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Global Adrenaline's "Best of Australia"
tour is designed to provide a diverse perspective on this vast country
- ranging from the "wilds of Tasmania" to the rugged outback
and then on to the marvelous Great Barrier Reef. The tour is conducted
over a three-week time frame, enabling our trip participants plenty of
opportunities for in-depth activities and cultural interactions.
We will begin our tour in Sydney, recovering from
any residual jetlag as we explore this spectacular 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
Hobart.
Upon our arrival in Hobart,
we will tour the colonial city before traveling up Tasmania's east coast
to
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| Ayers Rock. (Red Centre, Australia) |
Freycinet National Park. In Freycinet, we will sea
kayak in Coles Bay, and hike, rock climb and abseil in Freycinet National
Park. From Freycinet, we will travel on to Cradle Mountain, where we will
spend six days hiking the famous Overland Track. Our itinerary then shifts
into a different gear, with a flight to Alice Springs, located in the heart
of Australia's "Red Centre." In the Red Centre, we will spend
a day in our 4WD vehicles touring the Western MacDonnell Ranges and visiting
the Hermannsburg Aboriginal Community. This exciting episode will be followed
by visits to Palm Valley, Kings Canyon, Ayers Rock and the Olgas. Our guides
will provide the information you need to make your own
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| Group atop Mount Amos, Freycinet National
Park. (Tasmania, Australia) |
decisions about climbing these sacred rocks. We
will finish our time in the outback at the Chambers Pillar, situated at
the edge of the Simpson Desert, before we return to Alice Springs and then
fly 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 follow that 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! In order to enjoy the trekking portion of this trip, you should
be fit enough to carry a medium-sized backpack (with personal belongings
and clothing) over mountain tracks for 9-13 miles (15-20 kilometers),
entailing approximately 6-8 hours of walking per day. If you are not a
regular walker, we strongly recommend that you begin taking daily walks
6 to 8 weeks ahead of our departure date, gradually increasing the distance
that you cover. Hill walking is advisable in your preparation.
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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 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
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| Sydney Opera House. (Sydney, Australia) |
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 fly to Hobart, where we will begin our
Tasmanian adventure with a tour of this fascinating capital city. Hobart,
Australia's second oldest and southernmost capital city, has retained
much of its rich colonial heritage, including beautiful Georgian buildings
and a picturesque harbor lorded over by beautiful vistas of Mount Wellington.
Hobart has a very relaxed atmosphere, perhaps attributable to its small
population of approximately 125,000 people. Hobart is not like any other
Australian capital city; in many ways, it resembles an English port town
more than it does the modern cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
We will overnight in Hobart.
In the morning, we will drive to Port Arthur where
we will tour one of Australia's most famous convict settlements. After
a few hours spent in the settlement, we will travel on to Bicheno Wildlife
Park,
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| Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. (Sydney, Australia) |
where we will overnight.
We will spend a whole day sea kayaking in Freycinet
National Park, returning to Bicheno for the evening. The park, set on
the Freycinet Peninsula, is an ideal location for adventure activities
amongst the spectacular granite peaks and pristine wilderness coastlines
of Tasmania's magnificent eastern coast. We will spend the day exploring
this picturesque shoreline and the offshore islands of Coles Bay, while
absorbing the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area. After relaxing
at lunch on a secluded beach, we will have time for a refreshing swim
or snorkel.
In the morning, we will hike to the top of Mount
Amos, where we will enjoy, along with our lunch, a fantastic view out
over the turquoise waters of world-renowned Wineglass Bay, with its beautiful
and secluded white sand beaches. Along the Mount Amos trail can sometimes
be seen several typical species of Australian wildlife, such as the Tasmanian
devil, the wallaby, the potaroo and the koala. In the afternoon, we will
continue on to Launceston, where we will spend the night.
The first day of our six-day Cradle Mountain trek
begins with a drive from Launceston through the historic countryside of
Deloraine and Sheffield. The walk begins at the romantic Waldheim Chalet
in Cradle Valley, where we will likely be greeted by inquisitive wallabies.
From Cradle Valley, we will climb onto the alpine plateau where we will
enjoy spectacular views of Dove and Crater Lakes. Lunch will be served
below the spires of Cradle Mountain or at Fury Gorge. Our afternoon walk
will continue along the rim of the glacial cirque before it threads its
way down through Waterfall Valley. The night will be spent at Barn Bluff
Hut, which nestles beneath majestic Cradle Mountain. This day includes
approximately 7 miles (11 kilometers) of hiking spread out over approximately
5 hours.
Crossing the sedgeland moors, today's trail will
take us past many glacial tarns. We generally
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| Port Arthur. (Tasmania, Australia) |
reach the shores of Lake Windermere in time for
lunch. In the afternoon, we will enjoy spectacular views of the Lemonthyme
Forests from the Forth Valley lookout. The Pine Forest Moor Hut, where we
will spend the night, is located on the edge of the forest. This day includes
approximately 8 miles (12 kilometers) of hiking spread out over approximately
6 hours.
The walk follows the historic Innes Track sheltered
below Mount Pelion West, mainly through rainforest. We will make a stop
at Frog Flats, at the headwaters of the Forth River. The final section
of the day's walk will take us on to the Pelion Plains, where tonight's
camp, the Pelion Hut, is located. This day includes approximately 6 miles
(10 kilometers) of hiking spread out over approximately 4 hours.
