Escorted Tours Cosmos Australia, New Zealand & the Orient
| Australia, New Zealand & the Orient |
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| Day 1, Sat. BOARD YOUR TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHT.
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| Day 2, Sun. EN ROUTE. Cross the International Date Line. |
| Day 3, Mon. ARRIVAL IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. G'day and welcome to Australia. Check into your hotel and meet your tour director at 1 p.m. for a brief orientation. The rest of the day is at leisure. Don't miss the optional evening out to see the Fairy Penguins. |
| Day 4,Tue. MELBOURNE. A free day for you to pursue independent activities. Consider the optional city tour to see such sights as the impressive Shrine of Remembrance, the Queen Victoria Markets, and the beautiful parks and gardens. For a unique dining experience, join an optional outing on board an historic trarncar restaurant as it winds its way through the streets of Melbourne. |
| Day 5, Wed. MELBOURNE. GREAT OCEAN ROAD EXCURSION. Via Geelong and Torquay to the Great Ocean Road for panoramic views of Australia's most breathtaking and unspoiled coastal scenery. View the quaint township of Lome and the seaside resort of Apollo Bay. Then turn inland through fern-covered Slopes of a mid-latitude rainforest. Back on the coast you visit the Twelve Apostles, immense and unusual rock formations adorning the shoreline. (B) |
| Day 6,Thu. MELBOURNE-HOBART. This morning, fly to Hobart, the capital of the historic and beautiful island of Tasmania. On the drive into town, your tour director will point out some of the more prominent landmarks to help familiarize you with the area. This morning, an optional outing to Port Arthur, where the first convicts arrived in the 1830's. A guided tour of the penal colony includes the ruins of the four-story penitentiary and the commandant's house. On your return, visit Devil's Kitchen and the Blowhole, both natural features of Tasmania's rugged coastline. (In-flight meal) |
| Day 7, Fri. HOBART. A full day at leisure. Perhaps join an optional full-day tour to Huon Valley, the center of Tasmania's apple-growing industry and its region of beautiful agricultural land. Highlights of the tour include an apple orchard, Arve Valley Forestry Reserve, and the Esperance Forest and Heritage Center. You may also consider an optional full-day tour to Richmond, an historic village full of old-world charm, followed by a visit to the Bonorong Park Wildlife Centre to see a Tasmanian devil. (B) |
| Day 8, Sat. HOBART-ADELAIDE. This morning fly via Melbourne to reach Adelaide, the "Garden City." A short orientation tour en route to your hotel. The afternoon is free for independent activities in this very British city. |
| Day 9, Sun. ADELAIDE. The day is at leisure. There's a great selection of optional activities available: a full-day trip to Kangaroo Island, an unspoiled habitat and breeding colony of sea lions; an excursion to the Barossa Valley to visit well-known Australian wineries; or a trip to Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. (B) |
| Day 10, Mon. ADELAIDE-AYERS ROCK. Board a morning flight via Alice Springs to the center of Australia — Ayers Rock. Arrive in plenty of time to view the Rock from all angles on the way to the magnificent Olgas, a geological splendor of brilliant monoliths. Take a walk to Mount Olga Gorge before heading back to "Sunset Strip" in time to watch the Rock turn from fiery reds and purples to pastels. (B) |
| Day II.Tue. AYERS ROCK-ALICE SPRINGS. Since much of the morning is at leisure, join an optional light-aircraft flight for splendid views of Ayers Rock and the surrounding area. Then enjoy a tour around the base of the Rock before driving through the heart of the Australian Outback to Alice Springs. A visit to Anzac Hill for a panoramic view of "The Alice" en route to the hotel. This evening join our optional "bush night out" which features a meal of typical campfire fare, fascinating tales of the Outback, and Aboriginal folklore. (B) |
