Australia's
Sunlander
Independent 6 day/5 night tour
Cairns-Brisbane
Also available: 19-day Down Under Rail Extravaganza
Melbourne-Sydney-Adelaide-Alice Springs-Ayers Rock-Darwin
Includes Indian Pacific & Ghan
Cairns-Brisbane Itinerary:
Day 1: Cairns (Saturday or Wednesday)
Fly to tropical
Cairns, surrounded by lush rainforests and miles of white sandy beaches
and turquoise oceans filled with technicolor fish. Check in to hotel for three-night stay. (Flight not included.)
Day 2: Great Barrier Reef (Sunday or Thursday)
Enjoy the scenic coastal drive to Marina Mirage at Port Douglas, where
you board a luxury catamaran for a cruise of Low Isles. Soak up the sun,
fresh air and beautiful scenery of this tropical island paradise, including
incredible views of the coral through our glass-bottom boat. Snorkel equipment
will be available and a marine biologist will act as your guide. Return
to Cairns and overnight.
Day 3: Kuranda (Monday or Friday)
Depart by coach for Kuranda this morning. Here you'll board the Kuranda Scenic Railway and takk a journey through 15 hand-cut tunnels and past spectacular
waterfalls. There
is time to visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and further
explore Kuranda on your own. Ride Skyrail, the world’s
longest gondola—and glide just feet above the rainforest.
Day 4: Cairns to Brisbane on The Sunlander (Tuesday or Saturday)
Board The Sunlander this morning for the journey south to Brisbane, meandering
through the scenic countryside of inland coastal towns. Overnight on board
(for added comfort, Queenslander-class upgrade and on-board meals are
included in tour price.).
Wednesday, October 25: Brisbane (Wednesday or Sunday)
Arrive in Brisbane this afternoon and transfer to our hotel. Evening at
leisure while you relax in this lovely town.
2008 Tour Pricing*:
| Travel dates | April 1-June 30 & Nov. 1-March 31 | July 1-October 31 |
| Double occupancy | $2,085 | $2,119 |
| Single occupancy | $2,758 | $2,823 |
*Pricing is estimated in U.S. dollars. Exact pricing will depend on rate of exchange when payment is made.
Book by March 31, 2008: Save $130 and get free Sunlander fleece!!
|
Download our tour booking form here. Please read our terms & conditions.
Call us at (800) 478-4881 to secure your
space.
Outside the U.S.: (502) 454-0277. Or e-mail us by clicking here.
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Down Under Rail Extravaganza
Melbourne-Sydney-Adelaide-Alice Springs-Ayers Rock-Darwin
Includes Indian Pacific & Ghan
Day 1: Melbourne (Thursday)
Meet and greet on arrival in Melbourne and transfer by chauffeured car to your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure to enjoy Melbourne.
Suggested Hotel: Vibe Savoy Hotel - 3 nights
Day 2: Melbourne – Colonial Tramcar Restaurant (Friday)
Day at leisure in Melbourne. This evening, experience The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant for a unique dining experience. This restored 1927 tram cruises Melbourne as dinner is served with fine Australian wines.
Day 3: Melbourne – Puffing Billy, Yarra Valley, Healesville (Saturday)
Ride the historic Puffing Billy Steam Train for a memorable journey on Australia’s most notable narrow gauge railway. Ride through the lush forests of the Sherbrooke Forest filled with giant fern trees and the distinctive calls of Australian native animals before sampling traditional Australian billy tea and lamington cakes. In the picturesque Yarra Valley enjoy a succulent spit roast lunch (vegetarian available on request) and sip delicious local wine at Fergusson’s Winery. Stroll through Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, Australia’s premier wildlife and nature haven set in natural bushland. See koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils and emus, before watching the ‘Eagles Fly’ demonstration where magnificent birds of prey can been seen. See the Sanctuary’s renowned nocturnal house, home to the shy platypus.
Day 4: Melbourne to Sydney (Sunday)
Transfer to the airport for flight to Sydney. Morning flight to Sydney. On arrival in Sydney you will be transferred to your hotel. Make your own way down to King Street Wharf to join the luncheon cruise on Sydney Harbour. Following the luncheon cruise your afternoon tour captures the essence of Sydney, discovering the major Sydney highlights including the Botanic Gardens before wandering along Bondi Beach. See the city’s downtown precincts, the historic Rocks area, vibrant Kings Cross, sandy white eastern beaches and affluent harbourside suburbs in just one afternoon. Return to your hotel.
