AAA Hoosier - AAA Sojourns Vacations

Detailed Description
Itinerary

Package details include:

Our suggested itinerary begins in Sydney where you will enjoy deluxe accommodations at the Four Seasons Hotel. A half-day city tour introduces you to the iconic Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, Harbour Bridge, historic Rocks area and Bondi Beach. The following day, head west on a four-wheel drive tour of Blue Mountains National Park. Led by a knowledgeable guide, see native birds, kangaroos and other animals in their natural habitats and view outstanding Aboriginal rock art thousands of years old. You'll also enjoy gourmet dining and wine at a traditional Australian BBQ lunch.

Spend a free day in Sydney before journeying inland to the outback's Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, the home of the Olgas and Ayers Rock, also known by its Aboriginal name of Uluru. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the world's largest monolith and is sacred to the Aboriginal people of the area. You'll enjoy 5-star amenities at the eco-sensitive Voyages Longitude 131° luxury wilderness camp where you’ll sleep in a king-size bed and have a premier view of the sunset glowing on the massive rock formation from your private terrace. Explore the gigantic rock formations and their hidden springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings on a choice of optional tours.

On to the northern city of Cairns where you will spend four nights at your luxury hotel and enjoy two full-day excursions. First, head to Agincourt Reef on the Great Barrier Reef where you'll discover the extraordinary marine life at the outer edge of the continental shelf. Then return to Cairns by helicopter, gliding above pure white sand cays on the lookout for sea turtles and manta rays. The following day, venture inland to the Wet Tropics World Heritage protected rainforest of Daintree National Park. Your guide will help you spot lizards, birds, butterflies and a variety of rare and ancient plants. On the way back to Cairns, savor a final panoramic postcard view from Alexandra Range Lookout – a scenic and satisfying conclusion to your Australian adventure!

Price includes:
• 8 nights deluxe hotel accommodations: 4 nights at Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney and 4 nights at Shangri La Hotel in Cairns
• 2 nights at the Voyages Longitude 131° luxury wilderness camp in Uluru (Ayers Rock); this portion of the tour also includes round-trip airport/hotel transfers; daily breakfast, lunch and dinner with select beverages; National Park Entry Fee; and exclusive touring options
• Half-day Essential Sydney tour
• Full-day Blue Mountains High Country tour with traditional Australian BBQ lunch
• Full-day Agincourt Reef Cruise with buffet lunch and helicopter return flight to Cairns
• Full-day Daintree Wanderer 4WD tour with rainforest-inspired lunch
• Round-trip private airport/hotel transfers in Sydney and Cairns

Note: Airfare to/from the U.S. and on-tour internal flights are not included but can be added. The itinerary can also be customized to add fewer or more nights in any city and additional or alternate sightseeing is also available. Please inquire at the time of booking.

Day 1 - Arrive Sydney
Upon arrival in Sydney, you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Accommodation: Four Seasons Hotel - 4 nights

Day 2 - Essential Sydney
Sightseeing today includes the historic Rocks precinct, where the city of Sydney was originally established. Explore the convict-built cottages, pubs and the first church in Australia. Climb Observatory Hill for views of Anzac Bridge and Darling Harbour. Cross the magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge and travel through the leafy northern suburbs before arriving at the seaside town of Manly. Continue to North Head for unrivalled views of the Harbour. Travel to the Botanical Gardens and pass through Macquarie Street to will see Australia’s first Parliament House, Mint, Hyde Park Barracks and St Mary’s Cathedral. Lunch is at the Botanical Gardens Pavilion, offering splendid views and excellent food.

The tour continues down to Mrs. Macquarie’s chair, situated on the water’s edge. Continue through Woolloomooloo, Kings Cross and onto Darling Point, one of Sydney’s most affluent suburbs. Then pass by Double Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse and Watsons Bay, before traversing along the coastline to Sydney’s most famous beach, Bondi. Here you will have some time to soak up the atmosphere of this beachside Mecca. Stroll down the esplanade with the locals and maybe enjoy an ice cream. We will then make our way back to Sydney via the vibrant Oxford Street and the suburb of Paddington. Admire this boutique shopping precinct and the charming Georgian and Victorian architecture of the homes as you head back to your hotel. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at your leisure.

