5 awesome Aussie tours to go on ASAP

By Lauren Ferrone
Published: Thursday, March 14, 2019

The beauty of a trip that’s already been planned for you is that the hard work’s already done. Here are just a few adventure-filled Aussie tours to help prove our point.

1. The ‘outback safari’ tour

Where: Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Darwin

Duration: 11-day guided tour

Don’t worry, we haven’t mixed up our continents. An outback safari tour might sound like something out of Africa, but it’s also one of the best ways to explore central Australia through to the Top End.

With sacred rock art, blazing sunsets and wandering wildlife, it’s easy to get distracted in Australia’s expansive outback. That’s why treading the red desert with some company is the way to go.

A guided outback tour of Uluru means you can safely stumble upon sacred sites, admire rock art, climb canyons, soak in thermal springs and spot wildlife lazing about in billabongs.

Short on time? There are a few tours that squeeze in as many Top End highlights as possible, but in half the time. A 6-day Top End Highlights tour does bypass Ayers Rock, but there’s still a myriad of deep gorges, lush national parks, plunging waterfalls and relaxing rock-pools to explore.

Then, there are the lucky locals who get to call this outback oasis home. Hear first-hand from them about sacred sites and get a lesson on the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land to make your stay even more meaningful.

Sun sets in the distance near Uluru, Northern Territory.

Witness blazing sunsets on a tour of Uluru, Northern Territory.

2. The ‘on top of the world (or country)’ tour

Where: Cairns to Cape York Peninsula (Far North Queensland)

Duration: 7-day guided tour

Any tour that takes you to Far North Queensland is guaranteed to make you feel on top of the world – or in this case, the country.

Action-packed from day 1, a Cairns to Cape York tour starts with a cable ferry ride across Daintree River before hitting the rugged Bloomfield Track by 4X4. That’s not where the adrenaline ends. The sweat on your brow from a climb up the sandstone escarpment to Split Rock will be worth it once you catch a glimpse of sacred Aboriginal rock art.

The pace slows towards the end of the week-long tour on a cruise to Thursday Island, a slice of paradise located at the tip of far north Queensland.

Home to Torres Strait Islanders, the story behind how the island got its name is mysterious but, nevertheless, we can guarantee that the island is stunning any day of the week.

That ultimate ‘top of the world’ feeling comes when you fly over the Great Barrier Reef on the journey back to Cairns Airport.

Plane flies over pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

See the Great Barrier Reef from the top.

3. The ‘take on Tassie’ tour

The ‘take on Tassie’ tour

Where: Across Tasmania

Duration: 11-day guided tour

Pack sturdy hiking boots. This tour of Tassie involves a lot of walking.

Wander Heritage Landing on a guided walk through the rainforest with towering trees thousands of years old, or stop to smell the roses while roaming the National Rose Garden – it’s filled with more than 3000 colourful blooms.

When your feet need a rest, join the group on a coastal drive to St Helens – the largest town on the north-east of Tassie.

Had enough of dry land? Board a luxury vessel and cruise Macquarie Harbour to Hells Gate. The breathtaking views will leave you feeling like you’ve just entered heaven.

For something a bit different, marvel at The Wall in the Wilderness – a piece of artwork created by Greg Duncan, who ambitiously carved the history of Tasmania’s central highlands in 100 metres of timber.

There are a heap of outdoor group activities but one in particular is a must. Of course, no trip to Tassie would be complete without a trek through Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to meet a Tasmanian devil up close.

Aerial photograph of a coastal bridge in Tasmania, Australia

Rest your feet on a coastal drive to St Helens, Tasmania.

4. The ‘quintessential’ Aussie tour

Where: Darwin to Broome

Duration: 12-day guided tour

Cuppas, crocs and yarns – that’s about as quintessentially Aussie as you can get. A tour around the Kimberley combines all 3 and more.

Indulge in a dinner cruise through Katherine Gorge, explore the lush foliage of Kakadu National Park and bask on the white sandy beaches of Broome.

Don’t be fooled though – a guided tour around Western Australia’s wilderness is just as much about the people as it is the jaw-dropping landscapes. Sit down for a chat about the sacred region with traditional land owners, and even share a cup of tea with an old drover.

As memorable as these planned activities are, there are hints of spontaneity on this tour. In fact, there are a couple of days dedicated to choosing your own adventure.

Get a bird’s-eye view of Kakadu National Park from a plane, cruise the Adelaide River and count how many ‘jumping’ crocs you spot or, when you reach Broome, take in the city sights on a Harley-Davidson Trike.

Spectacular landscape with the Katherine River in Northern Territory, Australia.

Cruise through Katherine Gorge, Northern Territory.

5. The ‘tropical treasures’ tour

Where: Cairns to Brisbane

Duration: 11-day guided tour

How does 11 days in tropical paradise sound? That alone is probably enough to tempt you on a tropics tour; however, there’s more than just swaying palm trees and cocktails.

From Cairns, board a catamaran and cruise to the pristine Great Barrier Reef. Squeeze into your wet suit and slip on your flippers to get up close to the reef’s marine life the traditional way, or stay dry and watch from the catamaran’s underwater observatory.

Later in the tour, get your green thumb out with a visit to the rainforest in the Atherton Tablelands. Just gazing 50 metres up at Curtain Fig Tree – one of tropical north Queensland’s largest trees – is an experience in itself.

Between the lush foliage and frolicking at popular tourist spots, like Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays, the best highlight is saved for last – a visit to Bundaberg Rum Distillery.

A sweet and spicy taste will linger on your palate all the way back to Brisbane. Now that’s reason to raise your glass and cheers to the end of a jam-packed tour in the tropics.

Venture into Atherton Tablelands to see the towering Curtain Fig Tree, north Queensland.

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