Suggested Hotel: The Grace Hotel - 3 nights
Day 5: Sydney (Monday)
Included with your stay in Sydney is the 3-day Sydney Pass which allows you Unlimited hop-on, hop-off travel on the Sydney Explorer, Bondi Explorer, Three Harboursights Cruises, all regular Sydney Buses services, all regular Sydney Ferries services, all regular CityRail trains within the Red TravelPass zone (not including Blue Mountains), and discounts on Sydney attractions.
Other optional activities include;
A Backstage Tour of the Opera House or Guided Tour, or Sydney Bridgeclimb
Day 6: Sydney’s Blue Mountains / Zig Zag Railway (Tuesday)
Make your own way to Sydney Central Railway Station for the train ride to Zig Zag Railway.
Train schedule (correct as at 26th October, 2006 – subject to change without notice):
Depart Central 8.25am 9.55am
Arrive Zig Zag 11.10am* 12.40pm*
Depart Zig Zag 3.13pm* 5.40pm*
Arrive Central 5.56pm 8.30pm
* You must ask the train guard/signal driver to stop at Zig Zag.
Day 7: Sydney to Adelaide on the Indian Pacific (Wednesday)
Transfer to Sydney Central Railway Station. Board the Indian Pacific to Adelaide. On board, you’ll rediscover one of life’s great luxuries: time. Time to simply sit and marvel as unique landscapes unfold continuously through your panoramic window. Dinner and overnight on board in Gold Kangaroo service.
Day 8: Arrive Adelaide (Thursday)
Afternoon arrival in Adelaide, famous for its elegant parks and gardens and majestic churches. The surrounding hills and vineyards make up one of the country’s best-known wine-producing regions. Transfer on arrival to your hotel.
Suggested Hotel: Sebel Playford Hotel - 2 nights
Day 9: Adelaide / National Rail Museum (Friday)
Adelaide - a captivating classic Australian city. A city of churches, the food and wine capital of Australia, sandstone homes and cottages with sweeping gardens and greenbelts. A young Australian city rich in recent history yet charmingly modern. Experience the city on a morning city sights tour.
This afternoon make your way to Port Adelaide to visit the National Rail Museum, where much of Australia’s early steam locomotives and rolling stock are on display, including early Ghan Express coaches.
Day 10: Adelaide to Kangaroo Island (Saturday)
Today is the start of an overnight trip to Kangaroo Island. Transfer to Adelaide Airport for your short flight to Kangaroo Island.
On arrival you are met and commence a full day of touring with driver/guide visiting many of the scenic locations on the island. This tour takes in a variety of landscapes across Kangaroo Island from the Cygnet River valley to the north coast, across the central plateau and down to the rugged South Coast. Get an introduction to Island life, where things take time. Drivers wave as they go by, or even stop for a chat. Have a cuppa with home-made cakes before a walk down a country track through tall Eucalyptus trees where koalas snooze overhead or wake briefly for a feed. See some of the Island’s most productive and diverse farming country, including sheep growing some of the world’s best wool. Walk quietly through the bush with your guide. Look for wallabies extinct on the mainland, a kangaroo found only on Kangaroo Island, and learn about some of the unique Island plants. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a private bush setting featuring some of the Island’s fresh produce including local fish, salads and fine wines before continuing to the South Coast. At Seal Bay Conservation Park walk with your guide among sea lions on a beautiful sandy beach. Watch pups nursing, or playing in the surf, see bulls bearing scars from territorial rights, and learn of their unique breeding biology. The remainder of the afternoon is spent exploring more of the south east region of the Island with destinations and experiences chosen to reflect seasonal opportunities.
Suggested Hotel: Kangaroo Island Lodge or Ozone Seafront Hotel – 1 night
Day 11: Adelaide to Alice Springs on The Ghan (Sunday)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Adelaide. On arrival transfer to the railway station. Afternoon departure of The Ghan for Alice Springs. Dinner on board and overnight in Gold Kangaroo sleeper.
Day 12: Alice Springs (Monday)
Arrive Alice Springs mid afternoon. Transfer on arrival to your hotel.
Suggested Hotel: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs – 1 night
Day 13: Alice Springs to Ayers Rock (Tuesday)
Early morning transfer by coach to Uluru, arriving around lunch time. Early afternoon tour of the Olga’s, a massive series of dome-shaped rocks. Time to explore Olga Gorge and its unusual rock formations. This evening enjoy the Sounds of Silence dinner under the Southern Cross constellation.
Suggested Hotel: Desert Gardens Hotel – 1 night
Day 14: Ayers Rock to Alice Springs (Wednesday)
Depart the hotel early this morning for a drive around Ayers Rock, followed by a walking tour of for viewing Aboriginal rock art. Visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre and learn about the culture of the Anangu people. Early afternoon transfer by coach from Ayers Rock to Alice Springs.