Day 3 - Blue Mountains High Country Tour
This morning, head west of Sydney towards the historical towns of Windsor and Richmond. Some of Sydney’s earliest history can be found in these quaint villages. Enjoy some beautiful homemade morning tea at the foot of the mountains. Continuing on you’ll cross the Nepean River at the charming village of Yarramundi, where you will stop to view a myriad of native Australian birds in their natural wetland environment. Not far from here you’ll enter the Blue Mountains National Park and view some outstanding Aboriginal rock art. Hidden in thick bushland, you will be amazed at the detail of artworks that are thousands of years old. The steep ascent of the mountains continues as you arrive at Hawkesbury Heights for outstanding views over the Sydney basin.

Next it is on to the town of Blackheath, deep in the heart of the Blue Mountains, for a traditional Australian barbecue under the canopy of the bush. Enjoy world-class food and wine in unique surroundings and experience the plethora of wildlife that surrounds you. Later drop into a hidden valley where you will seek out the many kangaroos that graze in the wild, before returning to Sydney.

Day 4 - Sydney at Leisure
Today is free for you to explore the sights of Sydney at your own pace.

Days 5 & 6 - Sydney / Uluru (Ayers Rock)
This morning, depart Sydney and fly to Uluru (flight at additional cost). You will be met and transferred by four-wheel drive from Uluru Airport to your accommodation. Luxurious, eco-sensitive and romantic, the Voyages Longitude 131° offers immersion in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, complete with 5-star amenities and private views of the sun setting over Uluru (Ayers Rock). This award-winning luxury wilderness camp in Australia’s red center, set atop an isolated sand dune, has achieved new heights in eco-tourism. In the crisp white linen of a king size bed you will enjoy the serene, silent sleep of the desert. Above the sweeping canopy of your palatial tent floats a greater canopy, endless and sparkling: star constellations brimming with tales and stories of the Anangu, the local Aboriginal people. While here, we suggest joining one of the scheduled tours of the park which are offered daily.
Accommodation: Voyages Longitude 131° - 2 nights

Day 7 - Uluru / Cairns
This morning, transfer to Uluru Airport for your flight from Uluru to Cairns (flight at additional cost). Upon arrival in Cairns, you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel. Cairns is a modern, tropical city surrounded by lush sub-tropical rainforests and is the tourism gateway to Australia’s far north, including the Barrier Reef and the vast wilderness of the Cape York Peninsula.
Accommodation: Shangri La Hotel - 4 nights

Day 8 - Agincourt Reef Tour
Transfer to Port Douglas by coach before cruising to Agincourt Reef on a catamaran to the multi-level floating Platform at Agincourt Reef, located on the very outer edge of the continental shelf. There are facilities for both swimmers and non-swimmers to experience this stunning reef world. You may explore the reef by snorkeling, from a semi-submersible vehicle, or through the Underwater Observatory. Both a hot and cold buffet lunch will be provided.

Upon your return, experience a scenic helicopter flight over pure white sand cays and see the amazing kaleidoscope of colors that is the Great Barrier Reef. Our pilot will show you the wonders that live beneath the sea. Search for sea turtles, manta rays and dugong, and then return over white sandy beaches to the picturesque City of Cairns.

Day 9 - Daintree Wanderer 4WD Tour
Today, depart Cairns by four-wheel drive for the Wet Tropics World Heritage protected rainforest region of Daintree National Park. Journey up the beautiful Alexandra Range, making a stop for home-style morning tea at the Jindalba boardwalk. At Jindalba (the Aboriginal name for this place) you will take a guided walk to view plants of ancient lineage as well as relatively more recent flowering plant species. Stop at Thornton Beach and learn about the amazing wildlife and ecosystems unique to this part of the world where the rainforest meets the sea. Lunch is a special treat of tropical rainforest-inspired local produce. You have the chance for a private rainforest walk here as well, spotting lizards, birds, butterflies and maybe even marsupials!

After lunch, visit an orchard to see exotic tropical fruits and beautiful species of flowering plants, both native and introduced. The last stop will be the panoramic postcard view from Alexandra Range Lookout. From here you'll have a spectacular view of the mouth of the Daintree River, Snapper Island, and on a clear day, Port Douglas. A final treat for the day is the crossing on the Daintree River Ferry, the iconic punt which transfers you out of the World Heritage rainforest and onto your homeward road. You will be back at your hotel early in the evening.

Day 10 - Cairns at Leisure
Today is free for you to explore the sights of Cairns at your leisure.

Day 11 - Depart Cairns
This morning, you will be met and transferred to Cairns Airport to connect with your flight home.