Days 1-2: London - In flight
Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service® transports you from your front door to London Heathrow Airport and your scheduled Qantas flight to Sydney via Dubai.
Day 3: Sydney
On arrival our coach transfers you to the Travelodge Wynyard, where your room will be ready for you to make home for the next three nights. Take some time to relax with the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 4: Sydney
A city tour introduces the highlights of Sydney, one of the world’s greatest cities. Dominated by ‘the coat hanger’ Sydney Harbour Bridge and the distinctive white sails of the Opera House, Sydney’s harbour is one of the most recognisable in the world. The 19th century Royal Botanical Gardens and Hyde Park, famed for its magnificent fig-tree-lined avenues, also reward a visit. In the early afternoon, we board a cruise vessel for an unforgettable exploration of Sydney from the water’s perspective, including lunch - see its sumptuous waterfront homes and its iconic harbour in more detail.
Day 5: Sydney
A full day at leisure to explore Sydney. A leisurely stroll from our hotel will take you through the charming old dockland streets of the Rocks - the area where the first British convicts settled, which retains much of its Victorian character thanks to the efforts of conservationists in the 1960s and 1970s, and now hosts numerous fine shops, galleries and restaurants. Nearby Circular Quay has some wonderful dining venues of its own. On the other side of the Quay is the unmistakable shape of the Opera House, which invites countless photo opportunities. Stroll through the Botanical Gardens, admiring the flora, and along historic Macquarie Street, a parade of grand colonial-style buildings including the State Conservatory of Music, Parliament House and the Mint, all designed by Englishman Francis Greenway, who was transported to Australia for forgery. Shopping opportunities abound in Sydney, but many of the best can be found on Pitt Street, running south of Circular Quay, and George Street, which boasts one of the most sublime shopping centres in the world - the Queen Victoria Building, with its three floors of bow-fronted shops adorned with marble, gilt, rich panelling and stained glass.
Day 6: Sydney - Melbourne
We take a morning flight to Melbourne and spend the afternoon familiarising ourselves with Victoria’s capital on a tour that takes in the fine contrast of Victorian, Edwardian and 21st century buildings that line wide boulevards plied by the ubiquitous trams, and its Botanical Gardens, a substantial part of the delightful parkland that comprises more than one third of this ‘garden city’. Another of Melbourne’s beautiful gardens, Fitzroy Gardens, is home to Cooks’ Cottage, built in England in 1755 and transported to Melbourne 180 years later. We spend the next three nights in the Travelodge Southbank.
Day 7: Melbourne
Today is yours to relax or see more of Melbourne independently. Take some time to enjoy the South Bank’s café culture and boutique shops, visit Queen Victoria Market, the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere, pop into the state library to see Ned Kelly’s hand-made armour, or take a tram to Melbourne Zoo to watch platypus play.
Day 8: Melbourne - Yarra Valley
We take a full-day tour to the Yarra Valley, sprawled between mountain and city. Renowned as one of the world’s greatest regions for food and wine, you’ll find acre after acre of lush orchards, vineyards and farmland. We get to enjoy the boundless scenes as we travel on the historic Puffing Billy Steam Train from Belgrave to Menzies Creek, and sample the local produce with wine tastings and lunch at a winery.
Excursion to the Yarra Valley, including lunch and steam train (all day)
Day 9: Melbourne - Cairns
Today we head to the airport for our flight to Cairns - gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Day 10: Great Barrier Reef
Stretching along 200km of coastline, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system. It’s even visible from space! But it’s not just the size that is impressive, it’s the wonderfully rich ecosystem that thrives in these waters. It is completely breathtaking and easily one of Australia’s most remarkable natural wonders - one of our most exciting stops on our Australia highlights tour.
Today you get to see the reef your way. We’ll head to Port Douglas, for an exhilarating catamaran journey across the blue Coral Sea to the reef, where you can choose to spend your time exploring as you wish. Perhaps snorkel in the sheltered coral lagoon, view the reef from the semi-submersible, take a trip in a glass-bottom boat or view its beauty from the underwater observatory.
