DAINTREE RAINFOREST AUSTRALIA Traversing Australia’s Outback, Coast, and Bush 16 DAYS | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: SEP - JUN Experience the best of Australia PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS on this 16-day adventure. See • Go off the beaten path to witness hazy blue forests, rock the iconic skyline of Sydney formations, and waterfalls in Blue Mountains National Park. on a harbor cruise, and take • Snorkel the colorful underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef. in the sprawling vistas of the • Explore Daintree, the oldest rainforest in the world, during hikes, Blue Mountains. Snorkel at a river cruise, and an off-road vehicle safari. the Great Barrier Reef, step • Venture into the heart of the Outback to Uluru and learn about the monolith’s cultural and spiritual significance to local into the Daintree Rainforest, Aboriginal people. and stroll along the shores of • Observe Australian wildlife such as koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, Cape Tribulation. Discover penguins, crocodiles, and cassowaries during excursions to a the spiritual significance of variety of habitats. enormous sandstone formations in the red-desert Outback, and WHAT’S INCLUDED? witness the “Penguin Parade” • Bilingual local guide on Phillip Island. No matter • Driver the landscape, you’ll enjoy • Accommodations active days, come face-to-face • Activities • Private transportation with Australia’s unique fauna, • Meals and learn more about the • Beverages with meals people who call this striking • Carbon offsetting SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE BY HAI LINH TRUONG country home. holbrooktravel.com | 800-451-7111 ITINERARY DAY 5 - BRISBANE After breakfast, check out and transfer to Sydney Domestic BLD = BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER Airport for the flight to Brisbane. Upon arrival Brisbane Airport transfer to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. The two hour drive takes you through open farmland and eucalyptus woodland, then into southeast Queensland’s coastal mountain range. Here, catch views of the magnificent Lamington National Park, which encompasses Australia’s most extensive remaining tract of subtropical rainforest and one of its richest wildlife areas. Sitting on a plateau, among mountain peaks, cliffs and gorges, lies O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. Check in on arrival, and spend the remainder of the day exploring your surroundings. Close to the Retreat you’ll meet Crimson Rosellas and King Parrots. You can walk along the rainforest trail down to the ancient “Wishing Tree,” an Antarctic Beech, for a chance to spot Bassian Thrush, Brown Thornbill, and more logrunners. Enjoy watching the pademelons, a type of small marsupial, from the deck of the Sunset Lounge before dinner at the hotel. KOALA BEARS Overnight at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. (BD) DAY 6 - BRISBANE DAY 1 - DEPARTURE This morning, after breakfast, enjoy a four hour private tour Depart the U.S. for the flight to Australia. with a guide from O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat to learn about the flora and fauna of Lamington National Park. This DAY 2 - IN TRANSIT afternoon, continue your own exploration of the Retreat’s Overnight flight crossing international dateline. surroundings. Overnight at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. (BD) DAY 3 - SYDNEY DAY 7 - CAIRNS Upon arrival early this morning at the airport in Sydney After an early breakfast, transfer to Brisbane Airport for your proceed through Immigration and Customs to the Arrivals flight to Cairns, in tropical north Queensland. On arrival at Hall. You will then transfer by private vehicle to your hotel, Cairns Airport transfer to your hotel, located on the Esplanade. located in Sydney’s Central Business District. Early this You will have the remainder of the day to explore your new afternoon, take a short walk to the Circular Quay for the surroundings. Overnight at Pacific Hotel Cairns. (B) Captain Cook Harbour Story Cruise on beautiful Sydney Harbour. The cruise will include views of Sydney’s iconic DAY 8 - CAIRNS landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour After breakfast, walk a short distance from your hotel to the Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Garden Island Naval base, Reef Fleet Terminal and board the Ocean Spirit, a 105 foot Taronga Zoo, Government House, palatial waterfront homes, sailing catamaran, for your day trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Fort Denison and more. On return to Circular Quay, make Arrive at Michaelmas Cay, the largest of the local uninhabited your way back to your hotel. Overnight at The Grace Hotel. coral cays. Here, you can snorkel in the cay’s protected shallow waters, cruise in the semi sub for a diver’s view of the reef, DAY 4 - SYDNEY watch the fish feeding presentation, and observe the island bird The Blue Mountains National Park is one of seven national life. Throughout the day, the “beach buggy shuttle” will