The Ultimate Tailor Made holiday to Australia

How to see Australia in 24 days

I was a little unsure how to set out this page because there are an infinite number of plans and experiences that would make a great Australian holiday. However, I have looked back at all the previous trips we have organised, and it seems that just over 3 weeks is about the average time spent in Australia. So this article will suggest a fantastic 24 night itinerary, with the very best Australian experiences included.

3 weeks is nowhere near enough though to see everything, and we always try and avoid the temptation of cramming too much in because you just end up travelling all the time. So at the end I have also added some suggestions of how you can change it to suit your particular interests.

• 4 nights in Perth
• 2 nights at Ayers Rock
• 4 nights in Adelaide and Kangaroo Island
• Train to Sydney (1 night)
• 5 nights in Sydney
• 2 nights around Sydney
• 4 nights in Port Douglas
• 2 nights in the Rainforest

TOTAL: 24 nights

Perth (4 nights)

Many people don't consider Perth as part of their Australia itinerary but actually it is one of my favourite states. It is close to the unique Pinnacles Desert, and Rottnmest Island is a must for a day trip. Hire a car or take a tour to the Margaret River region where you'll find delicious food, wine, deserted beaches and memorable rainforest scenery.

What to do...

• Swim with dolphins at Rockingham - one of the few places in the world where you can swim with wiold dolphins in their natural habitat
• Spend a day on Rottnest Island - hire a bike and cycle around this idyllic car-free island with over 60 sheltered white sand beaches, amazing coral reefs, beautiful bays and home to the unique quokka (looks like a tiny kangaroo)
• Cruise up the meandering Swan River for lunch or dinner whiole sampling premium wines
• Relax on one of Perth's beaches - one of the best is Cottesloe Beach
• Take a tour to the wine growing region of Margaret River - for example Wise Vineyard in Dunsborough has a unique setting boasting panoramic views over the bay
• Visit one of the deserted southern beaches - for example one favourite is Esperance where you are more likely to see kangaroos than people
• Spend an evening in the trendy town of Fremantle with its historic architecture
• Meet the koalas and wombats at Caversham Wildlife Park
• Wander around the unique Pinnacles Desert and see thousands of bizarre limestone pillars
• Drive up to Monkey Mia where dolphins come and visit every day
• Walk along the treetops at the Valley of the Giants

Ayers Rock (2 nights)

Two nights is the right amount of time here - perfect to see Ayers Rock at sunrise and sunset, get up close, and enjoy the Sounds of Silence Dinner (see below). The flight in to Ayers Rock is bizarre - for hours you fly over the outback, and then appearing out of nowhere you glance out of the window, look down and see this amazing rock! The pilot often flies around it so everyone gets a good aerial view.

What to do...

• The Sounds of Silence Dinner is the best excursion but must be booked well in advance due to its popularity. It is an unforgettable evening, eating under a brilliant sky with Ayers Rock in the distance. There is an astronomer present who will point out features in the sky. Wine, canapes, BBQ dinner, beer and soft drinks are all provided.
• Sunrise and Sunset visits to Ayers Rock- as always these are the optimum times to view any landscape or icon because of the warm colours of the light. You can drive to the rock to get a great viewpoint, or watch it from the hotel lookout point. Tours usually include walking and aboriginal guides.
• The other main attraction apart from Ayers Rock is Kata Tjuta (or the Olgas) which are 36 rocky domes that dominate the skyline. Nearby is the stunning Walpa Gorge which you can walk through.

Adelaide and Kangaroo Island (4 nights)

There's a couple of very good reasons for including Adelaide on your itinerary. The main one is to visit Kangaroo Island which is home to superb wildlife and wonderful scenery. The other is that both the great trains of Australia stop here - the Ghan which comes from Darwin and Alice Springs, and the Indian Pacific which I have used in this itinerary, which travels from Sydney to Perth.

What to do...

• It is known as Australia's Galapagos - Kangaroo Island - a unique island where wildlife has been allowed to flourish just a half hour ferry ride from Cape Jervis near Adelaide. As well as large numbers of kangaroos, you'll see koalas, wallabies, fur seals and echidnas (an anteater - looks like a hedgehog with a long nose), Seal Bay is home to a colony of sea lions and you can walk along the beach among these fascinating animals as they relax on the beach. There are 'little penguins' which you can watch every evening coming back from a day at sea to their burrows for the night. The scenery is just as good - we stopped to look at impressive sand dunes, pure white sandy beaches and the famous 'Admirals Arch' and the 'Remarkable Rocks'.
• Enjoy a tour of the Barossa Valley where many premium wines are produced, especially Shiraz and Riesling. Most tours include lunch and wine tasting.
• Take a walk around Adelaide which itself is a charming city. A tram takes you to the seaside town of Glenelg about 20 minutes away.
• Cuddle a koala at Cleland Conservation Park where you'll also be able feed many of the animals such as the kangaroos.
• Spend 3 nights cruising the Murray River. This 'Wetlands Discovery Cruise' includes guided nature walks and wildlife tours of the backwaters, creeks and lagoons.
• 6 day Outback South Australia - this is a self drive route which takes you in to the outback, through the wine producing region of Clare Valley Flinders Range and Wilpena Pound. You'll visit a tiny village called Parachilna which is used by filmmakers for the outback landscapes, sand dunes and mountains.