Great Barrier Reef Cruise (all day)
Days 11-12: Cairns
Cairns is a cosmopolitan city with an easy going vibe. You’ll notice the pace of life slows right down. Even in the inner city, you’ll more likely see board shorts than briefcases.
Head down to the Pier for taste of the local life - here, an array of award-winning waterfront restaurants, cafés and bars congregate, or you could opt for a spot of shopping.
We’ll enjoy two days at leisure to explore it to its fullest. You might like to spend some time exploring the city’s great museums and galleries - specifically the aquarium, which houses a vast range of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef in miniature and some unique experiences. Or, take a trip into the surrounding tropical parks and forests to spot some of the many species of plants, birds, mammals and reptiles inhabiting the area
Day 13: Cairns - Kata Tjuta - Uluru
People from across Australia and the world travel to discover the icon of today’s itinerary - a real highlight of our Australia tour. Uluru is a site of deep cultural significance to the Aborigines, who now officially own the National Park in which is stands, and has inspired rock paintings and carvings for thousands of years.
We take a morning flight to Ayers Rock airport. On arrival, we’ll drop our bags at the hotel. This afternoon, we visit the Olgas, a collection of rounded rocks known to Aborigines as Kata Tjuta (‘Many Heads’), one of which, Mount Olga, is 200m taller than Uluru at 584m. We then head on to Australia’s most famous natural site, Uluru. We’ll spend some time taking in the sheer size of this great wonder (348m). Watch as the colours of the great rock change as the sun sets, with a glass of sparkling wine and canapés.
Visit to Kata Tjuta (morning) Sunset viewing of Uluru (afternoon)
Day 14: Uluru - Alice Springs
If you felt the spiritual connection yesterday, you’re in luck. We head back to Uluru early this morning to see it, quite literally, in a very different light. Watch as the twinkling stars disappear above us and the towering silhouette of Uluru appear in front as the sun rises from behind it.
Later, we journey towards Alice Springs, stopping for lunch en route. We arrive in ‘The Alice’, as it’s affectionately known’, with the rest of the day to explore this famous town. Just five streets wide, this small town might surprise you with its excellent museums, fine wildlife park and galleries of Indigenous art.
Sunrise tour of Uluru (morning)
Day 15: Alice Springs - Perth
This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight right across the country to Perth, in Western Australia (our flight may be via Darwin). It’s a mighty long way from the rest of Australia (around the same distance between London and Cairo!) and as such, the capital of the west really beats to the sound of its own drum.
Sprawling inner-city parks (the largest in the world), world-class cities and cuddly locals (like Rottnest Island’s quokkas) make this city a favourite spot in Australia for many. Plus it’s the gateway to the wilds of the west, with the likes of Margaret River and Ningaloo Reef waiting to be explored.
Day 16: Perth
We have an included tour of Perth to explore this very green city’s many parks and elegant array of turn-of-the-century buildings. During the course of our fascinating day we also visit Fremantle’s old port; where the town’s old-English colonial atmosphere is yours to enjoy, and take a cruise along the Swan River, passing the fabulous waterfront homes of Australia’s multi-millionaires.
City tour of Perth (morning) Fremantle river cruise (afternoon)
Day 17: Perth
A day at leisure to explore Western Australia’s capital including London Court, a small pedestrianised Tudor-style street complete with carved woodwork and gargoyles. With a charming atmosphere, small shops and quaint cafés, it’s a delightful respite from the surrounding skyscrapers. Or take one last opportunity to relax on one of the city’s sandy beaches.
Day 18: Perth - London Enjoy your last few hours in Perth before we transfer to the airport for our flight to London via Dubai.
Day 19 London
Arrival at London Heathrow Airport where our staff will greet you and transfer you to Titan transport for your journey home to your own front door.
