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Icons of Australia

13 daysAustralia

Discover the icons of Australia on this 13-day small group journey from Naarm (Melbourne) to Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef, and Warrane (Sydney), where natural wonders and vibrant cities unfold in seamless contrast. Gain a deeper cultural connection through MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences with the local Anangu people, explore Melbourne laneways, go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sydney Opera House, enjoy snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef and more. With a maximum of 24 guests, enjoy a balance of guided highlights and the freedom to explore at your own pace.

Length
13 days
Route
Melbourne to Sydney
Meals
12 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
Style
Small Group
Group size
48

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Highlights

  • Included HighlightsMAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience - Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a UNESCO Heritage World Heritage site, and witness unforgettable sunset and sunrise Join a guided Uluru Base Tour and hear stories of the Anangu MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience - Join an Anangu artist to try your hand at Aboriginal Dot Painting Walk through two of the tallest domes of Kata Tjuta at Walpa Gorge Cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef - a UNESCO World Heritage site Join a private guided tour of the Sydney Opera House Cruise around Sydney Harbour and see the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge Take a stroll along the promenade at Sydney’s Bondi Beach Learn about Indigenous art on a guided tour and Be My Guest lunch at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
  • Flight InformationDay 1: Flights to arrive prior to 12 noon into Melbourne Airport Day 13: Flights to depart anytime from Sydney Airport Airport to Hotel transfers are available to purchase on request. Flights to and from your tour are not included in the tour price. Internal-holiday flights Included Please note that prices include land and internal-holiday airfares, which AAT Kings will book to fulfil the holiday itinerary: Day 4: Melbourne to Ayers Rock Day 6: Ayers Rock to Cairns Day 9: Cairns to Sydney
  • What to bringWarm layers in cooler months Camera Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Water bottle
  • Fitness RequirementsLow level of fitness required.

Itinerary

  1. MelbourneDays 1–3
  2. UluruDays 4–5
  3. CairnsDays 6–7
  4. Great Barrier ReefDay 8
  5. SydneyDays 9–13
Day 1Welcome to MelbourneMelbourne

Arrive in Melbourne and settle into your hotel on the Yarra River. This evening, meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at South Wharf, a relaxed introduction that feels more personal in a small group setting.

Meals: Dinner

Stay: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne, Melbourne

Day 2Melbourne Sightseeing & Free TimeMelbourne

Discover Melbourne’s famous hidden streets and arcades with a guided Melbourne laneway tour. With smaller group sizes, you can access tucked-away corners and uncover richer local stories. The afternoon is yours to explore or join an Optional Experience* Phillip Island Penguin Parade tour, one of Australia’s most iconic wildlife encounters.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne, Melbourne

Day 3Melbourne Free TimeMelbourne

Enjoy the freedom to explore Melbourne your way. You might uncover its creative neighbourhoods, join a niche walking tour, or take an Optional Experience* Great Ocean Road day tour, a world-renowned coastal drive showcasing dramatic cliffs and the Twelve Apostles.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne, Melbourne

Day 4Melbourne - Uluru (Ayers Rock)Melbourne · Uluru

Travel to Uluru (Ayers Rock), where the vast outback landscape delivers one of Australia’s most iconic natural wonders. This evening, enjoy a sunset viewing experience with uninterrupted views of Uluru, made even more special in a smaller, more intimate group.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Desert Gardens, Uluru

Day 5Uluru & Kata TjutaUluru

Witness the sun rise over Uluru before going on an Uluru base walk, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where stories of the Anangu people bring deep cultural meaning to this sacred place. Another MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience awaits, where you will meet a local Anangu artist. Then travel to Kata Tjuta to walk among its striking domes, an experience that feels even more powerful away from large crowds.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Desert Gardens, Uluru

Day 6Uluru - Gimuy (Cairns)Uluru (Ayers Rock) · Cairns

Start your day with an optional experience to the exclusive Field of Light installation at sunrise, a truly unforgettable desert spectacle. Later, travel to tropical Gimuy (Cairns), where lush rainforest and reef await.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Hilton Hotel Cairns, Cairns

Cairns - Credit: Tourism FNQ
Day 7Cairns Free TimeCairns

A full day to personalise your Tropical North Queensland adventure with Optional Experiences. Choose from rainforest journeys, cultural encounters, or the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway tours, with the flexibility of small group travel allowing you to explore at your own pace. This evening, enjoy dinner on the Cairns waterfront, showcasing fresh regional seafood.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay: Hilton Hotel Cairns, Cairns

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway - Credit: Tourism & Events Queensland
Day 8Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier Reef

Today is a true highlight. Cruise to the Great Barrier Reef and immerse yourself in one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Snorkel among vibrant coral gardens or take in the underwater world from a semi-submersible, with a tropical lunch served onboard as you relax between experiences.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Hilton Hotel Cairns, Cairns

Take a 10-minute scenic flight to witness the iconic Great Barrier Reef from above in Australia
Day 9Cairns - Warrane (Sydney)Cairns · Sydney

Arrive in Warrane (Sydney) and enjoy some free time exploring the sights and sounds of this vibrant harbour city at your own pace.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Swissotel Sydney, Sydney

Sydney Harbour
Day 10Sydney HighlightsSydney

Explore Sydney’s icons, starting with a guided Sydney Opera House tour, followed by a harbour lunch cruise featuring local flavours and spectacular views. Later, visit Bondi Beach, where time and space allow for a more relaxed coastal experience.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Swissotel Sydney, Sydney

Icebergs Bondi Beach - Credit: Walter Bibikow
Day 11Sydney Free TimeSydney

Today is yours to shape. Spend more time discovering Sydney or join an Optional Experience* to the Blue Mountains, exploring World Heritage listed landscapes of dramatic escarpments and rainforest valleys.