As we head out on today's trail, we will be able
to enjoy spectacular views of the southwest wilderness from Pelion Gap.
The gap is the best place to begin an ascent of Mount Ossa, Tasmania's
highest peak. Our afternoon's walk will take us to Kia Ora Hut, below
Cathedral
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| Canoeing with Cradle Mountain in the background. (Tasmania, Australia)
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Mountain. This day includes approximately 5.5 miles
(9 kilometers) of hiking spread out over approximately 4 hours. The Mount
Ossa climb would add approximately 3-4 hours of hiking time to the day's
itinerary.
We will begin the day with a visit to the beautiful
'leatherwood garden' at the historic Du Cane Hut. The early afternoon
hours will find us meandering along the Mersey River, visiting the spectacular
waterfalls at D'Alton, Fergusson and Hartnett Falls. Our evening destination,
the hut at Windy Ridge, is reached through magical myrtle forests. This
day includes approximately 5.5 miles (9 kilometers) of hiking spread out
over approximately 4 hours.
The northern shores of Lake St. Clair are reached
through fragrant eucalyptus forests. From the forest's edge, we will embark
on an 11-mile (17 kilometer) excursion by boat along the shores of Tasmania's
deepest and most spectacular lake. Leaving the Overland Track behind us
as we cross the waters of this beautiful lake, we will bring our Cradle
Mountain trek to a fitting and memorable conclusion. The return trip to
Launceston, where we will overnight, will take us through the trout fishing
mecca of the highland lakes, descending the rugged Western Tiers to the
pastoral landscapes of Cressy and Longford. This day includes approximately
5.5 miles (9 kilometers) of hiking spread out over approximately 3 hours.
Our trip will abruptly change gears with a flight
to Alice Springs. After getting settled in, the remainder of the day will
be yours to spend at your leisure. Alice Springs is the largest town in
the center of Australia. It was founded in 1870 as a staging point for
the overland telegraph line, although its present-day traffic is largely
comprised of tourists visiting nearby Ayers Rock (Uluru) and those passing
through on trips between Darwin to the north and Adelaide to the south.
Alice Springs is truly an "outback town," built on the banks
of the perpetually dry Todd River. We will overnight in Alice Springs.
Our adventure will proceed next through the Red
Centre, beginning with the striking scenery of the Western MacDonnell Ranges. Along the way, we will
visit the unique rock formations of Ellery Creek Big Hole and Glen Helen
Gorge, before taking a hike around the spectacular Ormiston Gorge. We will
travel through Tyler's Pass by way of Gosse Bluff, a crater believed to
be 130 million years old, with the Hermannsburg Aboriginal Community as
our goal. The track of the ancient Finke River will lead us to the home
of Albert Namitjira, the famous Aboriginal painter, from whence we will
4WD into Palm Valley for our overnight bush camp.
We will spend the day exploring Palm Valley, including
the Cycad Gorge. We will see one of the world's rarest trees, the tropical
palm Livistonia Mariae, during our stay in this scenic national park.
After we've completed our tour of Palm Valley, we'll head on towards Kings
Canyon, following the Mereenie Track. At Kings Canyon, we'll enjoy a relaxing
afternoon before digging into great camp-oven cooking and settling in
for the night.
In the morning, we will explore the spectacular
Kings Canyon, viewing such magnificent formations as the "Amphitheatre,"
"The Lost City," the picturesque "Garden of Eden,"
and the breathtaking North and South Walls. After lunch, we will depart
for the world-famous Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, where we will begin
our explorations in this region with an afternoon visit to the wonder
of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and a hike into the Valley of the Winds. In
the evening, we will return to our campsite to enjoy champagne as we watch
the desert sun set over Uluru (Ayers Rock). After a
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| 4WD action. (Red Centre, Australia). |
hearty dinner at our campsite, we will curl up
for the night under the millions of stars in an authentic Aussie "swag"
(bedroll), marveling at the brilliance of the outback sky spread above
us.
An early start is required for one of the highlights
of our tour: the Uluru (Ayers Rock) sunrise. The challenge of the optional
Uluru climb is richly rewarded with an incredible view of the rock and
the changing light on the desert floor as the sun rises in the morning
sky. This spectacular experience is followed by a base tour, where we
will explore the rock's mysterious formations and its Aboriginal art sites.
A visit to the Cultural Centre will offer the chance to view and purchase
Aboriginal arts and crafts. After lunch, we will make our way to Rainbow
Valley for our evening camp.
After our flight into Cairns, the remainder of
the day will be yours to explore at your leisure 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
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| Rim of King's Canyon. (Red Centre, Australia). |
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.
The tropical rainforests of North Queensland have
remained unchanged for millions of years. They are replete with rare plants
and primitive animals. We will walk deep into the forest, where we'll
encounter some of these unusual plants and animals, as well as a series
of beautiful waterfalls. Using low impact camping methods, we'll sleep
in hammocks under the rainforest canopy. After we wake to a chorus of
birds, we'll roll out of our beds to a big breakfast, the beginning of
a second day of exploration in this lush environment. We'll have time
to swim or simply kick back and enjoy the beautiful world of a tropical
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. 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 Cairns for the evening.
Depart for home.
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