• Services of a professional tour leader
• All transportation by Mercedes or Toyota mini-bus
• 15 nights hardtop & 26 nights camping accommodation
• All camping equipment (except your sleeping bag)
• Visit Canberra & Adelaide
• 2 nights in Melbourne & Alice Springs
• Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles
• Winery stops and wine tasting
• Hiking at Mt Remarkable National Park
• Opal mine tour and gem cutting demonstration
• Sleep underground in a dugout motel in Coober Pedy
• Entry fees and hiking at Ayers Rock
• Explore Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)
• Kings Canyon hike
• Working Camel Ranch visit
• Remote bush camp experience
• Hiking at the Devils Marbles
• Manyallaluk Aboriginal Experience
• Katherine Gorge Cruise
• Yellow Water Billabong Cruise
• Ubir and Nourlangie Aboriginal Art sites
• Entry fees to World Heritage Kakadu National Park
• Litchfield National Park
• Mataranka Hot Springs
• Full day Outer Barrier reef cruise incl. snorkelling
• Rainforest hiking
• Full day on our cattle station incl. horseback and motorbike riding
• Two days & nights on Great Keppel Island
• Two full days 4WD adventure on Fraser Island
• Koala & wildlife Sanctuary visit
• Byron Bay & lighthouse
• PLUS HEAPS MORE WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED

Flexible Itinerary for Guide Only
The itinerary shown below is intended as a guide only indicating a typical itinerary & series of activities. While our intention is to adhere to the published day by day route, the itinerary, distance traveled, type of accommodation and available activities may vary due to group input, weather, road conditions & local restrictions. Early or late season treks can be affected by extreme weather.

Much of this trek will be planned on the road to take in the best that Australia has to offer, so flexibility is the main ingredient.

Departs our Sydney hotel at 0730 hrs

1. Canberra (YH)
2. Lakes Entrance (YH)
3. Melbourne (H)
4. Melbourne (H)
5. Port Fairy (CB)
6. Meningie (C)
7. Adelaide (C)
8. Mt Remarkable National Park (C)
9. Coober Pedy (BK)
10. Ayers Rock (C)
11. Ayers Rock (C)
12. Kings Canyon (C)
13. Alice Springs (C)
14. Alice Springs (C)
15. Bush Camp (BC)
16. Manyallaluk (C)
17. Katherine Gorge (C)
18. Kakadu National Park (C)
19. Kakadu National Park (C)
20. Litchfield National Park (BC)
21. Darwin (YH)
22. Darwin (YH)
23. Mataranka Hot Springs (C)
24. Bush Camp (BC)
25. Mt Isa (C)
26. Leichardt Lagoon (BC)
27. Bush Camp/ Hot Springs (BC)
28. Cairns (H)
29. Great Barrier Reef- Cairns (H)
30. Mission Beach (C)
31. Mission Beach (C)
32. Mission Beach (C)
33. Airlie Beach (C)
34. Airlie Beach (C)
35. Great Keppel Island (YH)
36. Great Keppel Island (YH)
37. Cattle Station (HS)
38. Fraser Island (C)
39. Fraser Island (C)
40. Surfers Paradise (YH)
41. Coffs Harbour (CB)
42. Sydney

Tour may operate in either direction

BC = Bush Camp     BK = Bunkhouse
C = Camping  CB = Cabin   H = Hotel/Motel   
HS = Homestead   YH = Youth Hostel

Tour Description
Say a fond farewell to Sydney on our first day takes as we head to Australia’s largest city, Canberra, the nations’ capital. Take a tour through Parliament House, visit the National Art Gallery, War Memorial & Lake Burley Griffen or take a look at the nation's capital from one of the many lookouts around the city.

We head down to the south coast and the Lakes Entrance before arriving at Melbourne, Australia’s most cosmopolitan city. You’ll have plenty of time to appreciate this attractive city where you can sample a diverse range of international cuisine or catch a traditional Aussie rules football game.

Leaving Melbourne, we head West on the Great Ocean Road, one of the most scenic coastal stretches in the world, famed for dramatic rock formations, such as the Twelve Apostles and the amazing Shipwreck Coast. We continue on over the Victorian/South Australian border and visit the volcanic Blue Lake in Mount Gambier. We’ll camp at Coorong National Park where you’ll see an abundance of pelicans and other wildlife. Next we’ll take you through South Australia’s wine growing region, the McLaren Vale, to try some of the local vintage.

After stopping in South Australia’s capital, Adelaide, we’ll go hiking in Mt Remarkable National Park, spotting wild kangaroos and emus at a fantastic lookout over the surrounding gulf country before heading back to our semi bush camp. Marvel at the changing scenery on the Stuart Highway as we head into the true outback interior and Coober Pedy. Take an opal mine tour - a great opportunity to purchase opals from the miners themselves. Tonight we will sleep underground in a dugout motel after a night out with the locals.

You will really appreciate how big and flat this country is as we cross the border into the Northern Territory and head towards Uluru (Ayers Rock). Our first view of the mighty monolith will be at sunset, so you can witness the changing shades of red of this aweinspiring natural splendour. The following day we will hike around the base of Uluru, learning some of the aboriginal legends that abound in this World Heritage Area. We’ll also visit the excellent cultural centre before heading to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), a series of large dome shaped rocks. The third natural wonder in this area is King’s Canyon. We’ll hike the challenging Rim Trail, seeing the Garden of Eden, a chasm filled with palm trees and take in some stunning views across the Canyon.

