View of the Whitsundays Islands. Guillaume Marques. CC0
Experience the best of Australia on this trip down the East Coast, starting in the lush Daintree Rainforest and ending in the idyllic coastal city of Sydney. Travelers begin tucked into the world’s oldest rainforest in Cape Tribulation, where they’ll make a stop at Mossman Gorge and enjoy views of the cascading Mossman River. While in the Daintree, travelers will also take a Dreamtime Walk, a guided tour of the rainforest and the cultural significance of its land and native flora to Indigenous Australians. Travelers can choose to keep exploring the tropical rainforest to spot wildlife and chase waterfalls the next day, or take an outing to the Great Barrier Reef, where they can revel in the magic of snorkeling over the bright corals and spotting beautiful tropical fish at the world’s largest coral reef system. Stops in the picturesque beach town of Port Douglas and in Cairns give the group time to stroll city streets. In Airlie Beach, the group will embark on a boat trip out to the Whitsunday Islands, where they’ll visit the beloved Whitehaven Beach, widely regarded as having some of the whitest sand in the world. The Whitsundays are a nonnegotiable stop of any Australian visit, and travelers will love snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef off the coast and hiking to the lookout to see the island beaches and turquoise water from above.
In Byron Bay, a surfing lesson will be one of the trip’s most unforgettable moments, and travelers can spend their free time visiting the cliffside lighthouse (where watching the sunrise is well worth the hike), ocean kayaking to spot wild dolphins, booking a skydive, or simply exploring the cozy shops downtown. The group will then head to Port Macquarie, another charming coastal town with plenty of gorgeous beach viewpoints. Travelers can stroll around town or choose to visit one of the nearby national parks, like Crowdy Bay National Park, which is one of the best places to spot Eastern Grey Kangaroos right on the beach. The group will stop at Guulabaa Place of Koala to learn about their work rehabilitating and protecting koala populations and see these adorable native tree-dwellers up close before continuing. On their last stop before arriving in Sydney, travelers will visit the Blue Mountains, named for the blue haze that surrounds their sandstone cliffs and eucalyptus forests. While here, travelers can hike to see breathtaking waterfalls and rock formations, such as the Three Sisters, which hold deep cultural significance. In Sydney, whether travelers take a scenic ferry through Darling Harbour to see the Opera House up close, relax at Bondi Beach and walk along sandstone cliffs between Sydney’s many famous beaches, or climb the Harbour Bridge to see the most beautiful view of the city’s skyline, the city is sure to win over the heart of any visitor.
This is a 14-day trip that costs $3,449 led by G Adventures, a sustainable, small group tour company that has been leading travelers for 35+ years. They have been pioneers in community tourism and their trips directly benefit the local communities they visit. They have a responsible travel effort called G For Good and partner with the nonprofit Planeterra, dedicated to ensuring communities touched by tourism benefit from it. They were rated one of CATALYST PLANET’s 8 Best Sustainable Travel Companies.