ancient rock art sites that are sacred to these people.
We will have time to test our skills at some traditional Aboriginal pastimes,
such as basket weaving and spear throwing. Once again, we will camp for
the evening at the Katherine Gorge.
We will begin this day's adventures with a morning
canoe trip through the magnificent Katherine Gorge. After lunch, we will
head west, via the small town of Timber Creek, to our overnight campsite
at Keep River National Park.
We will spend the morning exploring the Ord River
Scheme, before moving on to the scenic Hidden Valley National Park. The
damming of the Ord River, in the Carr Boyd Range, resulted in the creation
of a lake that holds nine times the volume of water contained in Sydney
Harbor. These
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| Durack River flooded. (Kimberleys, Australia). |
reservoirs in turn feed a series of irrigation
channels that bring much-needed water to the farms of the region. The
evening will see our arrival at the Bungle Bungle National Park (also
known as Purnululu), where we will camp for the next two nights.
A full day is spent exploring the unusual rock
formations of the Bungle Bungle Ranges. We will visit the unique Frog
Hole, the breathtaking Echidna Chasm and the magnificent Cathedral Gorge.
An optional helicopter flight (at additional cost) will also be offered
to those interested in enjoying an unforgettable panoramic view over these
magnificent geologic formations. The Bungle Bungle massif is an imposing
sight. The orange and black stripes across the beehive-like mounds are
encased in a fragile skin of silica and lichen. In the evening, we will
return to our campsite where, chances are, we will enjoy an amazing sunset
across the tiger-striped rocks of remote Bungle Bungle.
Leaving the Bungle Bungles, we will take a short
break at Turkey Creek before heading on to Wyndham and the Five Rivers
Lookout. From there, we will begin our journey down the punishing Gibb
River Road. Along the way, we will make a stop at the famous El Questro
Station, take a walk in the beautiful Cockburn Range and swim under the
waterfall in Emma Gorge.
We will cross the Pentecost River, traveling through
ancient and spectacular mountain ranges.
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| Boab Prison Tree, Derby. (Kimberleys, Western Australia) |
There will be time for a swim at Jack's Waterhole
before we head on to our overnight bush camp. There will be no facilities
at this evening's campsite.
There will be time for swimming and casual hiking
as we explore some of the most striking of the Gibb River Gorges. Depending
on the time of the year, Barnett, Manning, Adcock or Galvins may be at
the top of our list. We will camp for the night at Bell Creek Gorge.
We will enjoy an early hike and swim before driving
through the King Leopold Range to Windjana Gorge. After lunch, we will
wade through the icy waters of Tunnel Creek to explore the incredible
limestone formations found there. We will camp overnight at Windjana Gorge.
Before leaving the spectacular Windjana Gorge,
we will view the gorge's abundant wildlife, including freshwater crocodiles.
We will also explore the 350-million-year-old fossilized reef wall that
rises 300 feet (90 meters) above the riverbed. From there, we will head
on to Derby, where we
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| Diving with giant cod at Cod Hole. (Great Barrier
Reef, Australia) |
will visit the famous Boab Prison Tree before
continuing on to Broome, where our incredible adventure in Australia's
Top End outback will come to an end.
Today is our day of leisure, during which we can
take in the diverse sites of Broome. Some may choose to take in a pearl
tour or to visit Willie Creek Pearl Farm, while others may choose to spend
the day relaxing on the world-famous Cable Beach. We will overnight in
Broome.
After our flight into Cairns, the remainder of
the day will be yours to explore this fascinating place, the northernmost
major city on the eastern coast of Australia. Cairns is situated right
in the middle of it all. To its north lie the rainforests of Cape Tribulation
and Daintree National Park, to its west lies the rugged outback, to its
south lie the impressive Atherton Tablelands, and in the ocean to the
east lurks the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.
In the morning, we will travel north to Cape Tribulation,
crossing the Daintree River by cable ferry. After a guided rainforest
tour at Maardja Botanical Walk, we will arrive at Cape Tribulation. After
lunch, we will set off on our mountain bikes for an afternoon of exploring
the area surrounding Cape Tribulation. After returning for our evening
meal, we will take a guided night walk, searching for nocturnal wildlife.
We will spend the night at Cape Tribulation. The Cape, located 93 miles
(150 kilometers) north of Cairns, has gained renown as the place where
many rare and primitive rainforest plant species were first identified.
It is also the only place in Australia where the Great Barrier Reef meets
the Tropical Lowland Rainforest.
We will spend the day enjoying the wonders of
the Great Barrier Reef , taking in the beauty of this natural wonder as we try our hand at snorkeling. Our
visit will include a full five hours on the reef, including lunch and all snorkeling
gear. The more adventurous (and qualified) among us may elect to view the reef
from behind a scuba diving mask (at a slight additional cost). We will return
to Cape Tribulation for the evening.
We will spend the day paddling in our sea kayaks
along the beaches, near the margins of the tropical rainforests and over
the fringing reef. We will return to our accommodations for lunch, where
our drivers will meet the group for our return transfer. Before we depart,
there will be time to join a guided cruise on the Daintree River, the
home of estuarine crocodiles and other interesting wildlife specimens.
We will visit Mossman Gorge in the Daintree National Park, returning to
Cairns at about 6:30 in the evening. We will spend the night in Cairns.
Depart for home.
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