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July 02, 2010

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Australia

From the Washington Post, July 4, 2010

“As problems go, Diane Ullius and Rhonda Buckner of Arlington have a good one: how to narrow down their lengthy Australian wish list into one glorious, action-packed month. They want to visit the top destinations of Sydney, Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, but would also like to add Adelaide and Melbourne to the mix. They’d love to hook up with a guided camping tour for a few nights. They want to go
rafting, sample the country’s wines and visit botanical gardens. And they really want to visit Tasmania.

For a couple of different takes on how best to see the country, we turned to Norma Dugger, a certified Aussie Specialist at Portfolio Travel in Washington (202-966-4111 or 800-451-0637, http://www.portfoliotravel.com), and Michelle Stevenson, a spokeswoman for Tourism Australia (http://www.australia.com). Here’s an itinerary that starts out in Sydney, incorporating suggestions from both experts.

Days 1-7: Fly to Sydney, the oldest city in Australia, and settle in. Accommodations include the gay-friendly Cambridge Hotel (from $139 per night double), near the city center, and the Medusa Boutique Hotel (from $269), an 18-room inn in Darlinghurst. You’ll have no problem finding things to do in the city - stroll the Rocks neighborhood, climb Sydney Harbour Bridge, visit the Opera House - but Stevenson also recommends the one-hour Aboriginal Heritage Tour of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens ($22 per person). The Blue Mountains National Park, part of a World Heritage natural area, is a must-do side trip, either by car (it’s about a 90-minute drive), train (about $15 round trip) or escorted four-wheel drive tour ($126 per person). Dugger recommends staying in a treetop cabin at the Jemby Rinjah Eco Lodge (from $160 double per night).

Days 8-12: Fly from Sydney to Tasmania. Spend a day in the capital, Hobart; Dugger recommends the Lodge on Elizabeth, a Georgian mansion built in 1829 by convicts (from $130 per night double). Then head to Maria Island National Park, home to wallabies, wombats, kangaroos and fairy penguins. Stevenson likes the four-day hiking tour offered by Maria Island Walks, where approx $1,869 per person double gets you a boat trip to and from the island, hiking guides, three nights’ accommodations, all food and wine, park passes and hiking gear.

Days 13-16: Fly to Melbourne. Hotel option: Travelodge Southbank (from $159 per night double). So much to see and do here: Take a walking tour of the city’s lanes and arcades, rent bikes, visit museums.
Stevenson recommends renting a car and heading for the Great Ocean Road. Drive via the Mornington Peninsula and take the car on the Portsea-to-Sorrento ferry, continuing your drive to Lorne. Lodging option: the Cumberland Resort (from $217 per night double for an ocean-view apartment). Continue on the next day, stopping in the seaside town of Apollo Bay and taking the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk in the Otway Ranges ($19 per person). Then make your way to Port Campbell National Park, home of the famous Twelve Apostles stone formation along the shore.
Next up, Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve. Spend the night in the fishing village of Port Fairy. Lodging option: Oscars B&B . The next day, head on to Halls Gap and visit Brambuck Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Take a tour with an Aboriginal guide or explore Grampians National Park, known for its beautiful hiking trails and rugged scenery. Stay overnight in Dunkeld at the Royal Mail (from $156 per night double.
Next day, drive to Daylesford, with the highest concentration of natural springs in Australia. A splurge-y lodging option: Peppers Springs Retreat and Spa (from $355 per night double).
Also out of Melbourne, Dugger suggests adding the Savannah Walkabout full-day small-group tour. In the bushland of You Yangs Park, you can see koalas, herds of wild kangaroos and native birds, including emu ($156 per person). Days 17-19: Fly to Adelaide. Lodging option: Mercure Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide, a 1920s landmark (from $92 per night double. For winery-hopping, the nearbyBarossa Valley produces some of Australia’s finest reds. Another must: Kangaroo Island, a sanctuary for numerous native Australian animals. Dugger recommends at least two days here. Lodging includes camping, hostels, B&Bs and luxury lodges; search at http://www.tourkangarooisland.com.au.

Days 20-23: Fly to Ayers Rock, Uluru. Lodging options at Ayers Rock Resort include hotel rooms (from $204 per night double), dormitory lodges ($30 per person), cabins ($130 per night double) and camping ($18 per person). The resort has a shuttle to the Rock, where you can join a guided tour. Stevenson suggests renting a car and driving two hours from Uluru to Kings Canyon, which has great walks and spectacular views. You can stay in a luxury tented air-conditioned cabin at Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge (from $282 per night double. But here’s where you might want to fit in your guided camping trip: Dugger recommends Connections Safaris’ Ultimate Red Centre Dreamtime Safari, a four-day, small-group tour with overnight accommodations in permanent tents (about $778 per person double.

Days 24-29: Surf’s up! Fly to Cairns, the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and islands. Lodging option: Bay Village Tropical Retreat and Apartments(from $130 per night double. Take a cruise out to the reef and snorkel one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Rent a car and drive two hours to Port Douglas and the Daintree rain forest, the oldest surviving tropical rain forest in the world. Take the Aerial Walkway or fly through the trees with Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours. Then ferry across the Daintree River and drive to Cape Tribulation, the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites meet: the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef. Finally, drive from Daintree to Mission Beach, about 3 1/2 hours. Drive back to Cairns from Mission Beach and fly from Cairns to Brisbane.

Day 30: Return home from Brisbane.

Cost: This trip is doable for two for $10,000 to $12,000, depending on which options you select. Dugger quoted $10,955 for a package for two that includes many of these options, including air from Los Angeles; add at least $300 each to travel from Washington.”

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