One Week Down Under: Iconic Australia Itinerary
What to expect on this itinerary
From watching the sunset in Uluru to cruising the Parramatta River, this handcrafted one-week Australian adventure will lead you on an exclusive journey to Australia’s icons in addition to incorporating tropical Queensland and Sydney’s most exclusive experiences. Australia is a land of icons and legends that can be mostly discovered in just about a week. Indulge in aboriginal encounters in an ancient forest, magnificent landscapes from the Great Barrier Reef to the red desert, and contemporary city wonder beside the beach.
Customizable Itinerary
Port Douglas – Rest and Relaxation
After landing at Cairns International Airport, you will be transferred to Port Douglas. While Cairns is a nice town, it does not actually have its own beach. Port Douglas is smaller, quieter, and draped along a brilliant stretch of sand. Today will be at your leisure. It is great to start slow, even if you only have a week. Once you have settled in to your accommodation, you can stroll barefooted along the Pacific, bask in the shade of towering trees, and check out a low-slung town that is dominated by cafe terraces and boutiques. There is so much to do during your one week in Australia, so take today to rest and ease into the atmosphere down under.
What's Included:
Port Douglas – Aboriginal Experiences
Port Douglas – The Great Barrier Reef
Uluru – Magnificent Uluru Sunset
Sydney – Parramatta Dinner Cruise
Sydney – Climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Uncover ancient secrets during a day of Aboriginal encounters near Port Douglas, where you will meet three different Aboriginal clans
- Embrace Sydney’s iconicity on a beautiful private tour through the old center and an evening show at Sydney Opera House
- Marvel at Uluru as sunset casts fresh colors across the world’s largest monolith
- Helicopter over the Great Barrier Reef and touch down to some incredible private snorkeling on untrammeled reefs
- Cruise through Sydney after dark on a sublime Parramatta dinner cruise
- Escape to the wilderness for a night with the Southern Sky at a remote red desert camp
- Lay back on Australia’s stunning beaches, including Bondi and Coogee in addition to a three-night waterfront stay in Port Douglas
Detailed Description
Australia is an enormous country. Tropical coastlines blur into a wild red center, indigenous forests meet with rolling mountains, and even the cities are defined by nature. Although it is massive, a superb travel infrastructure means that you can comfortably combine a full range of experiences in a short amount of time. This itinerary has been handcrafted to combine Australia’s icons and legends into one week of travel. Three nights in Port Douglas celebrate the country’s exotic allure, including beautiful Aboriginal encounters, the Great Barrier Reef, and a superb beachside lodge. Then, Uluru offers a dazzling 24-hour experience in the red desert wilderness before Sydney becomes an experience with a vibrant city energy.
To begin your journey, you will fly into Cairns and find nearby Port Douglas to be a perfect place to unwind after a long flight. Here, you can wander golden beaches, bask in the vibe down under, and gaze across the Pacific with your feet in the sand. On day two, you will meet three different Aboriginal clans, which will be a journey on land and water into the unique specialisms of these often misunderstood people. Exploring an indigenous forest with a local guide will help you understand bush survival before hunting and gathering along the coast shows you a different side to the culture. Afterward, an Aboriginal artist will help you record your day in true Aboriginal style by teaching you how to do a local form of art. Their artwork, which typically takes the form of paintings with dots and lines, reflects one way these people narrate their histories.
Afterward, you will fly directly to Uluru to explore the giant red rock at sunset. Here, you can walk around its sublime frame and gaze in disbelief at its size. Colors changes are remarkable out here, and the sense of wilderness will continue at your remote desert camp, where you will dine beneath the Southern Sky and embrace the solitude that Australia can create. After a morning with the fabulous domes of Kata Tjuta, Sydney will complete your seven-day journey. It is a magnificent place to be, and the city’s energy is impulsive and quick to impress. You can begin with a Parramatta dinner cruise before climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge the following morning. A night at the opera will follow a city walking tour, and then you can relax on the beaches, which are as iconic as a country and as unique as the city.
Starting Price
$2,900 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 1800 reviews
Our trip to Australia was incredible! Zicasso's tour operator put together a very thoughtful, well-paced itinerary. Our transportation always met us on time and with a good attitude. We enjoyed the diversity of experiences curated for our stay.
