Australia: Sydney, Uluru, the Reef & Melbourne

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1. Day1 Departure for SydneyAthens → Sydney

   Departure from Athens on a scheduled flight with a connection at a major international airport. The journey to Australia takes more than a day and runs through the night: meals are served on board, and you arrive in Sydney the next day.

   • Flight
2. Day2 Arrival in SydneySydney

   Arrival in Sydney, transfer to the hotel and time to rest after the long journey. Later a first, gentle walk around the harbour, where ferries cross the bay, and a welcome dinner with your Greek coordinator. The time difference is large, so the first evening is a quiet one.

   • Coach
   • Dinner
3. Day3 Opera House, Harbour Bridge and ManlySydney

   You begin in the morning light at the harbour, where the sails of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge rise above the water. You walk through The Rocks district and the Botanic Garden. In the afternoon a ferry crosses the bay to Manly, with the city skyline slipping away behind you.

   • Ferry
   • Breakfast
4. Day4 Bondi and the coastal walkSydney · Bondi

   A morning stroll along famous Bondi Beach, with surfers waiting for the wave. Then the coastal path from Bondi towards Coogee, above cliffs and little bays with ocean pools cut into the rocks, at your own pace and for as long as you like. Lunch at a seaside café, then a free afternoon.

   • On foot
   • Breakfast · Lunch
5. Day5 Flight to Uluru and sunsetSydney → Uluru

   A flight of about three and a half hours to the heart of Australia, over the red desert. In the afternoon you reach Uluru, a sacred place for the Anangu, its traditional owners. At sunset the monolith shifts from orange to deep red. Dinner of Australian specialities.

   • Flight
   • Breakfast · Dinner
6. Day6 Uluru and Kata TjutaUluru · Kata Tjuta

   The day begins before sunrise, as the light changes colour on the rock. You walk part of the base of Uluru, with its caves, waterholes and rock art, and hear stories of Anangu tradition. We do not climb the rock: it is sacred. In the afternoon, the domes of Kata Tjuta, with a trail through a gorge between red rock walls.

   • Coach
   • Breakfast · Lunch
7. Day7 Flight to Cairns, gateway to the ReefUluru → Cairns

   You leave the desert behind and fly to Cairns, in tropical Queensland, where the air turns warm and humid. The afternoon is free: a stroll along the waterfront with its open-air lagoon pool, tropical fruit and seafood. Time to get your mask and fins ready for tomorrow's start on the Reef.

   • Flight
   • Breakfast
8. Day8 The Great Barrier Reef by boatGreat Barrier Reef

   A full day by boat to the outer reef, off Cairns. With mask, snorkel and fins you swim among corals and colourful fish and, with luck, glimpse a sea turtle. A marine guide explains the ecosystem; in some seasons you wear a light protective suit, which is provided. Lunch on board.

   • Boat
   • Breakfast · Lunch
9. Day9 Kuranda and the rainforestKuranda · Cairns

   You ride the scenic railway from the coast up to the village of Kuranda, through rainforest, gorges and waterfalls, and return by cable car above the treetops. In the village, lunch and a stroll through the craft markets. The afternoon is free in Cairns.

   • Train
   • Breakfast · Lunch
10. Day10 Flight to MelbourneCairns → Melbourne

    A flight to Melbourne, capital of Victoria, where the air smells of coffee and trams rattle through the centre. In the afternoon a first walk through Federation Square, past the yellow-fronted railway station and into the laneways with their street art and tiny cafés.

    • Flight
    • Breakfast
11. Day11 Great Ocean Road and the Twelve ApostlesGreat Ocean Road

    A full day on the coastal road built after the First World War by returned soldiers. Stops at surf beaches, in eucalyptus forest where, with luck, you will spot koalas, and at the Twelve Apostles, limestone stacks standing in the sea, golden in the afternoon light. Fewer than twelve remain today, as the waves keep carving them.

    • Coach
    • Breakfast · Lunch
12. Day12 The Greek community and farewellMelbourne

    A day in Melbourne. At midday, lunch at a taverna in the Greek quarter with members of the local community, one of the largest Greek communities outside Greece: many families arrived after the war and brought their language, cooking and festivals with them. A simple, sincere encounter, full of stories of emigration and Greek coffee. Farewell dinner and transfer to the airport.

    • Coach
    • Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
13. Day13 Arrival in AthensReturn to Athens

    After the long journey home, with a connection at an international airport, landing in Athens during the day. You carry home the red of Uluru, the blue of the Reef and the coffee of Melbourne. End of services.

    • Flight