Day 7- Thursday, September 21: Cairns / Daintree / Cairns
You are picked up this morning at 7am to travel north to the Daintree rainforest, traveling in air conditioned comfort, with an experienced rainforest guide to one of Queensland's most beautiful areas. You'll marvel at the undisturbed and magnificent World Heritage listed rainforests, cool forest canopies, breathtaking views and spectacular beaches and have a bit of fun too. Learn about some of the unusual fruits of the jungle, hear some of the Aboriginal legends of the area, and top off the experience by sharing in a Daintree River wildlife spotting cruise for crocodiles. Lunch is enjoyed away from it all, in the privacy of a rushing jungle stream, where you can go for a refreshing swim in a clear jungle waterholes if you wish. (L)

Day 8 - Friday, September 22: Cairns / Perth
Fly to Perth at 5.30am, arriving in Perth at 11.55am. Katy flies from Sydney to Perth today, arriving at 12.50pm. The best way to get to your hotel is a taxi; the rank is immediately to the left outside the baggage area exit. After checking in to your hotel look around the pleasant city of Perth; there are particularly good views of the city and river from Kings Park, a shot walk from downtown. The gallery at the park has some nice local jewelry and artwork. Across the road is an Aboriginal-owned shop selling Aboriginal works. There are a number of specialty shops in the Hay St Mall, where you’ll see the locals out and about; on Fridays the shops stay open until 9pm. On the streets around the mall are a number of restaurants and cafes. (*B)

Day 9– Saturday, September 23: Rockingham Bay
This morning you are picked up at your hotel at 7.30am and travel down the coast to Rockingham, about 40 minutes away. Here you begin a day with nature, starting with a 2-hour dolphin watch cruise to meet Rockingham's famous wild dolphins, with morning tea served onboard. Afterwards visit a local mussel farm to see how these tasty shellfish are grown and harvested. Rockingham is famous for its mussel industry- your guide will get a fresh bag straight from the farm and cook them up for you to try his tasty secret recipe. In Shoalwater Marine Park take a 45-minute cruise on a glass bottom boat to explore the crystal clear waters of the Marine Park. The highlight of this cruise is visiting the beach at Seal Island to see Australian Sea Lions at play and viewing a remote breeding and nesting colonies of Australian Pelicans. Your cruise concludes on Penguin Island- a conservation park for birds and home to 1200 Little Penguins, the world’s smallest. Lunch served under the trees at Penguin Island's picnic ground that takes in spectacular views of the marine park. Watch out for the friendly skinks, banded rails and Osprey. You then visit the Penguin Island Discovery Centre to get a close up look at the Little Penguins being fed and to learn about their natural behavior from the Island Rangers. Finally it’s your choice of a guided walk to explore the island, relax under the trees in the picnic area or enjoy a swim (although unless you are pretty hardy this may be a bit cool. A network of timber boardwalks gives easy access to spectacular coastal lookouts and secluded beaches. Your guide will bring the history of the island to life and point out more of the diverse bird life. Return to Perth late afternoon. (L)

Day 10 – Sunday, September 24 Perth / Wildlfowers and Countryside
Over the next two days you explore the regions around Perth, especially the wildflowers which are prolific at this time of the year. You depart Perth at 7:30am and travel along the Great Northern Highway, making a couple of stops for wildflower viewing & morning tea, en route to New Norcia. Arriving New Norcia you have time to tour the museum and Art Gallery, then continue to Wongan Hills for a picnic lunch at Mt O'Brien Lookout. After lunch drive the scenic Wildflower Way to Perenjori and Morawa, stopping along the way. Endu up in Mingenew for your overnight stay at Mingenew Hotel/Motel, a simple country hotel. (L)

