Go Australia

Your journey begins in one of the most famous cities of the southern hemisphere, Sydney. Flights usually arrive in the evening. As you leave the plane, the realisation will probably sink in that you're actually on the other side of the world. Your incredible Sydney to Cairns itinerary can now begin. You'll be picked up at the airport and taken to the city, where a room will be waiting for you at our favourite hotel in Sydney. Since most travellers arrive in Sydney in the evening, you'll probably want to freshen up a bit and then head out for dinner at Darling Harbour. You'll walk straight out of your hotel and into the famous harbour district with its restaurants, terraces and bars. After dinner, if you're anything like we were after arrival, your energy will probably run out quickly and you'll be ready for bed. An early night will do wonders for you the following day and you'll be ready to take on Sydney by morning.

Today you can visit the city's most popular attractions; the Sydney Opera House is a typical first stop. While you're at the Opera House you'll see the Harbour Bridge in front of you. This is the bridge that connects the tourist and business districts of the city, with the green suburbs where many inhabitants of Sydney live. For approximately £85 you can climb the bridge with a guide; opinions on the climb vary. Obviously you have to feel up to it and usually you'll be feeling the effects of jet-lag shortly after your arrival. We recommend simply going up to the towers to admire the view. Afterwards you can walk past the Opera House into the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are filled with all types of Australian trees, flowers and plants. A great place to have lunch is Hyde Park, right in the middle of the city. After lunch you'll have another hour to look around and to go shopping at Paddington market. At 16:30 you'll walk from your hotel to Circular Quay at the harbour (a 5-minute walk), where a boat will be waiting for your sunset dinner cruise. You'll sail through Sydney harbour during sunset and you'll dine on a delicious three course meal with excellent local wine, a real highlight of your Sydney - Cairns itinerary. The Sydney skyline is at its best during sunset, so make sure you keep your camera ready. You'll be back at the dock around 18:30. If you would like to end the evening in style, you can visit a show at the Sydney Opera House after the cruise.

This morning on the Sydney to Cairns itinerary you'll wake up early for an active day trip to the Blue Mountains. You'll be picked up by a bus in a central location in the city. Once you leave Sydney, you'll drive through the suburbs towards the 'Blue' Mountains, as the landscape gradually becomes greener and more hilly. You'll make a pit stop at the Olympic Park. At around 11:00 you'll reach the top of one of the Blue Mountains. You'll leave the bus at a spot well known for attracting wild kangaroos. This will probably be your first photo opportunity with a kangaroo. After meeting up with the roos, it's time for some action.

You'll go on a 3-hour hike through the Blue Mountains, surrounded by eucalyptus trees and steep rock formations. At the top of the rocks you'll realise what this area is named after as you look out over the mysterious 'Blue Mountains'. The typical Australian eucalyptus emits a certain blue-hued dust that makes it look like the mountains are blue. As you walk along, you'll look up and see the Wenthworth waterfalls looming in the distance. Large quantities of water plunge off the waterfall steps into the pools below. After a while you'll reach a quiet place where you'll sit down for a savoury lunch of sandwiches, salad and fruit with a panoramic view out over the mountains. Once you've had enough to eat you'll walk down 860 steps into Jamison Valley, a World Heritage rainforest. Whilst you're here, you'll visit Katoomba Falls and the 'icons' of the Blue Mountains, the rock formation ' The Three Sisters'. Once you reach the valley, you'll board a train that travels along the steepest tracks in the world for an exciting ride back to the bus. The train ride only takes 5 minutes, during which you'll travel at high-speed through the trees.

You'll have to wake up early this morning for an early flight to Ayers Rock (Uluru). You'll arrive around 13:00, just in time for a transfer to the Desert Gardens resort where you'll have some time to settle in before a short lunch. At around 13:45 you'll be picked up for your 10-day Outback trip to Darwin. Your first stop in the afternoon is Kata Tjuta (Aboriginal for ‘many heads’), where you'll find 28 deep red round rock domes. The largest, Mount Olga, is even 200m taller than Ayers Rock. If the weather is fair, you'll go for a three hour hike through the nearby Valley of the Winds. We found this hike to be quite spectacular. You'll walk past deep red rocks and through green valleys and you may even come across an occasional wild parakeet. Be sure to bring along enough water and use sunscreen and a hat to protect yourself from the burning rays of sun. After your hike, you'll return to Ayers Rock in time for an unforgettable sunset. At this time of day the red rock changes colours every minute. You'll see this rock change colours from orange, to deep red to deep purple. You'll eventually dine at camp Yulara and spend the night in a comfortable tent beneath an immense starry sky. Lunch and dinner are included today on the Sydney to Cairns itinerary.

On Day Eighteen of your Sydney - Cairns itinerary, you'll be picked up at your accommodation at 9:00 for a trip to the Great Barrier Reef - the world's largest living organism. Your boat's name is the Rumrunner. Since most boats leave from Cairns and head off to other parts of the reef, a ride on the Rumrunner is quite a unique experience. Less people leave from Cape Tribulation, so the ship is smaller and the entire atmosphere is more laid-back and romantic. The Outer Reef, with the most untainted coral, is only an hour from Cape Tribulation. During the ride you'll go snorkelling. All the necessary equipment is on board and can be used free of charge. You'll see amazing coral, thousands of colourful fish and rare sea turtles. You can also go for an introductory dive (surcharge to be paid on the spot). If you are a certified diver, be sure to bring along your certification. For lunch, you'll be treated to an elaborate buffet with plenty of fresh fruit (included). Afterwards you can lounge on deck and sunbathe. Towards the end of the afternoon the boat will head back to Cape Tribulation and you'll be driven to Palm Cove. This is a town north of Cairns with beautiful beaches and palm trees, the perfect place to spend a few days enjoying sun, sea and sand.

On Day Nineteen of your Sydney - Cairns itinerary, you'll be picked up in Cairns and after less than an hour you'll arrive at Palm Cove. The name of this place actually says it all; it's a small inlet on the Pacific Ocean filled with palm trees. This is where you'll check into your resort which is located directly on the boulevard looking out over the ocean. The resort has a swimming pool, spa, parking lot and playground for children. Each room has a balcony or veranda, air conditioning and a refrigerator.

The next few days are yours to spend as you wish. Sit back on a terrace and enjoy a delicious pineapple or mango smoothie or start reading that book that you've wanted to read for so long. Stroll down the boulevard with a length of approximately 1km, past boutiques filled with fun souvenirs and pick and choose a restaurant for dinner in the evening.

After breakfast (excluded) you'll have plenty of time to relax on the beach or by the pool. There is a long stretch of beach and usually it's quite peaceful. You could also go for a beach walk towards the pier or towards Clifton Beach (south of Palm Cove). After arriving at Clifton Beach you could have lunch at Clifton Capers Bar & Grill. We really liked this informal restaurant with its wide variety of dishes. From Clifton you can take the blue "Sun Bus" back to Palm Cove, where you can settle in by the pool whilst the sun sets.

Tonight you can finish of your Sydney - Cairns itinerary with a typical 'Aussie' style dinner. All throughout Australia you'll find bbq's on beaches that you can use free of charge. If you pick up some meat, veggies and drinks at the local supermarket in the afternoon, you'll be able to enjoy dinner while looking out over the sea with your feet in the warm, soft sand...