transfer parks that make up the Greater Blue Mountains World you between the Ocean Spirit and the beach. If you prefer a Heritage Area, sprawling with sandstone outcrops, deep ravines, more leisurely day on the Great Barrier Reef, relax on the beach hazy blue eucalyptus forests and stunning views. Today, or on the catamaran’s spacious decks. Morning and afternoon venture off the beaten track with your guide to visit remote tea, buffet lunch, snorkeling equipment, buoyancy vests, and lookout locations and discuss the history, flora and fauna of this lycra suits are all provided. On return to Cairns and Marlin magnificent region. The first stop is at Calmsley Hill, a working Marina, walk the short distance back to your hotel. Overnight at farm also home to kangaroo, emu, wombat and koala. Enjoy Pacific Hotel Cairns. (BL) morning tea and time to wander at leisure. Continue to ascend the Blue Mountains via the highway then visit a stunning outlook over the Jamison Valley. Continue to Eaglehawk Lookout, a remote lookout point, for views of the famous Three Sisters rock formation. Lunch is at the Hydro Majestic Hotel. After lunch visit Govetts Leap a magnificent waterfall that drops a total of 590 feet to the base of a cliff before descending into Hartley Vale, a beautiful farmland valley. The last stop is at the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens where there’s time for a short inspection of the flora including the ancient Wollemi Pine (Wollemia Nobilis). Return to Sydney, arriving at your hotel early this evening. Overnight at The Grace Hotel. (BL) OUTBACK DAY 9 - CAIRNS sound of a didgeridoo. After dinner, stargaze with a resident Enjoy an early breakfast, then depart for a safari tour of star talker, and locate constellations, planets, and galaxies Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. As this is a full visible due to the exceptional clarity of the atmosphere. (An day tour, be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and upgrade to the internationally acclaimed art installation Field bring hats, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a water bottle. of Light is available at additional cost.) Overnight at Voyagers Drive north along the scenic Captain Cook Highway, learn Desert Garden. (BD) about the history of the area and admire spectacular views of the coastline and Coral Sea. Stop for a guided river cruise on DAY 12 - KINGSCOTE the Daintree River, home to estuarine crocodiles, mangrove After breakfast, transfer to Uluru Airport for your flight to forests, and endemic wildlife. Take a guided tour of the Adelaide via Alice Springs. On arrival at Adelaide Airport, ancient rainforest along elevated boardwalks in search for the collect your luggage and proceed to the Regional Express elusive Southern Cassowary. After a barbecue lunch, hand (REX) check in. *Check in baggage weight is restricted on feed wallabies before your tour continues onto the 4WD this flight, and you may have to place some of your luggage in Bloomfield Track to pristine Emmagen Creek, a hidden the secure locked area until your return to Adelaide Airport. gem of the rainforest, where you’ll have the opportunity to If so, a small fee will be incurred. From Adelaide, fly to swim without any crowds. Then, head to Cape Tribulation Kingscote on Kangaroo Island (airfare included in tour cost). Beach for a stroll along the beach and the boardwalk to the On arrival in Kingscote, check in at your hotel and enjoy photography platform. After a brief dinner. Overnight at Aurora Ozone refreshment stop, cross the Daintree Hotel.(BD) River by cable ferry and begin the DAY 13 - ADELAIDE journey back to the hotel. Overnight Embark on a full day wildlife at Pacific Hotel Cairns. (BL) tour of Kangaroo Island. Begin DAY 10 - ULURU the morning with a “cuppa” and Transfer to Cairns Domestic Airport homemade cakes before taking a for your flight to Uluru in Central trail walk through tall eucalyptus Australia. Upon arrival transfer to trees where koalas snooze Yulara Village and your hotel. (Note: overhead. Then travel to the north check-in not available until 3 pm, coast of the island and arrive at however, hotel reception will store Lathami Conservation Park, for luggage.) After check in and lunch a guided bush walk. Look for (at own expense), transfer to the wallabies, which are near extinct Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, on the mainland, and a subspecies the most profound and culturally of kangaroo that’s found nowhere significant monolith in Australia. else. Enjoy lunch at a private Please wear covered shoes and bush location, and sample local fish, fresh salads and fine South bring at least one liter of water, a PENGUIN PARADE fly net screen, and a full brimmed Australian wines. In the afternoon, hat. As you enter the park, your head to Seal Bay Conservation first stop allows for a photographic Park, for a guided beach walk opportunity of Uluru and its towering presence. Head to the among Australian sea lion, and learn about their breeding Mutitjulu Waterhole, to learn the creation stories of Liru (the biology.