Day 11 – Monday, September 25: Wildlfowers and Countryside / Perth
After a morning visit to the Depot Hill Conservation Park and other locations of interest head to Western Flora on the coast, where you enjoy a walk and wildflower talk with Allan Tinker, a local expert. Afterwards head south, to Nambung National Park and The Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are made up of thousands of limestones pillars, (182,074 columns) in a yellow sand desert resembling an ancient ruin, in an area of approximately 500 acres in thel Park. The sight is spectacular any time of the day year round. You will be driving into the Pinnacle Desert so you are able to get out of the vehicle and walk among the Pinnacles to enjoy the phenomenon close up. Continue on to Lake Thetis to view Stromatolites, which are the earliest form of life to evolve on our planet. You finally arrive back at your Perth hotel mid-evening, after a fascinating exploration of south-western Australia’s scenic and biological beauty. (B,L)

Day 12 – Tuesday, September 26: Rottnest Island
Take a ferry (additional expense) from downtown Barrack Street Jetty to Rottnest Island, with its combination of history and wildlife, especially the Quokkas – small wallabies – that wander everywhere, including looking for a free meal at the shops in the small retail area. Return to Perth this afternoon – there are several ferries leaving through the afternoon. This will be a more relaxing day after a somewhat busier 11 days of travel.

Day 13 - Wednesday, September 27: Perth / Ayers Rock
This morning taxi to the airport for your 10.25am Qantas flight to Ayers Rock, arriving at 2.05pm. This flight gives you a wonderful look at the desert landscape from the air. Here you are transferred to your accommodation, Yulara Resort, a few miles from the base of Uluru, as Ayers Rock is known to the local Aboriginal people (although there is a little controversy as to what Uluru really is referring to, and by which group.) You will have a couple of hours to relax, perhaps visiting the nearby cultural and display center, then about one hour before sunset you will be picked up and transferred to a sand dune a little way from Uluru. Hear a didgeridoo’s sounds greet you, and you watch the sun set on Uluru, one of the most inspiring sights possible. As the colors change, you will be sipping on canapés and champagne. Afterwards sit down, under the southern stars, for a truly memorable dinner. Once dinner is over you have the opportunity to observe the constellations and stars through a telescope, while your guide explains which is which. Don’t forget to ask how to find south, and tell the time, by the stars.              D

Day 14– Thursday, September 28: Ayers Rock
This morning you are picked up at 6.30am to explore Uluru itself. After witnessing sunrise on Uluru, and event not to be missed, and a picnic breakfast, you will combine a drive and walk around the base, about 6 miles. Short walks will bring you to this wonderful and powerful place, viewing rock art, waterholes and appreciating the unique flora and fauna of Uluru. A special feature is the appreciation of the exquisite as well as the dramatic sculpturing of Uluru. There is time to amble, to absorb images and to gain an insight into Uluru's remarkable presence, while your guide will introduce you to the geology of Uluru and describe how plants and wildlife have adapted and survived in such a forbidding environment. The fascinating relationship of the Anangu people to Uluru is also described. After lunch you will explore another fascination and significant formation, Kata Tjuta, or The Olgas. Kata Tjuta is a series of huge rounded rocks hills, and once again an important Aboriginal area. Your guide will show you the area, and describe stories of the Dreamtime relevant to Kata Tjuta (not in full as the stories are only fully available to tribal members), as well as geology and history. The day ends with a sunset some say equal to that on Uluru itself. You return to the resort in time for dinner.          (B)

Day 15 – Friday, September 29: Ayers Rock / Sydney
This morning there are several options to continue your exploration of this special place; many people like to walk out along a desert path to watch the sun rise on Uluru from one of the lookouts; the greater distance gives a different perspective. At 1.35pm fly to Sydney, arriving at 4.55pm, and taxi (not included) to your hotel at Coogee Beach. As this is the beginning of a long weekend in Sydney, there should be plenty of activity in Coogee, giving you a feel for how Aussies enjoy themselves.             (*S)

Day 16 – Saturday , September 30: Sydney
Today Katy can show you a bit more of Sydney, althoug it may be a day just to relax before flying home.

Day 17– Sunday, October 1: Sydney / Los Angeles / Birmingham
Sadly, your last day in Australia. This morning make your final preparations before taxiing (own expense) to the airport for your 1.25pm flight home. Due to the International Dateline, you arrive in Los Angeles at 9.45am today, in plenty of time for your 12.42pm American AA2246 flight to Birmingham, arriving at 9.30pm. (*D, *M, *B)

<<< click here to return to the start