The Sun Seeker (Start Cairns)

Get down on the farm, enjoy the idyllic island life, smile at the crocodiles, snorkel the Whitsundays, dive the Great Barrier Reef, and then dance the night away in Cairns. This extravaganza shows you all that 'Down Under' has to offer!

Itinerary

1. Day Depart for Australia

   Fly over the international date line on your way to Australia.

2. Day Arrive Cairns

   Check into the Rydges Esplanade and the rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore.

3. Day Cairns

   Meet your Contiki crew then we’re off to town for a Cairns orientation tour, so you can get a feel of the area you will be spending the next two nights. Tonight we head out to a local restaurant for dinner where you have the opportunity to try kangaroo fillets, amongst other delicious Australian delicacies. In your free time, walk around Cairns’ buzzing night markets. It’s the perfect place for shopping and with everything from fun, kitsch treasures to local crafts like boomerangs and didgeridoos. There’s something for everyone.

4. Day Cairns

   Wake up to the warm waters of Cairns. For those who are keen for a fun and thrilling ride on the rapids of the Tully River, join our optional white-water rafting adventure activity with our professional Local Guides. There are loads more activities available in Cairns like hot air ballooning, sky diving and bungy jumping – just ask your Tour Manager for some more info. There’s a chance to experience the Great Barrier Reef on an optional day trip. Put on your snorkel gear and check out colourful fish, turtles, vivid coral and the incredible clear waters. Later, hit the seaside esplanade back in Cairns, sit down with a coffee and people watch. For your last night with the group in this city, there’s a chance to head down to a local hot-spot for dinner if you’re up for it.

5. Day Cairns to the Whitsundays

   Relax on the coach as we cruise past thick, tropical rainforests into Tully, home to some of Australia’s best whitewater rafting. Slowly leaving the tropics behind us, we hit Townsville for some free time. Check out the colonial buildings and get a feel for its maritime past as we drive along the esplanade and into town where you can grab some lunch. See vistas over Magnetic Island, a National Park and bird sanctuary, before we continue our travels south. Play some tunes on your ipod, have a chat, catch a DVD or simply enojoy some downtime before you board a ferry out to stunning Daydream Island. The time is then yours to enjoy the picture-perfect Whitsundays! Slow the pace down, kick back and make the most of the fantastic facilities available at the resort. Go for a rainforest walk, swim in the pool, get into some beach or water sports, try your hand at fish-feeding, catch a film at the big outdoor cinema or laze about on the beach. For those that are up for it, you could get away from it all with our optional day sail. Check out some of the Whitsunday’s 74 islands from the boat – you’ll soon understand why this region is so famous. Experience what is known as one of the top ten beaches in the world, uninhabited Whitehaven Beach. Swim off the boat and play beach volleyball or cricket with the local skipper and crew before enjoying a tasty lunch and a few drinks on the way back to Daydream Island.

6. Day The Whitsundays to Farmstay

   Today you head back to the mainland, plug in you ipod or chat with friends as we drive through scenic Mackay, with countryside full of vibrant green vegetation and sugar cane plantations. Continue down the Capricorn Coast and head inland to an authentic country homestead, right in the heart of Queensland’s cattle country, for our overnight stay. During our time at Langmorn, a working cattle station, you’ll experience a taste of real Aussie country life. The owners will show you around the enormous property in a behind-the-scenes look at daily life on the farm. Taste local hospitality tonight as your welcoming hosts pile your table high with a hearty roast beef and vegetables (like you've never tasted before) followed by an indulgent home made decadent desert. Later, have a go at whip cracking an authentic leather stock whip under night lights before heading back inside for traditional Aussie bush dancing. Have some fun and a giggle with some evening karaoke. See if you can spot the 'Southern Cross' amongst a chandelier of stars, a constellation only visible in the southern hemisphere & featured on the Australian flag.

7. Day Farmstay to Fraser Island

   After breakfast we drive back out to the coast and jump on board a ferry. Enjoy the cruise out to famous Fraser Island, where we’ll stay at an eco-lodge for our time here. Each cabin has its own kitchenette and living room, as well as a balcony – perfect for hanging out and listening to the sounds of the bush surrounding your lodge. If you're done with the pool and spa, you could take a stroll along the sand, check out the busy crabs on their evening march up the beach or the fish that dart amongst the jetty pylons. Make yourself comfortable on the beach and take in a unique sunset over the water near the Jetty Hut. Tonight, grab a bite to eat at one of the resort restaurants, then grab your dancing shoes and use the coloured chalk to write on the walls of the popular Dingo Bar.

8. Day Fraser Island to Noosa

   Experience a slice of paradise on Fraser Island this morning. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is the largest sand island in the world and is 800,000 years old. Packed with around 40 fresh-water lakes, lush rainforests and diverse wildlife, Fraser Island lives up to its amazing reputation. Jump on our included 4WD adventure through the island’s sand dunes, rainforests & freshwater lakes. Our Local Guide will show you some of the island’s best spots and hidden treasures, such as Lake McKenzie – make sure you keep your camera handy – this is one of Australia’s most beautiful regions. Once we’re back on the mainland, Noosa is up next. It’s a trendy beach resort town. Enjoy a drink or two with dinner tonight at the local surf club. Later if you want to take it up a level, head out into the town & explore Noosa by night.

9. Day Noosa to Surfers Paradise

   There’s time to explore Noosa this morning so take a stroll through the shops or sunbathe and swim at the beach before we make our way south. We also stop off in Brisbane today. You’ll get a feel for the capital of Queensland’s laid-back atmosphere when we have a look around town. Tonight we pull into legendary Surfers Paradise, the Gold Coast’s party hot spot and home to some of the best surfing beaches in the world. Grab some of your new friends and join the party atmosphere of Surfers tonight. With loads of restaurants and buzzing nightlife, there’s something for everybody. Head to the happening Orchid or Cavill Avenues, where clubs and bars line the street or shoot some pool at the pub.

10. Day Surfers Paradise

    With a free day, hang out among the bronzed bodies, bikini babes and surfer dudes on the golden sands. Check out what Surfers is most famous for, the three kilometers of gorgeous natural beaches. Kick back and spot some locals showing off their talents in the waves. If you want to get amongst the action there’s so much happening in Surfers Paradise you are spoilt for choice. You could head up into the Hinterland Mountains on a 4WD trip, visit South Stradbroke Island on a kayaking safari or spend all day at Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's Zoo, Australia Zoo. For adrenaline-junkies, there’s an optional tandem skydive or Tiger Moth biplane flight, where you can get your thrills and an amazing bird’s eye view over the Pacific Ocean and myriad of rivers and estuaries that make up the area. Our hotel is only a short walk from both the beach and downtown Surfers Paradise so you could also hit the shops – Surfers has some great places to shop and a huge outlet mall for bargains, so get some tips from your Tour Manager on where’s best to head.

11. Day Surfers Paradise

    Your tour ends after breakfast and it’s time to say goodbye to your Contiki crew and friends.

Tour Map

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