Suggested Hotel: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs – 1 night
Day 15: Alice Springs The Ghan to Darwin (Thursday)
Transfer to the train station for The Ghan bound for Darwin. The desert scenery passes by your windows as you head north along this line, which opened in 2004. Overnight on The Ghan in Gold Kangaroo Class.
Day 16: Katherine / Arrive Darwin on The Ghan (Friday)
Morning stop in Katherine to enjoy a two-hour boat cruise through two spectacular gorges. (Book this cruise on board.) Transfer to The Ghan and continue to Darwin. Transfer to Darwin hotel.
Suggested Hotel: Holiday Inn Darwin – 1 night
Day 17: Darwin to Kakadu National Park (Saturday)
This morning begins a two-day Kakadu National Park visit. En route visit Fogg Dam, then cross the Mary, Wildman and Alligator Rivers before arriving at Ubirr Rock, where the rock art is often called the world’s oldest art gallery.
Suggested Hotel: Gagadju Crocodile Holiday Inn – 1 night
Day 18: Kakadu National Park to Darwin (Sunday)
Visit Nourlangie Rock this morning to view Aboriginal rock art, and see the informative displays at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Cruise in waterswhere saltwater crocodiles and colorful bird life abound. Return to Darwin this evening.
Suggested Hotel: Holiday Inn Darwin – 1 night
Day 19: Depart Darwin (Monday)
The main tour ends today after breakfast. Transfer to the airport.
2008 Tour Pricing*:
$9,031 per person, double occupancy
$11,745 single occupancy
*Pricing is estimated in U.S. dollars. Exact pricing will depend on rate of exchange when payment is made.
Download our tour booking
form here. Please read our terms &
conditions.
Pricing excludes special events as follows:
Melbourne - rates not valid for Melbourne stays during the following dates;
26Sep-01Oct08 – AFL Grand Final
31Oct-08Nov08 (inclusive) – Spring Racing Carnival
31Dec08-01Jan09 – New Years Eve
17Jan-01Feb09 – Australian Tennis Open
Mar09 – Grand Prix
(special rates, minimum stays and booking conditions apply)
Sydney - rates not valid for Sydney stays during the following dates;
15Jul-21Jul08 – World Youth Day
26Jul08 – Bledisloe Cup Rugby Match
29Dec08-02Jan09 – New Years Eve
(special rates, minimum stays and booking conditions apply)
Alice Springs - rates not valid for Alice Springs stays during the following dates;
11-18Jul08 – Masters Games
(special rates, minimum stays and booking conditions apply)
Darwin - rates not valid for during the following dates;
03-07Jul08 – V8 Supercars
01-04Aug08 – Darwin Cup
(special rates, minimum stays and booking conditions apply)
Call us at (800) 478-4881 to secure your
space.
Outside the U.S.: (502) 454-0277. Or e-mail us by clicking here.
The Trains:
Australia is a rail traveler’s dream. Scenic railways abound. The Indian Pacific and The Ghan, both transcontinental, are famous.
But it’s the Sunlander that IRT members have found the most satisfying in recent years.
The Sunlander runs 1,045 miles on the east coast of Queensland from Cairns to Brisbane.
The Indian Pacific runs Sydney-Adelaide-Perth for 2,704 miles, including almost 300 miles along the world’s longest straight track.
The Ghan travels 1,851 miles between Adelaide and Darwin through Australia’s Red Center.
Our recent IRT travelers and tour leader found the Sunlander Queenslander class to be most enjoyable because of its ambience and service. This is an all-inclusive service with first-class accommodation, fine dining in an exclusive restaurant car, entertainment, local commentary and personalized service. It features twin-berth compartments; singles pay for sole use of a double. All feature a washbasin, wardrobe, full-length mirror and reading lights. Shower and toilets are down the hall.
The Indian Pacific and The Ghan call their top class Gold Kangaroo. Both trains have lounge, diner and sleepers. Our travelers reported that the levels of service had slipped; perhaps because of extreme popularity, the trains have been overwhelmed. Gold Kangaroo twin cabins have a sofa lounge seat which converts to upper and lower berths, en suite toilet, washbasin and shower. Single cabins have a lounge chair that converts to single berth; shower, toilet are down the hall. (We recommend singles purchase sole use of a double cabin so they have private facilities.) Meals in Gold Kangaroo are included and feature international and Australian cuisine and wines. Gold Kangaroo guests have their own lounge, although it often can be quite crowded.
Send us e-mail with comments or questions