Train to Sydney (1 night)

Travel on one of the world's greatest trains - The Indian Pacific - from Adelaide to Sydney, and see just how vast the country really is. Only travelling this way can you appreciate the sheer size of the country, and the inhospitable outback. You'll spend a night on board with various levels of comfort.

What to do...

• Take an outback excursion at Broken Hill

Sydney (5 nights)

Sydney is of course one of the world's great cities and a must see when you're visiting Australia for the first time. As well as a host of attractions, Sydney is home to the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and also has several beaches and walks just a short ferry or bus ride away.

What to do...

• Take a ferry ride to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and enjoy an evening in one of the many excellent restaurants
• Wander around the quaint Rocks area of Sydney between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House
• Go on a backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House
• See the best of Sydney's attractions in Darling Harbour including the fantastic Sydney Wildlife World, the Sydney Aquarium, IMAX theatre, plus shops, cafes, restaurants and harbour cruises
• Walk around the Botanic Gardens and stop at Mrs. Macquarie's Point where there is an iconic view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House
• For a different perspective go on a small group +cycle tour with Bonza Bikes who show you around all the main sights of the city, mainly avoiding busy roads
• Ride to the top of the 250 metre high Sydney Tower for a 'Walk in the Clouds' experience
• Go shopping at Paddington's weekend craft markets or the designer boutiques along Oxford Street
• Go on a bush walk with Royal Coast Walks past beautiful scenery
• See a different side of Sydney in the magical Chinese Garden of Friendship in Chinatown

Around Sydney (2 nights)

The perfect way to see the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley is to hire a car and enjoy the complete freedom it gives you, but otherwise there are several tours out of Sydney that will take you to the best bits!

Most tours also include the unique 'Breakfast with the Koalas' experience at Featherdale Wildlife park.

What to do...

• Visit the spectacular Blue Mountains just 90 minutes away from Sydney. You can visit on a day trip from Sydney, or for complete freedom, hire a car and stay in one of the beautiful mountain retreats.
• Along the way to the Blue Mountains, visit Featherdale Wildlife Park for an unforgettable breakfast with koalas. Most day trips visit the park, and you too can visit if you are travelling by car.
• Go wine tasting in the Hunter Valley which has over 150 premier vineyards. The region is also famous for its cheeses and chocolate! Tours are available from Sydney, and if you are in a car then I would suggest coming here as part of a circular route i.e. Sydney - Blue Mountains - Hunter Valley - Sydney. There are a couple of great places to stay, both serving terrific food and of course, wine!
• See the whales and dolphins of Port Stephens - a lovely seaside town from where you can see whales and bottlenose dolphins playing in the water. As it is quite close to the Hunter Valley, it makes a great place to stop on the way back from the Hunter Valley to Sydney. Accommodation is also available here - and recommended as it really is a lovely spot to spend the night.
• There is idyllic coastal scenery south of Sydney which can easily be explored in a car. We have a luxurious eco-retreat with safari style tents in the bush at Jervis Bay which is about 2.5 hours south of Sydney, and where you'll find pristine waters.

Port Douglas (3 nights)

Port Douglas is just an hour away from Cairns Airport and one of the best resorts on the Queensland Coast as well as convenient for cruises to the Great Barrier Reef. Although I have just allocated a few days here, many people choose to stay much longer - after all, this is the relaxing part of your holiday!

What to do...

• Relax on idyllic Four-Mile Beach
• Stroll along Macrossan Street with its shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants
• Spend a day on the Great Barrier Reef - there are various day cruises out to the reef for swimming and snorkelling, plus you will find an underwater observatory for non-swimmers - longer 4 day and 5 day cruises with on board accommodation are also available which take you to various islands of the Great Barrier Reef.
• Travel to the village of Kuranda by the spectacular scenic railway and return by the Skyrail cableway over the rainforest.
• Explore the rainforest and wilderness landscapes of Cape Tribulation with a rainforest broadwalk and cruise along the Daintree River looking for crocodiles.
• Do a PADI learn to dive course - 5 days
• Go hot air ballooning and try and spot kangaroos beneath - after landing there is a full cooked breakfast

Daintree Rainforest (2 nights)

This is the last stop on our itinerary and what a spectacular location! Your last 2 nights are spent in a spacious riverhouse or treehouse, with the tranquil sounds of the rainforest around you. Just relax and have a spa treatment, or hire a bike and explore the trails.

What to do...

• Enjoy the calm, relaxing surroundings of your lodge and perhaps have a spa treatment

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