We'll head to Alice Springs via Kings Creek Station where there is an opportunity for you to take a quad bike or camel ride. We have a free day to take time out in Alice Springs. "The Alice" is home to some of the world's best hot air ballooning, complete with a champagne breakfast. Consider taking an optional day trip through the Western MacDonnell Ranges where you can see Simpson's Gap, the Ochre Pits or even hike around Ormiston Gorg; visit the Desert Park, go shopping or just hang out at the pool. There's the chance to hit the town in the evening for a meal out and maybe one of the local clubs or bars.

Heading North again, stopping at the Devil’s Marbles for some great photos and a hike before arriving at our "bush camp" for the night. We’ll then spend a night at Manyallaluk, an Aboriginal camp where you will learn more about this ancient culture. Learn how to throw a spear or even "make fire" using two sticks. Find out how the aboriginals existed for thousands of years in harmony with their surroundings. The aboriginals themselves teach these ancient skills. They will take us on a hike to learn more about "Bush Tucker". An excellent opportunity to purchase didgeridoos, paintings and woven baskets from the people who make them, and all the money stays in the community.

Next stop is Katherine Gorge, where we’ll take a cruise up two of the magnificent natural gorges carved by the Katherine river. Then we’ll enter the unspoilt wilderness of Kakadu National Park, one of the highlights of the Northern Territory. Catch the Yellow Waters Billabong Cruise and view crocodiles, birds, snakes & dingos who abound in this area. Then we head off to Nourlangie Rock to view the aboriginal art sites. Take a break at the visitor centre before going out to Ubir Rock for the stunning sunset over the escarpment.

For our final night we’ll camp by a crystal clear waterfall
in Litchfield National Park. Time for a swim then a walk down to the base of Florence Falls. Learn about the magnetic termite mounds before heading to the city of Darwin and a free day to sleep in or explore the city at your own pace.

We leave Darwin and Australia’s Top End, stopping at Edith Falls for a swim before arriving at the tranquil Mataranka Hot Springs for a soak in the palm shaded thermal pools.

The next few days will be a real outback adventure as we cross the remote landscapes of North Eastern Queensland. You’ll get a real feel for the vastness and emptiness of much of Australia’s interior. We'll head down the track to Daly Waters and then camp on the banks of the McArthur River, a good opportunity to have a roast dinner cooked in the coals of the fire. We travel through the flat Savannah Plains and head into exciting Queensland with our overnight camping stop at the mining town of Mt Isa, complete with swimming pool and great facilities.

Next to Cloncurry, where we take time to visit the "Flying Doctor Museum". Travel through some vastly changing country to see the unique "Gulflander" train and historic Normanton.This evening we will camp on the banks of Leichhardt Lagoon where we may be lucky enough to experience a unique sunset and walk around the edge of the lagoon and view the many water birds. Tonight we will have a huge fire and a damper cooked in the coals. After passing through several small gold mining towns like Croydon & Georgetown we arriving at hot springs and our last night "out-bush."

Crossing the Atherton Table lands we'll head into Cairns where a full day on our multi-million dollar sailing boat awaits. We’ll cruise to the Outer Barrier Reef where you can snorkel or dive some of the best sites and marvel at the vast array of marine life living in the most extensive reef system in the world. Enjoy wine & nibbles with the crew for the sail back to Cairns. A day you will remember for the rest of your life.

Mission Beach is our next destination. For those with a strong sense of adventure there is adrenaline pumping white water rafting or sea kayaking. Alternatively take the daily boat service out to Dunk Island and try the unsurpassed rainforest hikes or even muster the courage to go tandem sky-diving. There are also some great rainforest walks, where you might spot a cassowary. For a more leisurely day simply lounge on Mission Beach and work on your suntan.

Our next stop is Airlie Beach, from where you can access the beautiful paradise that is the Whitsunday Islands and some of the most picturesque sailing in the world. The choice today is yours. Choose between a full day on a fast Maxi sailing yacht, take a cruise to a millionaire's resort, catch a launch to discover the underwater observatory, bunjee jump, sky-dive, jet-ski or just lie by the pool! In the evening you can check out a live band & the local nightlife

Heading South, we take a ferry to Great Keppel Island where you will have a full day tomorrow to try a multitude of water sports or just relax on one of the island’s stunning beaches. Back to the mainland and stay on the range and enjoy country life on a working cattle station where you can horse back ride, join a 4WD tour of the station or maybe even grab a farm motorbikes and help out with the day to day chores on this 2,600 acre property and enjoy some traditional Australian country hospitality.

Our next stop is one of the tour’s highlights - Fraser Island. We’ll pick up our 4WD vehicles and then after a short ferry crossing to Fraser Island we'll have two days to explore the world's largest sand island, explore old shipwrecks, wonder on deserted beaches and see crystal clear lakes and wild dingoes.

Back on the mainland we head South and have an optional stop at Australia Zoo, home of Steve Irwin "Crocodile Hunter" before arriving at Surfer’s Paradise where you can take a surfing lesson. After a short drive to Byron Bay, you'll see Australia's most easterly point and light-house. You might spot some dolphins playing in the surf or a whale if the season is right. After a final night in beach cabins at Coffs Harbour we’ll continue heading south down the coast and will stop at a koala breeding park and wildlife sanctuary to take close ups of our native animals before arriving into Sydney where we began 6 weeks ago and the end of our Big Trek adventure.

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