They took our bucket-list items and created an itinerary that allowed us to see almost every one! We were grateful to have a tour of the Historic Rocks in Sydney, a boat cruise harbor tour, watch "Carmen" at the Sydney Opera House, take a sunset camelback ride in the desert to see Ayers Rock, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, and get a private tour of a wildlife habitat (this was so special because we got to interact with some of the animals and learn from their keepers directly).
The only occasion on which I wish we'd had more time to spend was at Kuranda Village! There was so much to do and see, but we had an Army Duck tour and Aboriginal experience booked, which I really enjoyed because we got to ride through the jungle and enjoy performances from the Pamagirri community. Taking the Skyrail up and the train down was also a sight to see.
We enjoyed the intimate nature of tours, allowing us to ask questions about history, architecture, and daily life, and engage with our tour guides in a meaningful way. Highly prefer this style of private/small tours to the bigger bus tours. Our accommodations were impressive--from the luxurious hotel on George Street in Sydney to the desert resort in Uluru to the lodge on Captain Cook Highway in Port Douglas! We got to experience a range of climates. There was never a dull moment.
Even though the itinerary seemed jam-packed, we had just the right amount of time to rest and reset between activities and travel. Having such a detailed and professionally done itinerary gave us real peace of mind. The coordination of hospitality was also impeccable. Our hotels always communicated seamlessly with our pre-arranged transportation and tours. The trip was fun and totally stress-free! We were constantly delighted and charmed by this country and its people.
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This was a trip of a lifetime! We had wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand for 40-plus years and this trip did not disappoint.
Zicasso's trip expert was fantastic. When first beginning to plan the trip, he spoke to us by phone and email numerous times to get to know us and find out what we liked, wanted, and were physically able and not able to do. He really listened and planned our trip accordingly.
While we were traveling, he was always instantly available for anything we needed or any questions we had.
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From day one, I knew this was the company for me. Zicasso's travel expert was fantastic at communicating with me and making sure I stayed in my budget while getting the perfect vacation. Every detail was planned beautifully, so I felt like I was on a first-rate vacation. He provided very detailed instructions for transportation, hotels, food, and tours. I cannot rave enough about each of the tour providers he connected us with because each was outstanding.
Our main purpose for traveling was to dive in the reef and this experience exceeded our expectations because the tour was so organized. We also did an Australian safari, which was really off the beaten track and gave us a unique look at the biodiversity in the area that we could not have had with any other tour.
This company set us up for a perfect trip and one thing that was very evident was that our travel expert and staff do their homework! They know the companies they set you up with for tours and they know them because they have experienced them firsthand. I am so glad I picked the travel company for this trip and I can't wait to use them again!
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First of all, I want to thank the travel company and Zicasso for an amazing experience in Australia. The trip was phenomenal, and all the travel arrangements were seamlessly planned. Our travel agent was stellar and responsive.
This trip had to be planned quickly and had a short turnaround time. He made everything happen for us. I had certain travel conditions that centered around a professional meeting and he made it work perfectly. Honestly, I wish that I could use the travel company for all of my future travel. Any chance you do travel plans for Europe?
Most importantly, our travel agent made very specific recommendations about experiences, such as the helicopter ride and the choice of hotel. He highly encouraged these two things. I was a bit dubious, particularly of the helicopter ride, but it was amazing, truly amazing. I am so appreciative of the travel company and our travel agent for being so thoughtful, so responsive, and so confident in their planning and recommendations. Thank you again.
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Zicasso's travel professional was very attentive in listening to what was important to us and planned a trip that exceeded our expectations. All the details of our trip were provided well ahead of time and then a couple of weeks prior to our trip, he set up a video call to review the entire itinerary in detail to make sure we knew everything we needed to. I highly recommend the travel company and would definitely use them again if planning a trip to this region.
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This was our first trip to Australia. Zicasso’s travel agent took time to get to know our family and how we like to travel. She gathered our interests and preferences, and carefully curated an itinerary that showcased Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns/Port Douglas, all within our budget.
This travel agent was very responsive before and during our trip, and monitored our activities to make sure we were happy. In fact, during our stay, one of our excursions (kayaking in Cairns) was canceled due to weather and she was right on top of it. She was able to book us immediately on another expedition (whale watching) of our choice. We appreciated her responsiveness.
Overall, our entire family was extremely happy with our travel agent's arrangements and had a memorable trip to Australia.
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