| Day 12, Wed. ALICE SPRINGS-DARWIN-KAKADU NATIONAL PARK. For the early risers, see the sun rise on our optional hot-air-balloon ride. A mid-morning flight to Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory. Head into Kakadu National Park. The 7,300-square-mile park protects a vast system of unspoiled wetlands and a rich heritage of Aboriginal culture. On this afternoon's guided walking tour, visit Nourlangie Rock with its fascinating etchings of ancient Aboriginal rock art. (B,D) |
| Day 13,Thu. KAKADU NATIONAL PARK-DARWIN. This morning enjoy a narrated journey on a billabong where you may spot saltwater crocodiles and countless colorful birds that make this wilderness their home. This afternoon travel back to Darwin. En route to your hotel, a drive around town will familiarize you with the city. (B) |
| Day 14, Fri. DARWIN. A day at leisure in Darwin; perhaps visit the Botanical Gardens or Museum of Arts and Sciences or take a stroll on the Lake Alexander Mangrove Walk. (B) |
| Day 13,Thu. KAKADU NATIONAL PARK-DARWIN. This morning enjoy a narrated journey on a billabong where you may spot saltwater crocodiles and countless colorful birds that make this wilderness their home. This afternoon travel back to Darwin. En route to your hotel, a drive around town will familiarize you with the city. (B) |
| Day 14, Fri. DARWIN. A day at leisure in Darwin; perhaps visit the Botanical Gardens or Museum of Arts and Sciences or take a stroll on the Lake Alexander Mangrove Walk. (B) |
| Day 13,Thu. KAKADU NATIONAL PARK-DARWIN. This morning enjoy a narrated journey on a billabong where you may spot saltwater crocodiles and countless colorful birds that make this wilderness their home. This afternoon travel back to Darwin. En route to your hotel, a drive around town will familiarize you with the city. (B) |
| Day 14, Fri. DARWIN. A day at leisure in Darwin; perhaps visit the Botanical Gardens or Museum of Arts and Sciences or take a stroll on the Lake Alexander Mangrove Walk. (B) |
| Day 15, Sat. DARWIN-CAIRNS-PORT DOUGLAS.
An early morning flight to Cairns. On arrival, board your coach and transfer to Port Douglas. The balance of the day is free for you to relax or take an optional trip into Cape Tribulation World Heritage National Park. (Inflight meal,D) |
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Day 16, Sun. PORT DOUGLAS. BARRIER REEF EXCURSION.
oday behold one of the world's most exquisite natural wonders. Board a cruise for the adventure of a lifetime to the Great Barrier Reef. Plenty of time to swim, snorkel, or just relax. You can take a ride on a glass-bottom boat to see some of the world's most colorful coral and fish in crystal clear waters. (An optional outer reef tour is available.) A delicious lunch is included. (B,L) |
| Day 17, Mon. PORT DOUGLAS-CAIRNS.
Morning drive to Cairns for a day at leisure. Perhaps join an optional trip to Kuranda via the old scenic rail route. See magnificent scenery, lush rainforests, and twisting waterfalls from the comfort of a restored, historical mountain train. For the return journey, you may choose to take the new Skyrail rainforest cableway. Also available: the optional Tjapukai Cultural Park — a fascinating portrayal of Aboriginal folklore. (B) |
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Day 18,Tue. CAIRNS-SYDNEY.
Leave Queensland today and fly south to Sydney, Australia's largest and most cosmopolitan city. A midday arrival provides plenty of time to get acquainted with the city. Perhaps head over to the recently restored Darling Harbour area for dinner. (B) |
| Days 19 & 20, Wed. & Thu. SYDNEY.
Two full days to explore this lively maritime city. See the famous sights of Sydney from its harbor on a leisurely highlights cruise. Time later for a grand selection of optional excursions.You might take a city tour with a visit to famous Bondi Beach. Or perhaps, an excursion to the Hawkesbury River for a delicious lunch with a local family in a bushland setting combined with a visit to a wildlife sanctuary for close-ups of koalas, kangaroos, emus, and colorful Australian birds. (B daily) |
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Day 21, Fri. SYDNEY-HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)
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