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Australia

10 Day Australian Spectacular

Sydney, Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Cairns

Day 1. Sydney.
Be welcomed on arrival in Sydney with your hotel transfer. The remainder of the day is at leisure to settle in or explore this picturesque city.
Three Night Stay: Sydney, The Menzies Sydney (Standard), Sofitel Wentworth (First-Class), Shangri-La Hotel (Deluxe).

Day 2. Luncheon Harbor Cruise, City Sights and Southern Beaches Tour. (L)
Enjoy a relaxing morning before your luncheon cruise on Sydney Harbour. See the landmarks that make Sydney so recognizable, including the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. This afternoon, tour the city and its southern surf beaches. See Hyde Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, famous Bondi Beach and the notorious former red light district of Kings Cross. This evening enjoy time to yourself to sample the delights of the Sydney restaurant scene.

Day 3. Blue Mountains, Three Sisters, Koalas.
Travel west today to the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. See the Three Sisters, a giant rock formation towering over the Jamison Valley. Take in the views from Echo Point and tour the charming town of Katoomba. You have an opportunity to ride the Scenic Skyway, Railway or the sensational Sceniscender (own expense). Later this afternoon, visit an Australian wildlife park to see native wildlife, including wombats and koalas. Enjoy the opportunity to have your photo taken with a koala (own expense) or hand-feed kangaroos.

Day 4. Sydney, Alice Springs Town Tour.
This morning an APT representative will drive you to Sydney airport for a flight to Alice Springs (arriving by 12.00 p.m, airfare not included). You will be met on arrival in Alice Springs, Australia’s best known Outback town and situated very close to the center of this vast continent. On a tour of ‘The Alice’, visit the School of the Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Service base, two organizations that provide education and medical care to those in the most remote areas of Central Australia. See the generally dry Todd River ‘running’ through town and take in panoramic views from atop Anzac Hill.
Stay: Alice Springs – Alice Springs Resort (Standard), Crowne Plaza Alice Springs (First-Class), Alice Springs Resort, Rivergum Room (Deluxe).

Day 5. Camel Farm, Kata Tjuta (Olgas), Sunset Drinks at Uluru (Ayers Rock).
Driving south, visit the Outback Camel Farm for a ride on a camel (own expense). Known as ‘ships of the desert’, camels played an important role in the development of Central Australia. Turning west, view the flat-topped Atila (Mt Conner) en route to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This afternoon, stroll amid the rocky domes of Kata Tjuta (Olgas), thought to have once been a single mass several times the size of Uluru. Later, we take a drive to Sunset Strip to see Australia’s most famous icon at sunset. Enjoy a glass of wine and admire the ever-changing colors of Uluru as the sun sinks below the horizon.
Two Night Stay: Ayers Rock Resort, Outback Pioneer Hotel (Standard), Desert Gardens (First-Class), Sails in the Desert (Deluxe).

Day 6. Sunrise, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Cultural Centre, Local Arts and Crafts.
This morning watch the first light of day set Uluru ablaze in color. After admiring this spectacular display, you have the option to climb Uluru – a difficult though exhilarating experience that allows you to stand 1,135 feet above the desert floor. Alternatively, you can take a gentle stroll to Mutitjulu, a permanent waterhole and sacred hunting ground at the base of Uluru. Later, join a guided tour around the 5 mile base of Uluru, viewing ancient rock art, caves and sites of great cultural significance to the Anangu owners. Rejoining those who decided to climb the mighty monolith, visit the Cultural Centre to discover more about the fascinating local culture and call into the Maruku Arts and Craft Cooperative to perhaps see Aboriginal artists at work.

Day 7. Uluru, Cairns.
Enjoy the morning at leisure. Perhaps take a stroll around the resort or shop for souvenirs before transferring to Ayers Rock airport for your flight to Cairns (airfare not included). You will be welcomed on arrival in this colorful, tropical city.
Three Night Stay: Cairns, Mercure Harbourside (Standard), Rydges Tradewinds Hotel (First-Class), Shangri-La, The Marina (Deluxe).

Day 8. Great Barrier Reef Quicksilver Cruise. (L)
Today, enjoy a full day cruise to the Great Barrier Reef aboard a luxury Quicksilver catamaran. This full day cruise ensures you have time to fully appreciate the reef, one of Australia’s greatest treasures. We head out to the Outer Reef, stopping at Agincourt Reef, the only ribbon reef accessible on a day trip. Here, you can snorkel with tropical fish, view the coral gardens aboard the semi-sub or discover the marine world from the underwater observatory. A buffet lunch is served on board. Enjoy tropical fruit, fresh salads and seafood as you soak up the North Queensland sun. Cruise to Port Douglas, then it’s a scenic drive to Cairns.

Day 9. Skyrail, Aboriginal Performance, Koalas, Crocodiles, Kuranda Scenic Railway.
Board the Skyrail Cableway and glide above rain forest to Kuranda, a pretty township in the rain forest. Visit Rainforestation to see the Pamagirri Aboriginal Dancers perform a traditional corroboree (dance) then join a guided Dreamtime Walk. Witness spear throwing, didgeridoo playing and try your hand at throwing a boomerang. Visit the wildlife enclosure and see kangaroos, crocodiles, snakes and wombats. Perhaps take the opportunity to have your photo taken with a cuddly koala (own expense). Wander through Kuranda before boarding the Kuranda Scenic Railway back to Cairns. This historic railway winds its way along the Kuranda Range, a lush landscape covered with rain forest and tumbling waterfalls.

Day 10. Cairns.
Enjoy the morning at your leisure. Perhaps do some last minute shopping or wander around the tropical town before transferring to the airport for your flight.

Departures Daily

Price per person in US$ April 1 2007 till March 31, 2008