The Best of Australia over Christmas and New Year

Days 1-2 - UK - In flight

Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your flight to Melbourne.

UK - In flight

Day 3 - Melbourne

We touch down in Melbourne and transfer to our hotel for some time to relax after the long flight. This morning is at leisure followed by an afternoon city tour of Melbourne’s highlights. Wander the wide boulevards lined with grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Known as the ‘garden city’, we’ll of course take some time to explore the sprawling parkland - including the famed Botanical Gardens, which make up more than a third of the entire city.

Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders, an IHG Hotel (4-star)

Day 4 - Melbourne - Phillip Island

This afternoon’s trip will take us over to Phillip Island, where we’ll spot the waddling ‘parade’ of fairy penguins emerge from the sea and shuffle up Summerland Beach to their sand dune burrows.

Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders, an IHG Hotel (4-star)

Day 5 - Dandenong Mountains - Melbourne

This morning we’ll head out into the Dandenong Mountains and you’ll suddenly feel you’re in another place entirely. Here, waterways weave between the forested slopes and you might spot vivid birdlife flitting in the treetops - including the rare and comical lyrebird. We’ll take an exciting ride on ‘Puffing Billy’, Australia’s oldest narrow gauge steam train - and a real thrill!

Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders, an IHG Hotel (4-star)

Day 6 - Great Ocean Road - Warrnambool

Justifiably known as one of Victoria’s most scenic roads, the Great Ocean Road snakes all the way along the southwest coast of the state, starting in Torquay and finishing up just before Warrnambool. Get your camera at the ready because this will be one of the most dramatic and photogenic drives you’ve ever seen. Its wild grandeur encompasses rainforests, gorges, gullies, arches and blowholes. The section to Warrnambool, beyond the Bay of Isles and Bay of Martyrs, is particularly special. You’ll really feel connected with the ocean as we pass by grand sweeping bays and exciting seaward vistas. The road climbs the cliffside as we skirt Cape Otway National Park and pass into Port Campbell National Park, where we pause to admire the Twelve Apostles.

Mid City Warrnambool (3.5-star)

Day 7 - Coonawarra - Murray River - Adelaide

Australia’s ‘other red centre’, Coonawarra, is where some of the world’s best Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz is grown, perfected since the late 19th century. Today, the region is home to a mix of old winemaking families and fresh new talent. We’ll stop by a local winery for a taste of these award-winning vintages - and enjoy the sprawling vineyard views. Our journey then takes us through enchanting pastureland, running brooks and great orchards beside the Murray River, as we descend towards the lovely city of Adelaide.

Peppers Waymouth Adelaide (4-star)

Day 8 - Adelaide

Sophisticated. Cultured. Neat. Adelaide’s church spires punctuate the city’s skyline, but it’s really a trendy city with a great music scene and plenty of local pubs tucked away in hidden streets. The graceful Victorian-lined streets are a delight to wander. We’ll visit the Cleland Wildlife Park this morning, on the slopes of Mount Lofty, a place of sanctuary for native species such as kangaroos and koalas. You can even enjoy a close-up koala encounter while they snack on eucalyptus leaves. After, we’ll explore the city together on a sightseeing tour.

Peppers Waymouth Adelaide (4-star)

Day 9 - Adelaide

Enjoy a day to explore exactly as you please. Maybe the colourful Central Market, the beautiful gardens of Victoria Square or a spot of shopping. Or, if the mercury is on the rise, you might want to hop on a train to the beachy shores of Glenelg for a day of sandy toes and ice creams.

Peppers Waymouth Adelaide (4-star)

Day 10 - Alice Springs

We’ll fly to Alice Springs today. ‘The Alice’, as it’s affectionately known, was founded as a staging point for the overland telegraph line in the 1870s.

Crowne Plaza Alice Springs (4-star)

Day 11 - Alice Springs - Uluru

This morning we’ll take a tour of the Telegraph Station and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, before heading to Uluru. People from across Australia and the world travel to discover Uluru, a site of deep cultural significance to the Aborigines, who now officially own the National Park in which is stands. It has inspired rock paintings and carvings for thousands of years. We’ll spend some time taking in the sheer size (348 metres), with two thirds of the rock actually buried beneath the sand. You’ll have some time to rest at the hotel before visiting the mesmerising Field of Light installation this evening.

Voyages Sails in the Desert, Uluru (4.5-star)

Day 12 - Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)

If you felt the spiritual connection yesterday, you’re in luck. We head to Uluru early this morning to see it, quite literally, in a very different light. Watch as the twinkling stars disappear above us and the towering silhouette of Uluru appear as the sun rises from behind it. To the west are the Olgas, a collection of more rounded rocks known as Kata Tjuta (‘Many Heads’) - Mount Olga is taller than Uluru at 584m. Later, with a glass of wine in hand, we’ll watch Uluru glow shades of orange and red as the sun sets behind us. The perfect ending to a very special day.