Meals: Breakfast

Stay: Swissotel Sydney, Sydney

The Blue Mountains (optional)
Day 12SydneySydney

Enjoy a slower morning before visiting the Art Gallery of NSW for a guided experience focused on First Nations and Australian art. This cultural highlight is followed by a lunch celebrating native ingredients, providing a meaningful and memorable finale.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: Swissotel Sydney, Sydney

Art Gallery of NSW - Credit: Destination NSW
Day 13Farewell from SydneySydney

Your journey concludes in Sydney after an immersive exploration of Australia’s most iconic destinations, experienced with greater connection and ease in a small group.

Meals: Breakfast

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Hotels

Melbourne, Australia

3 nights

Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne

Hotel

Crowne Plaza Hotel Melbourne is located on Spencer Street on the fringe of the CBD. Just a short stroll to Crown Casino, Docklands and South Wharf, Crowne Plaza Melbourne is a Southbank hotel ideally situated on the bank of the Yarra River.

Hotel and room features

Hotel Restaurant, Bar, Gym, Pool, Room Service, 24-hour Front Desk

Room Air Conditioning, Telephone, Iron & ironing board, TV, Non smoking, Wi-Fi

Uluru, Australia

2 nights

Desert Gardens

Hotel

Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel: Imagine waking up to a sunrise view of ‎Uluru, blazing red under a sunny Outback sky. Perched within an oasis of native gardens, the hotel's 218 elegant guestrooms provide a relaxing retreat from a day of adventure and the resort’s only views of Uluru. It is centrally located to all resort and touring facilities and offers a range of accommodation, from Deluxe Rock View Rooms to Standard Rooms amidst towering gumtrees and garden beds dotted with native shrubs and flowers.

Hotel and room features

Room Air Conditioning, Iron & ironing board, Telephone, Safe, Tea & coffee facilities

Cairns, Australia

3 nights

Hilton Hotel Cairns

Hotel

Set amid tropical greenery on Cairns’ waterfront, this hotel is a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. The Reef Terminal is just 400 metres from the hotel’s front doors, and both the Boardwalk and Esplanade dining precincts are just a short 2 minute stroll.

Hotel and room features

Hotel Restaurant, Bar, Room Service, Gym, Laundry, Concierge

Room Air Conditioning, Iron & ironing board, Mini fridge, Non smoking, TV, Tea & coffee facilities, Telephone, Wi-Fi

Sydney, Australia

4 nights

Swissotel Sydney

Hotel

Our 369 airy, uncluttered rooms and suites boast intuitive modern design, premium comforts and city views – a tranquil retreat for a business trip, a weekend in the CBD or a Sydney holiday.

Hotel and room features

Hotel Restaurant, Bar, Spa, Pool, Gym, Laundry, Room Service, Concierge, Business Centre, 24-hour Front Desk

Room Air Conditioning, Iron & ironing board, Non smoking, Bathrobes and Slippers, Safe, TV, Tea & coffee facilities, Telephone, Mini fridge, Hairdryer, Mini Bar, Wi-Fi

What’s included

Optional experiences
  • Phillip Island - The Nobbies and Penguin Parade

    Paid on tour

  • Great Ocean Road And Twelve Apostles

    Paid on tour

  • Eureka Skydeck

    Paid on tour

  • Uluru Barbecue Dinner

    150 minutes

    Paid on tour

  • 20-minute scenic Flight of Uluru (Airplane)

    Paid on tour

  • Uluru & Kata Tjuta 25 min scenic Helicopter Flight

    Paid on tour

  • Field of Light Sunrise

    135 minutes

    Paid on tour

  • Kuranda, Skyrail And Scenic Railway

    465 minutes

    Paid on tour

  • Down Under Tours: Kuranda, Scenic Rail Skyrail and Hartley's Crocodile (KHC)

    645 minutes

    Paid on tour

  • Cape Tribulation, Daintree & Mossman

    Paid on tour

  • Hands on Country ECO Tour

    Paid on tour

  • Hot Air Cairns Classic Ballooning

    Paid on tour

  • Great Adventures Introductory Dive

    Paid on tour

  • Scenic Helicopter Flight on the Great Barrier Reef

    Paid on tour

  • Blue Mountains and Australian Wildlife

    9 hours

    Paid on tour

Dates and prices

Per person, twin share

From, per person$8,967

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