Voyages Sails in the Desert, Uluru (4.5-star)

Day 13 - Cairns

We fly to Cairns, where you’ll notice the pace of life slows right down and even in the inner city, you’ll more likely see board shorts than briefcases. We’ll spend the next few days based here. This part of Australia is the gateway to not only the Great Barrier Reef, but also the fascinating Tropical North.

Crystalbrook Flynn Hotel, Cairns (4.5-star)

Day 14 - Christmas Eve - Kuranda

We’ll make our way up to Kuranda on the Skyrail, gliding above the rainforest canopy as we ascend. We’ll spend some time at leisure here in Kuranda - the ‘village in the rainforest’ - to browse the shops and cafés or visit the butterfly sanctuary. Kuranda Railway Station itself is particularly lovely, with its original wooden structures and connecting bridge decked out with tropical flowers and ferns. Gold prospecting and tin mining inspired the amazing engineering feat of this afternoon’s scenic railway ride, as we wind through the rainforest down the mountainside. Literally hewn from the rock, it twists and turns for 34km through 15 tunnels, across chasms and beyond cascades. A truly memorable journey - we’ll be sure to stop for photos at the dramatic Barron Falls as we return to Cairns.

Crystalbrook Flynn Hotel, Cairns (4.5-star)

Day 15 - Christmas Day - Cairns

Unwind in the warmth of tropical Queensland as you spend Christmas Day Aussie style. Perhaps wander along the promenade and work up an appetite ready for your included Christmas Day dinner. As it's summer here, it will feel a little different than back home, but it will be a Christmas you won’t forget.

Crystalbrook Flynn Hotel, Cairns (4.5-star)

Day 16 - Boxing Day - Cairns

Along the coast, there’s a host of excellent beaches of golden sand to choose from on this leisure day. Or you can join an optional excursion such as Cape Tribulation and Daintree.

Crystalbrook Flynn Hotel, Cairns (4.5-star)

Day 17 - Great Barrier Reef

Stretching along 200km of coastline, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system. It’s even visible from space! But it’s not just the size that is impressive; it’s the wonderfully rich ecosystem that thrives in these waters. It is completely breathtaking and easily one of Australia’s most remarkable natural wonders. Today we’ll head out on a catamaran ride to visit the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Here, we can view the coral from an underwater observatory or a semi-submersible boat. Watch as yellow, blue and orange tropical fish dart between reefs in this magical underwater world. You’ll even have the chance to jump in for a spot of snorkelling in the water, if you like (equipment provided).

Crystalbrook Flynn Hotel, Cairns (4.5-star)

Day 18 - Cairns - Sydney

Today’s destination really delivers the wow factor. We transfer to the airport for our flight to Sydney, one of the world’s most iconic cities. Gazing out at the Opera House from across the harbour really is one of those surreal ‘pinch me’ moments, but we’ll have plenty of that over the next few days in this fascinating city. We’ll be staying near Darling Harbour, a pretty, restored area of dockland with a palm-fringed promenade, a Chinese garden and the magnificent Sydney Aquarium nearby.

Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)

Day 19 - Sydney

We’ll head out on a tour this morning to take in all the highlights of this great city. As we work our way around, we’ll visit the harbour - dominated by the great span of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (‘the coat hanger’) and distinctive Opera House - and the 19th-century Royal Botanical Gardens. This afternoon, we’ll take to the water for a completely different perspective of the city. As we cruise by, we’ll enjoy the view of the sumptuous waterfront homes and an even closer look at its iconic harbour.

Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)

Day 20 - Sydney

Why not explore Sydney on foot? Take a leisurely stroll through the old dockland streets of the Rocks - the area where the first British convicts settled, which retains an alluring Victorian charm, and now hosts numerous fine shops, galleries and restaurants. Nearby Circular Quay has some must-try dining venues of its own. On the other side of the Quay, be sure to pose for a selfie in front of the Opera House.

Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)

Day 21 - New Year's Eve - Sydney

This morning is at leisure. It will be a late but exciting evening tonight celebrating NYE, so make sure you save some energy! Maybe have a wander through the Botanical Gardens to admire the flora, and along historic Macquarie Street, a parade of grand colonial-style buildings. Here, you’ll spot the State Conservatorium of Music, Parliament House, and the Mint, all designed by Englishman Francis Greenway, who was transported to Australia for forgery. Tonight, we’ll welcome in the New Year in style with a dinner cruise on Sydney Harbour. It’ll be a magical experience with stunning views of the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge illuminated by a spectacular fireworks display.

Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)

Day 22 - New Year's Day - Sydney

Today is our last full day in Sydney, and it’s at leisure so you can do as much or little as possible. If you’re looking for shopping opportunities in Sydney, many of the best can be found on Pitt Street, running south of Circular Quay, and George Street, which boasts one of the most sublime shopping centres in the world - the Queen Victoria Building, with its three floors of bow-fronted shops adorned with marble, gilt, rich panelling and stained glass.

Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney (4-star)

Day 23 - Sydney - In flight

Enjoy a few last hours at leisure in Sydney, before we transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Sydney - In flight

Day 24 - UK

Upon arrival, your Titan vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.

UK